10 Best Services to Watch National Geographic Live Without Cable

cord-cutting › national geographic • April 12, 2025 • Staff

With several hundreds of original programs under the National Geographic belt, you’ll find no shortage of history documentaries or epic biopics here.

You can watch National Geographic without cable on Sling Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Spectrum TV Choice, DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment, or Spectrum TV Stream.

The cheapest option to watch National Geographic is DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment for $34.99/month. Unfortunately, you cannot watch National Geographic with Philo, and Sling Orange.

Below, we count down the best ways to watch National Geographic that cord-cutters use. We made this ranking based on each service's value: how many other channels each dollar of subscription will get you.

Our top three ways to watch National Geographic:

Sling Blue $20 off your first month.	~~$45.99~~ $25.99	Watch

Sling Orange + Blue $20 off your first month.	~~$60.99~~ $40.99	Watch

Hulu with Live TV 3-day free trial.	$82.99/month	Watch

National Geographic on Sling Blue

If you’re in the market for a live TV service to add to your streamer collection, Sling TV Blue is a competitive choice. For $45.99 a month, you get access to over 40 channels and their on-demand content, plus 50 hours of DVR storage — a cost-effective option that blows traditional cable out of the water.

You can also combine Sling Blue with NFL Season Pass for $160 when you prepay for 4 months.

Go to Sling Blue

Price: ~~$45.99~~ $25.99

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, Food Network, FOX, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA Network, Vice

Device availability: Airplay supported, AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox 360

National Geographic on Sling Orange + Blue

At $61 a month, subscribers to Sling TV Orange and Blue treat themselves to the best of both worlds. You can live in the moment with 51 live channels, or tune in whenever you want, choosing from a host of on-demand content. If you’re hesitant to cut the cord completely, this package definitely eases the transition.

You can also combine Sling Blue with NFL Season Pass for $199 when you prepay for 4 months.

Go to Sling Orange + Blue

Price: ~~$60.99~~ $40.99

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, FOX, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MotorTrend, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, Nick Jr., QVC, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA Network, Vice

Device availability: Airplay supported, AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV Streamer, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Vizio Smart TV, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Xbox One

National Geographic 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 $82.99 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: $82.99/month

Free Trial: 3 days

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, C NBC, 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, Spectrum SportsNet, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, TVLand, Universal Kids, USA Network, VH1, Vice, Weather Channel

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

National Geographic on Fubo

FuboTV’s comprehensive Starter Plan gives YouTubeTV a run for its money. $75 a month gets you over 100 channels, a huge amount of DVR storage space, and since Fubo is a sports-focused live streamer, all the main sports channels are included. As an added bonus, the package includes simultaneous streams on up to three screens.

Go to Fubo

Price: ~~$79.99~~ $59.99

Free Trial: 7 days

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Bein Sports, Bein Sports 4, Bein sports 5, Bein Sports 6, Bein Sports 7, Bein Sports 8, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, C NBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Cozi TV, CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Estrella TV, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, ION Mystery, Local Now, MASN, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Spectrum SportsNet, SYFY, Tastemade, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra1, TUDNxtra10, TUDNxtra11, TUDNxtra2, TUDNxtra3, TUDNxtra4, TUDNxtra5, TUDNxtra6, TUDNxtra7, TUDNxtra8, TUDNxtra9, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America, Willow, YES Network

Device availability: Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Roku

National Geographic 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

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, C NBC, C NBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, 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, popular option, QVC, Recipe.TV, RSNs, Scripps News, Scripps Sports, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, TCM, 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 Network, VH1, WE tv

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

National Geographic on DirecTV Stream Ultimate

Over 140 channels, unlimited DVR and RSNs included - DirecTV Stream Ultimate is one of the most complete cord-cutting streaming bundles out there. Think of every sports network for example, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NHL Network, etc, you name it, you got it. You also get over 55,000 (15,000 more than the base Entertainment package, mainly from Starz Encore) of on-demand movies and shows included. Of course, there is a price tag that comes with all of this that will rival the most expensive cable packages: over $100 a month. With this package DirecTV is saying: if you want cheap, go to Sling. This is not cheap, but it has everything a family could need from a TV package.

Go to DirecTV Stream Ultimate

Price: $129.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, AHC, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Aspire, BBC News, Bein Sports, Bein Sports 4, Bein sports 5, Bein Sports 6, Bein Sports 7, Bein Sports 8, BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, BIG Network, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, C NBC, C NBC World, Comedy Central, Comet, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Curiosity Channel, CW, Destination America, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, DUST, E!, ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Estrella TV, Fanduel TV, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, Fuse, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, GetTV, GINX Esports TV, Golf Channel, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, HBO, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime Movie Network, Local Now, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, MTVU, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBATV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, Newsy, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, NickMusic, Nicktoons, Olympic Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Pac-12 Network, Paramount Network, PBS, PBS local channels, People TV, Pop, Pop TV, Pursuit Channel, REVOLT, Revry, RSNs, Science Channel, Scripps Sports, SEC Network, Showtime, Showtime FamilyZone, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Movie Channel, Spectrum SportsNet, Sportsman Channel, Stadium, Starz, SYFY, Tastemade, TeenNick, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, Tennis Channel, The Weather Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, UPtv, USA, VH1, Vice, WGN America, Zona Futbol

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

National Geographic on Fubo Elite

FuboTV is the only sports-focused streaming service out there, and with three tiers of packaging, users can decide how dedicated they want to be to the sports world. For the die-hards, FuboTV’s Elite package is the most all-encompassing version they offer.

Go to Fubo Elite

Price: ~~$99.99~~ $79.99

Free Trial: 7 days

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, AccuWeather, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Bein Sports, BET, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, C NBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Curiosity Channel, CW, Destination America, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, DUST, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Estrella TV, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, Fuse, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Galavision, Game Show Network, GetTV, GINX Esports TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, Local Now, Logo, Magnolia Network, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, MTVU, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBATV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCSN, Newsmax, Newsy, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, NickMusic, Nicktoons, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Pac-12 Network, Paramount Network, People TV, Pop, REVOLT, Revry, RSNs, Science Channel, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Movie Channel, Spectrum SportsNet, Stadium, SYFY, Tastemade, TeenNick, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, Tennis Channel, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WGN America, YES Network, Zona Futbol

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Roku

National Geographic on Spectrum TV Choice

Spectrum TV Choice allows you to completely curate your live TV package. For around $30 a month, you trim the fat and select your 15 channels of choice — no distractions, no cable box, and no annual contract. The catch: it’s only available to Spectrum internet customers.

Go to Spectrum TV Choice

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

National Geographic on DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment

With DirecTV Stream's MyEntertainment plan, subscribers can access popular entertainment channels and services for just $35/month. Live channels like FX, Bravo, CNN, History, and HGTV cover the basics like news and lifestyle, while ad-supported services like Hulu, Disney+, and Max (forthcoming), which are included at no additional cost, cover nearly all your film and TV needs. Like all DirecTV Stream plans, you can try this plan free for 5 days, then cancel anytime.

Go to DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment

Price: $34.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Channel lineup: A&E, AHC, Animal Planet, Aspire, Bounce, Bravo, C NBC, CNN, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Life, E!, EarthxTV, FETV, Food Network, Fox Business, Fox News, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Game Show Network, Great Entertainment Television, HGTV, History, HLN, ID, Lifetime, Magnolia Network, MSNBC, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, OWN, Oxygen True Crime, Science Channel, SYFY, TLC, Travel Channel, UPtv, Vice

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Roku, Website

National Geographic on Spectrum TV Stream

Exclusive to Spectrum internet users, Spectrum TV Stream is a live TV cord-cutting service that costs $40/month. It's cheaper than Spectrum's other TV plans, but that's because it doesn't carry sports and local channels—only news and entertainment. Some of the more notable ones include Disney, CNN, Fox, AMC, Discovery, and for classic Hollywood fans out there, the elusive TCM. It may not seem like much, especially when you compare it to similarly priced packages like Sling Orange, which for the same price covers sports, but it could be an attractive option for Spectrum users looking to pay for everything under one bill and who only need select cable channels to get their TV fix.

Go to Spectrum TV Stream

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

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Let's recap the streaming services that allow you to watch National Geographic without cable.

What is the cheapest way to watch National Geographic?

The most cost-efficient way to watch National Geographic content is to get a subscription to DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment for $34.99/month.

How to get a free trial to National Geographic?

You can get a limited time free trial to National Geographic by subscribing to Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic for free?

Unfortunately there are no streaming services that offer National Geographic completely for free. That said, as we mentioned above you can get it for free for a limited time by subscribing to a service with a free trial. Here they are, this time ranked by which one offers the longest free trial:

How to get a National Geographic live stream?

The platforms that will get you a National Geographic live stream are:

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How to watch National Geographic on Roku?

You can watch National Geographic on your Roku device by subscribing to Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on an Amazon Fire TV?

National Geographic can be accessed on an Amazon Fire TV device by subscribing to Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on an Apple TV device?

The streaming services that include National Geographic and are available on Apple TV are Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, and DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on a computer?

On a web browser head to the websites of Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment to start watching National Geographic.

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How to watch National Geographic on iOS (iPhone or iPad)?

You can watch National Geographic on an iPhone or iPad by subscribing to Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on an Android phone?

You can watch National Geographic on an Android device such as Samsung or Google Pixel by subscribing to Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on an Android TV?

You can watch National Geographic on a Smart TV that runs on Android by getting a subscription to Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Fubo Elite, Spectrum TV Stream, Spectrum TV Choice, or DirecTV Stream MyEntertainment.

How to watch National Geographic on an Xbox?

You can watch National Geographic on an Xbox console through Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Spectrum TV Stream, or Spectrum TV Choice.

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How to pay for a National Geographic subscription with Paypal?

The services that accept Paypal and carry National Geographic are: Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, Spectrum TV Stream, and Spectrum TV Choice.

How to pay for a National Geographic subscription with Apple Pay?

The services that accept Paypal and carry National Geographic are: Sling Blue, and Sling Orange + Blue.

How to pay for a National Geographic subscription with Google Pay?

The services that accept Paypal and carry National Geographic are: Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue, and YouTube TV.