Are you looking to watch Lifetime on your TV without cable? All you need is a streaming device like a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Smart TV, and one of the following live TV streaming services that carry Lifetime channel.
The Cheapest Way to Watch Lifetime is with Frndly TV at just $6.99 after a 1-week free trial. Philo is the next most affordable at $25 per month and provides many more popular channels than Frndly, but both services lack sports and cable news. DIRECTV STREAM and Hulu Live TV provide an experience closer to cable TV with cable news, sports, and local channels, but they are priced around $65-$70 per month. Sling TV and Vidgo also provide Lifetime in their lineup at a price point and channel selection in between streaming services like Philo and services like DIRECTV STREAM. Unfortunately, YouTube TV and FuboTV do not carry Lifetime Channel.
All The Ways to Stream Lifetime Channel
Watching lifetime through these streaming services is the same Lifetime channel you would see on cable TV. It’s just a lot more affordable. You can learn more about the streaming services offering Lifetime below.
Lifetime on Frndly TV
Frndly TV is the most affordable way to watch Lifetime live, starting at only $6.99 per month. The service provides HD Video Quality live TV, the ability to watch on 2 Screens at a time. A subscription to Frndly also provides Unlimited DVR recordings that you can keep recordings for up to three months. You can try their service with no commitment using this 1-week trial or reading our review of Frndly TV.
Supported Devices: Supported on Apple TV, Roku, Roku TVs, Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android and iOS mobile devices, and most major web browsers
Price: Frndly TV starts at $6.99 per month. However, we find their $8.99 per month “Classic Plan” is the best value
Channels: Over 20 Channels of Live TV & On-Demand including channels like Lifetime, A&E, History, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, QVC, and The Weather Channel.
Why Choose Frndly TV For Lifetime: Frndly TV is the most affordable way to watch Lifetime. The service offers a few quality channels at an unbeatable price. Frndly doesn’t carry local channels or cable news and sports, but it’s also a fraction of the price of other live streaming services. You can always use a TV antenna for local channels. Frndly TV is a cable TV alternative built for saving money. Frndly starts with a 1-week free trial, and if you cancel before the trial expires, you won’t be charged for your first month. If you decide to keep Frndly after the trial, you are billed monthly and can cancel anytime.
Watch Lifetime on Philo
Another affordable streaming service that carries Lifetime is Philo. Watch Lifetime along with over 60 other channels for $25/month. That price includes a cloud DVR for recording your favorite shows. You can check out a free trial and see if the service is right for you. If you decide to subscribe after the free trial, Philo doesn’t require a contract, and you can cancel the service anytime. Philo also has a great on-demand library that pulls from the channels in its lineup. You can also use your Philo credentials to link a valid TV provider to many channel apps. Below I cover the channels available on Philo and more. For more information, check out our review of Philo.
Price: The service costs $25 per month after a risk-free 1-week free trial.
Supported Devices: Philo is supported on Apple iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and more. Philo allows you to stream on up to 3 devices with the same account. See our coverage of Philo Device Support for more details.
Channels: There are over 60 channels in Philo’s channel lineup, including Lifetime, A&E, AMC, Comedy Central, Discovery, Hallmark Channel, TLC, MTV, and Nickelodeon.
Why Choose Philo For Lifetime: Philo is a great choice for Lifetime. Not only is it the most affordable way to watch, but you get a ton of channels you find on basic cable for just $25 per month. Philo doesn’t carry local channels or cable news and sports, but it’s also less than half the price of most other streaming services. Philo makes for a cable TV alternative for saving money. Especially if you get serious about saving money and use a TV antenna for local channels. Philo starts you out with a 1-week free trial, and if you cancel before the trial expires, you won’t be charged for your first month. If you decide to keep Philo after the trial, you are billed monthly and can cancel anytime.
Watch Lifetime on DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is another way you can watch Lifetime. Channel packages with Lifetime start at $79.99 per month with their “Entertainment” channel plan after a 5-day free trial. When streaming Lifetime, you get the same Lifetime programming that you would see on channel 280, DIRECTV’s channel number for Lifetime. All DIRECTV STREAM plans come with unlimited DVR storage as long as the content is watched within 9 months. Recordings are automatically deleted after 9 months. You can also access on-demand through the Lifetime app and other channel apps using your DIRECTV STREAM credentials. I cover their “Entertainment” channel plan below since it’s the most affordable way to watch Lifetime on DIRECTV STREAM. You can learn about all the channel plans they offer in my full review of DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV STREAM Entertainment Plan Price: The service offers a risk-free 5-Day Free Trial. costs $79.99 each month after. However, you can cancel at any time and cancel within the free trial and you will not be charged..
Device Support: DIRECTV STREAM is supported on iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and more. You can watch up 20 streams simultaneously per subscription with any DIRECTV STREAM plan. See our coverage of DIRECTV STREAM Device Support for more details.
Channels: There are over 75 channels in DIRECTV STREAM’s cheapest channel lineup, including Lifetime, A&E, AMC, HGTV, Comedy Central, Discovery, Hallmark Channel, TLC, MTV, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, TBS, TNT, and USA Network. You also get local channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, sports channels like ESPN and FS1, and the cable news networks like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
Why Choose DIRECTV STREAM for Lifetime: DIRECTV STREAM is a streaming service made to replace cable TV, providing you with a way to watch your big 4 local networks and most basic cable channels. The service also stands out in allowing you to stream on up to 20 devices at once. That could save you a ton of money in a multi-TV/mobile device house. There is no risk in signing up as you can cancel anytime. You can even try out the services with their 5-day free trial. If you cancel before the trial is over, you won’t be charged for the first month.
Go To DIRECTV STREAM’s Website
Watch Lifetime on Hulu Live TV
Hulu provides a few options for watching Lifetime shows. A few Lifetime shows are available on-demand by subscribing to the Hulu streaming library starting at $7.99 per month. If you want to watch the new episodes of shows on Lifetime, you will need to watch Lifetime using Hulu’s Live TV, which costs $76.99 per month. Hulu Live TV includes the ad-supported version of the Hulu Streaming Library. You can upgrade to the ad-free version of Hulu’s streaming library for a cost of $89.99. Before signing up for Hulu Live TV, check out the important information below on Hulu Live TV features from our review of Hulu.
Not only does Hulu Live TV include the Hulu Streaming Library with Hulu Originals like The Patient and Only Murders In The Building, but it also includes a subscription to Disney+ and ESPN+ as well. Hulu Live TV is the only streaming service that includes these two excellent streaming services. Hulu Live TV includes Unlimited cloud DVR storage in both Live TV Plans. Episodes can be stored up to 9 months after recording them, and you can fast-forward through recorded commercials. Hulu’s credentials can also be used to link a valid TV provider to most 3rd party channel apps, including the Lifetime app. Read on for more details on Hulu.
Price: The service includes Disney+ and ESPN+ with unlimited DVR storage for $76.99/month. (Sign up).
Device Support: Hulu Live TV is supported on Apple iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and more. You can watch on two devices at once. However, you can upgrade to unlimited devices for just $9.99 monthly.
Channels: Hulu Live TV provides over 75 channels in Hulu Live TV’s channel lineup, including Lifetime, A&E, HGTV, Comedy Central, Discovery, TLC, MTV, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, TBS, TNT, and USA Network. Hulu Live TV provides local channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, sports channels like ESPN and FS1, and the cable news networks like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
Why Choose Hulu Live TV for Lifetime: Hulu has most of the channels you get with a basic cable package, but Hulu Live TV also includes the Hulu Streaming Library, Disney+, and ESPN+ in its price. This makes Hulu Live TV the best option if you are looking for a cable TV alternative that packs a lot of on-demand choices. Not only are your bases covered on for live TV, but you can watch Hulu originals like Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid’s Tale, and more. Furthermore, Disney+ provides access to hit shows like Andor, Loki, and a ton of other Star Wars, Marvel, and Disney content. There isn’t a long-term contract. You can pay monthly and cancel any time you like.
Watch Lifetime on Sling TV
Sling TV is another affordable option for watching Lifetime. Lifetime is on Sling TV’s Blue channel package or Orange plan, each costing $40/month. I recommend the Sling Blue plan as it allows you to watch on up to three devices at once, whereas the orange plan only allows for a stream at a time. All Sling TV plans provide a cloud DVR to record Lifetime shows and more if you can’t watch when a show airs. Sling TV’s Cloud-based DVR is available on Amazon Fire, Roku, Android, and Apple TV devices. Each Sling TV package comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR storage, and you can keep recordings as long as you want with no expiration. For $5 more per month, you can increase the storage up to 200 hours. I go into more detail on devices and channels below. You can also check out my review of Sling TV for more details.
Sling Price: The service costs $40 per month, but provides 50% off your first month. You can sign up on Sling's website.
Sling Devices: Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more, so it’s not a problem to watch Sling TV on a TV, tablet, computer, or other smart devices. Sling’s Blue Plan allows you to stream on up to 3 devices at once.
Channels: The channels on Sling TV’s Blue Plan include Lifetime, A&E, AMC, BBC America, Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, E!, Fox News, FS1, FX, TLC, History, HGTV, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, Paramount Network, SYFY, TBS, TNT, truTV, USA Network, and more.
Why Use Sling for Lifetime: Sling TV is a value somewhere between Philo and your more complete streaming services like DIRECTV STREAM or Hulu Live TV. The price is a little steeper than Philo, but you gain some cable news and sports channels. It’s not a great solution for local networks as they only provide Fox and ABC in the largest of TV markers, so you will need a TV antenna for your local channels.
Watch Lifetime on Vidgo
Vidgo is a newer streaming service that offers fairly competitive pricing over other live streaming services. Vidgo includes Lifetime in its Core package, along with over 60 other channels. New customers can watch Lifetime by signing up for the Vidgo Plus Plan for $69.99 per month when you subscribe. Vidgo doesn’t force you into a contract, so you can cancel at any time. Vidgo provides a DVR with its Premium Plan for $84.99 per month. Premium provides a 20-hour Cloud DVR, which works with Firestick, Roku, Google TV, and Apple TV. The plan also adds over 20 channels not found in the Plus Plan to your lineup. If you get the more affordable Plus plan, you get to try the DVR for 90 days. After that, you must upgrade to the Premium Plan to keep the feature. We cover the Pro plan below but have the full details in our guide to Vidgo’s live streaming service.
Vidgo Price: The service costs $69.99 per month. (Sign up)
Vidgo Devices: Vidgo is supported on available on Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV. You can also stream the service on up to 3 devices at the same time.
Channels: There are over 100 channels in Vidgo’s Channel Lineup, including Lifetime, Comedy Central, Discovery, TLC, MTV, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Hallmark Channel. Vidgo provides local ABC and Fox in most parts of the country. It also has sports channels like ESPN and FS1, and the cable news networks Fox News.
Why Use Vidgo for Lifetime: Vidgo is a service I usually only recommend it for college sports. It’s channel lineup lags behind the other top services, isn’t a complete solution for local channels, and charges you for DVR service. I would only use it as a last resort for watching Lifetime.
Watch on the Lifetime App
To stream full movies or shows on Lifetime’s website or app, you’ll need to log in with streaming service credentials, just the same as you would if you had cable credentials. However, only Philo and Hulu are listed among the eligible providers for the website and app. Not sling.
The app is available on iPhone and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon FireTV.
Using The Lifetime App on Roku and Other Devices
Once you subscribe to one of the services above, you can watch by downloading the Lifetime app to your supported device. When asked for a TV provider, use your login credentials from one of the streaming services above. Below are the steps to unlock Lifetime Channel on Roku. Other streaming devices and channels have a very similar process.
- Go to the channel store on your device.
- Search for the Lifetime app, and add it to your device
- Open the app, select “Login” from the menu.
- Your Roku device will provide an activation code and a URL.
- Using a web browser, go to the URL.
- You will then be asked for the credentials of the TV provider you use for Lifetime. I use for Philo.
- Your TV screen will refresh, and you will have access to the content Lifetime provides through the Lifetime app.
Streaming Lifetime’s shows and movies
If you just want to watch the shows on Lifetime and not the live stream of the channel itself, you can use a streaming service. Hulu doesn’t have all shows, but it has some, including “Dance Moms,” “Little Women: LA,” “Mary Kills People,” and “Devious Maids.” Hulu’s streaming services costs $7.99/month and offers a 1-month free trial. From Lifetime Movies it has “Deadly Wives.”
Watch Lifetime Channel for Free
Some of the streaming services that carry Lifetime Channel offer a free trial. You can take advantage of those and watch free Lifetime Channel for free. Let’s look at the free trials available.
- Philo – offers a 1-week free trial.
- Frndly TV – offers a 1-week trial
- DIRECTV STREAM – Watch with this 5-day free trial.
As long as you cancel before the free trial expires, you won’t be charged. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free Lifetime Channel even longer. Doing this would also let you test out the various live TV streaming services to see which one you like the best.
Watch Lifetime Channel on Roku
To watch Lifetime Channel on Roku, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries Lifetime Channel (Philo, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, etc.)
- On your Roku Menu, navigate to “Search” and press “OK” on your remote
- Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
- Select the streaming service and press “OK.”
- Select “Add Channel” press “OK” on your remote. If the channel is already installed, “Go To Channel” will be an option.
- The App is now installed on your Roku. Open the app, and log in with the credentials you used to subscribe to the service. Lifetime Channel will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch Lifetime Channel on Fire TV
To watch Lifetime Channel on Fire TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries Lifetime Channel (Philo, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, etc.)
- On your Fire TV Home screen, click on the search icon in the screen’s upper-left corner.
- Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
- Select the streaming service and press “OK.”
- Select “Download,” and the channel will install
- The App is now installed on your Fire TV. Open the app, and log in with the credentials you used to subscribe to the service. Lifetime Channel will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch Lifetime Channel on Apple TV
To watch Lifetime Channel on Apple TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries Lifetime Channel (Philo, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, etc)
- Scroll right to the search icon in the upper-left corner of the screen
- Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
- Select the streaming service click the cloud icon, and the channel will install
- The App is now installed on your Apple TV. Open the app, and log in with the credentials you used to subscribe to the service. Lifetime Channel will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
About Lifetime Channel
Just saying the words “Lifetime movie” is enough to immediately conjure flashy images: the scorned wife, the thwarted lover, the pregnant teen. Lifetime has become synonymous with a certain melodrama of the distinctly feminine variety. If action movies feature a surplus of masculine energy, these go the opposite route. Interpersonal dramas go bonkers in plots that are borderline ridiculous in its made-for-tv movies.
Of course, that’s not to say that there isn’t murder. One of the little icons on Lifetime’s web site is a dripping knife. It comes down to the guilty pleasure of seeing people inflict emotional torture on those around them.
Kirsten Dunst in “Fifteen and Pregnant” (1998) is scandalous and a true story to boot. A whole group of high schoolers deciding to get pregnant at once in 2010’s “The Pregnancy Pact”? Equally so. But it isn’t all cautionary tales. In the trailer for 2009 “12 Men of Christmas” featuring Kristen Chenoweth finding naked men for a calendar, we learn that “the search for Mr. December could turn out to be the Christmas gift she’s always wanted.” How can you resist?
Don’t Forget Lifetime Movies
Two channels carry Lifetime programming, the flagship Lifetime as well as Lifetime Movies. On Lifetime, you can find its particular brand in shows as well as movies. “Dance Moms” has defined a style of crazed, high-pressure mothering that makes us “tsk, tsk” and feel better about our own imperfect parenting. Or you could indulge in “American Princess,” about a woman who runs away from her cheating fiancé to join a Renaissance festival. Those of us with bodices gathering dust in the closet can relate.
If all this is your jam, Lifetime’s web site offers up a few ways to take it to the next level. You can join the “Inner Circle” for free, which lets you take quizzes like “test your Lifetime movie knowledge or find out if you’d survive a psycho killer.” Or you can check out the section “She Did That” with real-life news of inspiring women (who probably are not pregnant with knives but who knows?)
Thankfully, you do not need cable to check out all the drama for yourself. There are numerous ways to stream Lifetime without signing up for a cable plan.
