Stream NBC Channel Online or Via Antenna and Watch Live TV Cheaper Than Cable

I’m thinking about getting rid of cable, and it seems like a smart move. I can still watch NBC online and enjoy all my favorite shows — including the NFL playoffs — without a cable subscription, and for much less money. In fact, it might even be free.

In a hurry? If you just want to start watching NBC without cable, these three streaming services should do the job:

Why You Need a VPN Today

However, first you need a VPN to unblock US streaming services from . Our favourite is ExpressVPN. It’s definitely not the cheapest option at $6.67/month, but it just works – and across all your devices.

They have servers in 25+ US cities/states and 105 countries, which unblock access to premium streaming platforms available only in the US, as well as free “on demand” TV services worldwide.

You’ll have access to local platforms as if you were in the country, meaning you can watch BBC iPlayer as if you were in the UK, CBC Gem as if you were in Canada, plus hundreds more worldwide.

Sign Up for ExpressVPN

Hotdog users get three months free at ExpressVPN, so it’s a “no-brainer” for us. Decide for yourself with their 30 day money-back guarantee.

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.

NBC airs some of the biggest shows on TV: Saturday Night Live, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NFL Sunday Night Football, and many more. If you’re a fan of any of these exclusive shows, then NBC is a must-have channel for you.

You can stream NBC live both online and through digital antennas, saving yourself money and stress in the long run. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at how to watch NBC live without cable, covering all services, packages, and devices you’ll need. 

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How to Watch NBC Online Live Without Cable 

There are three basic ways you can watch NBC without a cable or satellite connection. 

• Peacock TV: NBC has its very own streaming service! Peacock TV launched in July 2020. It’s another way to watch NBC without cable. And it’s free! (There are also paid plans.) The only problem is that it is primarily an on-demand system; you can’t watch NBC live.
• Live Streaming Services: You can stream NBC live on multiple devices using streaming services like Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, and many more! These services also feature many other channels and act very much like a flexible, cheaper cable subscription. 
• Digital Antennas: Over-the-air antennas allow you to catch signals without cable or internet, so you can access channels on your TV! You’ll have to make a small initial investment to purchase an antenna (which usually costs as little as $30) and then you’ve got free TV! No packages, no subscription, no bill! 

Below, we’ve covered all three of these options in detail with information about prices, packages, and devices. To find out more about watching NBC without cable, keep on reading.

Streaming Services With NBC 

Streaming services are an easy and cost-effective way to watch NBC without cable. They offer an experience similar to using cable TV but are priced differently.

We’ve covered the major services that offer NBC, so you can go through them and choose a package that best suits your needs. 

FuboTV For NBC 

FuboTV is one of the best streaming services that offers NBC. You can stream NBC live by signing up for their Starter package, which offers 130+ channels for $79.99/month and allows you to stream on 10 devices simultaneously.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

It offers the full lineup of NBCUniversal channels as well as all the network affiliates (in the vast majority of areas).

For more information, see our detailed articles about FuboTV:

• FuboTV Review
• FuboTV Packages
• FuboTV Local Channels
• FuboTV Devices.

Sling TV For NBC

If you’re looking for a wallet-friendly way to stream NBC, Sling TV is one of your best bets.

Save $25 on Sling TV Now

Sling Blue is only $40.00/month and comes with FOX and five of the NBCUniversal channels along with NBC. If you wish, you can get CNBC (News Extra) and Oxygen (Lifestyle Extra) with $6/mo add-ons.

Sling TV also provides the option to use an antenna. If you sign up for two months, they will even give you an antenna for free. Your antenna stations are then integrated with the Sling interface. No need for multiple interfaces.

Find out more with our articles about Sling TV:

• Sling TV Review
• Sling TV Packages
• Sling TV Local Channels
• Sling TV Devices.

NFL Fans. Take a look at these Sling-specific NFL guides: NFL on Sling, NFL Preseason, NFL RedZone, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football.

DIRECTV STREAM For NBC

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) is known for its massive channel line-up access to local and regional channels. The service offers NBC along with most of the NBCUniversal and all the local channels.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free Trial

The only missing NBCUniversal channels are Oxygen and Universal Kids. These are available in the Ultimate plan for $119.99/month which features over 130 channels including HBO MAX for the first year.

See our DIRECTV STREAM review for more details.

Hulu + Live TV For NBC 

Hulu + Live TV is one of the most popular streaming services and offers a great way out of expensive cable TV bills. They offer over 85 popular sports, entertainment, and news channels including NBC for $76.99/month.

Try Hulu + Live TV for Free

Like FuboTV, Hulu offers the full lineup of NBCUniversal and local channels.

Comparatively, Hulu + Live TV offers less than FuboTV in the total number of channels, DVR capacity, and simultaneous streaming. But Hulu makes up for this in its exceptional on-demand library. Which you prefer will depend upon your preferences.

See the following for more information on Hulu + Live TV:

• Hulu + Live TV Review
• Hulu + Live TV Packages
• Hulu + Live TV Local Channels.

Other Ways to Get NBC

Live TV streaming services are a popular way to get NBC but they are not the only way to get it. Here are some others:

• NBC App: This TV Everywhere compatible app allows you to watch on-demand and limited live programming.
• YouTube TV: Another full-featured streaming service, it offers 100+ channels including all the NBCUniversal and local channels. It is comparable to FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV.

How to Get NBC With an Antenna 

Streaming NBC through antennas is affordable and convenient, at least if you are located reasonably close to a transmission tower.

Despite the convenience of online streaming services, don’t dismiss this option. Over the air (OTA) television is not like in the old days. It is all digital and broadcast in HD. And it’s not just the usual channels because now there are subchannels with even more content.

Check out our other articles for more information on using a TV antenna:

• Indoor or Outdoor Antenna? Which Is Best for You…
• HDTV Without Cable – Using a Simple Indoor Antenna
• Best Antennas and DVRs for Cord-Cutters to Never Pay a Cable Bill Again
• How to Connect Multiple TVs to your OTA Antenna.

Stream NBC With Peacock

Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service. It provides a lot of its shows, movies, and events on-demand.

Sign Up for Peacock Now!

There are two plans available:

• Peacock Premium ($7.99/month): access to the entire library plus access to live sporting events (Premier League and WWE).
• Peacock Premium Plus ($9.99/mo): access to everything without commercials (with some exceptions).

But remember: none of Peacock’s plans offer a live stream of NBC. 

TVs and Mobile Devices for NBC

To watch NBC on a streaming service, you need a streaming device that is suitable for that provider. This will be a smart TV, streaming device, mobile, or tablet, to name a few.

For example, most services have supported Samsung smart TVs for the last 5 years.

Additionally, the following devices are universally supported:

• Amazon Fire TV: Plugs into your TV’s HDMI jack and runs various streaming apps.
• Apple TV: Apple’s version of the Fire stick.
• Roku: Another TV device — one of the earliest.

You can also stream in most web browsers. So if your device has a web browser, you’re fine. Most laptops and computers can also be connected to a TV to transmit the content onto a bigger screen.

Mobile Devices For Streaming NBC

Smartphones and tablets are also supported by most services:

• Android Smartphones: All but the oldest Android devices.
• iOS devices: Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and even some iPods.

When choosing a streaming provider you can check for the exact supported versions on their website.

All the major streaming services support Chromecast. It streams from your phone to your TV.

Gaming Consoles For Streaming NBC

You can watch videos on gaming consoles, so streaming services support them. Except for DIRECTV STREAM, all the services support Xbox. Hulu supports PlayStation and Echo Show, while Sling TV supports Oculus.

Today’s NBC Schedule

See our NBC Schedule page for all the details of what’s playing today.

Wrapping Up 

There are lots of ways to enjoy NBC without being bound to an expensive long-term cable or satellite TV contract. If you don’t care about premium stations, you can just set up an antenna and get NBC and other local channels for free.

Most people prefer a streaming service. For as little as $40.00/month, you can get a streaming service like Sling TV with comparable channels to cable. This is a case where you can actually get better service for less money.

FuboTV is our top choice for getting NBC regardless of where you live. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

FAQs

What sports are on NBC? 

NBC has broadcast contracts throughout the world of sports. For example, they are the only provider of Sunday Night Football. And, of course, NBC is the home of the Olympics. They also broadcast college football, Premier League soccer (including Boxing Day matches), Major League Baseball, golf (including the US Open, Ryder Cup, and Grant Thornton Invitational), the Tour de France (see our Sling Guide), Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes), and auto sports.

Is NBC a good channel for the NFL?

NBC is not a particularly good channel for the NFL. But it is a necessary channel if you want to watch the whole NFL season. Each week of the regular season, it features a primetime Sunday Night game. And in the postseason, it is necessary to watch all the Wild Card Weekend games and, this year, an AFC divisional game. Finally, some years (2026 is the next) it airs the Super Bowl.

You can find out more about watching different NFL teams during all parts of the season in our viewer’s guides:

Is the Super Bowl on NBC?

Super Bowl LVIII will be on CBS this year. Fox and CBS share rotating control of the event with NBC. NBC last aired Super Bowl LVI. In 2026, it will air Super Bowl VX. It also doesn’t broadcast either of the conference championship games. But the good news is that most live TV streaming services that offer NBC also offer Fox. We recommend FuboTV for both.

Does NBC show the NFL conference championships?

NBC does not broadcast the NFL conference championships. CBS and Fox each have their own conference that they cover. So generally, CBS broadcasts the AFC Championship game and Fox broadcasts the NFC Championship game. NBC Sports has a smaller footprint in the NFL world but all the football games it airs have no competition from simultaneously occurring games.

Will NBC broadcast the NFL playoffs?

NBC is the third most important broadcaster of NFL playoff games after Fox and CBS but before ABC/ESPN, which airs just one Monday Night game. In 2023, it will broadcast three postseason matchups: two from the Wild Card Round and one from the Divisional Round.

• Sat Jan 14 4:30 pm: AFC/NFC Wild Card Game (NBC)
• Sun Jan 15 8:15 pm: AFC/NFC Wild Card Game (NBC)
• Sun Jan 22 3:00 pm: AFC Divisional Playoff Game (NBC)

Will Amazon Prime show NFL playoff games?

No. Amazon Prime aired Thursday Night Football during the regular 2022-2023 season, but they don’t have a contract to air any playoff games. The games will be broadcast on ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. You can find out full details on all the playoff games on our NFL playoffs page.

How much does it cost to watch the NFL playoffs on NBC?

That depends on the streaming service you use. If you’re watching on your basic cable channel, there’s no extra charge other than your cable subscription. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the games on NBC with an over-the-air antenna for free. You can also dump cable and subscribe to a streaming service like FuboTV or DIRECTV STREAM. Find out more on NFL playoffs page.

When is the next NFL game on NBC?

NBC airs Sunday Night NFL games and some NFL playoff games. Here is the upcoming game:

• Sun Nov 17 8:20 pm: New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

What channels belong to NBCUniversal?

NBCUniversal is an enormous company featuring various divisions which focus on different languages and content. But its primary English-language non-sports channels are as follows:

• Bravo
• CNBC
• E!
• MSNBC
• NBC
• Oxygen
• Syfy
• Universal Kids
• USA.

How can I watch other news channels?

Here are our options for watching other news channels:

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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.

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