How to watch the NFL season cheaply without a full cable package
With the NFL season starting September 9, cord-cutters have several cheaper ways to follow games, though truly complete access to every matchup still comes at a steep price.
The NFL season kicks off on September 9, and viewers who have cut cable are looking for affordable ways to keep up with their teams without breaking the bank.
The cheapest option overall is an over-the-air (OTA) digital antenna, which lets viewers watch local market games for free after a one-time hardware cost ranging from about $15 to $150, with no ongoing subscription fee.
Streaming choices
For streaming, the least expensive option is an NFL+ subscription at $6.99 per month, though that tier only allows viewing on a phone or tablet — watching on a TV requires the $14.99 monthly plan. Fans of AFC teams can add Paramount+'s $8.99 Essential Plan for regional Sunday afternoon games and Peacock's $12.99 Premium plan for Sunday Night Football, while NFC fans need FOX One at $19.99 per month.
Getting access to all 285 regular-season and postseason games costs considerably more. Full live-TV streaming packages such as YouTube TV ($54.99/month), Hulu + Live TV ($89.99/month), Fubo ($64.99/month) or Sling ($45.99 to $60.99) offer broader coverage, but out-of-market games require an additional NFL Sunday Ticket add-on, priced at $240 per season for new YouTube TV subscribers.
A budget-friendly combination
A more cost-effective approach combines an OTA antenna for local games with a premium NFL+ subscription, which also includes NFL RedZone. Thursday Night Football requires Amazon Prime Video, either through an existing Prime membership or a standalone $8.99 monthly plan, and some of those games are also streamed free on Twitch. International and holiday games this season are spread across several networks — Netflix will carry the Christmas games, Thanksgiving games will air on CBS, Fox and NBC, and Prime Video will handle the Black Friday matchup. The Super Bowl will air on ESPN and ABC.
Overall, there is no single cheap way to watch every NFL game, but pairing an antenna with select streaming subscriptions can significantly cut costs compared to a full live-TV package.
