In the early days of cord-cutting, sports options were limited, and many fans found themselves continuing expensive, contract-heavy cable subscriptions so they wouldn’t miss any of their most important games.
But days of limited options are in the past. Today, sports streaming is easier than ever, with some streaming services entirely dedicated to professional and college athletics. Even figuring out how to watch NBC through a streaming service is a breeze.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to watch NBC without cable, as well as the other sports offerings each streaming service provides. Don’t miss out on the 2023 NFL season on NBC!
What is NBC?
NBC, or the National Broadcasting Company, is one of the main television networks offered in the U.S. Since 1939, this broadcasting staple has offered some of the most popular programming on TV, including events such as “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” news shows like “NBC Nightly News,” talk shows like “The Tonight Show,” reality competitions such as “The Voice,” and fan-favorite scripted series like “The Blacklist” and “New Amsterdam.” For decades, NBC has also been home to a solid lineup of live sports, including “Sunday Night Football.”
Recently, NBC launched its own streaming app, Peacock, which provides network-specific content on demand.
What streaming services offer NBC?
There are multiple ways to stream NBC live, though which ones are available to you depends on where you live since NBC has local agreements with TV providers. If you subscribe to Dish, DIRECTV Now, Spectrum, or Xfinity, you’ll probably be able to stream live.
In addition, some live TV streaming services offer NBC, including Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV, as well as a Peacock Premium Plus subscription.
How to watch NBC on Sling TV
A subscription to Sling Blue provides access to NBC’s live programming in select markets. While Sling Orange doesn’t provide NBC access, subscribing to Sling Orange & Blue also gets that NBC access where available.
Sling TV is a live TV streaming service that offers three main Sling TV packages: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Sling Blue & Orange. Sling Orange, which costs $40 per month, offers 31 channels, while Sling Blue, which costs $40 per month, offers 41 channels. You can get 47 channels with the combined Sling Orange & Blue package for $55 per month. All package options include 50 hours of cloud DVR storage, and you can often get your first month at half price.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | $40 | 31 | 1 | No |
| Blue | $40 | 42 | 3 | No |
| Orange & Blue | $55 | 48 | 1-3 | No |
Although NBC is included with just Sling Blue, the two packages offer different sports channels, so it’s worth considering which sports are most important to you before choosing a plan. For example, Sling Orange offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, while Sling Blue offers NFL Network and FS2. If you subscribe to Sling Orange & Blue, you can also get the Sports Extra add-on for $11 per month, which gives access to 19 channels, including more football, coverage of the Big Ten, Pac-12, and other conference events.
How to watch NBC on Hulu + Live TV
In most areas, viewers can tune into NBC’s live programming, including sports broadcasts. You can also stream on up to two devices at a time, or get an unlimited screens add-on for $9.99 per month, so the whole household can watch what they want while the game is on.
Hulu + Live TV is the livestreaming version of Hulu’s popular on-demand streaming service. A subscription comes with the entire on-demand library, as well as 90+ Hulu Live TV channels, starting at $76.99 per month.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV | $76.99 | 90+ | 2 | No |
| Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV | $89.99 | 90+ | 2 | No |
Hulu + Live TV offers a variety of sports-focused networks, including ESPN, NFL Network, and the Golf Channel. In addition, local coverage is available for ABC, CBS, and NBC in most regions.
How to watch NBC with Fubo
NBC, including local programming and sports events, is available in most regions where Fubo plans are offered. Subscribers can tune into the network’s live stream and take advantage of the service’s multiple-device simultaneous streams to keep everyone in their household happy. If you’re not sure whether it’s the right service for you, Fubo also offers a free trial for any of its plan options.
Fubo is a live streaming service with multiple plan options, starting at $74.99 per month, with more expensive tiers offering more robust Fubo channel lineups. There is also a Spanish-language subscription option, with a smaller channel count and a lower price tag of $32.99 per month.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $74.99 | 169+ | 3 | Yes |
| Elite | $84.99 | 244+ | 3 | Yes |
| Premier | $99.99 | 288+ | 3 | Yes |
| Latino | $32.99 | 57+ | 2 | Yes |
Fubo offers a variety of sports-focused live channels, including CBS Sports Network, Altitude Sports, ESPN, and NFL Network. It also offers local ABC, NBC, and CBS networks for local sports coverage.
How to watch NBC on YouTube TV
Access to the local NBC network is available with a YouTube TV subscription, which is available in most of the U.S. and provides contract-free livestreaming, as well as an unlimited cloud DVR for replaying favorite moments or catching up on any games you might miss.
YouTube TV is a livestreaming service that offers more than 100 channels, including NBC. A YouTube TV subscription costs $64.99 per month, but you can usually get your first three months at a discount, depending on current promotional offers.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | $64.99 | 100+ | 3 | Yes |
YouTube TV is a popular pick among sports fans for its coverage of local stations like CBS, ABC, and NBC. It also offers multiple ESPN networks, NBC’s Golf Channel, NBA TV, and the NFL Network, so it has options for fans of a variety of sports. If that’s not enough, the service offers a Sports Plus add-on with Fox Soccer Plus, Fight Network, and more for an additional $10.99 per month.
How to watch NBC on Peacock
Although a standard Peacock subscription won’t get you access to your local livestream, you can upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus for all-day access to NBC’s stream, including its sports programming and a plethora of other Peacock channels.
Peacock is NBC’s own streaming service, which offers on-demand access to NBC shows, movies, and original content. Its cheapest plan, Peacock Premium, costs $4.99 per month and offers an ad-supported library of on-demand content, as well as a selection of live sports, events, and NBC-affiliated channels.
The more expensive option, Peacock Premium Plus, is ad-free and allows for downloaded content, but its key offering is access to livestreams of local NBC channels. Premium Plus costs $9.99 per month. In both offerings, you can save a bit on the subscription cost by subscribing annually instead of monthly — Premium is $49.99 per year, while Premium Plus costs $99.99 per year.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | $4.99 | 50+ | 3 | No |
| Premium Plus | $9.99 | 50+ | 3 | No |
Peacock offers a robust library of sports content, including live channels, on-demand documentaries and originals, and highlights. Some of the sports covered include Premier League soccer, WWE, cycling, rugby, figure skating, IndyCar, and golf.
The Premium Plus subscription also provides access to the NBC livestream, which means that any live NBC sports, such as “Sunday Night Football,” are available with a subscription.
How to watch NBC on supported streaming devices
Depending on which streaming service you are using to access NBC, you can watch the network on a wide variety of devices. Streaming devices allow you to access your streaming services straight from your TV, while many services are also available on mobile devices and laptops. There are many supported devices:
- Laptops, including most Mac and PC computers
- Tablets, including iPads and Fire Tablets
- Phones, including Android phones and iPhones
- TVs, including Apple TV, Samsung TV, VIZIO Smart TV, and Fire TV
- Streaming devices, including Chromecast and Roku
- Gaming consoles, including Xbox One
How to watch NBC on the app
NBC has its own app, separate from the Peacock app. The NBC app is available on all the devices listed above and can be downloaded using the following steps on most devices:
- Search for “NBC” in your device’s store (for example, the Google Play store or Apple’s App Store)
- Find the NBC App icon and download
- Sign in via your provider to access livestreaming
Is live sports streaming worth it?
Streaming sports live means you don’t have to miss any of the action during your favorite events while also avoiding expensive cable contracts. Most on-the-go sports fans can take advantage of the convenience of being able to catch the game anytime, wherever they go.
FAQs
How can I stream NBC for free?
NBC streaming is available for free via the app or the NBC website if your existing internet service provider allows for login credentials. Otherwise, you will need to get a streaming service or look into a digital antenna.
Are NBC and Peacock the same?
Although NBC and Peacock are part of the same programming family, there are some key differences. NBC usually refers to the TV network, which airs live in most locations in the U.S., while Peacock is primarily an on-demand streaming service that provides NBC content, as well as other Universal and original programming.
What’s the difference between the NBC app and Peacock?
Peacock provides access to the full Peacock library, including on-demand and live options. The NBC app can provide livestreaming for viewers with credentials from their internet service providers, as well as some on-demand content, but it isn’t as streaming-focused as Peacock.