How to Watch CBS Channel Online Without Cable for Free In 2026

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From reality-TV favorites like Survivors and Big Brother to must-watch NFL and college football showdowns now deep in playoff season, CBS remains one of the most powerful players on American television.

The only catch? Knowing where to watch it without cable can feel confusing. The good news is that streaming CBS live is easier than you might think. Services like DirecTV and Fubo let you watch CBS online in real time, with no cable box required. Many even offer free trials.

At a Glance: How to Watch CBS Without Cable for Free

To make things simple, we've broken down the best ways to watch CBS without cable, so you never miss a season premiere, game-winning touchdown, or awards-night moment. Instead of overwhelming you with options, we narrowed it down to the most affordable, easiest streaming platforms that keep all your must-watch CBS content in one place.

How to Watch CBS Without Cable for Free

Below are some of the best ways to watch CBS online without cable, including cost-effective picks and comprehensive live TV streaming services to overhaul your cable-less TV setup.

Anyone who has cut the cord should consider DirecTV. It offers four packages, with the higher tiers carrying CBS. The news package (one of the most affordable plans) delivers more than 10 channels, including other local networks, NBC, Fox, CNN, and others. Subscriptions start with a five-day free trial; after that, the MyNews package costs $39.99 a month.

Fubo is another great live TV streaming service that every cord-cutter should check out. It offers CBS in all of its packages, and starts at $45.99 for the first month, and then $55.99 the following months for the Fubo Sports plan. You get a five-day free trial to start.

In terms of bang for your buck, we think it's hard to beat Hulu + Live TV. The live TV streaming service is much more than that, delivering free subscriptions to ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu in addition to its 95-channel lineup. This live TV channel lineup includes CBS, as well as other popular channels like ABC, Fox, and NBC. All of this costs $89.99 per month after a three-day free trial.

Looking for a more affordable solution to stream CBS without cable? Check out Paramount+. The streaming service is best known for its on-demand library, but the upgraded Paramount+ Premium plan includes 24/7 CBS livestreams. This plan costs $12.99 per month after a seven-day free trial.

How to Watch CBS for Free

If you want to watch CBS for free, you're in luck. Since all of the services above offer free trials, you can use any of them to get free CBS livestreams. Get DirecTV's five-day trial here, Fubo's five-day trial here, Paramount+'s seven-day trial here, or Hulu + Live TV's three-day trial here. If you string them together, that's 20 days of free livestreams.