How to Watch the CW without Cable in 2024

The CW has been a beloved television network since it first burst onto the scene all the way back in September of 2006, and has featured many favorite shows for fans of drama or superheroes.

The fall of cable has been widely publicized in recent years, and whether it is because of rising costs every month or a lack of content in comparison to what most streaming services are now offering, most households are looking to bolt away from the suffocating cable contracts and ready to explore their options.

With shows like Riverdale, Flash, and Supergirl, fans of those shows understandably want to find a streaming service that will allow them to continue watching their favorite shows without delay.

A fear many have when dropping cable, however, is potentially losing out on their favorite channels, and in the particular case of The CW, there are many alternatives to cable to watch your favorite shows without having to pay for cable. Let’s take a look at some other options.

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Youtube TV

The popular internet video platform has switched gears in recent years to producing their own unique brand of television content, as well as many carry-overs from Cable. Luckily for The CW fans, Youtube’s streaming service includes the channel in it’s base package, meaning no hidden fees or extensions to watch The CW.

Pricing and Channels

For $64.99 a month, subscribers to the streaming service will get over 85 channels, including popular channels like:

ABC
Fox
NBC
NFL Network
HGTV
ESPN
Nickelodeon

Compatible Devices

The service is also compatible with most devices, meaning that if you’re watching on:

Roku
Android
iOS
Chromecast and Chromecast compatible Televisions

This is pretty solid for a streaming service, and the added versatility to watch The CW on your phone or tablet regardless of whether you have an iPhone or Android phone is a big plus.

Hulu

Hulu’s live television package has long been considered one of the best available, with excellent bang for your buck, especially if you’re a big sports fan. Hulu also has arguably the best selection of live TV and On-Demand, making it a big player in the streaming game.

Before 2020, The CW was only available on the platform in the form of On-Demand viewing, but recently Hulu has added the station to its roster of over 97 channels, making it a great way to watch the shows you love whether they’re on right now or not.

Compatible Devices

For $54.99 monthly, you get access to a mix of different channels and can watch it in a variety of different ways, like if you’re in your living room:

Roku
Apple TV
Chromecast
Amazon Fire TV

Or if you want to watch it on your gaming console:

Nintendo Switch
Xbox
Playstation

Or if you’re on a mobile device or computer:

iOS
Android
Almost all Browsers

Hulu makes it super easy to watch The CW anywhere and in anyway, making it a great choice for anyone looking to ditch Cable. Hulu’s On-Demand library is second to only maybe Netflix right now, and includes all of the CW’s library.

Netflix

Speaking of Netflix, they were a great way to watch The CW, but only in an On-Demand capacity. Netflix has not yet stepped into the live-streaming game, and it looks like they might be staying out of that battle.

Netflix and The CW recently decided to let their deal end without renewing the contract, and so no new CW content will be arriving to the platform, which is a bummer since at under $20 a month, it used to be the most cost-efficient way to watch CW shows. The good news is that The CW shows will still remain on the app, and so anything up until 2018/2019 will remain on the app, at least for a while.

fuboTV

Fubo has more local CW affiliates than any other streaming services right now, and a recent announcement made by Fubo revealed that they now have the rights to play The CW in 9 markets, meaning no matter where you are you most likely will be able to get The CW by paying for their basic package.

Packages

fuboTV has three packages:

Family- $64.99
Family with Showtime- $74.99
Ultra- $84.99

All three packages include The CW, and so the decision will come down to what you want in a streaming service. The Family package includes:

Over 114 Channels
3 simultaneous streams
500 hours of DVR space
ESPN

The Family with Showtime includes:

114 channels
2 simultaneous streams
500 hours of DVR space
ESPN
Showtime

Finally, the Ultra is the most premium offer:

196 channels
3 simultaneous streams
500 hours of DVR space
ESPN
Showtime
Sports package

All three packages offer a little something different, but if you are looking for a cost-friendly alternative to cable, then I would strongly recommend the Family package, which includes over 114 channels and a better selection of local broadcast networks than most of its competitors.

fuboTV used to be pretty weak in terms of simultaneous streams, but they now offer up to 3 streams running at a time, which makes them much more competitive in that aspect. They also offer several different ways to watch including:

Compatible Devices

iOS and Android
Roku
Amazon Fire TV
Chromecast

AT&T TV

While AT&T may have upped their prices recently, they are still very much a competitive option if you are looking to watch The CW. They offer two plans, both of which offer the channel in their package.

Plus- $55 monthly
- More than 45 channels
- 3 simultaneous streams
- 500 hours of DVR space
- HBO and Showtime
Max-$80 monthly
- More than 60 channels
- 3 simultaneous streams
- 500 hours of DVR space
- HBO Max

HBO Max makes the Max deal pretty appealing, since the app has exciting exclusive content like Godzilla Vs. Kong and The Justice League, but for the purpose of watching The CW either will work. Right now you can watch AT&T’s streaming service via:

Compatible Devices

Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Roku
Android and iOS tablets and phones
The Chrome and Safari browsers

AT&T is lacking in terms of being able to access the app via smart television devices, but a Roku or Firestick can easily remedy this. They also have an On-Demand service, but don’t expect something like what Hulu or Netflix are currently able to offer.