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UPtv Without Cable: Stream Family TV Together Cheaply & Online With These Options

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If you are looking for television that the whole family can enjoy, UPtv is a great choice. And you don’t need a cable or satellite subscription to access it either. Read on to learn your options.

In a hurry? UPtv isn’t available from the biggest streaming services like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. But you still have a number of choices. Check out these:

  • DIRECTV STREAM: This full-cable replacement service will make you think you never left cable. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
  • Philo: This low-cost streaming service gives you 60+ channels for a fraction of what other services charge. Try Philo free for 7 days.
  • Vidgo: Get a bunch of family, sports, and news channels. Try one month for $20.

Watching TV with your family is hard these days. Cuss words are all over prime time, couples tumble into bed left and right, and there’s blood and gore everywhere. Even the Hallmark Channel isn’t safe from social agendas. And this can be an issue even in Netflix Kids mode, which has been known to let questionable content through.

Whether you’re a conservative parent or you just want to avoid awkward conversations with your kids, it can be a relief to know that there are still a few channels that offer 100% clean family-friendly programming.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

One of these channels is UPtv, which chooses to focus on positive, life-affirming messages while still displaying all the relatable complexity of family life.

UPtv Homepage
Homepage of the UPtv website.

What Is UPtv

UPtv was founded in 2004 as the Gospel Music Channel (later GMC TV) by Charles Humbard. As the name implies, it presented gospel music along with Christian contemporary, Southern Gospel, Christian metal, and other Christian music styles.

Over the next ten years, the network began to mix in original programming and Christian music awards, and later, popular family-friendly syndicated series and movies. In 2013, it was rebranded as UPtv, embodying the uplifting nature of its content.

The channel’s core demographic is exactly who you’d expect: Christian conservative families, often homeschoolers. This group is looking for TV that’s in line with their values while also remaining entertaining for kids and adults.

But UPtv is also a welcome safe space for parents who

  • Want to let their teens or tweens watch TV on their own
  • Don’t want to have to answer delicate questions in the middle of family movie night
  • Don’t want to deal with weeks of entrail- and brain-splattered nightmares
  • Don’t want to hear the latest naughty word gleefully repeated at the most embarrassing times.

It’s also good for adults who just don’t care for that kind of language or content.

UPtv, along with BYU-TV, FETV, and INSP lean toward the Christian side of family programming. They feature faith-based inspirational stories or outright religious programming (usually televangelist in nature) mixed in with classic TV and movies and ultra-wholesome originals.

There are, of course, alternatives (or compliments) for UPtv. For the religion without the classic TV, you can tune to BET Gospel or the Dove Channel. And for the classic TV without the religion, there’s Classic Reruns, getTV, Heroes & Icons, and PixL.

Other family channels include aspireTV (UPtv’s sister station for African-American programming), Discovery Family, Freeform, GAC Family, GAC Living, Game Show Network, and the Hallmark channels (original, Movies & Mysteries, and Drama).

UPtv Shows

UPtv’s programming is a mix of original series, original (mostly romantic) movies, imported family shows (Heartland), and popular syndicated classics (Gilmore Girls, Reba, and Little House on the Prairie).

UPtv Original Series

  • Bringing Up Bates
  • Date My Dad
  • Design Twins
  • Growing Up McGhee
  • Jo Frost: Nanny on Tour
  • Morgan Family Strong
  • Our Wedding Story
  • Small Town, Big Mayor.

UPtv Movies

  • Betting on the Bride
  • A Bridesmaid in Love
  • A Honeymoon to Remember (Coming Soon)
  • In-Lawfully Yours
  • Love’s Last Resort
  • Overcomer
  • A Picture Perfect Wedding
  • Run the Race (Coming Soon)
  • The Song to my Heart
  • The Wedding Fix (Coming Soon)
  • A Wedding to Remember.

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Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

Stream UPtv

If you think current entertainment shows are shocking, have you seen your cable bill recently? The truth is that you don’t need to pay an arm and a leg for clean entertainment. The following live TV streaming services bring you the same channels as your cable company, but at a fraction of the price.

There’s also no contract. Your spouse deserves your long-term commitment, not your TV provider. And more good news: the services that carry UPtv tend to be on the cheaper side. Let’s get into details.

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has lots of different channels, big and small. It’s the service on this list most like a traditional cable company in its lineup. Unfortunately, it’s also the most cable-like in its price tag, too: $108.99/mo for UPtv, GAC Family, Game Show Network, Heroes & Icons, Freeform, The Hallmark Channel, and the 100+ other channels in the Choice Package. On the plus side, you’ll also get your regional sports networks, which feature almost all the home team games in MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS.

You also have many options for premium channels including HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax, MGM+, and Starz.

All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR (online subscriptions only) and the ability to stream on unlimited devices at once. See our DIRECTV STREAM review for all the details.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Philo

philo logo

Philo is the anti-DIRECTV STREAM. Just $25/mo gets you over 60 channels, including UPtv, aspireTV, INSP, Discovery Family, Game Show Network, getTV, 3 Hallmark channels, 2 GAC Networks, and the Game Show Network. You also get lots of kids programing like Nickelodeon and Pocket.Watch. Try Philo free for 7 days.

Be aware that it doesn’t get you any NBCUniversal channels (Syfy, USA, Bravo), WarnerMedia channels (Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, CNN), Disney channels (ABC, Disney, ESPN, FX), news channels (aside from BBC World News), sports channels, or local channels (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC).

Philo also offers the premium channels MGM+ and Starz for an extra fee. (Note that Starz Kids & Family is included in its base plan.)

You can stream it on up to 3 screens at once and you get unlimited DVR. There are even a few premium movie channels such as Starz and MGM+. For more information, see our Philo review.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

Vidgo

vidgo logo

Vidgo carries a lot of family-friendly channels in its 100+ channel Plus package for $69.99/mo. Aside from UPtv, it’s got aspireTV, BYU-TV, Classic Reruns, FETV, Freeform, Game Show Network, getTV, all three Hallmarks, and INSP. Upgrade to Premium at $84.99/mo, and you can also get BET Gospel, Discovery Family, and GAC Family.

One downside: Vidgo offers no cloud DVR. However, you can stream on up to 3 devices at once. See our Vidgo review for more information.

Try Vidgo Today!

Other Ways To Stream UPtv

But those aren’t the only ways to stream UPtv. Check out these skinny services:

  • UP Faith & Family: UP Entertainment’s own commercial-free on-demand streaming service contains both UPtv’s and aspireTV’s series, specials, and movies. Subscribers also get first access to new seasons of Heartland in the US. It costs $5.99/mo after a 14-day free trial, or $53.99/yr (save 25%). You can subscribe directly on UP Entertainment’s website, or through Amazon Prime Video Channels, Sling TV, Apple TV+, Roku, or YouTube TV.
  • FreeCast: FreeCast is mainly an aggregator of streaming service content — you enter your subscriptions, and it collects them together with any free services you want to follow and lets you search and browse them all in one place. This basic helpful service is $3.99/mo, but bump it up to $6.99 and you also get a dozen and a half live channels, including UPtv, FETV, RFD-TV, and Outside TV.
  • Frndly TV: Frndly TV is 30+ channels of low-priced family fun. Hallmark channels, Heartland TV, Game Show Network, The Weather Channel, History, BYU TV, Curiosity Stream — from the informative to the heartwarming, Frndly’s got all your essentials starting at $6.99/mo. (Frndly TV review)

Streaming Devices for UPtv

Just because you are streaming UPtv doesn’t mean you need to watch in front of a computer. The streaming services that offer it support the most popular devices. These include:

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android phones and tablets
  • Apple TV
  • Chromecast
  • iOS (iPhone, iPad)
  • Roku
  • Web browser.

DIRECTV STREAM also allows you to use its own device, which you can purchase from it. It also supports Samsung smart TVs. Vidgo and Philo also support Android TV-based devices. And Philo supports the Amazon Fire tablet.

UP Faith & Family also supports Xbox gaming consoles.

Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN

You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

i See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs.

Today’s UPtv Schedule

Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:

HeartlandTrust

Amy bravely tries to heal an abused racehorse; Ty and Jack think she's finally taken on more than she can handle.

HeartlandFool's Gold

Ty's mother, Lily, returns to Heartland with shocking news; Amy continues to work with Alcatraz.

Walker, Texas RangerRookie

Walker's former student, Dallas police officer Joey Prado, is assigned to stop a plan by drug dealers to distribute heroin to schoolchildren.

Walker, Texas RangerThe Fighting McLains

An AWOL Marine is joined by his younger siblings in a vengeful quest to kill the man who murdered their older sister.

Walker, Texas RangerThe Ice Man

Walker gets ex-con pal Charlie Brooks (Terry Kiser) to impersonate a look-alike crime boss in exchange for amnesty.

Walker, Texas RangerLucas

Walker tries to track down the mother of a 7-year-old boy with AIDS while protecting him from her abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend.

RebaFight or Flight

Everyone panics when Kyra disappears in the middle of the night; Van and Cheyenne appear on a cable sports show.

RebaThe Big Fix-Up

Barbara Jean arranges a blind date for reluctant Reba; Van uses his bonus to buy a new sports car without consulting Cheyenne.

RebaThe Good Girl

Trying to be more wild, Reba takes Van's new sports car for a joy ride and accidntally ends up scratching it.

RebaHappy Pills

Barbra Jean comes to Reba for advice when she suspects that Brock is cheating on her; Kyra's boyfriend breaks her heart.

RebaGirls' Night Out

Tensions between Reba and Barbra Jean lead to a bar brawl when they have a girls' night out to celebrate Cheyenne's birthday.

RebaCore Focus

Barbra Jean enlists Reba's help to break the news to Brock that she wants another baby, but the situation backfires when Barbra Jean catches Reba and Brock in a romantic embrace.

RebaThe Accidental Role Model

Reba is put in the middle of Brock and Barbara Jean's marital troubles when Barbara Jean considers a divorce and claims Reba is her inspiration.

RebaMother's Intuition

When Kyra repeatedly cancels plans with the family, Reba finds out that Barbra Jean is monopolizing all of her time.

Last Man StandingHard-Ass Teacher

Eve tries to avoid a class with a tough teacher so she can get straight A's and go to college at West Point.

Last Man StandingParenting Bud

When Bud gets jumped while unloading his truck, Mike tries to suggest ways for him to protect himself; Vanessa talks to the girls about caring for her and Mike in their old age.

Last Man StandingApril, Come She Will

Vanessa's visiting sister needs money for a donor egg so she can have a baby; Mike tries to pull a prank on Chuck Larabee.

Last Man StandingMutton Busting

Ryan convinces Kristin to let Boyd participate in the mutton busting competition; Eve's boyfriend tells her he doesn't want her wearing her JROTC uniform to the prom.

Last Man StandingHere's the Kicker

Vanessa is concerned for Eve's safety when she is asked to be the high school's first female kicker; Eve wonders is Justin is jealous of her achievement.

Last Man StandingWar Games

Boyd gets in trouble for starting a game of war at a birthday party; Vanessa turns to Mandy for fashion advice.

Last Man StandingRediscover America

Ed's girlfriend impacts Mike and Ed's longtime friendship; now that Eve is the high school football team's kicker, she starts feeling the pressure.

Last Man StandingSinkhole

After having a close call with a sinkhole on the interstate, Boyd becomes scared to leave the house; Mike and Ryan disagree over how to ease Boyd's anxiety.

Blue BloodsThe Blue Templar

In an effort to expose the Blue Templar, Frank decides not to report a drug bust case that reveals dirty cops.

Blue BloodsMercy

Frank is put on the spot when one of the mayor-elect's supporters is found dead; Jamie goes under cover at a bar.

Blue BloodsFriendly Fire

Danny must face an internal affairs investigation after shooting a cop who failed to identify himself.

Walker, Texas RangerTurning Point

"The Chairman" sees the smallest links in his chain of command begin to break as Walker gets closer to putting an end to his criminal reign.

Walker, Texas RangerRetribution

"The Chairman" kidnaps Alex, forcing a showdown with Walker, who has been building a convincing case against the criminal mastermind.

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Dr. David Jeremiah's goal is to deliver the unchanging Word of God to an ever-changing world.

HeartlandRoad to Nowhere

Jack joins Ty on a road trip to spread his father's ashes.

HeartlandAftermath

Ty is injured when he crashes his bike, leaving Jack to search for help.

HeartlandWorking on a Dream

Tim gets Amy's help projecting a positive image to the community to help his custody case.

Wrapping Up

So if you and your family love your TV time but you don’t love what’s sometimes on the screen, check out UPtv, and never lack for family-friendly viewing again. Then sign up for one of the services above, because saving money is one value every family can get behind. We recommend Philo for most viewers.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Stream Other Family and Kids Channels

Here are our alternatives for watching other family and kids channels:

Ditch “Big Cable” Now – 3 Simple Steps to Cut the Cord

  1. Pick the right streaming service
  2. Get the content you deserve with the best VPN.
  3. Supercharge your internet provider

That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!

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