Many who go without cable TV want a way to watch TBS live. Not only does TBS have original shows like Wipeout, American Dad!, and Miracle Workers, but TBS also airs NBA Games, NCAA Basketball, and other live sports. Well, you don’t need cable to watch TBS as it’s available on the following streaming services: Sling TV, Hulu, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM.
The Cheapest Way To Watch TBS
Sling TV is the cheapest way to watch TBS. The channel is in both its “orange” and “blue packages, each priced at $35 a month. Sling offers special pricing for signing up on this promo page with its service. You can cancel any time as there are no contracts or long-term commitments.
Sling TV provides a live stream of TBS, so you can watch exactly what would be airing on TBS, just as if you had cable. Some episodes of its shows are available on-demand, and you can also record TBS shows with Sling’s included cloud DVR.
Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more, so it’s not a problem to enjoy TBS on a TV, tablet, computer, or other smart devices. To find out more about Sling TV, check out this detailed review of Sling TV.
Other Streaming Services With TBS
Aside from Sling TV, the following streaming services also carry TBS in their channel lineup.
TBS on DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is another way you can watch TBS. Channel packages with TBS start at $69.99 per month. A subscription to DIRECTV STREAM includes the following:
- watch 20 streams simultaneously per subscription
- a cloud-based DVR
- channels like TBS and more
- supported on AppleTV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, and more
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 5-day free trial. There is no contract and you can cancel at any time. You can also learn more about the service in our DIRECTV STREAM review.
Watch TBS on Hulu
Hulu is a great way to stream TBS Live. Previously Hulu was known for its vast on-demand library. Recently, they have added a Hulu Live TV service. In addition to streaming TBS live, Hulu offers live access to channels like A&E, TNT, FX, HGTV and more. Hulu Live TV also includes the following features:
- price includes a subscription to Disney+ and ESPN+
- 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
Hulu Live TV is supported by several connected TV devices, mobile devices, and browsers. You can stream TBS on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, iOS, Android, and Windows Smartphones and Tablets, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and 4, Wii and Wii U, and much more.
When you sign up for Hulu Live TV the monthly price is $69.99. Check out our review of Hulu for more details on this streaming service.
TBS on YouTube TV
YouTubeTV also carries TBS 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:
- BBC America, 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 has also returned to Roku devices after settling a dispute between the two companies.
- Includes Youtube TV on-demand
- offers a 1-week free trial.
After a 1-week free trial, YouTube TV costs $64.99 per month. See our YouTube TV review for more details.
Watch TBS for Free
Most of the streaming services that carry TBS offer a free trial. You can take advantage of those and watch free TBS for almost a month or longer if you use different email addresses. 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 TBS free. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free TBS 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 TBS on Roku
To watch TBS on Roku, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TBS (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
- 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. TBS will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch TBS on Fire TV
To watch TBS on Fire TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TBS (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
- 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. TBS will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch TBS on Apple TV
To watch TBS on Apple TV, follow these instructions.
- Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TBS (Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM)
- 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. TBS will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.
Watch with the TBS App
You can also use the TBS app to watch TV and movies on TBS on-demand and even watch TBS live. In order to stream TBS through the TBS app, you have to enter your TV provider credentials. Most think you need a cable provider login to utilize the TBS app, but that isn’t the case. Currently, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, and DIRECTV STREAM accounts will work to unlock the TBS app.
You can even download the TBS 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 TBS 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 TBS app working on our device. While the steps below use Hulu Live TV and Roku to watch TBS, most streaming services and devices will have the same process.
- Go to the channel store or app store on your device. On Roku, it’s called the “Channel Store.”
- Search for TBS Channel
- Add the TBS app to your device and then open it.
- Your Roku device will then show you an activation code and a URL.
- Using a computer or mobile web browser, you go to the URL.
- 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.
- Once you sign in on TBS’s website, your TV screen will refresh. You should now have access to all the video content the app provides.
Supported Streaming Devices
The TBS App is supported on all of the following streaming devices:
- Android Devices
- iOS Devices
- Apple TV
- Roku
- Android TV
- Amazon Fire TV
What’s On TBS
Below are articles explaining how to watch popular shows airing on TBS, even if you don’t have cable.
For information on watching other TV channels online check out: How To Stream Specific TV Channels
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