How to watch HGTV online for free

When all the high stakes drama is done, and all the reality television is devoured, sometimes you just need to stare at some plants and remodeled kitchens. HGTV has been the place to do that for years, and it’s time you renovated your home viewing experience alongside your musty bathroom or porch. If you’re looking to get rid of expensive cable plans and find something simpler, the world of online streaming has you covered. Here’s how to watch an HGTV live stream for free.

What is HGTV?

Launched in 1994, HGTV’s original programming style is almost indistinguishable from its modern incarnation. It’s still all about tearing apart fixer-upper houses or gardens and replacing them with something gorgeous. Popular HGTV shows include Fixer Upper, which launched Chip and Joanna Gaines to stardom, Flip or Flop, and the criminally handsome twins behind Property Brothers.

HGTV live stream: 6 ways to watch HGTV online for free

Though it’s not offered on YouTube TV, HGTV is available on most other major live TV streaming services, all of which offer at least a free seven-day trial.

1) Philo

Philo

• Cost: $16 per month
• Philo devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, iOS and Android devices

If you need to save a buck, you won’t find a reputable stream any cheaper than Philo’s. For $16, you’ll get your HGTV live stream, plus a surprising number of entertainment options including BBC, CMT, Comedy Central, three Hallmark channels, two Lifetimes, and more. If you can live without a dedicated sports or news channel, Philo is absolutely the way to go. (Here’s a complete guide to Philo channels.)

2) Hulu with Live TV

Hulu with Live TV

• Cost: $40 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
• Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
• Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)

It’s exactly what it sounds like: Hulu’s on-demand library plus 58 channels, including your HGTV live stream. There’s no Comedy Central, MTV, or AMC, but you get the CW, four ESPNs, FX, two Lifetime channels, Oxygen, and plenty others. HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime will run you at least another $8.99. If you’ve got more than two people in your household that will be streaming simultaneously, you may have to pony up for unlimited screen usage. (Here’s the complete list of Hulu Live TV channels.)

3) Sling TV

Sling TV Orange + Blue

• Cost: $25-$40 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
• Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire TVs, Android Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, and iOS and Android devices
• Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)

Sling TV is a weird beast. The service splits its offerings between two packages (Blue and Orange), but thankfully, an HGTV live stream is on both of them. Sling Orange is offers AMC, BBC, three ESPNs, Food Network, Lifetime, and more. Sling Blue offers all of those channels minus the ESPN offerings. If money isn’t an issue, you can combine both packages for $40 per month. Sling will also let you add premium channels a la carte but at one of the higher price points: $15 for HBO and $10 for Showtime or Cinemax. If you feel like beefing things up, there are a ton of other add-on package options. (Here’s a complete guide to Sling TV channels.)

4) FuboTV

FubtoTV

• Cost: $39.99 for your first month and $44.99 per month thereafter (after a 7-day free trial)
• FuboTV devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS and Android devices
• FuboTV local channels: Fox, NBC, CBS (check local availability here)

If you’re looking for a wide variety of sports (domestic and international) to go along with your HGTV live stream, look no further. FuboTV caters heavily to sports lovers and offers a variety of entertainment options for HGTV fans, including BBC America, FX, Lifetime, Oxygen, and more. Sports fans will be able to devour everything from the NFL Network, Fox and CBS Sports, and NBC Golf. The Fubo Sports add-on ($8.99 a month) gets you NFL RedZone, Stadium, Fox College Sports, Fight Network, and others. (Here’s a complete guide to FuboTV channels.)

5) DirecTV Now

DirecTV’s Live a Little Package

• Cost: $40-$75 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
• DirecTV Now devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Amazon Fire Stick
• Local channels: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check local availability)

For the money, DirecTV Now is one of the best options out there for streaming. For the entry level “Live a Little” package (priced at $40 a month), you’ll get your HGTV live stream, plus a healthy mix of entertainment and sports. HGTV fans may appreciate Lifetime, TV Land, VH1, AMC, BBC America, and CMT. Two ESPN channels and Fox Sports round things out. The higher level packages satisfy a heavy sports diet. If you love your HBO, DirecTV Now is one of the cheapest ways to get it (and other premium channels) for as little as $5 a month. (Here’s a complete guide to DirecTV Now channels.)

6) PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue’s Access Package

• Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
• PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
• Local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)

PlayStation Vue competes with others like Sling TV and YouTube TV, so it will depend on what you’re looking for in a streaming package. The entry level “Access” package will get you your HGTV live stream, plus BBC, Disney, FX, Oxygen, but no Lifetime. Sports fans will get two ESPNs and two Fox Sports channels, plus NBCSN, with more options if go up to the “Core” package. (Here’s a complete guide to PlayStation Vue channels.)

Other ways to watch HGTV online

HGTV site & app

Like a lot of other channels, HGTV will let you watch from a desktop or laptop computer, as well as the official HGTV app, so long as you can provide some verification. Go to watch.hgtv.com or the app (available on iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Roku), click to sign in, and you’ll be prompted to enter your account information from an accepted streaming service. If you subscribe to DirecTV Now, Philo, PlayStation Vue,  or Hulu, you’re good to go. The website and app are not compatible with Sling TV or Fubo subscriptions.

New to cord-cutting? Here are our picks for the best movie streaming sites of 2018 and free live TV apps and channels. If you’re looking for a specific channel, here’s how to watch HBO, Showtime, Starz, Sundance TV, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, Willow, AMC, FX, Fox News, Freeform, MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, FS1, TBS, TNT, Tennis Channel, Golf Channel, Syfy, HGTV, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Bravo, Lifetime, Discovery, PBS, the CW, BBC, CSPAN, NBA TV, MTV, Comedy Central, Food Network, TLC, HLN, A&E, Animal Planet, National Geographic, the Weather Channel, the History Channel, and NFL RedZone without cable, as well as free movies on YouTube. If you’re on the move, here’s how to watch Fox Sports Go and live stream NBC Sports.

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