How to Watch CNN without Cable

Yes! You can watch CNN live without having a satellite or cable TV subscription. All you need is a subscription to one of the following live TV streaming services: Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV, or YouTube TV. Each service carries CNN in its channel lineup. This article will explain which is the best option for you

Streaming Services With CNN

The following streaming services will let you watch CNN live without cable.

CNN on Sling TV

An affordable way to stream live CNN is with Sling TV. Subscribers will need to sign up for Sling TV’s Blue or Orange Package for $35 per month. You can try a 3-day free trial and see if this solution will work for you. 

• access to CNN, AMC, History Channel, A&E, and other channels on Sling TV
• Sling also offers on-demand and a cloud DVR
• You can stream up to 3 devices simultaneously on the Sling Blue plan. The Orange plan limits you to 1 stream at a time.
• Supported on 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.
• Includes a cloud DVR along with other great features.

For details on Slings service offerings and the difference between them, check out my review of Sling TV.

CNN on Hulu Live TV

Live streaming of CNN is available through Hulu Live TV. As with Sling, you can get a 1-week free trial to watch CNN live free of charge. Previously Hulu was known for its vast on-demand streaming library. Hulu Live TV includes the following features:

• Over 60 live local and cable channels, including CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and more. See Channels in your Area
• 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
• supported on Roku, Fire TV Devices, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, iOS, Android, and more.

After your free trial is up, Hulu Live TV will cost you $64.99 per month. I find it the best value of the services currently out there because it will allow you to stream your local broadcast networks in addition to CNN and a whole host of other channels. To see what channels are available through Hulu Live TV in your area, check out the tool: Channels Available by Zip Code.

For more information on this service, please check out Hulu Live TV review.

CNN Streaming on AT&T TV

AT&T TV is another way to watch CNN live without cable. CNN is part of their “Entertainment” package for $69.99. The plan includes the following features:

• watch 3 streams simultaneously per subscription 
• a cloud-based DVR
• channels like CNN, AMC, HGTV, Discovery, and more
• supported on AppleTV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, and more

You can check out this streaming service through this online offer or read about it in our AT&T TV review.

CNN on YouTube TV

YouTubeTV also offers CNN streaming live. CNN is included in the base package for $64.99 a month.

• access to CNN, ESPN, FS1, Local Network Channels, and over 70 other channels
• unlimited cloud DVR storage
• stream on three devices at once
• Youtube TV supports Roku, Android, iOS (includes AirPlay to Apple TV), and Chromecasts/Chromecast-compatible TVs, and more. 
• Includes Youtube TV on-demand

Check our review of YouTube TV for all the information on this service. YouTube TV offers a 1-week free trial.

Watch CNN for Free

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

• Hulu Live TV – offers a 7-day free trial to Hulu Live TV
• 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 CNN free. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free CNN 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 CNN on Roku

To watch CNN on Roku, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries CNN (Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV, or AT&T TV)
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. CNN will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch CNN Live on Fire TV

To watch CNN on Fire TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries CNN (Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV, or AT&T TV)
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. CNN will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

Watch CNN Live on Apple TV

To watch CNN on Apple TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries CNN (Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV, or AT&T TV)
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. CNN will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

What About the CNNgo App?

I’ve seen some other cord-cutter websites claiming you can watch CNN through the CNNgo app without a cable provider. These other websites just haven’t done their homework. While many channels will let you download and watch their app using your credentials from a streaming service that carries CNN, CNNgo does not. The CNNgo app provides a 10-minute preview of live CNN but requires a cable TV provide login to unlock live CNN through the CNNgo app. 

Otherwise, those without a cable TV provider are limited to watch CNN video clips the network makes available. To watch CNN live without cable, you will need to use one of the streaming services detailed in this article.

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

If this article didn't answer your specific question, head over to our Home Page! It will guide you to affordable internet providers, streaming services to meet your needs, information on antennas, and many more tools and resources to help you save money on TV and Internet access.

For tips and tricks on cutting the cord and other tech topics be sure to join our Facebook Page.

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.