If you are a fan of reality shows, A&E is probably essential. But due to the channel’s popularity, it is widely provided by live TV streaming services. Read on to learn how you can get it without a cable provider.
In a hurry? Several of the top streaming services offer A&E. These are the best:
- DIRECTV STREAM: Makes it easy to switch from cable to streaming with their 75+ channel Entertainment plan and options for much more. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: The top low-cost streaming service provides a great base channel lineup in both its plans. Save 50% your first month with Sling TV.
- Philo: This service gives you 70+ live TV channel for just $25/mo!
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
A&E is the flagship cable TV channel of A+E Networks, which also encompasses History, Lifetime, Crime + Investigation, and Spike Jonze’s Vice.
The channel is still trying to recover from the cancellation in 2020 of its biggest hit Live PD, and it has a couple of brand new series starting in early 2022 to help it do that: the reality drama Adults Adopting Adults and documentary serial Secrets of Playboy.
You can stream pay TV channels like A&E through the internet at a fraction of the price of cable or satellite, with no contracts or inconvenient installation appointments. Read on for more details.
What Is A&E
Once the Arts & Entertainment Network, the A&E channel used to be up there with PBS as a source of cultural, academic, intellectual programming — such as its Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning series, Biography and British co-productions and imports.
Over the years, it has succumbed to the same channel drift that claimed its sister channel History and most of the Discovery channels. Now, its content is largely a mixture of reality shows like Storage Wars and true crime documentaries like Killer Cases.
A&E was riding high as the #8 cable channel in ratings in 2020 when George Floyd was killed, prompting the network to put its top-rated show Live PD on indefinite hiatus.
With the controversy around the Austin, TX police department’s handling of Javier Ambler’s death while in custody while filming the show, A&E decided to make the hiatus permanent. Given it was many viewers’ favorite show, half its audience left overnight and the network dropped to #20.
It didn’t help that the show occupied multiple primetime evenings, giving A&E channel a giant hole in its programming schedule that they had to scramble to fill.
It’s not the first time A&E has canceled a show amid political controversy and experienced a viewer backlash. In 2013, after one year on the air, Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson was first put on hiatus, then reinstated, ticking off viewers on both sides of the controversy.
The network announced last year that it was going to focus on “total-audience metrics” versus the traditionally coveted 18-54-year-old group. According to entertainment analysts, this means they’re going to be focusing on the 55-and-over crowd.
However, a recent documentary on Janet Jackson that aired on both A&E and Lifetime did very well across all age groups, so things could be looking up again.
A&E Shows
The top TV shows on A&E include:
- Biography
- Cold Case Files
- Court Cam
- Hoarders
- Intervention
- Secrets of Playboy
- Storage Wars
- Voices Magnified.
Unblock Your Favorite Movies and Shows With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
How to Stream A&E
A&E’s sister channels at A+E Networks are FYI, History, Military History, Lifetime, LMN (Lifetime Movie Network), and Crime + Investigation. You can watch similar content — unscripted reality and documentaries — on Discovery’s TLC, NBCUniversal’s Bravo, and AMC Networks‘ WE tv.
Most of the major streaming services offer the A&E channel. The two major exceptions are FuboTV and YouTube TV.
Philo
Philo is a huge bargain, especially if you like the A+E channels. For $25/mo, you get over 60 channels, including all the A+E channels (except Military History) plus TLC and WE tv.
It doesn’t carry WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal (no Bravo), or Disney-owned channels. It’s also missing sports and your local networks. But it does come with a great interface, unlimited DVR, and streaming on up to 3 devices at once. And only Frndly is cheaper (see below).
Get all the details in our Philo review.
Sling TV
Sling TV lets you create your own custom package. It’s as close to a la carte cable as you’ll ever get. But you don’t even need that. A&E, Bravo, History, Lifetime, TLC, and Vice are all right there in the Sling Blue base plan for $40.00/mo. (Alternatively, you can get Sling Orange, which comes with fewer channels but does include ESPN and Disney Channel.)
Grab the Lifestyle Extra add-on for $6/mo to get FYI, LMN, WE tv, and more. 50 hours of cloud DVR are included, and you can watch Sling Blue on up to 3 devices at the same time.
Learn everything in our Sling TV review.
DIRECTV STREAM
If it’s in the top 50 cable channels, it’s likely that DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) carries it. So it’s not surprising at all to find A&E, Lifetime, History, TLC, Vice, WE tv, and Bravo all in the base tier, the Entertainment Package, which runs $79.99/mo.
DIRECTV STREAM also gives you all your local stations, as well as unlimited cloud DVR and unlimited devices streaming in your home at the same time.
For more, see our DIRECTV STREAM review.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV offers over 85 live TV channels, and, as the name says, Hulu. That means thousands of on-demand shows and movies. But that’s not all! It also comes with Disney+ and ESPN+.
The base plan is $76.99/mo and includes A&E, Bravo, FYI, History, Lifetime, LMN, TLC, and Vice. If you toss on the Entertainment Add-on, you can get Crime + Investigation and Military History — it’s the only service that carries the latter.
Check out our Hulu + Live TV review for details.
Try Hulu + Live TV for 3 Days Free!
Other Ways to Stream A&E
None of those grab you? Don’t worry, there are more ways to stream The Art of Entertainment:
- Frndly TV: Frndly TV is a skinny bundle of over 30 general information, educational, and family live and on-demand channels starting at $7.99/mo. They recently reached an agreement with A+E to carry all of A&E’s sister networks. Other channels include the Hallmark Channel, Weather Channel, INSP, and BYU TV. (Frndly TV review)
- A&E Crime Central: A&E’s on-demand collection of 900+ true crime and justice system series and specials curated from A&E, History, and Lifetime/LMN. Featured shows include Dog the Bounty Hunter, After the First 48, 60 Days In, and Female Forces.
- Hulu: Hulu’s on-demand library starts at only $6.99/mo and contains over a dozen of A&E’s juiciest true crime and legal documentaries and series, as well as Storage Wars and Duck Dynasty.
- A&E App: Most devices allow you to watch A&E live and on-demand with this app. It requires that you have a TV provider to use it via TV Everywhere. You can similarly watch right on the A&E website.
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. |
Supported Devices to Stream A&E
Most of the streaming services listed above support the devices in use today. We’ll just go over the most popular devices but you can find complete lists in the streaming reviews.
Android TV-based televisions are not supported by DIRECTV STREAM but they are by the other services. In contrast, DIRECTV STREAM allows you to use its own device, which can make the switch to streaming easier.
You can also cast to your TV from a smartphone, tablet, or web browser using Chromecast that is either built-in or added as an external device. This is supported by all services.
Samsung smart TVs are supported by Hulu, Sling, and DIRECTV. Sling and Hulu also support LG and VIZIO smart TVs.
All the services support the popular TV “stick” devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. They also support mobile devices with iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android.
The Xbox One gaming system is supported by Sling and Hulu. PlayStation and Nintendo Switch are supported by Hulu. And finally, Sling TV supports the Oculus VR system.
Today’s A&E Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Interrogation Raw – First Comes Marriage Then Comes Murder When a young woman vanishes, detectives zero in on her controlling estranged husband - whose story continually changes in the interrogation room. | |
| The First 48 – Score to Settle & In Her Arms A father is killed when a man opens fire in a crowded convenience store in Atlanta; a Tulsa, Okla., groom-to-be is gunned down before he can turn his life around. | |
| After the First 48 – Ringside Seat Tulsa, Okla., homicide detectives delve into a dark world of drugs and prostitution to solve the murder of a man executed in his car in a motel parking lot. | |
| Accused: Guilty or Innocent? – Murdered My Parents or Innocent Son? A former NFL player and his wife are shot dead in Houston while they sleep; with no signs of an intruder, suspicion falls on their 16-year-old son; charged with capital murder and facing life in prison, their son faces an intense legal battle. | |
| Interrogation Raw – First Comes Marriage Then Comes Murder When a young woman vanishes, detectives zero in on her controlling estranged husband - whose story continually changes in the interrogation room. | |
| The First 48 – Score to Settle & In Her Arms A father is killed when a man opens fire in a crowded convenience store in Atlanta; a Tulsa, Okla., groom-to-be is gunned down before he can turn his life around. | |
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| Car accident? Free Legal Consultation Legal professionals standing by to answer your questions. | |
| Portable Oxygen Inogen® is a leading global medical technology company offering innovative respiratory products for use in the homecare setting. | |
| David Jeremiah Dr. David Jeremiah's goal is to deliver the unchanging Word of God to an ever-changing world. | |
| Joni: Table Talk Joni and guests tackle a wide range of relevant issues, controversial subjects and hard-hitting news topics with candor and wit. | |
| Parking Wars Booting on a Saturday brings Michele and Courtney face to face with an angry Detroit restaurant owner; Charles tries to keep the bus lane clear; when she has to work a ticket beat, Sonjia gets more abuse than she is used to. | |
| Parking Wars A woman tries to get back her car, which was towed while she was in labor; tempers reach the boiling point for Steve and Sherry on boot patrol; Ticket Supervisor Luz deals with an angry man who was ticketed at a broken meter. | |
| Parking Wars At the lot, Barb squares off with a teen who blames everyone but herself for being towed; on his ticketing beat, Shawn has a run-in with a couple parked on the sidewalk. | |
| Parking Wars A frustrated man with a long list of excuses tests Yolanda's patience at the impound lot; supervisor Eula rescues Brian from an angry woman disputing her ticket on Cinco de Mayo; Mike struggles to communicate with African brothers. | |
| Parking Wars A new resident gets his car towed on his first day in Philadelphia; Shawn can't keep up with the tickets in front of a famous hoagie shop; Neema is the only female tow driver on the squad. | |
| Parking Wars Three brothers try to retrieve their car from the lot; Garfield and Sherry's largest booting target ever. | |
| The First 48 – Inside the Tape Special #10 In New Orleans, a 17-year-old high school student is shot over a gaming controller on his way to school; in St. Louis, a woman is murdered in broad daylight, and the main suspect is found nude walking down the street. | |
| The First 48 – Trust No One; Risky Business A beloved Cleveland man is murdered in his own home; a robbery in Dallas leaves one person dead and another severely wounded. | |
| The First 48 – Bad Influence & Vicious Circle In Atlanta, a young man is killed in an apartment when a scheme to make easy money goes wrong; a beloved mother is murdered in a drive-by shooting leading St. Louis detectives to a neighborhood turf war. | |
| The First 48 – School's Out A young man is shot down while walking home and rumors swirl about who could have wanted him dead. | |
| The First 48 – Death in Desire In New Orleans, detectives make a gruesome discovery inside a car that was set on fire; Det. Ryan Vaught hopes the last person who spoke to the victim can lead him to the killer. | |
| The First 48 – Blunt Force; Eye in the Sky A 70-year-old Vietnam vet is found beaten to death in his home, where detectives discover cryptic, threatening letters; in New Orleans, Detective Amy Robinson works the case of a man shot in cold blood behind a convenience store. | |
| The First 48 – Blood Lust Detective David Quinn tracks a killer with a powerful weapon who is keeping the city of Atlanta gripped with fear. | |
| The First 48 – Cranked Tulsa, Okla., police Detective Justin Ritter's investigation into the stabbing of an innocent father leads him into the dangerous world of methamphetamine addiction. | |
| The First 48 – Secrets and Lies An investigation into a street-corner execution reveals that the female victim's close friends may have been involved in the crime. | |
| The First 48 – Dark Places In Mobile, Ala., when a homeless woman is found executed in an alley and a father of five is shot in a desolate area, detectives rely on clues from one case to help solve the other. | |
| The First 48 – Chopper After an Atlanta father of two is gunned down with an AK-47, rookie detective Scott Berhalter must sift through lies and alibis to put his killers behind bars. | |
| The First 48 – Buried Secrets In Mobile, Ala., a 68-year-old woman goes missing after checking into a casino where she had lost millions. | |
| The First 48 – Last Hope & Truth and Consequences In Atlanta, a teenager's life is cut short over a neighborhood beef; in Tulsa, Okla., a young woman goes missing, and her family fears she was murdered. |
Wrapping Up
So don’t miss out on any of your favorite A&E programs. Sign up for one of the services above, and you can go ahead and sweep your cable bill right under the rug without missing any episodes of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures or Extreme Unboxing.
Our top recommendation to watch A&E is Philo. Try Philo free for 7 days.
FAQs
Are A&E shows available on-demand?
A&E shows certainly are available on-demand! All of the services above except Vidgo have at least some on-demand content, which generally contains at least recent episodes of current shows. In addition, Hulu has a number of A&E series available and Amazon Prime Video has some included as well (and some you have to buy).
You could also subscribe to A&E Crime Central, A+E Networks’ on-demand library of true crime-related programming from across its major channels, either by itself directly through A+E or through Amazon Prime Channels, Apple TV Channels, or Roku Channels.
Is A&E available on FuboTV?
Sadly, FuboTV (and YouTube TV) have not reached an agreement with A+E Networks to carry any of its channels, which is why you won’t see FYI, Crime + Investigation, either of the History channels, either of the Lifetime channels, or Vice on those services either.
What is the cheapest way to get A&E?
That would be Frndly TV at $7.99/mo. It’s a mix of on-demand and live channels including Local Now, UPtv, Outdoor Channel, Game Show Network — basically a lineup of cable TV’s Most Inoffensive Channels, ranging from completely neutral (The Weather Channel) to religious-tinged (Dove Channel, BYU TV) to determinedly wholesome (Hallmark, INSP). They just acquired the A+E Networks channels, including A&E.
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