How to Watch TCM Turner Classic Movies Without Cable

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has one of the largest classic movies libraries in the world, and they air movies uninterrupted and commercial-free. Furthermore, you don’t need cable to watch Turner Classic Movies (TCM.) All you need is a streaming device like Roku, a streaming service that carries TCM, and access to the internet. Sling TV is the cheapest streaming service to stream TCM but isn’t an excellent solution for streaming local channels. DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV provide TCM and are closer to what one would expect from a cable TV package but are more expensive than Sling TV.

Below are all the streaming services that carry TCM.

Streaming Sevices with TCM

The streaming services below all allow you to watch TCM without the need for satellite or cable TV.

Watch TCM on Sling TV

TCM is one of the many channels on Sling TV. However, it’s part of their “Hollywood” add-on package. Sling TV offers two base packages with different channel offerings call the “Blue” and “Orange” package. Each cost $40 per month. Subscribers then add the “Hollywood” add-on at an additional $6 per month for a total of $46 per month.

Sling also provides the following features:

• access to TCM, HGTV, TBS, and many more top channels
• no contract is required, and you can cancel at any time
• Sling TV also offers on-demand when available from a network
• includes 50 hours of cloud DVR storage (upgradeable)
• supports Windows and Mac PCs and laptops, Android and iOS devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Nexus player, Xbox One, 4th Generation Apple TV, Chromecast, and more.

That price includes cloud DVR service and a ton of other channels. Learn more about sling in our review of Sling TV or sign up and give their service a try.

TCM on DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is another way you can watch TCM. Channel packages with TCM start at $74.99 per month. A subscription to DIRECTV STREAM includes the following:

• watch 20 streams simultaneously per subscription 
• a cloud-based DVR
• channels like TCM and more
• supported on Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, and more

You can check out this streaming service through this online offer or read about it in our DIRECTV STREAM review.

Watching TCM on Hulu Live TV

Hulu is another way you can stream TCM. Previously Hulu was known for its vast on-demand streaming library. Recently, they have added a Hulu Live TV service for $69.99 a month that offers Live TCM Online Streaming. Hulu Live TV includes the following features:

• Unlimited cloud DVR storage. (Recordings save for 9 months)
• 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.

Try Hulu Live TV

TCM on YouTube TV

YouTube TV also carries TCM in its channel lineup along with limitless storage space for recording your shows. Your library of recorded shows can be streamed anywhere.

YouTube TV provides:

• TCM, Local Network Channels, and over 70 other channels
• unlimited cloud DVR storage
• stream on three devices at once
• YouTube TV supports Roku, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more. 
• Includes YouTube TV on-demand
• offers a 1-week free trial.

After a 1-week free trial, YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month. See our YouTube TV review for more details.

Watch TCM for Free

Some of the streaming services that carry TCM offer a free trial. If you use different email addresses, you can take advantage of those and watch free TCM for almost a month or longer. Let’s look at the free trials available.

• DIRECTV STREAM – offers a 5-day free trial
• YouTube TV –  offers a 1-week free trial

As long as you cancel before the free trial expires, you won’t be charged. You can cycle the free trials to get nearly a month of TCM free. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free TCM 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 TCM on Roku

To watch TCM on Roku, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TCM (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
2. On your Roku Menu, navigate to “Search” and press “OK” on your remote
3. Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
4. Select the streaming service and press “OK.”
5. Select “Add Channel” press “OK” on your remote. If the channel is already installed, “Go To Channel” will be an option.
6. The App is now installed on your Roku. Open the app, and log in with the credentials you used to subscribe to the service. TCM will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch TCM on Fire TV

To watch TCM on Fire TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TCM (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
2. On your Fire TV Home screen, click on the search icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
3. Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
4. Select the streaming service and press “OK.”
5. Select “Download,” and the channel will install
6. 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. TCM will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch TCM on Apple TV

To watch TCM on Apple TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TCM (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
2. Scroll right to the search icon in the upper-left corner of the screen
3. Enter the name of the streaming service you subscribe to in the search bar
4. Select the streaming service click the cloud icon, and the channel will install
5. 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. TCM will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch with the TCM App

You can also use the TCM app to watch classic movies-on-demand and even watch TCM live. In order to stream TCM through the TCM app, you have to enter your TV provider credentials. Most think you need a cable provider login to utilize the TCM app, but that isn’t the case. Currently, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM accounts will work to unlock the TCM app.

You can even download the TCM app on your Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV and watch on your television using your Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, or DIRECTV STREAM credentials. There are detailed instructions in the next section on installing and activating the TCM Go app on your streaming device.

How To Watch on Your Device

For our example, let’s assume we have a Hulu Live subscription and a Roku. We can follow the steps below to get the TCM app working on our device. While the steps below use Hulu Live TV and Roku to watch TCM, most streaming services and devices will have the same process.

1. Go to the channel store or app store on your device. On Roku, it’s called the “Channel Store.”
2. Search for TCM Channel
3. Add the TCM app to your device and then open it. 
4. Your Roku device will then show you an activation code and a URL.
5. Using a computer or mobile web browser, you go to the URL.
6. You will then be asked for a TV provider and a username/password. Enter the username and password you use for your Hulu Live TV account.
7. Once you sign in on TCM’s website, your TV screen will refresh. You should now have access to all the video content the app provides.

Supported Streaming Devices

The TCM Go App is supported on all of the following streaming devices:

• Android Devices
• iOS Devices
• Apple TV
• Roku
• Android TV
• Amazon Fire TV

For information on watching other TV channels online check out: How To Stream Specific TV Channels