You don’t need cable TV to watch ESPN. You can use live TV streaming services to watch ESPN through the web, mobile smart devices, and TV-connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. Using your internet connection and these streaming services, you can stream and watch the same ESPN airing on cable TV through the streaming services app. Many of these services will also allow you to access ESPN’s streaming app, bringing all ESPN branded channels into one place. This includes premium content from ESPN+ if you are an ESPN+ subscriber.
Our Recommendation: While we cover all your options for watching ESPN below, we wanted to provide a little insight to help you choose the best streaming service to watch ESPN. Sling TV’s “Orange” channel plan is the cheapest way to watch ESPN at $35 per month. However, our value analysis of streaming channel lineups put Sling TV’s Orange Package near the bottom of the pack. We find sports fans will get the best value with Fubo TV’s standard plan at $64.99/month after a 7-day free trial.
Where You Can Watch Live ESPN
With these streaming services, you can stream Monday Night Football, 30 for 30, SportsCenter, and more and watch ESPN just as if you had cable. Each carries channel lineups comparable to cable, with an affordable price and no device fees. Read on to find out which streaming service is the best for you to watch ESPN.
Each of these services carries ESPN, some with other ESPN branded channels, including ESPN2, ESPN3, SEC Channel, and more. We cover these details and more in the sections below. We even cover using the ESPN app to stream.
fuboTV
FuboTV is an excellent place to go for sports. In addition to ESPN, over 90 channels are offered in its Starter package for $64.99/month (after a 7-day free trial). FuboTV includes ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, and SEC Network in their Starter channel package, along with allowing you to use your fuboTV login to watch ESPN3 through the ESPN app. FuboTV also throws in ESPNU and ESPNews when upgrading to their FuboTV Elite channel plan for $79.99/month.
FuboTV Features
Below are features included with the FuboTV “Starter” package:
- ESPN, FS1, and more are available in fuboTV’s channel lineup
- You can watch on three screens at the same time
- 250 hours of cloud DVR storage
- The FuboTV app is available on major platforms, including AppleTV, AndroidTV, Roku, and Amazon FireTV.
You can sign up for a 1-week free trial or check out our review of FuboTV for more details.
Hulu Live TV
Try a 1-Week Free Trial to Hulu Live TV
Most cord cutters are familiar with Hulu’s On-Demand service. However, they also offer a live TV service that includes ESPN. Hulu Live TV provides ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ACC Network, and SEC Network for $64.99/month. You can also use your Hulu Live TV credentials to watch ESPN3 on the ESPN app.
Hulu Live TV Features
A subscription to Hulu Live TV includes the following features:
- over 60 channels including live ABC, NBC, Fox, and CBS in most of the country
- 50 hours of cloud DVR storage (upgradeable)
- stream to two streams at the same time, with an upgrade option for unlimited streams.
- The Hulu on-demand streaming library
- Hulu is available on Android, iOS, Xbox One, 4th Gen Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV and stick.
If you are curious about all the channels Hulu Live TV offers in your area, including ESPN, you can use this tool on Hulu’s Website: Hulu Live TV Channels by Zipcode.
Check out our review of Hulu Live TV for more information.
Sling TV
Sling TV’s “Orange plan” is the most affordable way to watch ESPN with a price of $35 per month. You can stream SportsCenter along with all of ESPN’s programming straight to your television.
ESPN Branded Channels on Sling TV
Sling TV also offers ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line/Buzzer Beater/Bases Loaded, SEC Network, and more. Below is a breakdown of Sling’s various ESPN branded channels and which Sling Plan you will need to watch each one.
ESPN – Only available through Sling TV Orange for $35 per month or by getting both Sling TV Blue and Orange for $50 per month. (not available if you only subscribe to the Blue package)
ESPN Bases Loaded – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
ESPN Buzzer Beater – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
ESPN Goal Line – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
ESPNU – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
ESPN2 – Only available through Sling TV Orange for $35 per month or by getting both Sling TV Blue and Orange for $50 per month. (not available if you only subscribe to the Blue package)
ESPN3 – Only available through Sling TV Orange for $35 per month or by getting both Sling TV Blue and Orange for $50 per month. (not available if you only subscribe to the Blue package)
ESPNews – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
SEC Network – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $10 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
ACC Network – Requires the Sports Extra Package for an additional $11 per month. Not available if you only subscribe to Sling TV Blue. You must have Sling TV Orange ($35 + $11 for Sports Extra – $46 per Month) or Both Blue And Orange ($50 + $15 for Sports Extra – $65 per month).
Other Sling TV Features
Aside from one of the most comprehensive sports packages on the Internet, Sling also provides the following features:
- access to ESPN, FS1, AMC, HGTV, A&E, and many more top channels
- no contract is required, so you can cancel 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.
Read our Sling TV review for more details on this service. It includes information about what’s available on all the Sling TV Channels.
Vidgo
Vidgo is a newer streaming service that offers fairly competitive pricing over other live streaming services. Vidgo includes ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN U, ESPN2, and ESPN News in its Core package, along with over 60 other channels. New customers can sign up for the Core Plan for $55 per month. (They offer discounted promo pricing for your first 3 months.)
Vidgo Features
A subscription to Vidgo Includes the following:
- Vidgo doesn’t force you into a contract, and you can cancel any time
- Stream on 3 devices simultaneously
- Over 70 channels including ESPN
- Vidgo is supported on available on Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV. You can also stream the service on up to 3 devices at the same time.
Vidgo offers promotional pricing for new customers, and there is no contract required so you can cancel at any time. We have the full details in our guide to Vidgo’s live streaming service.
YouTube TV
Another streaming service that offers ESPN, a slew of other channels, and a nice set of features is YouTube TV. They also provide ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU, ESPNews, and SEC Network for a cost of $64.99 per month.
Youtube TV Features
A subscription to Youtube TV includes the following:
- access to ESPN, Local Network Channels, and over 70 other channels
- unlimited cloud DVR storage
- stream on three devices at once
- Youtube TV supports Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more. The YouTube TV app isn’t available on Roku. However, users can use YouTube TV through the YouTube app on Roku devices.
- Includes Youtube TV on-demand
Check out my review of YouTube TV for all the details and channels available on the service. You can also check your Zip Code on Youtube TVs Website to see the available channels in your area.
DIRECTV Stream
You can watch ESPN and ESPN2 as part of their “Entertainment” package for $69.99 per month. If you upgrade to their “Choice” package for $84.99 per month, you will have access to ESPNU, ESPNews, ACC Network, and SEC Network. Check out our review of DIRECTV Stream for information on all the channels available through the service.
DIRECTV Stream Features
All DIRECTV Stream plans include:
- the ability to watch on 20 devices at the same time
- a cloud-based DVR
- channels like ESPN, AMC, HGTV, Discovery, and more
- supported on AppleTV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, and more
You can try DIRECTV Stream by signing up for this online offer. There is no contract and DIRECTV Stream provides a full refund if you cancel within 14 days.
Watch ESPN for Free
Three of the streaming services that carry ESPN offer a free trial. You can take advantage of those and watch free ESPN for over 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
- fuboTV – Offers a 1-week free trial
- DIRECTV Stream – They don’t advertise a free trial, but you receive a full refund if you cancel within 14-days of signing up.
By picking up each streaming service and dropping it before the free trial expires, you can watch ESPN free for a few weeks. That’s almost a free month! Plus, it will give you a good idea of which streaming service you like best if you decide to keep one.
Watch ESPN on Roku
To watch ESPN on Roku, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries ESPN (Sling TV, FuboTV, Vidgo, DIRECTV Stream, YouTube 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. ESPN will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch ESPN on Fire TV
To watch ESPN on Fire TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries ESPN (Sling TV, FuboTV, Vidgo, DIRECTV Stream, YouTube TV, etc)
- On your Fire TV Home screen, click on 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 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. ESPN will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch ESPN on Apple TV
To watch ESPN on Apple TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries ESPN (Sling TV, FuboTV, Vidgo, DIRECTV Stream, YouTube 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. ESPN will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Stream ESPN with the ESPN App
While you can’t purchase a subscription to ESPN directly, if you subscribe to any of the live TV streaming services above, you can opt to use the ESPN app (Formerly known as WatchESPN). The ESPN app provides live, and on-demand shows and live games to all ESPN branded channels available from your TV streaming subscription. If you subscribe to ESPN+ (ESPN’s premium service), it is also available through the ESPN app.
You can use the ESPN app on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, iOS, and Android devices. You can watch the following channels through the ESPN app: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN+, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, SEC Network +, Longhorn Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, and ESPN Bases Loaded Networks.
Using The ESPN App on Roku and Other Devices
Once you subscribe to one streaming service in the article, you can watch through the streaming service’s app. For example, ESPN is available to watch through the Live TV section of Hulu’s app. However, you can also watch all the ESPN branded channels in their lineup through the ESPN App on your supported device. Below are the steps to unlock your ESPN channels on Roku. Other streaming devices and have a very similar process.
- Go to the channel store on your device.
- Please search for the ESPN app, and add it to your device.
- Open the app, and click the setting gear from the top right of the menu.
- Then select “Account Information” and then “TV Provider.”
- Your Roku device will provide an activation code and the URL https://espn.com/active.
- Using a web browser on your laptop or mobile device, go to https://espn.com/active and entered the supplied code.
- You will then be asked for the TV provider you signed up for that has ESPN. You will then log into the service using the credentials from the TV streaming service you are subscribed to. ( For example, I used my Hulu credentials)
- Once you successfully log in, The ESPN App screen will refresh and list your TV provider.
- The ESPN app is now set up. In the ESPN app, you should be able to go to “Browse,” then “Channels” and watch any channels listed that your TV streaming service provides. (Hulu in My case)
For information on watching other TV channels online check out: How To Stream Specific TV Channels
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