5 Best Services to Get a CNN Free Trial

cord-cutting • July 16, 2024 • Staff

You can watch CNN with a free trial on DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Choice or DirecTV Stream Premier.

When CNN debuted in 1980, it was the first all-news channel broadcasting 24 hours a day. It continues its legacy today as a premier source of news and current affairs updates, thanks in large part to its standout selection of programs. Aside from covering recent developments, the channel is well-known for its features such as Anderson Cooper 360°, CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, CNN Presents, Amanpour, and United Shades of America.

Catch the best CNN has to offer using a free trial from these services: Hulu, DirecTV Stream, and YouTube TV. You can also get free streaming access to CNN from Pluto TV Live.

We've collated a list of the best streaming services to get a CNN free trial below:

Our team's most recommended service:

DirecTV Stream

Incredible picture quality and often said to be "the best all-around streaming service for cord-cutters." (Rolling Stone) Includes most local channels and major national networks.

Channels: CNN, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and most major channels.

Price: $79.99/month

Free trial: 5 days

Devices: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV

Go to DirecTV Stream

CNN on DirecTV Stream

Named the "best all-around streaming service for cord-cutters" by Rolling Stone, DirecTV Stream tries to be all the good things about cable without any of the hassle. It has a big selection of channels, possibly the best stream quality in the market, and great DVR capability. For example, unlike with competitor Youtube TV, your DVR recordings on DirecTV will be the same quality as the live stream (often in 4K). The service also comes with a decent monthly price tag, and Netflix-style practicality that allows you to stream Live TV from anywhere by downloading the app. Within your home, you can stream on up to 20 devices (!), and from outside your home you can stream on up to three devices.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Price: $79.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: ACC Network, AccuWeather, AMC, Animal Planet, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS local channels, Cleo TV, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN en Espanol, Comedy Central, Court TV, Daystar HD, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, E! Entertainment, EarthxTV, El Rey Rebel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, FMC, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Weather, Freeform, FUEL TV, Fuse Music, FX, FXX, Galavision, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, HLN, Home Shopping Network, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION Television, Jewelry Television, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV Classic, MTV2, NBA TV, NBC local channels, News Nation, Nick Jr., One America News, Ovation, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount Network, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, Poker GO, Pursuit Channel, QVC, QVC2, QVC3, Racing America, REELZ, REVOLT, RFD-TV, RSNs, Scientology Network, Shop LC, Somos Novelas, SportsGrid, SundanceTV, SYFY, Tastemade Home, Tastemade Travel, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Telemundo local channels, The First, theGrio, TLC, TNT, truTV, TV Land, TV One, Univision, Up TV, USA Network, VH1, WE tv, Women’s Sports Network

CNN on Hulu with Live TV

Movies, acclaimed TV shows ready for binging, your favorite current series — and more than 75 live channels at your fingertips. For $75 a month, Hulu with Live TV lets you have it all. The package’s 50 hours of DVR storage sounds smaller compared to its competitors, but with Hulu’s content library included, it’s a trade off that ensures you won’t be left wanting more.

Go to Hulu with Live TV

Price: $75.99/month

Free Trial: 3 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV, Vizio Smart TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC Localish, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS News, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FS1, FS2, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, Hallmark, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, History, HLN, ID, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Localish, Military History Chanel, Motor Trend, MSNBC, MTV, NASA, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBCLX, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS, PBS local channels, Pop, QVC, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, Telemundo, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, TVLand, Universal Kids, USA, VH1, Vice, Weather Channel

CNN on YouTube TV

Looking to keep your favorite shows at your fingertips, preserve access to live sports and news broadcasts, but still want to cut the cord? YouTube TV is the answer. At $73 a month it skews more expensive than other live streamers, you won’t be able to find a more extensive, all-inclusive package anywhere else.

Go to YouTube TV

Price: $72.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Shareplay supported, Sharp, Vizio, Xbox

Channel lineup: ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery, Disney, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN2, ESPNews, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, RSNs, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telemundo local channels, The CW, The Great Courses, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, WE tv

CNN on DirecTV Stream Premier

The most cable-like live TV package to date, DirecTV Stream Premier carries every possible channel you can think of. The sports department has ESPN and Fox Sports, to name a few, plus all the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB specialty channels. Meanwhile, the entertainment department has premium networks like HBO, Starz, Cinemax, and Showtime. It even has RSNs and local channels, all of which total more than 150 channels, so if you want your subscription to cover multiple bases, this is as comprehensive as it gets. All this comes to a hefty $160/month, which seems like a lot for a cord-cutting service, but with features like unlimited screens and DVR, it's worth considering if you have the budget to spare.

Go to DirecTV Stream Premier

Price: $139.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ACC Network, AMC, American Heroes Channel HD, Animal Planet, Aspire, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BBC News, BET, BET Her, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bounce, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, Cinemax, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNN en Espanol, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, E! Entertainment, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fanduel TV, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports FS2, Freeform, Fuse, Fuse Music, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Galavision, Game Show Network, Gem Shopping Network, GetTV, Golf Channel, Great American Family, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, HBO, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, HLN, Home Shopping Network, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, LMN, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, National Geographic Wild, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, One America News, Ovation, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS local channels, Pop TV, Pursuit Channel, QVC, QVC2, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, RSNs, Showtime, Showtime BET, Sportsman Channel, Starz, SundanceTV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Telemundo local channels, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land, Universal Kids, Univision East, Up TV, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WE tv

CNN on DirecTV Stream Choice

There's a reason why DirecTV Stream Choice is the provider's most popular package to date: it carries over 105 channels, many of which are specialty sports channels like Big Ten Network, MLB Network, and NBA TV; it has local channels and RSNs where available; it offers premium add-ons like Starz and HBO; and maybe most important of all, it's still under a hundred bucks, which is not something you can say about most live TV packages these days. In other words, Stream Choice is for those looking for extra sports coverage while wanting to enjoy the usual benefits of DirecTV, like unlimited screens and DVR, and keeping it all under a reasonable budget.

Go to DirecTV Stream Choice

Price: $83.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, Animal Planet, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS local channels, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNN en Espanol, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, E! Entertainment, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fanduel TV, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, Fuse, FX, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Gem Shopping Network, Golf Channel, Great American Family, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, HLN, Home Shopping Network, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, One America News, Ovation, OWN, Paramount Network, PBS local channels, PopTV, Pursuit Channel, QVC, QVC2, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, RSNs, SundanceTV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Telemundo local channels, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land, Univision East, Up TV, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WE tv

CNN on DirecTV Stream

CNN on Hulu with Live TV

CNN on YouTube TV

CNN on DirecTV Stream Premier

CNN on DirecTV Stream Choice

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