Free news streaming gets you a surprising amount: 24/7 channels from CBS, ABC and NBC, plus CNN Headlines, BBC News, Sky News and Bloomberg TV+ on services like Pluto TV. What free does not get you is the live CNN, Fox News or MS NOW cable feed, cloud DVR, or fewer ads. Paid options fill those gaps, starting at $6.99 a month for CNN All Access and rising to about $83 a month for YouTube TV, as of October 2026.
Below we compare the two side by side, then show where the free tier is good enough and where paying makes sense.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- Free streams include CBS News 24/7, ABC News Live, NBC News NOW, plus BBC News, Sky News and Bloomberg TV+ on FAST services.
- Free services do not carry the live CNN, Fox News or MS NOW cable feeds.
- Paid options start at $6.99 a month (CNN All Access) and reach about $83 a month (YouTube TV).
Quick verdict
- Free is enough if you want breaking news, headlines and a few hours of live coverage a day.
- Pay for one network if you follow a specific cable show or anchor every day.
- Pay for a bundle only if you also want local stations, sports and a DVR in one app.
Free vs paid at a glance
| Feature | Free news streaming | Paid news streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $6.99 to $99.99+ (as of October 2026) |
| Live CNN, Fox News, MS NOW cable feeds | No | Yes, via direct plans or live-TV services |
| Network streaming channels (CBS News 24/7, ABC News Live, NBC News NOW) | Yes | Yes, often included too |
| International channels (BBC News, Sky News, Bloomberg) | Some, on FAST services | Some, on certain live-TV plans |
| Ads | Ad-supported | Live TV still has ads; on-demand may not |
| Cloud DVR | Rarely | Usually on live-TV services |
| Sign-up | Often none | Account and payment required |
What free news streaming actually includes
Free news comes from two places. First, the networks’ own apps and websites. Second, free ad-supported TV (FAST) services that bundle many channels into a TV-style guide.
Network streaming channels
CBS says its CBS News 24/7 stream is free for anyone online, on its website, apps, streaming devices and smart TVs. ABC calls ABC News Live a free 24/7 channel and lists The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Xumo Play and Pluto TV among its homes. NBC News NOW is NBC’s free streaming channel. CNBC now has a free channel too, although it carries long-form shows rather than live markets, as our CNBC Ambition explainer sets out.
FAST services
FAST services are where free news gets wide. When we checked in October 2026, the Pluto TV news category in the US listed more than 20 channels. These included CBS News 24/7, NBC News NOW, ABC News Live, CNN Headlines and LiveNOW from FOX. It also carried BBC News, Sky News, Bloomberg TV+, Scripps News, Newsmax2 and several local CBS News stations.
Samsung says Samsung TV Plus is fully free and offers 300+ live channels on Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and the web. Roku’s help pages say The Roku Channel carries news 24/7, and a “play the news” voice command opens ABC News live there.
Free international feeds
Some global broadcasters stream their English channels on their own websites. Al Jazeera English, for example, runs a live player at aljazeera.com. Our guide to watching Al Jazeera English live covers its other official outlets.
The catch with free
Free streams are not the cable channels with a different name. CNN Headlines is not the live CNN feed, and LiveNOW from FOX is not Fox News Channel. Free channels also run more ad breaks, and line-ups differ by country. A channel on Pluto TV in the US may not appear on Pluto TV in the UK.
What paying gets you
Paid news streaming splits into two tiers with very different price points.
Tier 1: direct network plans
| Plan | Price (as of October 2026) | Key extra over free |
|---|---|---|
| CNN All Access | $6.99/month or $69.99/year | Live CNN channels, CNN Originals, full CNN.com |
| MS NOW membership | $7.99/month or $79.99/year | Live MS NOW TV feed and exclusive programs |
| FOX One | $19.99/month at its 2025 launch | Fox News, Fox Business, FOX network and FOX Sports channels |
CNN’s subscription page notes that All Access video may differ from what airs on CNN TV. The MS NOW membership launched on September 9, 2026, on its website and mobile apps, according to NewscastStudio.
Tier 2: live-TV streaming services
| Service | Regular price (as of October 2026) | Cable news included |
|---|---|---|
| Sling Orange or Sling Blue | From $45.99/month each | Orange: CNN. Blue: Fox News, MS NOW, HLN |
| YouTube TV News + Entertainment | $62.99/month | CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, CNBC, Fox Business, HLN, Bloomberg, BBC News, Newsmax |
| YouTube TV (main plan) | $82.99/month | The same news channels, plus sports networks |
| Hulu + Live TV | $99.99/month after the intro month | CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, CNBC, ABC News Live |
These services add local stations in many markets, a cloud DVR and dozens of non-news channels. Line-ups vary by ZIP code, and intro prices expire, so check each provider. For a full walkthrough, see how to watch news without cable.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
Five questions to decide between free and paid
- Do you watch named shows or just “the news”? If you want a specific prime-time host, you need that network’s live feed, which means paying.
- How many hours a day do you watch? Light viewers rarely notice the gaps in free channels. Heavy viewers feel the ad load and the repeats.
- Do you need local news? Some local CBS stations stream free on Pluto TV. For other local stations, look at an antenna or a live-TV plan.
- Do you watch on many devices? FAST apps run on most TVs and phones. Paid services also work widely, but some limit simultaneous streams.
- Where do you live? Free and paid line-ups both change by country. Outside the US, see our guide to watching US news abroad.
Three sample setups
The $0 news viewer
Install Pluto TV and one network app, such as CBS News or ABC News. Add Samsung TV Plus if you own a Samsung TV. This covers breaking news, live events and international headlines from BBC News and Sky News on Pluto’s US line-up.
These setups show how far free news streaming can go before you need to pay for anything.
The one-channel loyalist
Keep the free apps and add one direct plan. At $6.99 to $7.99 a month, CNN All Access or the MS NOW membership costs less than most single streaming movie services.
The full replacement
Pick a live-TV service if your household also wants sports and local channels. YouTube TV lists the widest news line-up of the services we checked. Sling is cheaper, but its news channels are split across Orange and Blue.
Where free and paid overlap
Many paid services also carry the free streaming channels. Hulu + Live TV lists ABC News Live, and ABC says YouTube TV, Sling TV and Fubo carry it too. So if you pay for a live-TV service, you may not need separate free apps. The reverse is not true: no free service gives you the full cable news feeds.
Some paid packages already bundle free news streaming channels, so check your line-up before you add another app.
How to get the most out of free news
A little setup makes the free tier far more useful. These steps take about ten minutes.
- Favorite your news channels. Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus and The Roku Channel all use long guides. Marking news channels as favorites saves scrolling.
- Install one network app as a backup. When a big story breaks, the CBS News or ABC News app often has the live stream first.
- Mix US and international feeds. Pair a US network stream with BBC News or Sky News on a FAST service for a second view of world events.
- Check your TV’s built-in service. Samsung, Roku and other TV makers include free channel guides out of the box.
Roku owners can find a device-specific list in our guide to news channels on Roku.
Is free news streaming legal and safe?
Yes, when it comes from official sources. Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel and the networks’ own apps are licensed. Random “free CNN live” sites and unofficial streams are a different story. They are not licensed, and they often carry pop-ups or malware. If a free stream of a paid cable channel seems too good to be true, it is.
See also: where to stream LiveNOW from FOX at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free news streaming service?
It depends on your device. Pluto TV had one of the broadest US news line-ups we checked, with more than 20 news channels. Samsung TV Plus is built into Samsung TVs, and The Roku Channel is built into Roku devices.
Is CNN Headlines the same as CNN?
No. CNN Headlines is a separate streaming channel available on FAST services such as Pluto TV. The live CNN cable channel requires a pay-TV login, a live-TV service or a CNN All Access subscription.
Can I watch BBC News for free in the US?
Yes. Since October 15, 2026, the BBC News channel has streamed live for free on the official BBC News YouTube channel in the US. Pluto TV also listed a BBC News channel in its US news category as of October 2026. YouTube TV also lists BBC News on some paid plans. Availability can change, so check the app.
Do paid live-TV services have ads?
Yes, live channels still run their normal commercial breaks. Hulu says its no-ads option applies only to its on-demand library, not to Live TV channels.
What is the cheapest paid news streaming option?
Among the plans we checked, CNN All Access at $6.99 a month was the cheapest way to get a live cable news network, as of October 2026. The MS NOW membership was $7.99 a month.
Can I switch between free and paid easily?
Yes. Most direct network plans and live-TV services are monthly with no long contract. Many viewers keep free apps all year and subscribe to a paid plan only during busy news periods, such as elections.
Sources
- Pluto TV: News + Opinion channels (US)
- Samsung: Samsung TV Plus
- Roku Support: How to find news on Roku
- CBS News: About CBS News 24/7
- ABC News: About ABC News Live
- Al Jazeera English: Live
- CNN: Subscription plans
- NewscastStudio: MS NOW launches membership
- TV Tech: FOX One launch and pricing
- YouTube TV: Compare plans
- Sling TV: Compare plans
- Hulu + Live TV
