How to watch local channels without cable

To watch local channels without cable, start with a digital antenna, which usually costs $15 to $30, and pick up ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX free over the air, along with PBS. Add free local news apps next, and pay for a network app or live TV service only to fill in stations your antenna can't reach.

Start with an antenna: free local channels over the air

Local TV stations still broadcast free over the air. Nearly every modern TV has a built-in digital tuner, so the only extra hardware is an antenna. Basic models are inexpensive: Yahoo Tech's June 2026 antenna guide puts typical prices at around $20 to $30.

Setup takes a few minutes. Plug the antenna into the TV's antenna input, open the TV's settings, and run a channel scan. Depending on your market, you'll get the big four networks plus PBS and The CW, and a set of digital subchannels such as ION. Over-the-air TV costs nothing month to month, with no contract.

The picture is often better than people expect. Broadcast signals are less compressed than many cable feeds, and in Consumer Reports' indoor antenna testing (September 2026 update), some testers received dozens of channels, often with a sharper picture than their cable service gave them.

An antenna covers local stations only. For the rest of the switch, see our full guide to dropping cable, which walks through cable networks and sports packages too.

How to check which local channels you can get

Look up your address before you buy an antenna. A free map will show which stations reach your home and what kind of antenna they need.

1. Enter your address in the FCC's DTV Reception Maps or AntennaWeb's signal prediction tool. Both list the stations in range and how strong their signals are.
2. Check the band each station uses. Channel Master's tower map lists each station's RF channel, which tells you whether it broadcasts on UHF or VHF before you choose an antenna.
3. Note the distance and direction to the towers. If all your stations come from one direction, a directional antenna aimed that way will work better.
4. Choose an antenna type to match (next section), connect it, and run a channel scan.
5. Reposition the antenna and scan again if a station doesn't come in; even small moves can change the results.
6. Rescan whenever a channel disappears, since a fresh scan is the simplest way to pick it back up.

Keep expectations realistic. AntennaWeb's predictions assume an antenna installed 30 feet or more above ground level, so an indoor antenna may pull in fewer channels than the map predicts.

Indoor, attic or outdoor antenna: which one you need

Distance to the towers and the band your stations use decide the antenna.

A flat indoor antenna stuck to a window or wall is fine if you live fairly close to the towers and your stations broadcast on UHF. Flat panels are weak on VHF, though. A March 2026 indoor antenna roundup points out that some local channels broadcast on VHF, including certain FOX and PBS affiliates, and flat designs miss them entirely. If your map shows VHF stations, choose an antenna with rabbit-ear elements, or a hybrid that combines a flat UHF element with adjustable ears.

An attic or rooftop antenna makes sense when the towers are far away. It also helps when buildings or trees block the signal, since height improves reception that an indoor antenna can't match.

To record shows, add an over-the-air DVR. Some models record antenna channels without any subscription, which replaces the cable box DVR most people miss after cutting cable.

Free local news streams and station apps

Many local stations stream their newscasts free in their own apps, so you can watch local news without an antenna. These streams carry news and weather, not a station's full schedule, so primetime shows and live sports still need an antenna or a paid service.

Station groups run most of these apps. Hearst's Very Local app on Google Play streams local news and weather from Hearst stations in the cities it serves, alongside original series. It's free and ad-supported. Search your app store for your own station's call letters to see what it offers, since many stations run a similar free, ad-supported news app. Station news channels also run on streaming sticks, and our roundup of free channel apps for Fire TV covers that platform.

Free streaming services add some local coverage too. Pluto TV and Tubi, along with other ad-supported services, carry local news stations in select markets. Availability changes by city, so treat them as a backup for a phone or a second screen rather than a replacement for an antenna.

If you're curious about the other side of these streams, here's how local newsrooms run streaming channels.

Paid network apps and live TV services for missing stations

When the antenna can't reach a station, pay for that one network instead of a full bundle. Network apps are usually cheaper than a live TV service.

As of fall 2025, a Michael Saves breakdown of local streaming options listed three standalone apps that stream your local station 24/7: Fox One for FOX, Paramount+ Premium for CBS, and Peacock Premium Plus for NBC. ABC had only a partial option, through ESPN's new Unlimited plan. Plan names and prices for these apps change often, so check each network's site before you subscribe.

Skinny bundles come next. Sling TV's local channels page covers FOX, NBC and ABC only in designated markets, starting at $24.99 a month. Consumer Reports notes Sling doesn't offer CBS local channels, so it can't cover all your locals by itself.

Full live TV services are the closest thing to cable and carry the most local stations: YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV and Fubo all fall in this group. Consumer Reports' September 2026 review puts them at roughly $45 to $95 or more per month. Philo costs $33 a month but has no local stations, so it only makes sense alongside an antenna. Local channel availability varies by market on every service.

Before you pay, enter your ZIP code in each service's channel lookup and confirm it carries your stations. If you're setting up a Google streamer, our list of free apps on Google TV helps you install the free options first.

Local channel options compared

Prices come from the sources linked above. A dash means no single price applies.

For most homes the cheapest complete setup is an antenna plus one network app for the station it can't reach.

Free live TV beyond your local stations

Once your locals are covered, plenty of free streaming fills the rest of the evening. Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services such as Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus each run their own guide of live channels and need no subscription. Our guide to watch free live TV online compares them, and if you stream on an Apple box, see the free channels worth adding on Apple TV.

Vidiyo is another option, and it's our product. Vidiyo carries independent creator channels and live shows with chat, run by the people who make them. It doesn't carry any broadcast network's local station, so it won't replace your antenna. It offers free live TV with no sign-up in any web browser, plus apps for watching on your phone and on supported TV platforms. Viewers pay nothing, and Vidiyo's pricing page confirms watching stays free.

You can start watching free in your browser or set up the Vidiyo TV apps on a supported device. To see what's on right now, open Vidiyo's live channels or browse the Vidiyo TV guide.