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How to Watch CBS: Best Options in 2024

There are many options available to cord cutters.

Syndication: USA TODAY
Credit: David Baratz / USA TODAY NETWORK

This post was written in partnership with DISH.

Although it’s only once a year, searching for the channel to watch the Super Bowl on can be tough with a channel list that doesn’t include CBS. Today, there are plenty of options for watching local channels, as well as the live sporting events that appear on the CBS network. Most cable and streaming platforms carry locals, so viewers can choose the option that works best for them based on their needs.

Streaming services typically offer extensive live channel lineups, along with on-demand content, without long-term contracts. If a streaming service no longer meets a user’s requirements, they can cancel it without incurring any fees. Keeping up with your favorite teams is easier than ever before, thanks to the option to watch games on the go or from anywhere in the world on multiple devices. This is great news for fans of The Masters golf tournament or NCAA March Madness. Read on to find out which live TV streaming services carry CBS.

What streaming services offer CBS?

DISH*DIRECTV STREAMFuboHulu + Live TVYouTube TV
CBS✔ ✔ XXX
*streaming alternative

In the history of American popular culture, CBS has stood the test of time. Television viewers regularly tune in to CBS because of the network’s long history of airing compelling news programs, sitcoms, dramas, reality television, and sports. 

Some of its most notable programs over the years include “60 Minutes,” “Ghosts,” “NCIS,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Survivor,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Amazing Race,” and “The Young and the Restless.” The network also broadcasts NFL games, PGA tournaments, and college basketball and football throughout the year.  

Watch CBS with DISH (Our preferred streaming alternative)

If you’re not interested in streaming and would rather lock in a contract with a traditional TV service, DISH has you covered. DISH’s channel list includes locals, along with sports, news, and entertainment for the whole family. DISH pricing starts at $84.99 per month, with a 3-Year TV Price Guarantee. Plus, for a limited time, you’ll get access to the Multi-Sport package with NBA TV and more sports channels at no additional charge when you sign up for the America’s top 120 Plus, 200 or 250 package.

Watch CBS with DIRECTV STREAM

With DIRECTV STREAM, you can watch live TV from a host of national and regional networks, spanning news, entertainment, and sports. CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, TNT, CNN, Comedy Central, National Geographic, Discovery, Disney Channel, ESPN, and AMC are some popular channels you can watch with DIRECTV STREAM. And if that’s not enough, there is the option to purchase add-ons like Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, and MGM Plus.

With four different plans ranging in price from $79.99 to $164.99 and the possibility to add additional channel packages, DIRECTV STREAM offers several benefits that will appeal to a diverse range of customers. The abundance of live TV channels will surely please anyone looking for variety in their viewing habits. More than 75 channels come with the basic Entertainment package, including news, sports, entertainment, live events, kid-friendly programming, and music.

PlanCost per MonthChannelsSimultaneous
Streams
Free Trial
Entertainment$79.9975+Unlimited at home,
3 out-of-home
Yes
Choice$108.99105+Unlimited at home,
3 out-of-home
Yes
Ultimate$119.99140+Unlimited at home,
3 out-of-home
Yes
Premier$164.99150+Unlimited at home,
3 out-of-home
Yes
Óptimo Más$79.99100+Unlimited at home,
3 out-of-home
Yes

What sports offerings does DIRECTV STREAM provide? 

Sports fans can follow their favorite teams and events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, and Olympics with DIRECTV STREAM’s robust channel selection. Local stations such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox feature in all English language packages in addition to national networks such as ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, TBS, and TNT. International football fans can enjoy the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, and Liga MX on Óptimo Más. Subscribers can add NBA League Pass, NBA TV, and ESPN Deportes to their packages. 

Those who upgrade from the Entertainment plan gain access to ESPNews, MLB Network, NBA TV, and the Tennis Channel, among other premium channels. Choice, Ultimate, and Premier subscribers also unlock the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and ESPNU for even more college sports coverage. One of the biggest advantages of upgrading is the availability of regional sports networks (RSNs) at no extra cost. This feature comes in handy if you are a supporter of a local team and are determined not to miss any of their games.

Even though DIRECTV STREAM’s Cloud DVR storage is unlimited, subscribers can only keep recordings for a maximum of nine months. Another catch is that while storage is technically unlimited, subscribers can only keep 30 episodes of a given show before the oldest one is deleted. However, the streamer makes up for that with three out-of-home streams and unlimited streams at home. 

Watch CBS with Fubo

Fubo launched in 2015 with a primary focus on soccer, and its sports offerings remain its strongest point. You can watch games from the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL and various college sports from the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, and Pacific-12 Conference on their respective networks or the ESPN family of channels.

Prices range from $74.99 per month for the Pro plan to $94.99 per month for the Premier plan. International Sports Plus, NBA League Pass, and Sports Plus with NFL RedZone are all available as sports add-ons. Depending on your plan, the streaming service offers over 200 channels and boasts an extensive on-demand library. Fubo provides access to all the major local channels, including ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.

PlanCost per MonthChannelsSimultaneous
Streams
Free Trial
Pro$74.9916710Yes
Elite$84.9924210Yes
Premier$94.9925110Yes
Latino$32.995910Yes

What sports offerings does Fubo provide? 

Marquee sports events like the NBA Finals, Super Bowl, World Series, Olympics, College Football Playoff, and the World Cup of Soccer are all available on Fubo. The Pro package includes the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1 & FS2, Golf Channel, NFL Network, and Olympic Channel. It also features beIN SPORTS and ESPN2. Additionally, subscribers to the Elite and Premier plans have access to the Tennis Channel, MLB Network, ESPNU, ESPNews, NBA TV, NHL Network, Pac-12 Network, and Zona Futbol. 

Sports add-ons can further bolster the Pro plan. The Tennis Channel, ESPNU, ESPNews, MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, NBA TV, NHL Network, Stadium, Zona Futbol, and many other networks are all part of the Sports Plus with NFL RedZone package. The eight channels in the Sports Lite add-on are the Tennis Channel, ACC Network, ESPNU, ESPNews, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and ESPNews. 

Those interested in watching football from around the world can continue to do so with the help of an optional add-on that includes Fubo Latino Network, FOX Deportes, Zona Futbol, ESPN HD Deportes, GOLTV English, GOLTV Spanish, TyC Sports, Fubo Sports Network 2, Fox Soccer Plus, and more. 

Fubo’s cloud DVR storage of 1,000 hours is less than competitors’ unlimited space, but recordings are kept indefinitely. While RSNs are a great addition to Fubo packages, the company does charge an additional $11 to $14 per month, depending on how many RSNs are available in the customer’s area.

Watch CBS with Hulu + Live TV

Hulu is a widely used streaming service that allows access to a broad selection of on-demand media, including movies, TV shows, and documentaries along with its 90+ live TV channels. The Hulu + Live TV service expands the platform’s live TV streaming options to include sporting events and news broadcasts. Hulu has also gained recognition for its original programming, producing critically acclaimed shows such as “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Bear,” and “Only Murders in the Building.”

The ad-supported and ad-free plans cost $76.99 and $89.99 per month, respectively. Sports fans who sign up can watch the College Football Playoff, the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup, World Series, and more. College football, basketball, and NFL fans can tune into nationally broadcasted games on their local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC channels. The sports add-on costs an extra $9.99 monthly and includes NFL RedZone, FanDuel TV, FanDuel Racing, MAVTV, Outdoor Channel, and Sportsman Channel. 

PlanCost per MonthChannelsSimultaneous StreamsFree Trial
Live TV Only$75.9985+2No
Hulu + Live TV, Disney Plus
and ESPN Plus
$76.9990+2No
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney Plus (No Ads), and ESPN Plus (With Ads)$89.9990+2No

What sports offerings does Hulu + Live TV provide? 

All of ESPN’s channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN College Extra, and ESPNU) are available to Hulu + Live TV subscribers. There are many other sports channels on the platform as well, including NFL Network, MLB Network, NHL Network, CBS Sports Network, ACC Network, Golf Channel, and Big Ten Network. Regional sports are available on Hulu in a number of cities, but certain channels or content might not be accessible in certain ZIP codes.

Subscribers can enhance their viewing experience with the Hulu + Live TV bundle featuring ESPN Plus and its award-winning “30 for 30” catalog, unmatched UFC content, and original programming from sports greats. And because we know you have specific sports, teams, and leagues you like to keep tabs on, fans will be pleased to learn that they can tailor recommendations and alerts to suit their preferences. 

If you’re too busy to watch in real-time, Hulu’s subscribers don’t have to miss a moment of the action thanks to the service’s free, unlimited DVR. You can also watch the game while traveling via mobile phone or tablet. However, there is a limit of two streams per household, so if everyone else is watching a game simultaneously, you might miss out. 

Watch CBS with YouTube TV

YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month and provides access to 100+ live channels. Local networks ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC are included in the vast channel lineup, along with international networks BBC America, CNN, Disney Channel, MSNBC, TNT, TBS, and many others. Max, SHOWTIME, and STARZ are just a few of the premium add-ons on the platform. Pricing for the Spanish plan starts at $34.99 per month.

PlanCost per MonthChannelsSimultaneous
Streams
Free Trial
Base Plan$72.99100+3Yes
Spanish Plan$34.9930+3Yes

What sports offerings does YouTube TV provide? 

There is a lot for sports fans to enjoy on YouTube TV. ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, NBC Sports Network, and the Tennis Channel all carry live coverage of major sporting events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, golf majors, tennis Grand Slams, and College Football Playoff games. 

In addition to these well-known networks, subscribers also get to explore more specialized channels like TUDN, CBS Sports Network, FS2, Golf Channel, NBA TV, NFL Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and Big Ten Network. Moreover, YouTube TV will start offering NFL Sunday Ticket as an add-on just in time for football season this fall, enabling subscribers to watch games in markets other than their own.

Watch CBS on supported streaming devices 

Since most streaming services let you watch available channels on different devices through the streaming service app or website, you can access CBS both at home and while you are on the go. However, the live TV streaming service you subscribe to will determine the supported streaming devices you can use to watch CBS.

Here are the supported devices for the streaming services that carry CBS:

How to watch CBS on the app

1. Download the CBS app on your phone or tablet.

2. Sign in to your preferred live TV streaming service that offers CBS using your subscriber credentials. 

3. Start streaming full seasons of your favorite shows and live events like NCAA March Madness or the NFL on CBS. 

The app is available on iOS and Android

FAQ

Can I watch CBS for free?

Potential subscribers who want to test a streaming service before committing can watch CBS with a free trial from DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, and YouTube TV. The CBS app also offers a few episodes of the most popular shows and livestreaming for free. In the United States, most homes can receive local channels by installing an antenna.

Can I stream CBS?

There are alternatives if you don’t have cable but still want to keep up with sports, news, and entertainment on CBS. The options for watching include DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. 

Is there a CBS app?

The CBS app allows users to watch the latest episodes of their favorite CBS shows and events at their convenience. The app is available for download on iOS and Android.

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