With the rise of streaming, cable plans are starting to feel like dusty relics of a long-gone era. Now, if you’re looking for the latest shows, sports programming, and original content, there are several platforms available to choose from. Many – if not all – of your favorite channels are available via live TV streaming services, and these offer a host of benefits that a traditional cable provider can’t keep up with.
The CW is available on multiple live TV streaming services, but how do you know which one is best for your needs? Explore your options and get to know everything from each service’s monthly price to key features that make your entertainment experience more enjoyable.
What is The CW?
The CW is a local network that focuses on entertainment and sports content. It’s the home of shows like “All American,” “Grimm,” “Marvel Runaways,” and more. In addition, the CW airs both ACC and Pac-12 football matchups, LIV Golf League, and, as of October 1, 2024, WWE NXT.
Which streaming services offer The CW?
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The CW | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
How to watch The CW with DIRECTV STREAM
- Suggested Plan: Entertainment
- Price: $86.99
- Free Trial: Yes
If you need The CW as a part of a streaming package that looks and behaves a lot like a traditional cable package, DIRECTV STREAM has you covered. Its least-expensive plan, the Entertainment plan, offers The CW as one of many local networks, like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. DIRECTV STREAM can be accessed on your TV (or phone, laptop, or tablet) via your home internet connection.
Depending on the plan you choose, DIRECTV STREAM has a ton to offer sports fans: networks like ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and many more. News networks like CNN, Fox News, and Vice also make appearances on the DIRECTV STREAM channel lineup, as do entertainment channels like A&E, MTV, FX, and many more.
You don’t have to chain yourself to your streaming device to take advantage of all these networks, either. DIRECTV STREAM plans come with a cloud-based DVR with unlimited storage. You have nine months to watch anything you record before it’s automatically deleted, and you can access your recorded content anywhere you can connect to the internet.
How to watch The CW with Fubo
- Suggested Plan: Pro
- Price: $79.99
- Free Trial: Yes
If you’re after The CW more for its sports coverage than anything else, then Fubo is likely the best streaming service for you. The CW comes as a part of Fubo’s most budget-friendly plan, the Pro plan, and as one of a veritable horde of sports networks that fans from all walks of life can enjoy. Fubo offers the biggest names in national sports, like CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, and more, alongside some of the harder-to-find regional sports networks like Marquee Sports Network and NBC Sports California.
Local, news, and entertainment networks all make valiant showings in the Fubo channel list, too, with big names like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CNN, FX, Fox News, and more all accounted for, but where Fubo really shines is in its selection of niche sports networks. Interested fans can find channels like Swerve Combat, ACL Cornhole TV, Flo Racing, Surfer, and tons more.
Like many of the most popular streaming platforms, Fubo offers a cloud-based DVR with unlimited storage. This gives you nine months to watch any recorded content before it is automatically deleted.
How to watch The CW with Hulu + Live TV
- Suggested Plan: Hulu + Live TV Bundle
- Price: $82.99
- Free Trial: Yes
If you want The CW but also want access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, Hulu + Live TV checks all your boxes. Since it includes access to both Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, as well as the complete Hulu on-demand library, you’ll have plenty to choose from. Keep current on all things Marvel, and don’t miss critically acclaimed Hulu originals like “Shogun” or “The Bear.”
Hulu + Live TV plans include a well-rounded channel list featuring news networks like CNN, Fox News, and Vice; sports channels like ACC Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network; family- and kid-focused networks like Cartoon Network and Nick Jr.; entertainment options like FX, MTV, Adult Swim, and USA; and a complete host of local channels like ABC, CBS, and Fox.
If you’re worried about missing anything on all those live TV networks, you don’t have to – Hulu + Live TV plans include a cloud DVR with unlimited storage.
How to watch the CW with YouTube TV
- Suggested Plan: Base
- Price: $72.99
- Free Trial: Yes
The CW is also available as part of the YouTube TV Base plan. Apart from The CW, YouTube TV plans include much of the same content that we’ve seen on other streaming platforms. Local channels like ABC, CBS, and Fox, sports networks like ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, and NBA TV, and news networks like CNN and Fox News are all available to YouTube TV subscribers, as well as entertainment favorites like MTV, VH1, FX, and more.
Like the rest of the streaming solutions on our list, YouTube TV plans come with a cloud DVR. Users get unlimited storage and the peace of mind that comes from knowing your recorded content is safe and sound for nine months before it is deleted automatically.
How to watch The CW on the app
The CW app is available for free – no login required. Simply download The CW App to a compatible device. Once the app is downloaded, you have access to on-demand CW series, movies, and sports. Most new episodes hit The CW app the day after they air live, and you can only stream the last five episodes of any given series.
Compatible devices include:
- Roku
- Chromecast
- Amazon Fire TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- LG TV
- Samsung Smart TV
- iPad
- iPhone
- Android mobile devices
- Amazon Fire devices
FAQ
Which streaming service has The CW?
DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV all offer The CW. In addition, The CW is available via its own app.
What does CW stand for?
The “C” and “W” in The CW are the first initials of the network’s two original founding companies: CBS and Warner Brothers. This is why you can find a big chunk of CBS and Warner Brothers content on The CW.
What is the cheapest way to watch The CW live?
The cheapest way to watch The CW live is YouTube TV. The CW app is free, but doesn’t offer a way to live stream.
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