MSNBC is a cable news network that is available without cable on five live TV streaming services.
You can watch MSNBC without cable 11 different ways by subscribing to:
There are two other ways you can watch MSNBC live through the MSNBC app or MSNBC website. You can also watch most MSNBC shows on the streaming service Peacock.
How to Watch MSNBC Without Cable
Millions of cord-cutters are already using live TV streaming services to watch their favorite TV channels.
But I get it, you want to stream MSNBC live without having to subscribe to cable TV or satellite.
You want your fix of “Morning Joe”, or the latest news and in-depth analysis with Chris Hayes. You want “The Rachel Maddow Show” or “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” live and on-demand so you don’t miss a single nightly broadcast.
Instead of relying on a cable box, you can use a Smart TV, a Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV.
Live TV services such as Sling TV and others have apps offering the same live TV channels that were once exclusive to Comcast or Spectrum. Many of them offer a free trial so you can see whether a streaming service will be a good fit for your household.
To get started, you just need an Internet connection, and a screen to start watching your favorite live TV channels. Aside from your TV, you can use your subscription on a tablet, laptop (via web browser) or game console.
Another upshot is that live TV services offered online don’t require contracts or long-term obligations like a typical TV provider.
The secret to cord cutting and saving money really comes down to learning how to get a reasonably priced internet connection.
Let’s take a quick look at all the ways you can live stream MSNBC.
Sling TV
Sling TV is the best deal among all your cord-cutting options to watch MSNBC. That’s because it is the lowest price around for a mix of cable news channels, entertainment and sports channels.
With Sling TV, you can watch MSNBC with three different plans. You can watch MSNBC on both the Sling Orange package or Sling Blue. MSNBC is included if you combine Sling Orange + Sling Blue into a single package.
A subscription costs $40 per month for Sling Orange or Sling Blue. You can combine Sling Orange and Blue for $55 per month. Sling is currently offering half off the first month of service.
Sling Orange has 31 channels, including CNN, MSNBC, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, ESPN, A&E, BBC America and Lifetime.
The Sling Blue package has 41 channels including BET, Cartoon Network, CNN, MSNBC, Discovery, Fox News, NFL Network, AMC, FX, HLN, Lifetime, SyFy, TLC, TNT and MSNBC.
You will get 50 hours of Cloud DVR space as part of your subscription. Sling TV also lets you use your account credentials to sign in to more than 22 apps on your Roku and other streaming devices.
You can check the latest offer Sling TV is making to new and returning customers. If you prepay for a brief subscription, Sling TV will give you a free streaming device.
Sling TV works on Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV and Smart TVs from Samsung and LG. You can also watch MSNBC live using the Sling TV app on an Xbox One, iPhone and other iOS hardware such as an iPad or Mac.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV combines a robust lineup of 75+ national networks including MSNBC and local channels like ABC, FOX, NBC and CBS.
This service has only one live TV plan.
There are other favorite networks that you might recognize from your days as a cable subscriber. A&E, FX, Hallmark Channel, History, National Geographic, HGTV, TBS and TNT.
Hulu includes unlimited Cloud DVR at no extra cost. You can stream on up to two devices at once, including a mobile device like an iPhone or Android smartphone when you’re not at home.
A subscription costs $69.99 per month, and now includes subscriptions to Disney+ and ESPN+. You also have full access to Hulu’s on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
Hulu with Live TV lets you activate a few dozen apps to networks that are in your channel lineup.
You can easily check what local channels Hulu carries in your region of the U.S. by typing in your zip code on their homepage.
fubo
fubo (formerly fuboTV) TV has three different plans that carry MSNBC in their channel lineups.
fubo has a variety of news and entertainment networks such as AMC, Bravo, History, IFC, Food Network, A&E, USA Network, and of course, MSNBC and local channels for news. For sports, ESPN, beIN Sports, FS1 and ACC Network and Bally Regional sports networks have you covered.
The Pro plan costs $74.99 per month. You get 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR storage as part of your subscription. You can watch live TV on 10 screens at once.
The Elite plan has 219 live TV channels with more news, entertainment and sports networks for $84.99 per month. You can watch select live sporting events in 4K.
The Premier plan has 228 channels including Showtime, and a larger bundle of cable TV networks.
fubo adds a regional sports fee. It costs $10.99 per month for one regional network. It’s $13.99 per month if you have two RSNs in your area. You can look over fubo’s channel lineup to see what is available in your area.
fubo also has on-demand movies. The “look back” feature is an on-demand library of sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours. So there’s multiple ways to catch up on shows or sporting events that you missed a night or two before.
fubo even lets you go back a few hours and watch a show such as “The Rachel Maddow Show“ on-demand. So you’re not eating up your Cloud DVR storage.
On the sports front, fubo is the only live streaming service that has some sporting events in 4K.
Roku, Apple TV, Fire Stick and Android TV devices all have fuboTV apps. You can also use your credentials to sign into more than 40 TV Everywhere apps on your streaming devices.
fuboTV has a free trial for 7 days.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV will have local channels wherever its service is available, and MSNBC as one of its news channels along with CNN and FOX News.
Subscribers get 128 channels for $72.99 per month. YouTube TV has only one live TV plan.
CBS Sports Network, ESPN, all three FX channels, IFC and two National Geographic channels are part of the channel lineup.
YouTube TV has unlimited Cloud DVR, but may supplement some of your recordings with on-demand content. That means you won’t necessarily be able to fast forward through commercials.
There’s apps for YouTube TV on Roku, Apple TV, and a mobile one that streams on its own or to your TV with a Chromecast.
YouTube TV offers a very good service at a fair price. Try out a free trial of YouTube TV for seven days.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has three plans that let you watch MSNBC without cable.
Subscribers to the Entertainment plan get more than 75 channels, unlimited Cloud DVR storage and 40,000 on-demand shows. You can watch live TV on unlimited screens in your home.
DIRECTV STREAM has Bravo, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, HGTV and TNT in the Entertainment plan. You’ll find C-SPAN and C-SPAN2 as well.
A subscription costs $74.99 per month. Subscriptions run month to month. There are no contracts or obligations. DIRECTV STREAM sometimes has promotions for new customers.
New customers can get the 5-day free trial for DIRECTV STREAM.
The Choice plan has more than 105 channels, including regional sports channels for $99.99 per month. Along with MSNBC, there’s C-SPAN, MSNBC International and MSNBC En Español.
The Ultimate package has more than 140 live TV channels, including local channels with STARZ and Encore for $109.99 per month.
All new customers can choose to get an additional free trial of HBO Max, Showtime, STARZ, MGM+ (formerly EPIX) and Cinemax. The free trial for these premium channels lasts for three months if you keep your DIRECTV STREAM subscription.
The regular rate kicks in after the three-month free trial ends.
You’ll be able to stream MSNBC live on a Roku, Apple TV or Fire TV at home, and a smartphone if you’re not at home. When you sign up, you can subscribe month to month and cancel whenever you want.
MSNBC is available on DIRECTV STREAM’s Entertainment bundle, which costs $74.99 per month. Subscribers get 75+ channels, unlimited Cloud DVR and 40,000 on-demand shows.
You can sign up for a free 5-day trial without any obligations.
If you decide to keep DIRECTV STREAM, subscribers can also get three months of Showtime, STARZ, Cinemax and EPIX for free before the monthly rates kick in.
DIRECTV STREAM has ESPN, Nickelodeon, HGTV and TNT. There’s C-SPAN, CNN, CNN International and CNN En Español. You’ll find C-SPAN and C-SPAN2 as well.
You’ll be able to stream MSNBC live on a Roku, Apple TV or Fire TV at home, and a smartphone if you’re not at home. Subscriptions are on a month-to-month basis, so you can cancel whenever you want.
You can look over the different channel lineups before deciding whether to sign up.
Is MSNBC on Peacock?
Yes. Subscribers to Peacock’s premium plan can now watch a number of popular MSNBC shows.
You can’t watch the latest episodes live. But fans of “Morning Joe,” “All In With Chris Hayes, ” “The ReidOut,” “Deadline: White House” and “The Beat with Ari Melber ” are now available on Peacock hours after airing on MSNBC.
The Peacock Premium plan costs $4.99 per month. You can get a free trial that lasts a week.
Can I watch live news free on MSNBC.com?
No. You’ll need to either subscribe to cable, a satellite TV service or a live TV streaming service to sign in to MSNBC.com.
The MSNBC Live Audio Stream is one free option if you can live without actually watching the network.
But if you’re looking for a cheaper way to watch MSNBC, then a live TV service such as Sling TV is going to be your best bet.
What’s the best way to get a MSNBC live stream?
Sling TV will get your MSNBC live for $40 per month under the Blue plan.
The Blue plan has 41 channels including MSNBC. There is no contract or long-term obligations. You can check the latest offer Sling TV is making to new and returning customers.
You can get a free or discounted streaming device by signing up for a brief subscription. You’re not obligated to keep your subscription after that.
DIRECTV STREAM has a more robust lineup of cable news networks, including CNN, CNN International, CNBC, C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2 in the Entertainment plan. There are more than 75 live TV channels for $74.99 per month. You can sign up for a free 5-day trial and cancel whenever you like.
For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.
This article was published April 13, 2018, and has been updated with new prices and streaming plans.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
If you have the TuneIn app on you phone, tablet, or smart device, you can at least listen to MSNBC for free, with ads. TuneIn tends to cut out on the last few seconds of a program right before a commercial to sub their own commercials in, which is annoying, but I’m not paying for TuneIn premium or a suite of unwanted channels. I “cut the cord” in 2004, 2022 is about how bout not repackaging the same bad old biz model via slightly newer tech?
I would gladly pay for Peacock if they were to also stream MSNBC. I hate to pay a company that gives part of my subscription to the likes of Fox and OAN. It’s even more frustrating to know that Fox gets more of my subscription money than MSNBC does. Until I can get away from that model, I’ll have to catch the podcasts or listen to MSNBC on TuneIn.
Same here! Do not want to in anyway support FOX news. I sant to subscribe to live full- length MSNBC and haven’t found a way how.
I see this stream started in 2019. Still the same problem except higher prices. I still listen on TuneIn
I feel same way! I want msnbc and no other shows, so I cannot justify cable expense. I got rid of cable and use fire stick, but subscribing to msnbc requires cable company. I have cable for internet, but refuse cable tv outrageous fees for shows I don’t want. I’ll pay for msnbc but not spectrum cable tv.
ditto. I only have my social security income – and don’t watch regular TV at all. There is not an extra $10 in my monthly budget especially in winter with increased heating cost. But I would like to be able to watch MSNBC.
Agree.
I agree completely. HBO let you but a single sub; why not MSNBC? I cancelled Sling for this reason. $30- a month for MSNBC is not justifiable. Sling is a package of junk – no thanks.
Same here. I wish i could just subscribe to MSNBC
MSNBC is now part of SlingTV Blue you do not have to buy news extra just an FYI Hulu TV does not have AMC and YouTube TV does not have History Channel. Sling Blue has the best overall cable channels but they don’t have Local TV stations
UNTIL THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE US HAPPY AND SELL US WHAT WE WANT, WE MUST
RELY ON FRIENDS WITH CABLE…AND, BRING SOME BEER…
This is frustrating. I don’t have cable because I refuse to pay an arm and a leg to watch the few shows that interest me. I just cancelled basic Starz and Hulu because there’s a lot of junk I don’t watch. All I wanted to do is to be able to livestream MSNBC. I don’t want ESPN, Disney…etc Just MSNBC. I refuse to pay for cable or Hulu $54+, Sling $30 +, YouTube, and all to do that. I will just have to be satisfied with listening to it on the radio with XM Sirius. It would be nice if MSNBC would consider those of us who don’t want all the other programs and create a decent package for just MSNBC.
NBC News, an event co-host, is live streaming the debate for free.
I agree. Frustrating but I guess the consequence of choosing not to pay for cable and not to pay more $15/month for subscriptions (Netflix is my highest one). As streaming becomes more like cable I will adjust as needed but still won’t pay the high dollars.
MSNBC doesn’t have a free app like PBS? Those are the only stations we watch with our comcast cable service.
Agree. We chose the commercial free BASIC Hulu for about $11/month and couldn’t be happier. We listen to MSNBC live or watch the uploaded shows later in the day, ie Morning Joe and the others we like, ie Maddow, The Beat (only segments are often available however) on YouTube the following day
Why do you pay for You Tube?
Cutting cable is NBD depending upon your TV viewing interests, pick a service like HULU @ $45/month – 50 + but no sports channels or YouTubeTV at $50/month 60 channels with sports channels and a few others. Each have different services so choosing is about knowing your needs/wants. These services would save you at least $55.00/month
MSNBC IS ON MY HULU ACCT…LOVE IT SO FAR, FIRED PLAYSTATION VUE…
Why can’t I just add MSNBC to my Hulu account?
Hey that’s great, I did not know ! I have no suscriptions to any cable TV providers and I don’t intend to. I wouldn’t mind paying a few bucks to watch “legally” MSNBC but they force you to subscribe to a $50+ monthly fee… I find that ridiculous.
One advantage to cable is that when power goes down or snow blocks signal I can still get MSNBC live online. Also I can get it where ever I am that I can log into WiFi. A lot of Hotels and motels only have basic which doesn’t offer MSNBC. I think about cutting Cable because I am paying at least $110 a month, also pay for Netflix, VIKI, Youtube, WiFi, cell phone and other services, well over $350 a month. Oh well, I have a lot of interests.
WHY DOES PLAYSTATION VUE LOCK-UP? LOCKS UP AND HAS ME RELOADING WHEN IT
WON’T RESTART OFTER 5 MINUTES OR MORE…SEEMS OFTEN SO UNSTABLE,
I am going to stop paying for direct tv, watching CNN right now using the Spectrum app. I like MSNBC better, but I guess for now I will be watching CNN and the advertisers there will be putting their ads in front of my eyes while the MSNBC advertisers will no longer reach me
Why can’t I just watch MSNBC free on-line !!! I will watch the commercials and all. I just want to watch MSNBC live. For now all I can do is listen to it. This is 2019 !!! So STUPID that I can’t watch commercials for free.
If you have an android device, you can get the MSNBC Live app for free and watch it for free on your android device.
Hulu Live TV is a complete waste of money. We paid for one month just to watch MSNBC, and halfway through, we kept getting error messages. I called Hulu and the help we got? It’s either MSNBC or Hulu. Money right down the drain and Hulu was happy to keep it.
Can AppleTV be used to record programs and watch later without the ads? Without that it’s not that helpful. Xfinity is not more expensive than 40 bucks per month and it’s easy to record stuff.