Are you thinking of cutting the cord to save money from monthly cable and satellite subscriptions?
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While it’s understandable that you don’t want to lose access to your favorite TV channels, did you know that you can get free TV channels without an antenna?
Yes, continue reading this article and learn simple ways how to get free TV channels or how to get TV reception without cable or an antenna.
With the proliferation of smart TVs and streaming apps, there is no better time to cut the cord than today.
So, hopefully, with the legit ways that you are about to learn in this article on how to get free TV, you will finally have no hesitations to say goodbye to your cable subscription and antenna once and for all.
6 Ways You Can Get Free TV Channels Without an Antenna
The methods I chose may require some one-off investment (such as a Roku or Apple TV device), but you won’t need to pay monthly subscription fees to get access to local (or international) TV shows.
1. Enjoy Free TV Streaming with a digital TV translator service
Locast used to be the most popular digital TV translator service around until the non-profit organization shut down in September 2021. Fortunately, Locast isn’t the only digital TV translator service in existence.
Digital TV translator services sets up antennas in select cities, which then collects over-the-air signals from channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, etc. and streams these signals over the internet for your viewing pleasure.
Here are Locast alternatives you can use:
- AiryTV (free)
- Xumo (US only, free)
- VUit (news + shows, free)
- Hulu Live TV (paid)
Usually, you can stream these services using your Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV. If you’re planning to watch on your phone, it might be possible if the company has an app.
2. Watch Free Local TV Online, straight from the source
Nowadays, it’s no longer hard to watch free local TV channels – all thanks to the internet, of course.
A lot of TV networks post recently aired episodes of their TV shows on their website. So, all you need is internet access, a laptop or desktop computer, or your tablet or mobile device.
Some of the popular channels that offer free content online are the following:
3. Install Major Networks’ Apps
With the accessibility of smartphones and tablets, it’s understandable why consumers are hooked on these devices most of their time after or in between work.
And of course, it didn’t take the TV networks too much time to figure that out. That is why they also launched their apps, so their avid followers can watch their shows anytime and anywhere as long as they have internet access.
The majority of TV networks have an app; most are free, while some are paid.
But even with the free app, you can already access a lot of quality content. However, if you are looking forward to watching local news live from the apps, you most likely need to have a paid TV subscription.
But then again, a lot of local TV stations offer live streams of their shows on their website. So, you might want to go that route, instead. Below are some of the favorite channels with a local TV app:
- NBC (iOS; Android)
- CBS (iOS; Android)
- FOX NOW (iOS; Android)
- ABC (iOS; Android)
- CW (iOS; Android)
- PBS Video (iOS; Android)
4. Install Third-party Mobile Streaming Devices
Pluto TV (here’s the link for iOS/Apple Store) is just one of the popular apps that offer free streaming services in the market today.
And, if you don’t have it, yet, it’s high time that you install it on your device to start watching over 100 TV channels, specially made for the internet.
5. Watch Episodes of Your Favorite TV Show on YouTube
YouTube isn’t just home for tutorial videos, house tours, and travel vlogs, it’s also a free platform to watch episodes of your favorite TV shows.
If you don’t want to be left behind with what the rest of the world is watching, and you don’t want to miss out on the latest episodes of your favorite TV shows, then, you should keep YouTube under your radar.
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Subscribe to the channels that you love, and tick on the notification bell, so you will be notified every time a new video is released.
While there is YouTube Premium that gives you a LOT more reach for content usually reserved for the TV, it isn’t impossible to find copies of your favorite TV shows, made-for-TV movies, and other TV episodes.
6. Watch News via Haystack TV
With Haystack TV, you can now start your day by watching the local news on your devices for free.
It can be downloaded on Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku players, Apple TV boxes, and Android TV devices. It is also available on smart TVs from LG, Samsung, and Vizio, as well as with Chromecast.
Haystack TV gathers video stories from different sources – both local and national. So, when you open the app, you might be welcomed with a story from ABC news featuring a recap of a recent major event, followed by a weather forecast from one of your local channels, and so on.
You can also watch live streams of news from ABC, CBS, Euronews, Yahoo Finance, Newsmax, and a lot more. Unfortunately, if you are expecting to watch live cable news channels like CNN, MSNBC, or FOX News, you can’t find it here.
Enjoy Cord-Cutting with Free TV Channels Without an Antenna
With everything that I’ve shared in this list, it’s apparent that you don’t need to keep your expensive monthly cable subscription to watch your favorite TV shows, local news, and sports programs.
So, I guess it wouldn’t be premature to say, “Happy cord-cutting.”
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out my other TV-related posts below:
