How to Watch CBS Without Cable (2026)
Paramount+ Premium, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV stream local CBS in select markets; Sling TV has no CBS at all.
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CBS at a glance: which plan you need
CBS is a broadcast network, so every entry is "select markets." Sling TV, Peacock, Netflix, Prime Video (sells Paramount+ as an add-on but has no CBS itself), and Disney+ are not CBS sources.
| Service | Plan needed | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ | Premium, select markets | $8.99/mo (starting; Premium costs more) | Live local CBS on Premium only. Essential has NFL on CBS and Champions League feeds, no local CBS. No CBS Sports Network. |
| Fubo | Pro, select markets | $55.99/mo (starting; Pro costs more) | Most markets. Includes CBS Sports Network. Regional sports fee may apply. |
| DIRECTV STREAM | ENTERTAINMENT and up, select markets | $74.99/mo | Locals in all packages including MySports. CBS Sports Network needs ULTIMATE. |
| YouTube TV | Base Plan, select markets | $82.99/mo | Most markets. CBS Sports Network status unconfirmed. |
| Hulu + Live TV | Base bundle, select markets | $99.99/mo | Most markets. CBS Sports Network included. |
| Sling TV | Not carried | $45.99/mo | No CBS on Orange, Blue, or any add-on. Sling points subscribers to an antenna or Paramount+. |
Carriage verified Oct 12, 2026 against docs/research/channel-sports-availability.md. Re-check by 2027-01-10. Prices are the lowest recurring monthly rate before taxes and fees; the plan that includes CBS may cost more.
Streaming services that carry CBS, ranked
Ordered by starting price. Paramount+ needs Premium and Fubo needs Pro for the live local feed.
-
The cheapest way to stream CBS and the Champions League
- NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League
- Premium adds SHOWTIME and live local CBS
- Annual plans from $89.99/yr
No free trial since January 2026
- Sports
- On-Demand
- No Contract
- Ad Plan
From$8.99/moEssential (ads); $13.99 Premium with SHOWTIME
Best for CBS, NFL on CBS, and Champions League
Editorial scoreVery good7.6/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Built for fans who need their regional sports network
- Most regional sports networks of any streamer
- Up to 10 streams, unlimited DVR, 4K events
- Free trial usually offered
No TNT or TBS; regional sports fee extra
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- 4K
- Free Trial
From$55.99/moSports tier; Pro $88.99 plus regional sports fee
Best for regional sports networks and soccer
Editorial scoreGood6.7/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Nearly every channel, at a cable-like price
- Deepest channel lineup, up to 185+
- Regional sports plus ESPN and TNT
- 5-day free trial, unlimited at-home streams
Highest price; regional sports fee up to $19.99
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- Free Trial
- No Contract
From$74.99/moMySports genre pack; ENTERTAINMENT $89.99
Best cable-like channel lineup
Editorial scoreGood6.7/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
The best all-around cable replacement
- 100+ channels incl. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN
- Unlimited cloud DVR, 3 streams
- Intro offer: $59.99/mo for 2 months
$82.99/mo after the intro period
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- Free Trial
- No Contract
From$82.99/moBase Plan; promo $59.99 for 2 months for new members
Best live TV overall
Editorial scoreExcellent8.0/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Live TV plus three on-demand libraries in one plan
- 95+ live channels with locals, ESPN, TNT
- Includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Select
- Unlimited cloud DVR
2 streams unless you add $9.99/mo
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- On-Demand
- No Contract
From$99.99/moWith ads, rate effective Oct 21, 2026; $109.99 Premium
Best bundle: live TV plus Disney+ and ESPN
Editorial scoreVery good7.4/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
Key facts
- Paramount+ Premium is the cheapest route to live CBS.
- Paramount+ Essential has no local CBS feed.
- Sling TV carries no CBS on any plan.
- Fubo needs Pro for locals; a regional sports fee may apply.
- CBS Sports Network is a separate cable channel.
- Sunday NFL on CBS is regionalized by market.
What CBS is: the network, the affiliate, and the streaming twin
- CBS is Paramount's broadcast network; you watch a local affiliate (WCBS, KCBS, WBBM, and roughly two hundred others) that inserts local news and ads.
- Streamers license each affiliate from its owner, so no streamer promises CBS in every ZIP code.
- Paramount+ Premium includes a live stream of your local CBS station in supported markets; Essential does not, though it carries NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League as separate live feeds.
- CBS Sports Network (college sports, some soccer) is not part of Paramount+ and sits in different tiers on live TV services.
Subscription options: live TV bundle or Paramount+
- Live TV bundle (Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV): CBS with ABC, NBC, FOX, cable networks, and a DVR. Best for the full Sunday NFL slate, March Madness across CBS and TNT networks, and local news.
- Paramount+ Premium: far cheaper; includes SHOWTIME, next-day CBS episodes, and the live local CBS stream where supported. Best if CBS is the only broadcast network you miss.
- Paramount+ limits: no other channels, no DVR (shows appear on demand), live feeds carry ads even on Premium, and the live feed is market-dependent.
- Prime Video sells Paramount+ as an add-on channel: the same product billed through Amazon, not a Prime Video CBS feed.
- Sling TV has no CBS at any tier; Sling's own guidance suggests an antenna or Paramount+.
Pricing and package requirements
- Paramount+ from $8.99/mo (Essential); Premium required for live CBS. See the Paramount+ review for the Premium price.
- Fubo from $55.99/mo for a sports-focused tier; locals including CBS are on Pro.
- DIRECTV STREAM: locals from the $74.99/mo MySports pack upward.
- YouTube TV Base, $82.99/mo; Hulu + Live TV, $99.99/mo; both with locals.
- Trials as of Oct 12, 2026: DIRECTV STREAM five days, Fubo usually five to seven, YouTube TV varies by promotion; Paramount+ ended its free trial in January 2026.
Device compatibility
- Paramount+, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV run on every major platform including Xbox and PlayStation.
- Fubo lacks a PlayStation app; DIRECTV STREAM has no console apps but offers its Gemini box.
- Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Samsung and LG TVs, phones, and browsers are covered by all five. Local CBS follows your account's home address. See the device compatibility guide.
Blackouts and geographic limitations
- Market coverage: whether the service has a deal with your CBS affiliate's owner.
- NFL Sunday afternoon games on CBS are regionalized; a streamed CBS feed shows the game your antenna would, not every AFC game. Out-of-market games need NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube or YouTube TV.
- March Madness games on CBS are national.
- Paramount+ "supported markets" for live CBS is Paramount's list, not enumerated in our research; confirm on the sign-up page.
- No active CBS carriage dispute recorded as of Oct 12, 2026.
Pros and cons by provider for CBS viewers
- Paramount+ (Premium): least expensive live local CBS, cheapest NFL on CBS and Champions League; adds SHOWTIME, next-day CBS episodes, three streams. Essential lacks live CBS, no free trial since January 2026, no other networks.
- Fubo (Pro): CBS in most markets plus CBS Sports Network and the most regional sports networks; unlimited DVR, up to ten home streams. Pro costs more than the starting price, regional sports fee, no TNT for part of March Madness.
- DIRECTV STREAM (ENTERTAINMENT or MySports): locals in every package, unlimited DVR and home streams, five-day trial. Most expensive full packages; CBS Sports Network only from ULTIMATE.
- YouTube TV (Base Plan): CBS in most markets plus NFL Sunday Ticket integration; unlimited DVR, three streams, multiview. High price after intro; CBS Sports Network unconfirmed.
- Hulu + Live TV: CBS in most markets plus CBS Sports Network, Disney+ and ESPN Select bundled, unlimited DVR. Two streams; highest base price here.
CBS streaming FAQ
Does Sling TV have CBS?
No. Sling TV has no CBS on Orange, Blue, or any add-on; you would need an antenna or Paramount+ Premium for a live feed.
Can I watch live CBS on Paramount+?
Yes, on Premium in supported markets per our research. Essential has no local CBS feed, though it streams NFL on CBS and Champions League matches as separate live feeds.
Which NFL games are on CBS, and will I get them by streaming?
CBS holds the Sunday afternoon AFC package, and a streamed local CBS shows the game assigned to your market. Out-of-market games need NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube or YouTube TV; see the NFL page.
Is CBS Sports Network the same as CBS?
No, it is a separate cable channel. Our research lists it on Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and DIRECTV STREAM (ULTIMATE and up); it is not on Sling and not part of Paramount+.
What is the cheapest way to watch CBS without cable?
Paramount+ as of Oct 12, 2026, from $8.99/mo with Premium required for live CBS. For a full bundle, Fubo has the lowest starting price of the CBS carriers, with locals on Pro.
Does Paramount+ offer a free trial?
Not as of Oct 12, 2026; the 7-day trial was retired in January 2026, though partner promotions may exist. DIRECTV STREAM (5 days) and Fubo (usually 5 to 7 days) are the CBS carriers with trials.
Methodology and sources
Carriage statements come from docs/research/channel-sports-availability.md and carriage.json, verified Oct 12, 2026, re-check by 2027-01-10. Prices come from our provider database with their own verification dates. No hands-on testing is claimed. Sources consulted for CBS: Cord Cutters News, YouTube TV 2026 guide; Cloudwards, Hulu + Live TV channels; TV Guide, Sling channel list; TV Guide, Fubo channel list; Compare Internet Hub, DIRECTV STREAM 2026; Goal, Champions League and CBS on Paramount+; Paramount Press Express, CBS Sports; 9to5Google, NFL Sunday Ticket 2026. Read how we rank and the editorial policy.
Top10StreamingServices.com is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with CBS, Paramount, or any streaming provider.
We may earn commissions from providers featured here. Compensation can affect placement. Affiliate Disclosure