How to Live Stream CBS Without Cable TV

UPDATED on May 13, 2021

Live Stream CBS Online Without Cable TV

There are two ways to watch CBS without a cable provider. The cheapest way to watch CBS for free is with a TV antenna.

But a TV antenna won’t work for everyone. Your second cheapest option is Paramount+.

The streaming service costs $5.99 per month and live streams local CBS stations. 

Paramount+ has a huge library of on-demand movies and TV shows from BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Smithsonian Channel. The service also has live Soccer, NFL games and college football, including the SEC Championship game.

This guide will quickly outline all your choices to watch CBS live. 

CBS is the home of NFL football, college football, shows like Magnum P.I. and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. There are no hidden fees with these services, and they require no contracts or long-term obligations. Subscribers can easily cancel service online and pay month to month for live TV.

Watch CBS for free using a TV antenna

You can easily jump into the era of cord cutting by using a TV antenna for some free CBS. Head over to Antennas Direct Transmitter Locator tool. Punch in your zip code or address and push the “View Channels” button.

If there is a CBS broadcast tower within a 30 or 40 mile range, then there’s an excellent chance that you can watch sports or whatever else you want for free in HD quality.

For more tips on using an antenna read my months-long studies: How to Choose the Best TV antenna & DVR and The Best Indoor TV Antennas.

If a TV antenna won’t work for you, keep reading. There are plenty of other alternatives to cable so you can keep watching CBS.

Paramount+: Stream CBS live and on-demand

Paramount+ is your cheapest option to live stream a local CBS Channel.

A subscription costs $5.99 per month. Subscribers can stream CBS live in 99 percent of the United States. But CBS All Access isn’t just about CBS programming anymore.

Paramount+ has a mini-bundle of on-demand shows from BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Smithsonian Channel. A lot of original series are on the service, including a remake of The Stand, based on Stephen King’s famous novel.

Subscribers can stream up two shows simultaneously on separate devices. So someone might want to watch that latest Star Trek episode, while another member of the family catches up on The Big Bang Theory in the other room.

The cheapest plan for Paramount+ comes with limited commercials. The service also has a commercial-free subscription, but that costs $9.99 per month. It’s a solid alternative to cable if you just want CBS programming and minimize your costs.

Paramount+ lets you try out its service free for a week.

Watch CBS on Hulu + Live TV

Hulu with Live TV is the best option for someone who wants CBS and a full suite of sports channels like ESPN, ESPN 2, ACC Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network. Bravo, CNN and History channel are in the mix too.

Subscribers get 65+ live channels, 50 hours of Cloud DVR and unlimited access to Hulu’s on-demand library. That’s the same library that people pay $5.99 per month for.

A subscription costs $64.99 per month. So you’re getting two streaming services for the price of one. You can look at Hulu’s channel lineup in your area. 

Hulu has a free 7-day trial that you can use even if you’re already paying for Hulu’s on-demand streaming service.

You can watch live TV within the Hulu app, using a Roku, Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, iPhones and tablets.  

Watch CBS online, and CBS Sports Network with fuboTV

fuboTV offers CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, entertainment and local ABC, CBS and NBC stations.

There are 120+ channels under the Fubo family bundle.

A&E, History, Bravo, HGTV, TNT, CNN and Travel Channel are included in the Fubo family bundle.  

Look over the channel lineup in your area to see what kind of local regional sports channels, or local NBC, CBS or FOX stations are available.

Local CBS stations on fuboTV

ABOUT THE MAP: fuboTV has coverage of local CBS stations across the U.S. Zoom in and click on an icon to see what local CBS is available in your area. The map may not be 100 percent accurate, but attempts to be as comprehensive as possible. This map is a sequel of sorts to a similar one I made for the now-defunct PlayStation Vue. 

A subscription costs $64.99 per month. Subscribers get 250 hours of Cloud DVR and a “look back”, an on-demand feature that has sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours.

fuboTV became the first live streaming service to offer select sporting events in 4K.

A fuboTV subscription also gets you access to TV Everywhere apps for more than 40 networks. You can watch fubo on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Fire Stick, web browser and NVIDIA Shield.

You can check out fuboTV free for 7 days.

AT&T TV: Live Stream CBS

CBS is available on AT&T TV’s Entertainment bundle, which costs $69.99 per month. Subscribers get 65+ channels, 20 hours of Cloud DVR and 40,000 on-demand shows.

AT&T TV has ESPN, Nickelodeon, HGTV and TNT. There are other local channels, including NBC, ABC and FOX.

You’ll be able to stream CBS live on a Roku, Apple TV or Fire TV at home, and a smartphone if you’re not at home. AT&T TV has a no contract option.

Note: AT&T TV is the only live TV streaming service that has regional FOX Sports Networks, but that’s in the Choice bundle, which costs $84.99 per month.

If you do sign up, you should know that you have to choose the “no contract” option during the account setup process. It’s not automatic.

YouTube TV has a CBS Live Stream

CBS is available in many markets with YouTube TV. You will get 85+ channels for $64.99 per month, including ESPN, NBC, FOX AND CBS.

YouTube TV works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast and Android TV devices like NVIDIA Shield TV.

You can try out YouTube TV with a free 7-day trial.

Is CBS on Sling TV?

No. According to The Chicago Tribune, CBS continues to be very selective about which streaming platforms the company partners with. CBS has struck agreements with AT&T TV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

What’s the best way to get a CBS Live Stream?

CBS All Access is the cheapest way to get your local CBS station if you can’t use a TV antenna. New customers can sign up for a free 7-day trial.

Hulu + Live TV is a good choice if you want a broader channel lineup and already pay for Hulu’s on-demand service. You can get a free 7-day trial and start watching live TV within the Hulu app. Hulu has apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

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.