How To Get Free Cable TV

Negotiate Your Cable Bill

Negotiating your cable bill wont result in getting free television but its still worth a shot, especially if you use a service like Trim.

Trimis a free app that can sift through your spending habits, find subscriptions you should probably cancel, and can even negotiate your cable bill. If you hate making that annual phone call to your cable company to negotiate your bill, definitely give Trim a shot.

Ways To Get Free Basic Cable TV Legally

by Lauren Bennett – Last Updated December 27, 2016

Cable TV: Its fun, its great to watch after a long day at work. but its also pretty darn expensive! Only if there was a way to get it for free.

According to statistics, the average American spends $99 per month on their cable bill, meaning that over the course of the year, you end up racking up more than $1000 just for watching TV!

Wouldnt it be great if you could get access to your favorite shows and movies, without paying for it each month?

Fortunately, there are many free and cheap alternatives to cable TV that let you get TV for free without resorting to any illegal activities.

If you know the right methods , there are plenty of ways to watch TV for free.

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Below, weve compiled a list of easy to follow tips on how to do it. So, if youre wondering how to get free cable TV legally, then keep reading!

How To Get Local Channels Without Cable

Here are some tips for getting local channels without cable. In case you are a member of Amazon Prime, you have the access to which is inclusive of a wide array of TB channels and videos. In case you are not an Amazon Prime member, you will be charged the monthly subscription fee of $12.99. One of the top reasons why people refer to Amazon Prime Video in order to watch TV without cable is owing to the fact that you do not require having a streaming device for watching TV or videos. All you require having is an Amazon account as well as a device, which is connected to the World Wide Web.

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How To Watch TV Without Cable Or Satellite

In accordance with studies, a wide array of Americans cancels cable TV every month for bringing a reduction in household costs as well as statistics. If you are tired of the hassles of high subscription fees, it is recommended to watch TV without cable. Here are some ways you can follow for watching the TV without satellite or cable:

Purchasing An Android TV Box

Android TV box allows one to stream videos directly on the TV. One is also able to stream TV shows from famous apps and websites such as Netflix, Showtime, among others. For you to be able to get free premium channels on your TV set then you have to connect the Android TV box to your TV then connect it to your WIFI or Ethernet. One is also able to download an app such as YouTube that helps in streaming some of the premium shows. This Android TV box comes already loaded with movies and apps, and one is also able to get a high-definition telecast if the device is connected with a compatible TV.

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Use Your Family Or Friend Connections

Many of the subscription platforms have referral plans where you and your friend can both receive free TV. For example, Netflix provides a month free viewing for referred friends, while the existing customer also receives benefits. However, this is only available to new Netflix customers

There are other options that can allow you access to free TV through your family or friends. For example, if someone in your household has an account, you can share benefits through an Amazon Household account. This includes Prime Video, which is Amazons streaming service.

Another example is Hulu that allows you to add five additional profiles on their accounts, while HBO Now subscribers can share their accounts with household members.

So, if a family member or friend is willing to share their benefits, you can get access to significantly reduced or free TV packages.

Other Alternatives To Cable TV

Aside from the easy-to-access sites above and apps you can explore for free cable TV, there are other ways of watching cable TV shows without shelling out money.

For example, you may be surprised to discover that you could get basic cable by plugging a coax cable into the wall of your rented apartment complex. You wont have much control over accessing channels in an app or upgrading to HD.

If youre shopping around for an internet service provider, many of them have packages that include cable TV. Compare packages from different companies before picking the provider. This is important since youd likely be stuck with a contract for up to 24 months.

There are many amazing shows in recent years, so I hope youd be able to binge-watch them like the rest of us.

And if youre looking for other free stuff that you could subscribe to, check out this list of cool free subscription boxes from food to grooming products that deliver on a monthly basis.

Have you decided to start cord-cutting, get rid of your cable subscription, and switch to watching free cable TV? Share your journies with us in the comments!

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Do A Trial Run Before You Cut The Cord For Good

Cutting the cable cord can save you a lot of money but you’ll need to do some planning to make the transition as painless as possible. It pays to get all your streaming ducks in a row before you make that final fateful call to your cable provider.

Go through your checklist and figure out which services you need to subscribe to and which devices you’ll need to get. Install everything on your main TV, unplug your cable box and get used to using streaming instead. Familiarize yourself first, then move on to helping other members of your household.

Chances are you’ll experience some bumps along the way. The menu systems on some streaming services are different, the remote controls on devices are different, even the lack of channel numbers and need to use search can be tough to grok. Give it time and patience, however, and it will be fine.

Getting Free Comcast Cable TV

There are various ways to get free cable TV from Comcast, including the use of DVDs, which are cloud-based. These DVDs make it possible to record your favorite shows to watch later when you time.

The best thing is that you can even view and stream live via Xfinity stream or any other channel applications using your laptop.

However, if you are already using the unlimited internet plan from Comcast, it is possible to watch various programs using any smart device as long as you have internet access.

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Stream Cable TV Online For Free

Getting rid of cable doesnt mean you have to miss your favorite shows and movies. There are free platforms that offer thousands of shows and full-length movies. Here are a few top options:

Amazon Video

is an excellent platform to watch free movies, especially if youre an Amazon Prime member. Being a Prime member gets you free access to movies and all of Amazons original content.

If youre not a member, you can try Prime free for 30 days. Amazon does offer a standalone video service that costs $10.99 per month. However, that price point makes it worth it to pay for Amazon Prime.

You can get free movies on Amazon, but the selection is limited.

Crackle

Crackle is one of the best websites to stream movies for free. The site can offer a wide selection of newer and classic HD movies because it works with Sony Pictures.

*Related: Do you want to break free of cable but overwhelmed at where to start? to learn the steps you need to cancel cable and save $100+ per month.*

You dont have to sign up or install anything to use Crackle. Just choose a movie, click on the title, and start watching.

While you may need to watch a few ads at the beginning, Crackle is free and has thousands of movies.

Popcornflix

Similar to Crackle, Popcornflix is free to use. You dont need to sign up for an account to watch movies.

Popcornflix has a database of over 1,500 movies you can watch, from newer movies to classics. They even have a handful of TV shows.

Pluto

What is the Best App for Free TV?

Surveying The Fake Cable Channel Scene

PlutoTVs free CNN live stream is the perfect example of what Ill refer to as a fake cable channel. The branding is exactly the same as CNN proper, and Plutos channel guide doesnt suggest anything different, advertising only The Latest News from CNN.

Jared Newman / IDG

PlutoTVs CNN channel looks like the real thing on the surface, but its not.

But when you tune to the channel, youll notice its not the same at all. Instead of distinct programs that air on the half-hour, its mainly just a procession of short video clips. Unlike streaming-first news channels such as CBSN and Cheddar News, CNNs channel has no anchor to tie everything together, so the viewing experience feels jarring.

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Other channels use more sleight of hand to distinguish themselves from their cable counterparts. PlutoTVs Fox Sports channel has the same branding you see on Foxs cable feeds, but its clearly not a mirror of FS1 or FS2. The free stream carries no live sporting events, and it only offers reruns of popular talk shows such as Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.

Likewise, PlutoTV has the NFL Channel, but not the NFL Network, with only the latter carrying Thursday Night Football . Plutos MLB channel, meanwhile, spends much of its time airing classic games, not the live events or MLB Tonight show found on MLB Network.

Jared Newman / IDG

If you see a sports channel on a free streaming service, its probably showing replays.

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How To Hook Your Antenna Up To Your TV

Got your antenna? Great! Now its time to set it up and try it out.

Youll first need to position the antenna in a good location . Again, if you get a very strong signal, a basic indoor antenna by your TV will probably be good enough. Mounting it by the window will get you a better signal, if you need it.

If you need an outdoor antenna, though, itll take a bit more work to installyoull likely have to use a ladder to climb up and mount it to the roof or side of the house using the included hardware. If you arent comfortable doing this, call a professional.

After youve found a good place for your antenna, connect it to your television with the included coaxial cable. In the photo above, you can see how weve attached the coaxial cable from our antenna to the antenna input jack on our TV. And if your antenna is amplified, plug the amplifier into a power source. Our antenna can be powered via USB, so we plugged the USB cable that powers the amplification system into the TVs USB port.

Once its plugged in, head to your TVs channel setup menu. Your TV will need to scan for available channels, which should take just a few minutes. When its done, youll be watching HD TV channels, you can cut the cable cord for good. If you arent getting the best signal possible, adjust the positioning and try scanning againhopefully, with a bit of tweaking, youll be watching all your local channels in crystal-clear HD.

Consider Sharing A Video Streaming Service Account

If you want easy and free access to all of your favorite cable TV content, streaming services are the best option. But they do come with monthly fees.

However, you can get around those fees if youre able to share someone elses account. Many streaming services allow for multiple users. You just need the login information.

Ask your friends and family if theyre willing to let you use their streaming subscriptions. If theyre already paying for these services and havent maxed out their available users , see if you can become one. Then, you can browse all of the titles available on Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, and so many more without paying anything at all.

If youre worried that sharing a streaming account isnt legal or fair, dont worry too much. Its incredibly common, and companies expect this. Approximately one-fifth of young adults share streaming service logins, and Netflixs CEO even said that sharing passwords is par for the course.

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Want More Free Cable TV Options

Whats stopping you from cutting the cord? There is no better time than now with all available options such as buying an HDTV Antenna, using streaming services, or streaming cable TV online.

Your decision on getting free cable television is a very realistic attainable goal. All of the options above are favorable over forking over money every month on a cable bill.

If you wanted more ways to get free cable tv online besides these free tv options, I recommend reading some of these cable TV alternatives.

Ready It’s Time To Actually Cancel Your Cable Service

After you’ve lived with streaming for a while and have grown comfortable with the process of clicking on an app rather than firing up your cable box, it’s time to make the fateful call. Your cable provider might offer you incentives to stick around and you’ll have to weigh those against the benefits of cutting the cord, but do so carefully. Especially if the offer is contingent on signing a two-year contract. A lot can change in two years and with the freedom of streaming, it’s simply a lot easier to save money than with cable.

In the end, cutting cable TV isn’t for everyone. No single device or service has as many channels as a premium cable package. Juggling different services to find the shows you want to watch can be more effort than some people are willing to put in.

On the other hand, cutting cable is getting easier with every new option that hits the market. Beyond the savings, you get the freedom of being able to pick and choose the service you want — and drop it like a hot potato if you don’t like it anymore, your favorite show ends or something new comes along. Cutting cable is all about choice and if you do it right, you’ll never miss that old cable box.

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Get A Streaming Device

Streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, or are designed to let you simply plug them into your TV and use almost any of the popular streaming services . Youll need an account with whichever streaming service youre using, but most streaming devices are extremely handy. Theyre lightweight, travel very well, and theyre extremely inexpensive compared to pricier set-top boxes like the NVidia Shield.

A Word About Sports Channels And Cable TV

One of the very biggest complaints I get when I mention ditching the cable TV package for a free or cheap alternative is that guys wont have access to the large selection of sports channels that come with cable TV packages.

If youre a die-hard sports fan like my little brother is, this is a valid argument. The NHL, NFL MLB and other sports organizations have taken advantage of the opportunity to make a little extra cash by limiting sports viewing to those who subscribe to cable TV packages.

Although you may not be able to watch much in the way of professional sports for free, there are a couple of streaming options that have pretty heavy sports channel selections and often cost less than many basic cable TV packages.

Here are two of the most popular.

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How Can I Stream Sports For Free

A TV antenna is the best way to get most live sports for free. The biggest games almost always air on local networks: most NFL games, playoff and primetime NBA games, and every major college football game. That will suffice for a lot of casual sports fans, but if youre looking to follow your local team or favorite sport more closely , youll need cable channels. The cheapest way to get them is through a live streaming service we go over the best options for sports fans here.

Get A Free Video Streaming Service

The internet is the wealth of videos and tv streaming. This doesnt go deep in your pocket and doesnt hurt you. It is quite like free cable tv

If there are any issues, or you dont require a cable tv, feel free to go wild on the internet and enjoy video streaming. There are so many TV Box, TV.com, and Series Cravings, so many out there. In many of them, you dont even have to sign up.

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