My first obsession with TBS came because I didn’t have HBO. In the early 2000’s, “Sex and the City” was all the rage. But those of us without HBO had to just do without — that is until it was announced that TBS would be airing it in syndication. Sadly, being on TBS meant its raciness had to be censored and therefore we had to forego the actual “sex” in the city. Still, I could get the witty banter of Carrie and friends, even if their lives seemed strangely chaste.
Today TBS is still pleasing its audiences, even if Sex and the City “Lite” is a thing of the past. These days, I’m far more into “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” And thankfully, these days, no cord is necessary for standard or premium channels. Multiple streaming services allow you to stream TBS without a cable TV or satellite subscription.
How to Watch TBS without Cable
As with most content on cable today, there are alternate ways to enjoy the channels and shows you want without forking over mountains of cash to a cable TV provider. Here are a few of the cable subscription free ways you can stream TBS online.
TBS Streaming on Direct TV Now
AT&T’s Direct TV Now service is one way you can watch TBS. It is offered as part of their most affordable “Live a Little” package. The price is a bit steeper than some services but also offers the most channels. At $35 per month ($10 for the first month) you get more than 60 channels, while at the highest level of $70 a month you get over 120. Add premium channels for a small additional cost, like HBO or Cinemax for $5 a month or Starz for $8 a month. You can check out everything this service offers by taking advantage of their 7-day free trial or read about it in our DirecTV Now review.
TBS on Sling TV
A more price-conscious alternative is Sling. TBS is in its “orange” package for $25 a month. Sling TV provides a live stream of TBS so you are able to watch exactly what would be airing on TBS just as if you had cable. Some episodes of its shows are available on demand, as well.
With online access to TBS streaming, you will never miss great shows like “American Dad!”, “The Guest Book,” “Wrecked,” “The Detour,” “People of Earth,” “Angie Tribeca,” as well as “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” TBS is also offering a new sci-fi cartoon called “Final Space.”
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. There are more channels than I’ve mentioned 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.
The review includes information on a Sling TV free trial and ways to get discounted (and free) streaming devices so be sure to check it out. Currently, there are offers for a 7-day trial and free Amazon fire stick if you sign up for two months.
Sign up for a free trial to Sling TV!
Watch TBS on Hulu
Hulu is another way you can stream TBS. Previously Hulu was known for their vast on-demand streaming library. Recently, they have added a Hulu Live TV service for $39.99 a month that offers Live TBS Online Streaming. Hulu Live TV also includes the following features:
- 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
Some of TBS’ shows are available on demand on Hulu’s streaming service as well, including “The Detour” and “Angie Tribeca”.
Check out their free trial here.
TBS on PlayStation Vue
PlayStation Vue is a great way to get a ton of TV channels without needing a cable provider. Vue’s entry package costs $39.99 per month and delivers over 50 channels over the internet.
These are channels you would typically see as part of a cable package like Freeform, Discovery, and of course TBS. While you may assume that Vue is only available on PlayStation, that isn’t the case. Vue is also available on Amazon Fire TV and other streaming devices. See our review of PlayStation Vue for more details on what channels are available and device support.
TBS on YouTubeTV
YouTubeTV also offers TBS streaming live, as well as limitless storage space for recording your shows. Your library of recorded shows can be streamed anywhere. TBS is included in the base package for $35 a month.
Purchase TBS Shows Online
If you are simply interested in a few TBS shows, you can purchase the full run of the current season online from Amazon, Itunes or another service. This may be a cheaper option than purchasing a streaming service to deliver all TBS has to offer. A limited selection of episodes is available for free on the TBS app on Amazon Fire TV and the Fire TV stick.
To buy the latest season of a TBS show on Amazon, a season pass costs $19.99, which is less than many monthly services and makes sense if it’s the only show that you care about.
That said, there you may be interested in shows on other networks. In that case, you may be better off going with Sling TV. It ultimately depends on how many shows you are going to follow in a year. Almost every popular show is available online and once you purchase it, you own it. That means you can watch it whenever you want.
Streaming TBS if you Have A Pay TV Account
If you have cable TV, you can watch TBS online using the TBS app. It’s available on almost every streaming device on the market. However, as I said, this requires a cable TV or satellite subscription. The TBS streaming app requires your (or someone else’s) Pay TV provider login credentials to access the content.
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