How To Watch TLC Without Cable

You don’t need cable to watch TLC (Formerly “The Learning Channel”). You can stream TLC through the following streaming services: Philo, Hulu, Sling TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Vidgo, and DIRECTV STREAM. These streaming services allow you to watch TLC on streaming devices, smart devices, and online, just as if you had cable.

Want A Quick Answer: Philo is the cheapest way to watch TLC but lacks local channels, sports, and news. DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV are closer to what one would expect from a cable TV package but are more than double the price of Philo.

Streaming Services With TLC

Below are all the streaming services that carry TLC in their channel lineup

Watch TLC on Philo

The most affordable streaming service that carries TLC is Philo. Watch TLC along with over 60 other channels for $25/month. That price includes a cloud DVR for recording your favorite shows. You can check out a free trial and see if the service is right for you. If you decide to subscribe after the free trial, Philo doesn’t require a contract, and you can cancel the service anytime.

• Philo is supported on Apple iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.
• Philo keeps its service affordable by packaging more affordable entertainment channels instead of expensive sports channels. 
• You can use your Philo credentials to sign on to the TLC app and watch some episodes. 

Hulu Live TV

Hulu provides a few options for watching TLC shows. A few TLC shows are available on-demand by subscribing to the Hulu streaming library for $6.99 per month. For example, past seasons of 90 Day Fiancé are available on demand. However, you will only have access to past seasons of some TLC shows. If you want to watch the new TLC episodes, you will need to watch TLC using Hulu’s Live TV. 

Hulu Live TV offers TLC in their channel lineup for $69.99/month. Hulu Live TV subscribers also have access to Hulu’s on-demand streaming library. 

Hulu Live TV includes the following features:

• Unlimited cloud DVR storage. (Recordings save for nine months)
• Watch on two screens at once. (Upgrades available)
• It comes with six customizable profiles
• Includes entire Hulu streaming library

There are additional features and add-ons available. See our review of Hulu’s plans for more information or sign up for service on their website.

Sling TV

Sling TV’s Blue package provides TLC and over 40 other channels for $35/month.

Sling TV provides a live stream of TLC, just as if you had cable. A cloud DVR is included to record shows for later.

Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more, so it’s not a problem to enjoy TLC on a TV, tablet, computer, or other smart devices. More channels are available on Sling TV than what I’ve discussed 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!

FuboTV

FuboTV is a streaming service that provides access to several pay-TV channels. You can watch channels like TLC live as they air on cable TV and record programs on their cloud DVR. They stream TLC online and over 80 other channels as part of their base package.

FuboTV is an excellent place to go for sports, but it offers many other more general channels as well, including fuboTV. Over 90 channels are offered in its Pro Plan for $69.99 per month.

Here are some of fuboTV’s features:

• TLC, MTV, 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 Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV, and more.

You can sign up for fuboTV or check out our review of FuboTV for more details.

Watch TLC on Vidgo

Vidgo is a newer streaming service that offers fairly competitive pricing over other live streaming services. Vidgo includes TLC in its Core package, along with over 60 other channels. New customers can watch TLC by signing up for the Vidgo Plus Plan for $55 per month when you subscribe. Vidgo doesn’t force you into a contract, so you can cancel any time.

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. We have the full details in our guide to Vidgo’s live streaming service.

Watching TLC on YouTube TV

YouTube TV also offers TLC streaming live, as well as limitless storage space for recording your shows. Stream your library of recorded shows from anywhere. YouTube TV costs $64.99.

YouTube TV provides:

• access to TLC, Local Network Channels, and over 70 other channels
• unlimited cloud DVR storage
• stream on three devices at once
• YouTube TV supports Roku, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more.
• Includes YouTube TV on-demand
• offers a 1-week free trial.

Check our review of YouTube TV to see if it’s available in your area. You can also access on-demand through the TLC app using your YouTube TV credentials.

TLC on DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is another way you can watch the TLC. Channel packages with TLC 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 TLC 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.

Watch TLC for Free

Most of the streaming services that carry TLC offer a free trial. You can take advantage of those trials and watch free TLC for almost a month. Let’s look at the free trials available.

• Philo – offers a 7-day free trial
• DIRECTV STREAM – provides 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 TLC free. If you get creative with email addresses and payment methods, you could watch free TLC 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 TLC on a Streaming Device

Once you subscribe to any of the services mentioned above you can download their app and watch on a supported streaming device. Below are the instructions to do this on Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV.

Watch TLC Live on Roku

To watch TLC on Roku, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TLC (Hulu Live TV, Philo, Vidgo, Sling to YouTube TV Now)
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. TLC will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch TLC Live on Fire TV

To watch TLC on Fire TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TLC (Hulu Live TV, Philo, Vidgo, Sling to YouTube TV Now)
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. TLC will be a channel available through the apps live TV guide.

Watch TLC Live on Apple TV

To watch TLC on Apple TV, follow these instructions.

1. Subscribe to a streaming service that carries TLC (Hulu Live TV, Philo, Vidgo, Sling to YouTube TV Now)
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. TLC will be a channel available through the app’s live TV guide.

Watch on the TLC App

When someone new to cord-cutting gets their first streaming device, they may try to watch TLC by downloading the TLC app. However, these apps aren’t free. They require login credentials from a TV provider to prove you subscribe to a TV service with TLC in their channel lineup. Your credentials from Hulu Live TV, Philo, Vidgo, and YouTube TV will work if you subscribe to one of those services. You can choose to watch TLC through the channel guide of your live TV service or the TLC app.

Below I explain how to get the TLC app working on Roku, but the process is similar on other streaming devices.

1. Go to the channel store or app store on your device. On Roku, it’s called the “Channel Store.”
2. Search for the TLC app, add it to your device, and open the app. 
3. Your Roku device will then show you an activation code and a URL.
4. Using a computer or mobile web browser, go to https://www.tlc.com/activate
5. You will then be asked for a TV provider and a username/password. (Philo, Hulu live TV, etc.)
6. Once you sign in, your TV screen will refresh. You should now have access to all the video content the TLC app provides.

Some full episodes may be available without logging in, but most content will be locked if you don’t have valid credentials. The app is available on iPhone and Android devices and Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon FireTV.

Shows on TLC

Below are articles explaining how to watch popular shows airing on The TLC.

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

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