Karen Beck
Latest posts by Karen Beck (see all)
- Watch NBCSN (NBC Sports Network) Without Cable - 2019-10-11
- Watch OWN Online Without Cable - 2019-09-26
- Watching MTV Online Without Cable - 2019-09-24
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.
How to Watch LifeTime Online
Watching Lifetime on Philo
After the first month, the cheapest option is Philo, which gives you Lifetime and Lifetime Movies as well as 57 others for $20/month. You can check out a free trial and see if the service will meet your needs. Philo also includes a cloud DVR for you to record shows to watch later.
Sign Up For A Free Trial To Philo
Philo is supported on Apple iPhone and iPad (running iOS 9 or newer), Android phones and tablets (running 5.0 or newer), Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.
You can use your Philo credentials to sign on to the A&E app and watch at least some of the episodes there.
Watching Lifetime on Sling TV
For the first month, the cheapest way is to subscribe to either Sling TV’s Blue or Orange package for $15/month, which gives you Lifetime and over 40 other channels. After a month it goes up to $25/month.
Sling TV provides a live stream of Lifetime so you are able to watch exactly what would be airing on Lifetime just as if you had cable. It is included in its Cloud DVR program, so you can record shows for later if you pay an additional $5/month.
With online access to Lifetime streaming, you will never miss great shows like “Dance Moms,” “American Princess,” “Mr. T’s Music Factory,” “Little Women: Atlanta,” “Marrying Millions,” and “Cheerleader Generation.”
Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and more. You can enjoy Lifetime on a TV or mobile device. There are more channels on Sling TV than what I’ve mentioned here. To find out more about what Sling TV has to offer, check out this detailed review of Sling TV.
The review includes information on a Sling TV free trial and ways to get discounted (and free) streaming devices so be sure to check it out.
Sign up for a free trial to Sling TV!
Watching Lifetime on Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV offers Lifetime for $44.99/month after 7-day free trial. Previously Hulu was known for their vast on-demand streaming library. Recently, they have added a Hulu Live TV service for $44.99 a month that offers Live Lifetime Online Streaming. Hulu Live TV is one of the best live TV streaming services available. It includes the following features:
- The basic package comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR storage. (Upgrades available)
- Watch on 2 screens at once. (Upgrades available)
- Comes with 6 customizable profiles
- Includes entire Hulu streaming library
Check out our full review of Hulu Live TV for more details.
Check out Hulu’s free trial here.
Watching on FuboTV
FuboTV is a good place to go for sports but it offers many other more general channels as well, including Lifetime. Lifetime is offered as well as 90+ other channels in its basic package for $54.99/month (after 7-day free trial). FuboTV is available AppleTV, Android TV, Roku, FireTV and more. You can sign up for a 1-week free trial or check out our review of FuboTV for more details.
Watch on the Lifetime App
To stream full movies or shows on Lifetime’s web site 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 web site and app. Not sling.
The app is available on iPhone and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon FireTV.
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 $5.99/month and offers a 1-month free trial. From Lifetime Movies it has “Deadly Wives.”
Purchasing shows
Alternatively, you could purchase shows through a venue like Itunes or Amazon Prime Video. They vary a lot in price but you might want to consider this option if there are just a few movies you’d like to watch over and over again.
If this article didn't answer your specific question, head over to our Home Page! It's designed as a guide to our most important articles to help you ditch pay TV.
For tips and tricks on cutting the cord and other tech topics be sure to join our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @Grounded Reason.
With 58 live channels and a cloud DVR for just $20 per month, Philo TV is one of the best deals you 'll find online. Try a Free Trial to Philo Now! No credit card required!
Verizon Fios will cover your first month of YouTube TV, and throw in a $50 Prepaid Visa® Card when you sign up for 100 Mbps Internet net for $39.99 per month. Read about the full details here!
Disclosure: Grounded Reason is supported by a small commission for purchases made through some product links on this website. We do not accept compensation from companies attempting to sway our review of products.