The ultimate guide on how to watch live TV on Roku devices

With streaming, you have millions of hours of entertainment available on demand in just a few clicks. And while it’s amazing to have so many movies and TV shows at your fingertips, there’s still something special about live TV. If you didn’t know, you definitely don’t need a cable or satellite subscription package to access the live TV you know and love.

In this blog post, we’re going to show you a number of ways you can watch live news, sports, broadcast and cable shows, and much, much more. For extra ways to watch live TV, check out our live TV channel guide.

Watch our newest video for a breakdown:

We’re going to break it all down for you in just a few categories:

Cable alternatives, or Live TV services
Free live TV and movies
News channels
Live TV options if you have a participating pay TV subscription

CABLE ALTERNATIVES

The streaming channels below offer you a similar look and feel to your traditional cable package without the headaches, like lengthy contracts or hidden fees, that often come along with it.

The best part? You can still get your “can’t miss” cable channels and shows.

Some of your options are:

AT&T TV
fuboTV
Frndly TV
Hulu with Live TV
Philo
Sling TV

These streaming services give you a variety of channels, familiar features like Cloud DVR and live program guides, and they’ll probably even save you some money each month.

Looking for cable alternatives is easier than ever with flexible TV packages and services offering both budget and premium prices.

Pricing, channel availability, and features do vary between these services, so feel free to try each of them to find which one you prefer. Chances are you can try out a few of them with a free trial.

FREE LIVE TV AND MOVIES

Next up on the list is our top channels to watch free live TV and movies. All of the following channels offer a live program guide that allows you to channel surf, just like you would with cable, along with plenty of options via their on-demand libraries.

The Roku Channel

Currently offers over 150 free, live TV channels for you to stream anytime. With live news and weather, sports, reality TV, kids’ entertainment, Spanish language programming and more, The Roku Channel truly has something for everyone. Watch The Roku Channel on your Roku device, the Roku mobile app, or on the web at therokuchannel.com.

Peacock

Free live channel offerings from NBC News, NBC Sports, SNL, and even a 24/7 poker channel, in addition to their exclusive originals and on-demand library of movies and TV shows.

Pluto TV, STIRR, and XUMO

All of these FREE live TV channels that offer user-friendly program guides with over 100 live channels at your fingertips. From live news, to local channels, to movies, to even YouTube videos, you’re sure to find something to stream.

That’s not all. Head over to the channel store on your Roku device to browse the “Top Free Movies & TV” category to discover even more, free live TV options.

LIVE NEWS

News is always going to be something that you just want to watch live. And whatever network is your favorite, we’re sure to have an option for you.

From powerhouse national news networks to local stations, it’s easy to get your breaking news live on the Roku platform.

National News

The Roku Channel makes another appearance here, as you can stream free live feeds from over a dozen providers, including ABC News, NBC News NOW, Reuters, Yahoo!, and USA Today.

You can also head to the channel store on your Roku device and browse the “News and Weather” category to find free, live streaming options from:

Local News

As for local news, you might be able to find your local station on either NewsON, STIRR, or Haystack Local and World News.

There’s even a chance your favorite local affiliate has a standalone channel in the Roku Channel Store.

LIVE TV FOR CABLE USERS (AUTHENTICATED CHANNELS)

If you still have cable, we’ll show you how you can watch live TV while cutting down on equipment rental fees.

Just replace a cable box with a Roku device in a secondary bedroom or basement to access live feeds from an assortment of channels, including ESPN, CNNgo, FOX News, Nick Jr, HGTV, and traditional networks like ABC and NBC.

To watch these channels, simply add one to your Roku device and sign in with your participating cable or satellite provider login. For a full list of channels, visit the “Watch with Cable” section of the Channel Store.

Well, there you have it. Whether you have cable or not, the Roku platform has a ton of options for you to stream live TV.

Looking for more free entertainment? See what’s new on The Roku Channel this month.

Happy Streaming!