Grounded Reason

How To Watch IFC Without Cable

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IFC channel

Are you interested in watching IFC (formerly known as the Independent Film Channel) but don’t have cable? You can watch IFC with any of the following streaming services: Philo, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM.

This article describes the differences between these services to help you decide which one would be best to watch IFC without cable.

Table of Contents

Streaming Services That Carry IFC

The following streaming services all carry IFC in their channel lineup. All you need is an internet connection.

IFC on Philo

philo

Of all the ways to watch IFC without cable, the cheapest option is Philo. Philo provides IFC as well as over 60 other channels for $25/month. You can check out a 7-day 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. 

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 IFC app and watch at least some of the episodes there. See our review of Philo TV for more details on this amazingly affordable streaming service.

IFC on Sling TV

sling tv

Sling TV’s Blue and Orange packages both carry IFC for $40/month. Both plans have over 40 other channels.

Sling TV provides a live stream of IFC, so you can watch exactly what would be airing on IFC, just as if you had cable. Sling also includes a Cloud DVR so that you can record shows for later.

Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more, so it’s not a problem to enjoy IFC on a TV, tablet, computer, or other smart devices.  There are more channels available on Sling TV than what I’ve mentioned here. To find out more about what Sling TV has to offer, and more information about Sling TV device compatibility, check out this detailed review of Sling TV.

Sign up for Sling TV!

IFC on DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is another way you can watch IFC. Channel packages with IFC start at $79.99 per month through the streaming services “Entertainment” package. A subscription to DIRECTV STREAM includes the following:

  • watch 3 streams simultaneously per subscription 
  • a cloud-based DVR
  • channels like IFC 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.

IFC on YouTube TV

youtube tv

YouTube TV also offers IFC  live online, as well as limitless storage space for recording your shows. Plus, you can watch your library of recorded shows anywhere! The base package includes IFC for $72.99 a month. YouTube TV supports Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more. The YouTube TV app has also returned to Roku devices after settling a dispute between the two companies. Check our review of YouTube TV to see if it’s available in your area. YouTube TV offers a 1-week free trial.

Watch IFC for Free

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

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 IFC free. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free IFC 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 IFC Live on Roku

To watch IFC on Roku, follow these instructions.

  1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries IFC (Sling TV, YouTube TV, or Philo)
  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. IFC will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

Watch IFC Live on Fire TV

To watch IFC on Fire TV, follow these instructions.

  1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries IFC (Sling TV, YouTube TV, or Philo)
  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. IFC will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

Watch IFC Live on Apple TV

To watch IFC on Apple TV, follow these instructions.

  1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries IFC (Sling TV, YouTube TV, or Philo)
  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. IFC will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

Watch The IFC App on Roku, FireTV, and More

While all the streaming services mentioned above are supported on Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, you may want to watch IFC on the IFC app. Not to worry, the IFC app is available on several streaming devices, and you can use your login credentials from YouTube TV or Philo to unlock all the content available on the IFC app. This will allow you to watch IFC live through the app.

How To Watch on Your Device

For our example, let’s assume we have a Philo subscription and a Roku. We can follow the steps below to get the IFC app working on our device. While the steps below use Philo and Roku to watch IFC, 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 “IFC”
  3. Add the IFC 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. I’m entering the username and password I use for Philo.
  7. Once you sign in on IFC’s website, your TV screen will refresh. You should now have access to all the video content the app provides.

Supported Streaming Devices

The IFC app is supported on all of the following streaming devices:

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

About The Author

Dennis Restauro

Dennis started Grounded Reason in 2014 to share his expertise in streaming devices, streaming services, local networking, and cutting the cord on cable TV. His expertise has been leveraged by The Washington Post, Forbes, Kiplinger, The Fiscal Times, podcasts, and other media. Dennis has spent over 25 years working in technology for the public and the private sector as a systems administrator and enterprise systems architect. Dennis is a graduate of Towson University with a degree in Computer Science. See Dennis on LinkedIn.

View all posts by Dennis Restauro

*Disclosure: Grounded Reason is supported by a small commission for purchases made through product links on this website. We do not accept compensation from companies attempting to sway our review of products.

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