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How To Watch ABC Without Cable (As Cheap As Possible)

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The cheapest way to watch ABC without cable is the Sling Orange plan from Sling TV. However, Sling doesn’t offer ABC in all areas, so some homes may need to consider an alternate live TV streaming service instead.

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It is worth noting the information in this guide is related to the national ABC channel. For those specifically looking for access to their local ABC station or affiliate, it is possible to watch ABC for free using an over-the-air antenna.

For those without access to their over-the-air ABC station, or for those simply wanting access to a package that includes ABC, there are multiple options for you to consider, albeit at varying price points.

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Live TV plans with access to ABC

For those interested in a live TV plan with access to ABC, below are your current options, from cheapest to the most expensive.

Cheapest way to watch ABC

At $45 a month, Sling TV is currently the cheapest way to watch ABC without cable. However, Sling doesn’t offer ABC in all areas so whether you can get the channel will depend on whether you live in one of the following locations.

  • Chicago (WLS)
  • Fresno (KFSN)
  • Houston (KTRK)
  • Los Angeles (KABC)
  • New York (WABC)
  • Philadelphia (WPVI)
  • Raleigh-Durham (WTVD)
  • San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose (KGO)

Sling offers two main plans for consumers to choose from, but the Sling Blue package is the only that includes ABC in its channel lineup.

Sling Blue
Sling TV new app
$40/month
40 channels
3 streams
50 hours DVR
50% Off Your First Month

For those specifically interested in ABC for access to live sports, it might be worth noting that the Sling Blue package doesn’t includes access to ESPN. Instead, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 are only available with the Sling Orange plan.

However, it is possible to combine both of these plans by subscribing to Sling Orange & Blue. This combined package costs $55 a month and unlocks access to all channels included with both Orange and Blue plans.

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Other ways to watch ABC without cable

Vidgo is one of the next cheapest ways to watch ABC without cable. Vidgo offers more than one plan to choose from and all of them include ABC, with the $69.99/month Plus package the cheapest plan overall.

Vidgo
Vidgo live TV guide$69.99+ a month
110+ channels
3 streams
20 hours DVR
$20 first month

Hulu Live TV is another option to consider. Hulu’s base plan costs $69.99 a month ($76.99/month from October 12, 2023), and ABC is one of the included channels. For those interested in live sports, an added benefit with Hulu Live TV is that the base package also includes access to ESPN Plus at no additional cost.

Hulu Live TV
Hulu LIve TV guide$77+ a month
90+ channels
2 streams
Unlimited DVR
Disney+ and ESPN+
Sign up

YouTube TV is another of the live TV streaming services that provides access to ABC. A standard YouTube TV subscription costs $72.99 a month and unlocks access to more than 100 live TV channels, making it one of the better options overall.

YouTube TV
YouTube TV live guide listings$73 a month
100+ channels
3 streams
Unlimited DVR
$50.99/mo for 3 months

At a few dollars more each month, Fubo is another live TV service with access to ABC. While the cost of the cheapest Fubo plan (Pro) is $74.99 a month, Fubo also charges an RSN fee in many locations, so the price a home pays might end up being up to $14 more each month.

Fubo
fuboTV live guide listings$75+ a month
173+ channels
10 streams
1000-hour DVR
Save $20/mo For 2 Months

Lastly, there’s DirecTV Stream. This is another service that offers multiple plans to choose from, and all of them include ABC. Overall, the cheapest package is Entertainment, priced at $74.99 a month.

DirecTV Stream
Directv stream live guide$80+
75+ channels
20 streams (at home)
Unlimited DVR
Save $10/mo for 3 months

Watching ABC directly

Those with an existing live TV streaming subscription can log in to the ABC website or app using their live TV account details and stream all of the latest episodes or watch the channel live without any issues.

This is made possible through the use of TV Everywhere support. While not every live TV streaming service offers TV Everywhere support for all channels, there are no major issues with ABC.

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All DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu Live TV, Sling Orange, Vidgo, and YouTube TV subscribers can use their account details to log in and stream live TV and on-demand content through the ABC website or app.

Watching ABC without cable — recap

The very cheapest way to watch ABC without cable is the $45/month Sling Blue plan from Sling. However, Sling currently only offers access to ABC in select locations, so this won’t be an option for everyone.

If ABC is not available through Sling TV in your location, the other options include Vidgo’s Plus plan at $69.99 a month, Hulu Live TV at $69.99 a month ($76.99 from Oct. 12), YouTube TV at $72.99 a month, and Fubo or DirecTV Stream at a minimum of $74.99 a month.

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John Finn

By John Finn

John started Streaming Better to help consumers navigate the live TV streaming and subscription service landscape. John has been editing and writing about technology and streaming for online publications since 2014, and believes the best streaming approach is to rotate between services as needed.

John's preferred live TV streaming service right now is YouTube TV although he does tend to switch live TV services multiple times each year to keep up to date with their changes. Outside of live TV, John also actively streams HBO Max (for the shows), Peacock (for Premier League), and Paramount Plus (for Champion's League). However, John is also currently subscribed to Apple TV+, Discovery+, Hulu, Starz, Showtime, and Shudder.

Contact John via email at john@streamingbetter.com or say hi on Twitter

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