You can watch History Channel without cable on six live TV streaming services.
DIRECTV STREAM, frndly TV, Hulu Live TV, Philo, Sling TV and Vidgo all stream the History Channel live without a cable or satellite subscription.
There are 15 plans that carry History Channel within those six live TV streaming services.
You can also watch History Channel shows on the History Channel website or History app. Subscribers to live TV services, cable or satellite can activate the History app and watch live TV shows or on-demand programs.
Hulu on-demand and Discovery+ have older History shows as well.
History Channel has been a premium cable network since 1995 with documentaries, and hits such as “The Curse of Oak Island”, “Alone” and “The Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch.”
You can jump down to the summary of how to watch History Channel without cable, or read through all your options.
How to watch History Channel without cable
TV viewers who are cutting the cord from a cable subscription can still watch live TV.
If you own a Smart TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV, you can replace your cable TV package with live TV streaming services. All of these platforms offer a way to watch the History channel live along with dozens of other channels.
Some of these streaming services offer local channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. But you should expect to pay more if you want them in your channel lineup.
What’s the difference from cable subscription?
You are streaming your live TV channels over an internet connection or mobile data instead of having them pipe through a cable cord. You can watch your live TV channels on more than just your television. These services have apps for Android phones, iPhones and iPads.
It’s worth weighing the pros and cons of each streaming service listed below because chances are you will end up watching more than just History channel.
DIRECTV STREAM, frndly and Philo are currently the three streaming services with History Channel that offer a free trial. Just remember to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want to be billed for your live TV plan.
What are the most popular shows on History?
Here are some of the most popular shows on History Channel that you can watch either on the live TV channel or on-demand.
- Ancient Aliens
- The Curse of Oak Island
- American Pickers
- Beyond Oak Island
- Alone
- History’s Greatest Mysteries
- Outlaw Chronicles: Hells Angels
- History’s Greatest Mysteries
- Swamp People: Serpent Invasion
- The UnXplained
- Forged in Fire
- The Proof Is Out There
- Titanic: Into the Heart of the Wreck
- Mountain Men
- Pawn Stars
- The Food That Built America
- Adam Eats The 80s
** Note: This most popular list is based on data from the History channel based on new episodes.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has History Channel in its entry-level channel bundle. You have four ways to watch History Channel without cable through DIRECTV STREAM.
You can sign up for a free 5-day trial on every plan without any obligations. New customers get $10 off the prices listed below for the first three months of service.
The Entertainment plan has more than 75 live TV channels for $74.99 per month.
HGTV, A&E, CNN, Nickelodeon, ESPN, USA Network and local channels such as NBC and FOX are included in the Entertainment plan. You get unlimited Cloud DVR and 40,000 on-demand movies and shows.
The Choice package is ideal for sports fans because it has 40 regional sports channels, including Bally Sports networks, NBC Sports and Marquee Sports Network. Choice subscribers get more than 105 channels for $99.99 per month.
The Ultimate package has more than 140 channels, including local channels, and more sports and entertainment channels. The Ultimate package is $109.99 per month.
The Premier Package has over 150 channels, including premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax and Showtime. A subscription to Premier is $154.99 per month.
Subscribers can get three months of HBO Max, Showtime, STARZ, Cinemax and MGM+ (formerly EPIX) for free before the monthly rates kick in.
There are no contracts. You can subscribe month to month and cancel whenever you want.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Smart TVs running on Android TV and Google TV. You can sign up for a free 5-day trial for any plan.
Frndly TV
frndly (or frndly TV) is the most affordable option for watching History Channel without cable TV.
frndly carries more than 40 live TV channels. frndly has A&E, Lifetime Movie Network, The Weather Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama.
The streaming service has apps for Roku and Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast with Google TV and Smart TVs with Google TV. You can also watch History Channel live on a PC or smartphone using the frndly TV app.
frndly offers three ways to watch History Channel.
The Basic plan costs $6.99 per month. It’s the cheapest way to watch History Channel live. Subscribers get Standard Definition (SD) picture quality, and can stream live TV on one screen at a time.
For HD picture quality, you can subscribe to the Classic plan for $8.99 per month. Subscribers to the Classic plan get unlimited Cloud DVR for recordings. You can watch live TV on two screens at once. And you can keep recordings for three months.
The Premium plan costs $10.99 per month. Subscribers can watch live TV on up to four screens at once. You can keep recordings for 9 months.
You can sign up for a free 7-day trial or look over all the channels on frndly before making any decisions.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a great option as a cable TV replacement, especially if you want to bundle your streaming services.
Hulu Live TV costs $69.99 per month, and now includes Disney+ and ESPN+. You can stream on up to two devices at once. Subscribers get unlimited Cloud DVR.
Subscribers get over 75 popular networks like HGTV, CNN, ESPN, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Travel Channel and USA Network. Hulu has one live TV plan with History Channel.
Local NBC, ABC and FOX stations and regional sports channels like NBCSN are available in most of the U.S.
You can quickly look over the channel lineup in your area by entering your zip code on the site.
Another big perk with a Hulu with Live TV is the on-demand library. You’ll get unlimited access to TV shows, movies and originals on Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu on-demand.
If you don’t need live TV and just want a library of older
Hulu with Live TV works on Apple TV, Roku, XBox One, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick and Chromecast.
Philo TV
Philo offers more than 70 TV channels including A&E, AMC, BBC America, Discovery, History, MTV, and Paramount Network.
A subscription costs $25 per month and includes unlimited DVR in the cloud. Philo has only one streaming TV package.
You can use Philo on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick and Android TV devices such as Google Chromecast.
From a web browser, you can watch Philo on Mac computers, PCs, iOS devices and Android devices.
Subscribers can activate the A&E app and dozens of others using your Philo account.
If you’re using a Fire TV Cube or Stick, you can use your single sign-on feature. By activating one app through Philo, you will automatically be signed into other TV Everywhere apps supported by your subscription. (Support varies among streaming devices.)
You can try out Philo free for a week by signing up in under a minute using your smartphone number.
Vidgo
Vidgo lets you live stream History Channel on three different plans.
The Vidgo Plus plan is $69.99 per month, and comes with 110 channels, including A&E, History, ESPN, and FX. Subscribers get local FOX and ABC affiliates in some markets.
The Premium package adds 40 more TV channels, and costs $84.99 per month. The Ultimate plan has more than 200 TV channels. It adds 45 Spanish-language channels.
Vidgo’s mobile app lets you take part in ‘watch parties’ for TV shows and sporting events.
Subscribers can stream on up to three devices or screens at once. Vidgo has apps on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV devices and Google Chromecast.
You look over the channel lineup before deciding whether to sign up.
Sling TV
Sling TV has History Channel in its Orange and Blue channel bundle.
With Sling, you’re able to build your own channel package. You can pick either Sling Orange or Sling Blue before deciding whether you want any add-on channel packages.
The Sling Orange plan includes 32 channels, including entertainment networks like AMC, A&E, BBC America, Bloomberg TV+, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, History, and TNT. A subscription to Sling Orange costs $40 per month.
The Sling TV Blue plan has 40 channels, including Bravo, Cartoon Network, NFL Network, TBS and FS1. You can combine the Sling Blue with Sling Orange for $55 per month.
All subscribers get 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage.
Sling TV works on just about any streaming device: Roku, Firestick, Chromecast and Apple TV. There are Sling apps on a number of Smart TVs from LG, Samsung, Sony and Vizio.
Gamers can watch TV on Xbox. The Sling app is supported by Samsung Smart TVs and Smart TVs operating on Android TV or Google TV. Sling TV supports mobile apps for iOS and Android.
You can look over the latest Sling TV promotion for discounts or deals.
How to Watch History Channel FAQs
These are questions that readers ask when searching for ways to watch History Channel without a pay TV provider.
What streaming services has the History channel?
A number of streaming services now provide live TV and carry the History channel. They include DIRECTV STREAM, frndly, Hulu with Live TV, Philo, Sling TV and Vidgo. These streaming services work on Google Chromecast with Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and various Smart TVs.
How to watch History Channel for free
You can sign up for a free trial of DIRECTV STREAM (5 days), Philo (7 days) or frndly TV (7 days) and watch History Channel live. Plans and pricing for each service varies and you will want to cancel service before the free trial ends if you do not want to be billed.
Can I watch History channel on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV doesn’t currently offer the History channel live. But YouTube TV has been adding channels since its inception. So you could see some new channels come to YouTube TV in the future.
Is History Channel on fubo?
fubo (formerly fuboTV) does not carry History Channel. The company told customers on June 30, 2021 their service will no longer carry History Channel, A&E, Lifetime, FYI channel, Lifetime Movie Network and Vice TV.
Is History Channel on Discovery Plus?
Discovery+ costs $4.99 per month, and carries all past seasons of shows from the History channel.
The service does not carry a live TV feed of History channel or its latest seasons. Discovery Plus has 55,000 episodes from HGTV, Food Network, History, A&E, TLC, Discovery Channel and others.
You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, or look over what else Discovery+ offers as part of its streaming library.
Is History Channel free on Amazon Prime?
No. History Channel is not offered as part of an Amazon Prime subscription. You can subscribe to a live TV streaming service such as DIRECTV STREAM, Philo, frndly TV, Sling and Vidgo to stream History Channel live.
Can I activate the History channel app?
Yes. If you want to use the History app to watch episodes, you used to need a subscription to Comcast or Spectrum. That’s no longer the case.
Now when you subscribe to DIRECTV STREAM, Philo or fuboTV, you get to use your subscription to activate the History app and many other networks. Being able to activate these apps is known as TV Everywhere support.
Are History channel shows on Netflix or Hulu?
Yes. Netflix has a number of shows from the History Channel in its library, including “Ancient Aliens”, “The Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch”, and “The UnXplained with William Shatner.” But you won’t find the latest episodes of these shows on Netflix.
Where can I watch History channel?
Cord-cutters can choose among six live TV streaming services to watch History Channel without cable or satellite. DIRECTV STREAM, frndly TV, Hulu Live TV, Philo, Sling TV and Vidgo all carry History in their channel lineups.
DIRECTV STREAM has a 5-day free trial with no obligations on all four of its plans. The Entertainment plan has 75 TV channels, including local channels and sports networks such as ESPN. A subscription is $74.99 per month.
Philo has a 7-day free trial with a robust lineup of entertainment networks such as A&E, Great American Family and MTV. There are 70 channels total for $25 per month.
frndly TV has a 7-day free trial, and has more than 40 channels, including MeTV and Hallmark Channel. The entry-level plan only has Standard Definition resolution, but costs $6.99 per month.
For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.
This article was originally published Feb. 12, 2018, and has been updated.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
Fubo just took History, A&E, Lifetime off of their list of channels effective 6/30/21 with no advanced warning. Looking for another streaming company now. Ever since FUGO went public (stock exchange) they have made 3 big changes, History channel was the last straw!
I’m like the ones complaining that there’s still a need for another service provider, why?!? Why can’t A&E come out with it’s own “Plus” app that includes the Discovery networks AND has Live TV channels, especially if they air before the stupid so called service providers, which don’t provide the service I, for one, want, such as NO FREAKIN SPORTS! I have my own balls, I don’t need to watch a bunch of over paid f@g$ running around chasing after each other’s in a field/court! I NEED REAL ENTERTAINMENT, which to me is watching Ancient Aliens, The Curse of Oak Island, and Scientific shows from Science channel. Other’s in my household like the Lifetime networks and Hallmark channels, when we’re not watching movies. An app similar to Discovery+ with live channels would be perfect even if the price for no commercials went up to $12/month especially if I could bundle it with HBO MAX and EPIX add-ons for a complete package.
You neglected to mention that Philo has intrusive commercials that waste a large amount of time, while flashing bright lights at your face. Had I known this, I’d have never signed up. No way am I paying cash to be subjected to that crap.
I like Ancient Aliens as well NOT on list
History Vault is 100% the better deal compared to a tv subscription which is overkill and expensive
The Curse of Oak Island is NOT available.
I just want to get History channel audio on my computer… The nursing home where I live gets History TV but my room mate watches other shows.. How can I get the audio from history channel
so I can use my head phones connected to the computer ?
What is the difference between cutting the cord with cable or paying for a streaming service, it is still a monthly fee and you still need the cable company for high speed internet, looks like smoke and mirrors to me.
Depending on your favorite. History channel shows, Roku channel app does carry several Free shows such as American Pickers, Oak Island and others. The Roku app is free of any charge and provides many favorite TV shows along with free movies. You can also sub to HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz right on the Roku app. *note, you need an active free Roku account with a payment option included which includes PayPal option. Roku offers many more channel options.
100% agree Les. I was a DirecTV customer for over 10 years and they used to have excellent customer service. Since they became AT&T, their customer service has vanished. They finally priced me out so I called to cancel and while they were processing my request and I asked, “Are you even going to try and retain me” and the answer was “not really.”
ATT KILLED DTV.
I was a DTV subscriber and a FAN
OF THAT ONCE GREAT SERVICE. I divorced last week when they stopped the Blue Heart (discount for legacy).
DTV is out of business and will end up merged with DISH.
ATT are just financial SHARKS that play with their food before eating it.
This is why the FCC should stop these ruinous mergers that DO NOT serve the public interest.
HOPE YOUTUBE TV WILL BE THE ONE FOR ME.
NEEDS HISTORY and SCIENCE CHANNELS.
Directv Now is NOT Directv. Both are owned by AT&T, but one is a streaming serice and one is a tv service. I had Directv for years, but recently cancelled my account and signed up with Directv Now. Pretty much the same channel assortment, but 50% cheaper. Now I get my tv shows via the internet instead of from the satellite dish.
I have been watching locked up abroad
In our capitalistic free market economy “Let the buyer beware” is the best advice. Noone provides free TV. You can be sure they will get their hands in your bank account somehow. The trick is to figure out what “the catch” is before you swallow the bait. And that is becoming very difficult with modern technology e.g. streaming plans.
I have a fire stick hooked up to the big monitor. Then I use my tablet to get fire stick big and type in Histoory channel.
Then they say with your internet service History is free. I can’t find mainstream on the list, what should I do now. I’m a prime member. Joy Bradford
why can’t you just get the history channel. dont want the others. disappointed
For these services you have to have your own streaming device, then the “subscription” is monthly. How would you buy the service w/o a “subscription”? It is exactly like the Netflix “subscription”. Hope this helps clear up any ambiguity about it.
How on earth is this corcutting? All of these options require a subscription.
EXACTLY!
I will resort to smoke signals before I ever sign up with Direct TV on any basis again. The WORST customer service in the world.
Just FYI, the most popular show on History isn’t even listed here: that would be “Alone.”