If reality TV is your thing, the Paramount Network is one of the best channels. But that shouldn’t stop you from cutting the cord. Paramount and similar channels are widely available online. Read on to learn more.
Ready to act? If you already know you want to cut the cord, these streaming services offer great plans including the Paramount Channel:
Philo: This ultra-low-cost streaming service is great for reality TV fans with 65+ channels for only $25/mo. Use its 7-day free trial to see if it’s right for you!Sling TV: With the Blue plan plus the Comedy Extra add-on, you’ve get over 50 great channels for $35/mo including sports, news, and local channels. Try it risk-free for a month for just $10.Vidgo: If you can go up to $55/mo, you’ll get over 95 channels with lots of sports and news as well as ABC and Fox in most areas. First month is $10!
The Paramount Network has had a bit of an identity crisis over the last few of decades. Originally founded as The Nashville Network in 1983, it then became The National Network in 2000, finally landing as Spike TV in 2003.
Just as it was settling into its new role as a reliable place to catch MMA bouts or Star Trek reruns, in 2018 it got relaunched again as the Paramount Network, the flagship channel of Paramount Studios.
Currently, the Paramount Network is home to original unscripted reality series, assorted films, and sitcom reruns. Its biggest mainstream hit is its fictional drama series Yellowstone, set to start its fourth season in November. But you don’t need a cable subscription to follow Jon Taffer or the ups and downs of the Dutton family. Keep reading to find out how.
How to Watch Paramount Network Live Without Cable
Paramount is owned by Viacom, which merged with CBS a few years ago. So Paramount is the flagship to a rather motley fleet of ViacomCBS stations: CBS, Comedy Central, Logo, Pop TV, Smithsonian Channel, TV Land, VH1, CMT, MTV (and its variations), Nickelodeon (and its variations), BET, Showtime, and — shared with WarnerMedia — The CW.
Paramount aspires to prestige TV greatness alongside FX and AMC. And Yellowstone, for one, has been widely acclaimed. But other channels are more in line with Paramount’s more signature quirky reality shows like TruTV, TLC, and Discovery.
Paramount Network is not an OTA (over the air) channel, so you can’t just tune in with an antenna. You need a pay-TV account. But that account no longer has to be with your local cable provider.
You can use an OTT (over the top) online streaming service. It works just like cable, but you get the programming over the internet instead of through a cable or satellite. There are no contracts, no installation appointments, and the services are cheaper. Read on to find out which services carry the Paramount Network.
Streaming Services with Paramount Network
The great news for you as an aspiring cord-cutter is that Paramount Network is on every single major streaming service. In other words, you can’t get a streaming service that doesn’t carry it. So let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each so you can make an informed decision.
Philo
Philo is the bargain diamond-in-the-rough of streaming services. Over 60 channels, for the low fee of $25/mo. That’s it. They’ve got a 7-day free trial, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and 3 simultaneous streams per account. One downside is that they don’t include any local networks, but you can usually pick them up with an antenna (totally free) if you really want.
Aside from Paramount Network, they have TLC, Discovery, and AMC, but no TruTV or FX. Check out our Philo review for more information.
Paramount Network comes with the Sling TV Comedy Extra add-on. Sling TV
Sling TV is a great low-cost streaming service that is highly customizable. You can get all the best reality and drama channels with Sling Blue ($35/mo). No free trial, but it is only $10 for the first month and you can cancel any time you like.
If you are going for the Paramount Network — And who wouldn’t, right? — you’ll need the Comedy Extra, which is just $6/mo more, and gives you other great channels like MTV, TruTV, and Laff.
Find out more in our Sling TV review.
Vidgo
If Sling TV, with all its packages and add-ons and premium channels, is just too much hassle, then Vidgo may be a good choice. It offers 95+ channels for $55/mo. You can stream on up to 3 devices simultaneously but they do not include any cloud DVR storage.
They keep their cost low by skipping some of the more expensive licensing deals, so you won’t find TruTV or AMC on their channel listing. But TLC, Discovery, and FX are all there along with the Paramount Network. And so are a number of sports, news, and local channels.
Read our Vidgo review for all the details.
FuboTV
FuboTV is all about that sweet sports action, so if you’re a big fan of athletic competition, you should give it some serious consideration. Another big plus is that it includes all your local broadcast stations from the major networks. FuboTV is a full cable replacement service.
Fubo’s base package is the Starter, and you get over 100 channels for $64.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial to see if it’s right for you. You can stream on up to 3 devices at a time and you also get 250 hours of cloud DVR.
The Starter comes with Paramount Network and ViacomCBS’s greatest cable hits like Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. But it also has all your reality channel faves — TLC and Discovery — plus all the great original series on FX and AMC. The only one missing from the party is TruTV.
Get all the details in our FuboTV review.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a solid streaming cable-replacement service. It includes over 85 channels for $64.99/mo (after a free trial for a week), 50 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 2 screens at a time. Plus it comes with Hulu’s up-to-last-night on-demand library!
Hulu Live has all the ViacomCBS channels, including Paramount Network, of course, plus TruTV, TLC, Discovery, and FX. It does not carry AMC however.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) is the cable replacement system on this list that most resembles actual cable, so it could be a good choice if you want to keep your TV setup as familiar as possible. They’ve even got a cable-box-like device for streaming, which you can use if you choose to purchase it from them. (You can also use third-party devices — see below.)
It’s the highest-priced option on this list, however. The base, Entertainment, plan is $69.99/mo, which has over 65 channels. Those channels include Paramount and most of its ViacomCBS sister-stations, TruTV, TLC, Discovery, FX, and AMC. The only other one on the list that has them all is Sling TV.
Other Ways to Stream Paramount Network
There are other options to get Paramount Network without cable:
YouTube TV: Carries Paramount Network in a plan that’s similar to Hulu’s with 85+ channels for $64.99 per month.Paramount+: Much (though not all) of Paramount Network’s content can be found on-demand.On-demand: Some Paramount series are available to stream or for purchase on various platforms like Amazon Prime Video.Paramount App: Allows you to watch live but requires third-party login via TV Everywhere. TVs and Devices for Paramount Network
Paramount Network can be streamed on most devices with most streaming services. The equipment you already own is most likely supported.
All of the streaming services we discussed above support these devices:
Amazon Fire TVApple TVChromecast (both in-TV and external devices)Roku.
All smartphones and tablets with Android or iOS are also supported. And all but DirecTV Stream support TVs running Android TV. And web browsers are also universally supported.
Philo and Vidgo don’t support Samsung smart TVs but the other services do. Hulu, FuboTV, and Sling TV also support Vizio and LG smart TVs. They also support Xbox One. Hulu supports other gaming devices.
There are various other devices that are supported. As mentioned above, DirecTV Stream has its own device. If we haven’t mentioned your device, check our streaming reviews for more details.
Wrapping Up
Paramount Network definitely has some great shows you don’t want to miss. And you don’t need to hang on to your cable contract to avoid this.
Just sign up for one of the streaming services discussed here and you can catch all The Last Cowboy you want!
FAQs What kind of shows can I watch on Paramount Network?
In September 2020, ViacomCBS, Paramount’s parent company, announced it would be rebranding Paramount Network yet again to the Paramount Movie Network. In preparation for this, most of the current unscripted reality series that have been the backbone of Paramount’s programming have been either announced as canceled outright or moved to another ViacomCBS station. Hit drama Yellowstone will continue, with Season 3 just wrapped in August, and Season 4 set to start in November.
No further announcement has been made about when programming changes will be coming down, so as of now, several current and recent Paramount original series still featured on their website include:
YellowstoneBar RescueThe Last CowboyInk MasterWife SwapMarriage RescueRest in Power: The Trayvon Martin StoryLip Sync Battle.
Syndicated sitcoms currently airing include:
MomTwo and a Half MenThe OfficeSeinfeldFriends. How do I watch entertainment channels other than Paramount Network without cable?
The following guides will show you how to watch your favorite channels without cable: