I watch ION Television for its reruns of popular procedural and action shows like Private Eyes, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Chicago PD. I also tune in for WNBA games on Friday nights.

In a hurry? There are a few options for streaming ION. Here are our top picks:

Fubo: With 150+ channels, it offers something for everyone. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
DIRECTV STREAM: Makes it easy to switch from cable to streaming with their 90+ channel Entertainment plan and options for much more. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
Frndly TV: Get 50+ channels for as little as $6.99/month!

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IMPORTANT: Once you’ve installed your VPN and connected to a US server, you’ll still need to subscribe separately to access premium streaming services.

Table Of Contents

1 How to Watch ION
2 Devices to Stream ION
3 What Is ION Television?
4 Wrapping Up
5 FAQs

How to Watch ION

Most people stream ION but it is also available in many areas for free over-the-air.

Live TV Streaming Services

ION is available on both the paid streaming services like Fubo as well as free-ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services such as Pluto TV. All of these services also include many other favorite channels streamed right to your TV, phone, tablet, or other compatible devices.

Fubo

Fubo is a great choice for those who want sports along with a large dose of entertainment. ION is available in the base Pro plan which offers 150+ channels for $79.99/month. The plan also includes ION Plus, ION Mystery, GRIT, Oxygen, Court TV and other channels. For sports fans, the plan comes with ESPN, Fox Sports, beIN Sports, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, and others.

Every Fubo plan comes with unlimited cloud DVR recording and up to 10 simultaneous streaming connections. See our Fubo review for details.

DIRECTV STREAM

ION is included in all DIRECTV STREAM plans, starting with the base package — Entertainment — priced at $79.99/month. It includes channels such as Paramount Network, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, and more. If you are also into sports and need Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), then you would need to go for the Choice Package (costing $108.99/month) or higher plans.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free Trial

All plans come with unlimited DVR and the ability to stream simultaneously on unlimited devices at home or up to 3 devices when outside. Our DIRECTV STREAM review has complete information.

Frndly TV

Frndly TV is a pocket-friendly option for ION channel fans, with plans starting from $6.99/month for SD video. You can choose to shell out a few more dollars for HD video, more simultaneous streaming devices, and unlimited cloud DVR storage. Apart from ION, Frndly TV also includes 40+ channels such as ION Mystery, Court TV, Justice Central TV, Crime + Investigation, and GRIT.

The only downside of this streaming service is that it does not include any significant sports, news, and core movie channels. For more information, see our Frndly TV review.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV includes ION with its 100+ live channel base plan for $72.99/month. See our YouTube TV review for more information.

Free Ad-supported Streaming Television (FAST) Services

The below services offer the channel live for free in exchange for showing extra ads. However, they do not include a DVR recording or on-demand feature. This means that if you are unable to watch your favorite episode at the time of its airing, you will not be able to catch it later. If you require DVR recording functionality, it is better to go for the premium streaming services listed above or to get the channel through an antenna and use an OTA DVR device.

The CW: Includes ION, ION Plus, and ION Mystery along with Total Crime, Grit XTRA, Laff More, and other channels. It does not require sign-in. The service is not to be confused with The CW channel, both of which are from the same company.
Plex: Includes all three ION channels, Crime 360, True Crime, Court TV, NBC News Now, and more.
Pluto TV: Includes ION, Oxygen, Court TV, and more.
The Roku Channel: Includes all three ION channels along with Court TV, Grit XTRA, Court TV, and more.
Tubi: Includes all three ION channels, FilmRise True Crime, VICE, Court TV, and more.
Xumo Play: Includes all three ION channels. Displays a high number of ads every time the channel is loaded.

Antenna

If you live in specific areas, ION can be watched through an antenna for free. Use the FCC’s DTV Reception Maps to check the availability of over-the-air channels in your area. If ION is available, all you need is an antenna. You can buy a compact indoor antenna starting from $20 onwards.

Find out more details about antennas and their setup in our Antenna Buying Guide.

Devices to Stream ION

You can view the channel on nearly any device that has a screen and is connected to the internet. Here is a list of popular devices:

Amazon Fire TV (Stick/Cube)
Android mobile
Android TV
Apple TV
Chromecast

iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Roku
Samsung smart TV
Web browser

What Is ION Television?

ION Television, branded as ION, was first introduced in 1998 as PAX TV. It was focused on family-friendly entertainment and aired a mix of original shows, reruns of older series, and some religious programs. Following a brief rebranding to i: Independent Television, the channel was launched in its current form as a general entertainment network in 2007.

ION has a spinoff channel, ION Plus, that runs programming similar to ION but with a slight leaning towards drama and action. Another channel, ION Mystery (earlier called Court TV Mystery) was added to the ION mix in 2022 and focuses on mystery and procedural-crime-oriented shows.

ION Media Networks, the channel’s parent company, was acquired by E.W. Scripps Company in 2020.

WNBA on ION

During its season, ION features two WNBA games every Friday starting at 7:00 pm EDT.

Wrapping Up

If you live in an area where ION is available over the air, you can choose to watch it for free through an antenna. Alternatively, if you can put up with extra ads, you can choose to stream ION through an FAST platform like The CW.

However, if you are looking to get a streaming service that serves varied interests in movies, sports, news, and other categories, Fubo is our top choice. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

FAQs

Where can I watch ION TV for free?

To watch ION TV for free, you can access a free-ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service such as The CW, Tubi, or Pluto TV. The CW and Tubi also carry ION Plus and ION Mystery channels. These services can be accessed without requiring any signup and are fully legal. Alternatively, you can get ION over the air through an antenna if you live in an area that receives the channel.

Is ION Plus TV free?

Yes, ION Plus is a free-to-air channel. It was pulled out from cable networks in 2021 after E.W. Scripps Company acquired ION Media – ION Plus channel’s parent company. ION Plus continues to be available on streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, and more.

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Frank Moraes

I am a Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com, specializing in sports streaming and regional programming issues. With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and extensive experience in remote sensing technology, including early video streaming, I bring a unique technical perspective to the streaming industry.

My expertise in sports coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and regional sports networks, stems from years of hands-on experience as an early adopter of streaming services and my work addressing fans' viewing challenges. As a longtime cord-cutter and subscriber to multiple streaming platforms, I combine my technical knowledge with practical user experience, making me a leading expert in the field of sports streaming and entertainment technology.