How to watch CNN without cable in 2026

From hard-hitting news to top-notch election coverage, CNN is a must-have for a lot of folks. Being a part of the Warner Bros. family, you can watch CNN without a cable or satellite TV on a handful of streaming services. Our recommended providers include Sling, Hulu Live and DIRECTV. Tubi is the only free way to stream CNN. Read on for all the details...

Table of Contents

[-]

• Streaming services with CNN
• CNN on Sling TV
• CNN on Hulu Live
• CNN on DIRECTV
• How to Watch CNN for free
• Upcoming events
• Popular shows on CNN

Note: For all sections below, a checkmark next to a plan means that it's our favorite way of getting CNN.

Streaming services with CNN

From Anderson Cooper 360° to the best election coverage on TV, CNN is a must-have for even the occasional news watcher. Since CNN is considered basic pay cable, it's nearly impossible to find for free (other than Tubi). They have a solid app and website and subscription to any of the services on this page give you access to all their features (simply find the provider during sign-up and enter your login). The big upside with the app/website is, in addition to the live feed, you can watch a ton of on-demand political clips or interviews whenever you want.

CNN on Sling TV - our recommended service

• Channels: 50
• Best price: $23
• 7-day free trial

Visit Sling

Owned by DISH satellite TV, Sling TV is a streamlined and inexpensive way to watch live TV. They conveniently break up their library into two different plans, Blue and Orange. They're each priced at $23/mo - with the current offer, you can get the first month half-off. Orange is the one with CNN, along with TNT, ESPN, etc. (total of 32 channels). The Blue plan has 43 channels but not any of the Disney properties (ESPN, ESPN 2, Disney, etc). You can combine both plans (50 channels) for $29.99/mo, all fees included.

Overall, Sling is the least expensive way to live stream CNN. There are trade-offs though. Local channels are restricted to FOX and NBC and only available to folks in major markets. Otherwise, you'll need to buy an HD antenna and integrate it with Sling. The other downside is the Orange plan (which includes CNN) only allows one simultaneous stream at a time. So, if multiple people will use the service, consider upgrading to the Blue + Orange combined plan ($29.99/mo).

CNN on Hulu Live

• Channels: 95
• Best price: $89.99
• Free Disney+

Visit Hulu

Hulu used to be just an on-demand service but now you can stream a bunch of live channels, including CNN. Hulu with live TV gives you a total of 95 channels for $89.99/mo, no contracts or extra fees involved. The rest of the channel lineup is pretty solid and, in our opinion, gives you the best value on this list. Sports-wise, in addition to regional sports networks, you also get ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and the NFL Network.

Overall, Hulu live brings a ton to the table and with the recent addition of ESPN+ and Disney+ included for free, there's a lot to like for folks looking for a full replacement to cable. At $89.99/mo, it's not the cheapest way to watch CNN but if you want a bunch of live AND on-demand options, look no further.

Find!

CNN on DIRECTV

• Channels: 160
• Best price: $49.99
• 5-day free trial

Visit DIRECTV

DIRECTV streaming is the lightweight alternative to the their satellite TV service. CNN is part of the Entertainment package and above. With DIRECTV, there are no equipment or major installation steps, so setup is a breeze. And as with most of the providers on this page, you can watch via any streaming device you'd like (Fire TV, Roku, iPad/iPhone, Chromecast, etc). There are also no contracts so cancel anytime it's no longer a great fit.

Overall, there's plenty to like about DIRECTV. Its tech is cutting edge and user experience is top notch. Not surprisingly, these plans are the closest to mainstream cable or satellite TV. Compared to satellite, you're able to cancel anytime, no fees or penalties apply. New customers can even cancel anytime within the first 5 days and receive a full refund, so plenty of time to give the service a whirl.

How to watch CNN for free (Tubi)

As of this writing, the only place we've found that has a live stream of CNN for free is Tubi. Owned by FOX and like all the channels on the free platform, it's ad-supported. So, you'll need to sit through a fair share of commercials but, hey, can't beat free. The main downside here is there isn't a way to record via Tubi so if you're used to catching up on CNN on your time, this option may not work for you. Either way, Tubi is a great way to find niche or older content (popular shows are often setup as dedicated channels airing 24/7). 30+ million subscribers can't be wrong. Check out Tubi here.

Major events

Popular shows on CNN

From world-class election coverage to timely interviews and analysis, CNN is still the go-to place for breaking national and political news. Regardless of your political inclination, CNN generally does a good job of straddling that fine line between objectivity and propaganda. Over the years, they've developed a ton of original programming, a good percentage of them cultural staples. With all the exclusive content, they recently tried to launch a stand-alone streaming app, coined CNN+. It launched with a bunch of fanfare but the apparent lack of demand for having to pay for just news coverage, forced it be shelved a few months later. So, for now, CNN's shows are still only available via TV providers.

Here's a quick list of some of the most popular:

Streaming devices with CNN

Wherever CNN is available online, it can be streamed via just about any mobile app, device or operating system (Windows and iOS). All the compatible devices are below. In most cases, you'll be able to watch pre-recorded, on demand shows as well. Our favorite way to stream CNN is via their own app. It's intuitive and customized to CNN's brand of programming (breaking and in-depth news). It's also much easier to see the big charts and graphs during election times.