UPDATED on July 31, 2020
Live Stream Vice TV Without Cable
There are a growing number of options to live stream Vice (formerly Viceland) without cable.
This quick guide will show you how to use various apps or the Viceland website to watch shows. I’ll also give you some pointers about subscribing to a service like Philo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, or fuboTV.
Since Vice is still in its infancy and building an audience, there may be times that it’s willing to share more shows for free than much larger channels like Viacom-owned MTV.
You can make the most out of their growing pains.
The Viceland app (iOS or Android) offers a select number of episodes that will give you a sampling of just about every series on the channel. Occasionally, you may even get a one-off documentary for nothing.
The same is also true for Vice TV’s website on a PC or Mac, or the Vice TV’s YouTube channel. Vice apps are available for Roku devices
Noisey on YouTube
If you’re a music fan, be aware that Noisey has a separate YouTube channel. There are a lot of short clips of live music or videos on the Noisey channel. But you can also find full-fledged episodes that delve into various music scenes across the globe.
The YouTube channels for Noisey and Vice raise an important distinction here with how you choose to stream your free content. It’s something you want to pay attention to if you plan to watch Viceland without cable for an extended period of time.
If you stick with the Vice app on your iPad, or Android tablet, then you will have to watch it there.
But if you stream from the YouTube channels, then you can cast it onto your TV using a Google Chromecast, or Chromecast Ultra.
I will get into more detail below about other streaming devices you can use. First, let’s cover all the cool stuff you can watch.
What are the best shows on Vice?
There are a number of shows that make subscribing for a while worth it. Getting through seasons of two Action Bronson shows will take some time. Do I like “The Untitled Action Bronson Show” more than “F*ck, That’s Delicious”?
Hard to say.
My wife really digs “Huang’s World” and watches every episode. Lately, I’ve been tuning in to “It’s Suppertime” and I even made a few meals and won some praise in the kitchen. I still haven’t made a Big Dog, but I’m working up to it.
One thing that’s reliably free all the time is Desus & Mero with their extra clips. These guys are hilarious, and they’re calling out a lot of truth. Doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the “alternative facts” of Donald Trump, or your favorite sports teams. The only problem is if you’re watching them without a cable subscription, you’re not getting the full experience of their show.
Black Market, Weediquette for subscribers only
The rub with all of this free programming offered by Vice without a cable subscription: You won’t be able to watch a full season of any show.
With certain shows, every episode is locked up for subscribers only.
You can buy a season or individual episodes of some of these shows through Amazon Prime Video.
I recently checked out an episode of Weediquettte, hosted by Krishna Andavolu. He had a pretty compelling episode about how medical marijuana caregivers in Michigan are still subjected to search and seizure laws by police, despite the passage of a state law legalizing the growing of medical pot.
Black Market and Black Market: Dispatches are both hosted by one of my favorite actors, Michael K. Williams.
I’d probably watch Williams if he was just taking a trip to the zoo or the grocery store. His amazing performance as Omar Little on The Wire made him a huge star, but he’s not just acting these days. With the Black Market shows, he takes the outline of shows like Nat Geo’s Underworld Inc. and makes it his own.
He does some globetrotting, checking into both offbeat and notorious criminal enterprises. He meets scammers that make a buck using London’s public housing and young gang members in Japan that organize underground fighting.
Back in the U.S., he also checks out illegal gambling dens in New York City and gunrunners moving firearms across state lines.
A new drama series that debuted on Feb. 19 called Trapped is another show reserved only for subscribers. It looks very cool and probably gobbled up quite a bit of production money to make. So, it shouldn’t surprise anybody that this is not being given away.
How to stream Vice from Roku, Android TV
If you don’t already own a streaming device, it’s worth getting a quick primer here.
A Roku
Stream Vice online with Philo
Want to live stream Vice TV for dirt cheap? I am currently using Philo, the cheapest option around. You get 60 channels for $20 per month, a deep on-demand library and unlimited Cloud DVR.
Philo isn’t that well known, but it’s a really solid alternative to cable TV. You can watch Vice live on an Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Roku. From a web browser, you can watch Philo on Mac computers, PCs, iOS devices and Android devices.
A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, Science Channel, Sundance TV and HGTV are part of Philo’s channel lineup.
You’ll also be able to use your Philo login to activate the Vice app. Same goes for other apps too like A&E and History. You can look over Philo’s channel lineup to see if it’s of interest to you.
You can read my Philo review that I wrote after subscribing for three months. Try out Philo free for a week by signing up in under a minute using your smartphone number.
How to Watch Vice TV online using Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV has Viceland as part of its 65+ channel lineup.
Subscribers also get live streams of A&E, History Channel, HGTV, CNN, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN News. Hulu has made a point of including local NBC, ABC and FOX stations and regional sports channels like NBCSN.
Hulu offers only one live TV channel bundle, which costs $54.99 per month and includes 50 hours of Cloud DVR. Look over Hulu’s channel lineup to see what locals are included in your area.
There’s an added benefit to using Hulu with Live TV versus competitors with a similar price point.
Subscribers get unlimited access to Hulu’s on-demand subscription service that people pay $5.99 per month for.
It includes lots of network TV shows and movies. All Hulu Originals like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Path” are included with the live TV subscription as well. A subscription to Hulu with Live TV costs $54.99 per month.
Hulu has a free 7-day trial.
Stream Vice TV live on fuboTV
fuboTV has 100+ channels including ESPN, HGTV and IFC. Subscribers get 30 hours of Cloud DVR. A subscription costs $59.99 per month.
fubo works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV devices. You can look over the channel lineup, or sign up for a free 7-day trial.
What’s the best way to live stream Vice TV?
The cheapest and best way to live stream Vice TV without cable right now is through Philo. You can try out Philo free for a week. Start out by just giving your mobile number to unlock the first couple days of the free trial.
If Philo isn’t for you, I recommend checking out Hulu with Live TV because you’re getting 65+ live channels, 50 hours of Cloud DVR and Hulu’s full-on demand library for $54.99 per month.
Check out Hulu’s channel lineup to see if it’s a good fit in your streaming wheelhouse. You can easily cancel online anytime if the service isn’t for you. Hulu + Live TV has a free trial that lasts a week.
fuboTV should definitely be your choice if you want a mix of live sports, news and entertainment channels. fuboTV is currently offering select sporting events in 4K. Check out the channel lineup or a free 7-day trial with no obligation.
Sling TV will give you all the channels that you may recall if you ever owned cable, including Viceland, History Channel, AMC and ESPN. Sling TV currently has a free 7-day trial, and another offer where you can get a discount on a Roku device.
Prepay for a brief subscription with Sling TV, and get a free or discounted streaming device.
With all of these streaming services, it’s is very easy to cancel online. So you might want to check out more than one.
I hope this guide was helpful. If it was, consider sharing it on Facebook, or Twitter. If you have a preferred way to watch Viceland without cable, be sure to tell fellow readers about it in the comments below.
* This was originally published on Feb. 27, 2017, and has been updated.
Can you access the full seasons of VICELAND with the on-demand content through DirecTV?
The last time I tested the service, DTVN did not have full seasons of every show on Viceland. That may have changed. But right now, I would give you a soft “no.”