Disclosure: Your support helps keep our site running! We earn referral fees for some of the products & services we recommend. Learn more

History Channel: Cable Replacement Streaming Services With the Best Deals

Last Updated:

History is a fun channel! Does it have anything to do with what we normally think of as history? Does it matter? History channel airs some of the most popular shows on TV. If you can’t live without it, you aren’t alone. Luckily, it’s easy to get it without resorting to cable or satellite providers.

In a hurry? If you are just looking for a great cable replacement service that includes History, these will make you very happy:

  • 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 60+ 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.

In a hurry? Unfortunately, we don’t know a streaming service in that offers this TV channel/sport. But if you’ve already paid for the right service, and just can’t watch because of your location, there is an easy way to get the sports, movies, and TV you deserve. You need a VPN, like one of the following.

ExpressVPN

1. ExpressVPN: Established VPN provider in 105 countries. Smart DNS, a built-in ad-blocker, and unlimited bandwidth. Try it with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Private Internet Access

3. Private Internet Access: The only no-logs VPN with a location for every US state. Get 82% off + 2 months free.

If you’re overwhelmed and not sure where to begin, you’ll find all the answers in our full VPN guide.

In 2008, the channel formerly known as The History Channel was rebranded as simply “History,” and much of the documentary content was replaced with reality shows of questionable historical merit, such as Pawn Stars and Ice Road Truckers, and speculative pseudo-documentary series like Ancient Aliens.

Reality TV and sensationalist documentaries get a bad rap, but there’s a reason they’re popular — vicarious thrills and secret conspiracies are fun! Ancient curses might be hoaxes (Or are they? You decide!), but the high-priced, locked-in curse that is your cable bill is all too real. Fortunately, it’s one that’s super easy to break.

Read on to learn how you can continue enjoying American Pickers while sending your cable bill to the dustbin of…

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

How to Watch History Live Without Cable

History is owned by A+E Networks, which also owns A&E, Vice, FYI, Crime + Investigation, and Lifetime in addition to History, Military History, and History en Español. Other channels often watched with History are Discovery, American Heroes Channel, MotorTrend, Science Channel, and Curiosity Stream.

History is a pay channel, meaning it’s not available over the air (OTA). You can’t watch it for free with an antenna. Instead, you need to subscribe to a paid service from a TV provider to watch it. That TV provider doesn’t have to be a cable or satellite company, though.

Over-the-top (OTT) services deliver the same channels through the internet, for lower prices with no contracts, commitments, or installation visits. Read on to find out which services carry History.

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.

Get ExpressVPN Today

Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

Streaming Services with History

Sorry, sports fans; the sports-oriented FuboTV does not carry History. The same goes for YouTube TV. Neither offers any of the A&E channels. But the rest of the major streaming services all do!

Most of the services that carry History also have the Spanish-language History en Español available as well. Unfortunately, their hawkish brother Military History is not as ubiquitous — it only shows up in Hulu + Live TV’s lineup.

Philo

philo logo

Philo is the one you want if you’re #1 priority is to save money while still having some selection in your viewing. If you want over 60 channels, it doesn’t come any cheaper than this: $25/mo, with a 7-day free trial.

The channel lineup includes History, American Heroes Channel, Discovery, FYI, MotorTrend, and the Science Channel. It also comes with unlimited cloud DVR storage and streaming on up to 3 stations.

Philo’s drawbacks include pretty big gaps in their channel lineup. They provide no WarnerMedia, no NBCUniversal, and no local networks. And they offer limited premium channels. They do not currently carry Curiosity Stream, Military History, and they are the only major service to not carry any Spanish-language stations.

See our Philo review for more information.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

Sling TV

Sling TV Logo (2021 100x50)

Sling TV divides their channels up a bit differently, with a Blue and an Orange package, $40.00/mo each for both for $55.00/mo. History is available with both, but Discovery is only on Blue and MotorTrend is only on Orange. These plans come with 50 hours of DVR storage.

Sling TV gives you great latitude in customizing your lineup with Extras — add-on packages of 5-10 channels for $6 each (except for Sports Extra, which is $11).

American Heroes Channel is included in the Heartland Extra, FYI is in the Lifestyle Extra, and the Science Channel and Newsmax are in the News Extra. You can get each one separately (for a total of $18/mo extra), or go for the Total TV Deal for $21/mo extra, which gets you all the Extras (including Sports) and bumps your DVR storage from 50 to 200 hours.

Sling TV also has premium channels like Curiosity Stream available a la carte starting at $3/mo each. History en Español is part of the “Best of Spanish TV” package, including 6 Spanish-language channels for $10/mo.

With Sling Blue, you can stream on up to 3 devices at a time. The Orange-only channels are limited to a single device.

Learn more in our Sling TV review.

Save 50% on Sling TV Now

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) is the priciest option on here, but, without FuboTV, it’s your best one if you’re hardcore into sports, especially local sports.

It offers a four-tiered system starting with the Entertainment package at $79.99/mo. It includes well over 75 channels, including History, Discovery, MotorTrend, and your local network affiliates.

If you upgrade to the Choice package ($108.99/mo), you also get the Science Channel included, plus all the regional sports channels in your area and 3 months HBOMax free. Go up to the Ultimate for $119.99/mo and you get everything in the lower packages as well as American Heroes Channel and FYI.

Military History and Curiosity Stream are not available, History en Español is available as an add-on.

See our detailed review for more information.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Hulu + Live TV

hulu logo

Hulu has over a dozen History original series and specials available on their low-cost on-demand service, including multiple seasons of Ancient Aliens and Pawn Stars. Hulu + Live TV combines this library with over 85 channels and ESPN+ and Disney+ for $76.99/mo.

The live channel lineup includes History, Discovery, FYI, and MotorTrend. You can top it off with American Heroes Channel, Military History, and Science Channel by getting the Entertainment Add-on for $7.99/mo (and, as mentioned, this is the only service that offers Military History at all). History en Español is available with the Español Add-on.

Hulu + Live TV offers unlimited cloud DVR with 9 months of storage and streaming on two devices at once, plus all your local network stations are included.

See our complete review for more information.

Try Hulu + Live TV Today!

History on Hulu
History shows on Hulu.

Vidgo

vidgo logo

Vidgo features lots of family-friendly movie channels, includes your local ABC and Fox stations in most areas, and streams on up to 3 screens at a time.

It’s a mid-level service with over 100 channels for $69.99/mo, including History, Discovery, FYI, MotorTrend, Newsmax, and the Science Channel. History en Español is available in the Spanish-language package. 

A big plus is that it has the documentary channel Curiosity Channel, but it’s a trade-off; American Heroes Channel and Military History are not available. Another downside is that they don’t offer any cloud DVR service. There’s also no free trial.

For more information, see our Vidgo review.

Try Vidgo Today!

Other Ways to Stream History

Some streaming services have offered History Channel content in the past. For example, there are many pages that claim Netflix has tons of History shows, but that’s not as true as it once was. The following services do currently provide select History shows and documentaries. Only Frndly provides the live History Channel, the rest are on-demand only.

  • Frndly TV: The A+E Networks channels, including History, are among Frndly’s most recent additions. The price has gone up, but it’s still hardly breaking the bank at $6.99/mo for 40 family-friendly channels full of information, documentaries, and entertainment. (Frndly TV review)
  • Discovery+: A+E made a deal with Discovery to share some of its older content on Discovery+, including History shows and specials. Plans start at $4.99/mo.
  • History Vault: History has its own streaming service that has commercial-free on-demand classic History documentaries and shows for $4.99/mo. It’s not live-streaming, but it’s the next best thing, and new subscribers get a 7-day free trial.
  • A&E Crime Central: Brings together true-crime content from all of A+E’s networks into one library for $4.99/mo, with History series such as America’s War on Drugs, The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer, and Kingpin.
  • Pluto TV: A free on-demand streaming service that carries several History shows, such as seasons 14-16 of Modern Marvels and 2 seasons of Ancient Aliens.
  • Hulu On-Demand: Hulu has over a dozen History titles in their expansive on-demand streaming library, including all six seasons of the popular Vikings series.
  • Peacock: NBCUniversal’s low-cost on-demand streaming service has several History series, including Ancient Aliens, The Curse of Oak Island, Pawn Stars, and American Pickers.

Note that none of these will have new episodes of current shows. The only way to get those is to sign up with a TV provider that carries History.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

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.
Sling TV History Android
Sling TV displaying History shows on an Android phone.

If you have a recent TV or other streaming device, chances are that it will be supported by most of the services we’ve discussed here. Here are some of the details; for more, see our individual stream service reviews.

Strangely, DIRECTV STREAM does not support Android TV-based televisions. But all the other services do. In its defense, DIRECTV STREAM supports its own device that you can purchase for $5/mo (for 24 months).

One of the more popular ways to stream video is to cast to your TV from a smartphone, tablet, or web browser. This is done with Chromecast either built-in as an external device. All services allow you to do this.

Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DIRECTV STREAM support Samsung model smart TVs. Both Sling TV and Hulu also support LG and Vizio smart TVs.

All the services support the TV “stick” devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku, as well as Roku TV. And the same goes for phones and tablets based on iOS (iPads and iPhones) and Android.

Hulu and Sling TV support the Xbox One gaming console. The PlayStation and Nintendo Switch are both supported by Hulu. And VR fans who sign up with Sling TV can use the Oculus.

Today’s History Schedule

Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:

History's Greatest MysteriesThe Lost Gold of WWII

During World War II, Japan plunders a fortune worth hundreds of billions of dollars from occupied countries, but to this day its whereabouts are unknown.

History's Greatest MysteriesEscape from Alcatraz

A perfectly masterminded plot leads to one of the most brazen prison breaks in American history; with only a handful of clues left behind, the search for the infamous Alcatraz escapees continues to this day.

History's Greatest MysteriesThe Deadly Bermuda Triangle

A look at what could cause mysterious vanishings in the Bermuda Triangle, a 500,000 square mile area of the Atlantic where ships, planes and unsuspecting travelers have been lost without a trace.

Inogen Portable Oxygen - No More Tanks!

Regain independence and enjoy greater mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of portable oxygen.

Paid Programming

Paid programming.

Relief from Inflammation

Connie Craig-Carrol & Founder Ken Meares investigates Omega XL, the ultimate all-natural solution for joint pain from inflammation.

Who Stole My Life?

Every 3 seconds an American's identity is stolen. Just how safe is your 401k? Your bank account? Your home? Your credit? Crime Reporter Tom Morris Jr. investigates the identity theft epidemic. Find out how you can help protect yourself with LifeLock.

Amazing Facts With Doug Batchelor

Pastor Doug Batchelor reveals "Amazing Facts" of biblical events and brings new insight to frequently asked questions in Christian faith.

David Jeremiah

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

Modern MarvelsFailed Inventions

Dreamers and schemers try an odd assortment of flawed ideas for inventions.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydStrange Places

Exploring the Lake Michigan Triangle and many other wild and weird places, including a creepy doll-filled island with a dark past, deadly gas-filled explosive lakes, caves that harbor deadly viruses, and the most haunted place in the United States.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydBizarre Deaths

In Boston, a 25-foot tidal wave of molasses; a dancing plague that kills 100 people; a surgery with a 300% mortality rate; searching the globe for the strangest and most bizarre deaths on record.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydAstonishing Bodies

From a headless chicken that lives over one year, to an out-of-this-world "celestial body" where it rains molten glass, the team explores the most astonishing bodies through these truly unbelievable stories.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydWeird Weapons

A million bats with tiny bombs strapped to their chests, inflatable tanks, robot assassins, bazooka Vespas, and war dolphins; these weapons, and others, pushed the boundaries of "possible" in the weirdest ways ever.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydOutlandish Inventions

Looking at outlandish inventions; a full-body gas mask for babies; Smell-o-Vision; a robot powered by eating slugs; inflatable airplanes; hidden cameras in contact lenses; coffin security systems.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydSuperhumans

A blind man who uses bat-like powers of echolocation to navigate his surroundings; a samurai with reflexes faster than a speeding bullet; a man who's immune to electrocution.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydUnusual Rituals

Human bones as a "miracle cure" for gout; living mummies buried alive; a truly bizarre Victorian way to lose weight -- with tapeworms; from daily rites to once-in-a-lifetime rituals, the stranger side of human nature is revealed in these rituals.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydStrange Experiments

Monkey glands for immortality, hypnotized assassins and a brain-linked cyborg couple; investigating some of the strangest experiments on record.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydWhat Lies Beneath

A look at tales of strange things below Earth's surface, including sea beasts, hidden cities, and tunnels carved by giant sloths.

The UnBelievable With Dan AykroydSurviving the Impossible

Imagine free falling 30,000 feet without a parachute, or being buried alive and living to tell the tale; these are improbable yet true-life tales of surviving the most extraordinary conditions.

The Curse of Oak IslandDark and Stormy

While new discoveries across the island continue to invigorate the team, a dangerous storm threatens to shut down the entire operation.

The Curse of Oak IslandPiling On

As the team makes contact with the elusive tunnel under the Garden Shaft, an exciting new scientific theory surfaces that suggests a connection between Nolan's Cross and the Knights Templar.

The Curse of Oak Island: Digging DeeperMay The Norse Be With You

The Brotherhood uncovers a new structure under the swamp and a new theory suggests the Vikings worked with the Templars to help them get to Oak Island.

The Curse of Oak IslandHi Ho Silver

As the connection between Nolan's Cross and The Knights Templar deepens the team digs up treasure on Lot Five.

Lost U-Boats of WWIITreasure Island

With weather preventing Darrell Miklos and the team from diving from the boat, they attempt a risky strategy. Garth makes a solo journey to explore a deserted island where he discovers a mysterious cross.

The Curse of Oak IslandPiling On

As the team makes contact with the elusive tunnel under the Garden Shaft, an exciting new scientific theory surfaces that suggests a connection between Nolan's Cross and the Knights Templar.

The Curse of Oak Island: Digging DeeperMay The Norse Be With You

The Brotherhood uncovers a new structure under the swamp and a new theory suggests the Vikings worked with the Templars to help them get to Oak Island.

The Curse of Oak IslandHi Ho Silver

As the connection between Nolan's Cross and The Knights Templar deepens the team digs up treasure on Lot Five.

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re a fan of the few straight-facts shows left, like Modern Marvels or you just can’t get enough of Giorgio Tsoukalos attributing anything and everything to aliens, you can watch History’s Greatest Mysteries without cable.

Sign up for one of the streaming services listed here, and it’ll be your cable bill that’s history.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

FAQ

What kind of TV shows can I watch on History?

Once upon a time, back in the mid-1990s, there was a cable station called The History Channel, and it got ribbed a little bit for showing a bit too many World War II documentaries. But on the whole, its content was educational and fact-based. (You can still find some remnants of “The Hitler Channel” on History’s sister channel, Military History.)

History was one of several educational channels from the 80s and 90s to gradually but inexorably succumb to the siren song of inexpensive, unscripted “reality” programming and paranormal investigation shows after the turn of the millennium.

It’s currently mainly known for two things: investigative docu-series and specials on various paranormal topics, such as Bigfoot, UFOs, aliens, and ancient curses; and non-history-related reality shows covering such diverse subjects as pawn shops, low-temperature ground shipping, wetlands-dwelling alligator hunters, wilderness survival, dumpster-diving for antiques, and auto repair.

The most popular shows currently are:

  • American Pickers
  • Ancient Aliens
  • The Curse of Oak Island
  • Pawn Stars
  • Swamp People.

Other shows featured on the History.com webpage include:

  • 9/11: I Was There
  • Alone
  • Forged in Fire
  • History’s Greatest Mysteries
  • Modern Marvels
  • Mountain Men
  • The Men Who Built America
  • The Unxplained

Does HISTORY Channel have a streaming service?

Yes. It’s called History Vault, and it contains thousands of History specials and series, all available on-demand ad-free. If you’re curious about what’s available, it’s free to download and browse, though you will need a subscription to actually watch anything. Sign up for $4.99/mo, or save 15% by paying $49.99/yr.

Note that History Vault only provides on-demand library content. You cannot watch the live History Channel through it, nor will you get brand new episodes of current shows as they air.

Is HISTORY Channel free with Amazon Prime Video?

No. Prime Video is still basically an on-demand service with some live sports events; it doesn’t have live channels like a cable, satellite, or live streaming TV service does. You can subscribe to History Vault ($4.99/mo) through Prime Video Channels, which gives you access to thousands of favorite shows and documentaries from History, but it’s not the live channel and you can’t watch brand new episodes.

Is HISTORY Channel on Netflix or Hulu?

Some of its shows are, emphasis on “some.” Netflix used to have a lot more, but as the licensing deals expire, A+E (History’s parent company) is keeping them for its own streaming services. Hulu has a dozen or so. Neither of them will probably satisfy a true hardcore History fan.

Is HISTORY Channel on Disney+?

No, History currently doesn’t have any content deals going with the House of Mouse. However, if you’re looking for documentaries, check out the National Geographic section of Disney+— it’s got lots of good stuff. Or if nothing but History will do, take a look at Discovery+ or History Vault — they both have large History collections and are just $4.99/mo each.

Where can I watch HISTORY Channel?

If you want to watch the live History Channel (instead of watching History shows on-demand), you’ll need a live TV provider. That means a cable or satellite company, or online streaming. We at Hotdog.com are big fans of the live TV streaming services — you can see our rundown of the ones that carry History above.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

Is HISTORY Channel on YouTube?

Yes! It’s almost all clips, but there is the odd full episode of various shows (currently Swamp People S2:E16, Big History S1:E1, Battles B.C. S1:E7, MonsterQuest S3:E24, and others). There are also previews of new shows, behind-the-scenes peeks, and 20-30 minute clip collections like Forged in Fire‘s “Devastating Decapitations” or The Proof Is Out There‘s “Bigfoot is Real!” (yes, seriously.)

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!

Page Updates

  1. Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Cross linking.

  2. Added buttons for streaming services. Updated some sub-sections. Image changes. Pricing updates.

  3. Added buttons for streaming services. Added VPN info. Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Mentioned offers.

  4. Added sub-section. Mentioned channel info. Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Image changes.

  5. Image changes. Additional links. Mentioned offers.

  6. Mentioned offers. Pricing updates. More links.

  7. Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Mentioned offers.

  8. Updates to a section.

Alanna Baker

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap