How to Watch CNN Live for Free to Stream Breaking News, NYE Specials & More
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As one of the major news networks in the U.S., CNN covers everything from breaking stories to international news to Presidential debates. If you want to stay informed but don’t have traditional cable, there’s no need to worry. Discover how to watch CNN live for free to tune into your favorite programs and stay up-to-date on current affairs, including tonight’s New Year’s Eve Special with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
The Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news channel and website founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld. Currently a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN is credited as the first channel to air only 24-hour news in the U.S. Today, the channel provides live coverage and analysis of breaking news, as well as international, political, business, entertainment, sports, health, science, and weather topics.
Watch CNN
No cable? No problem. Select streaming services have CNN, so you can watch the network’s breaking news, political programming, and specials without a problem. Here are some of the best options.
How to watch CNN live for free
CNN is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends. While Sling TV and Hulu+ With Live TV don’t have free trials, they are cheaper per month than the other options. Sling TV starts at $20 for your first month, while Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $68.99 per month, and offers plans that include free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.
- Best Overall Pick to Watch CNN: DirecTV Stream
- Best Budget Pick to Watch CNN: Sling TV
- Best Upgrade Pick to Watch CNN: Hulu+ With Live TV
Best Overall Pick to Watch CNN: DirecTV Stream
DirecTV is our best overall pick to watch CNN live for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $74.99 per month with the first three months at $64.99 per month; Choice, which costs $99.99 per month with the first three months at $89.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $109.99 per month with the first three months at $99.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $154.99 per month with the first three months at $144.99 per month.
As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels, including premium channels like HBO and Starz, and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.
- Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page
- Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for CNN and start watching
Best Budget Pick to Watch CNN: Sling TV
Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch CNN live for its price and channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. All three plans include CNN.
As for the differences between the plans, Sling Orange, which is most suited toward sports and family channels, includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time. Sling Orange, which is most suited toward news and entertainment channels, includes 42 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Sling Orange + Blue includes all the channels offered on both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, as well as the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN with Sling TV.
- Visit Sling.com
- Click “Try Us Today”
- Create an account
- Select your plan
- Enter your payment information and check out
- Search for CNN and start watching
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch CNN: Hulu+ Live TV
Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch CNN based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN with Hulu+ Live TV.
- Visit Hulu.com/liveTV
- Click “Sign Up Now”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for CNN and start watching
What can you watch on CNN?
What can you watch on CNN? CNN hosts a variety of news and political programming, including daytime shows like CNN This Morning with Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, CNN News Central, and Inside Politics With Dana Bash. Its nighttime series include The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer, The Lead With Jake Tapper, Erin Burnett OutFront, Anderson Cooper 360, and The Source With Kaitlan Collins.
On weekends, you can watch CNN This Morning Weekend, Smerconish, The Amanpour Hour, State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, Fareed Zakaria GPS, and more.
The channel also airs specials that cover different topics like history, nature, food. Programs include its decades series (The Sixties, The Seventies, The Eighties, The Nineties) and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, The Wonder List with Bill Weir, and more.
