We can go on and on about the merits of watching CBS live. There's the evening news, sports events like the Super Bowl and March Madness, sitcoms like Young Sheldon, and solid procedurals like NCIS and its countless spin-offs to look forward to. But we all know the main reason we have to watch CBS live—the reality shows. You can't be the last one to know what happens in the latest season of Survivor, The Amazing Race, or Big Brother. You just can't!
Now, you used to need cable to watch all these. But ever since the coming of cordless alternatives like live TV, it's just as easy to watch CBS and other networks with just an internet connection and a monthly subscription.
To watch CBS live without cable, you can subscribe to any one of the live TV services that carry the channel below. Currently, the cheapest option is Paramount+, which belongs to the same parent company as CBS. It has all of CBS, plus Showtime, but you'll might want to check the other services if you're looking for a more diverse channel lineup. You can learn more about these services below.
Fubo
Designed for the ultimate sports fan, Fubo is an on-demand and live TV service that streams games from multiple leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and the Premier League. You can get up to 215 live channels on your lineup, which includes coverage on RSNs and local stations, though you might have to pay extra if you want premium entertainment channels like Starz and Showtime.
Hulu with Live TV
Combining the best of streaming and cable, Hulu with Live TV pairs Hulu’s original programming like Only Murders in the Building, imports like Normal People, and licensed ABC shows like Modern Family with live TV channels like CNN, CBS, and TCM to give you an all-in-one TV package. The plans start at $77/month (with ads), but for an additional fee, you can upgrade to a bundle that removes commercials and throws in Disney+ and ESPN+ to the mix.
YouTube TV
Often dubbed as the best cordless replacement to cable, YouTube TV is a live TV streaming platform that gives you access to more than 100 channels, sporting events, local channels, unlimited DVR space, and up to three simultaneous streams. But what really gives YouTube TV its edge is customization; depending on your needs, you can easily add premium channels like HBO, sports channels like NFL Redzone, and Spanish channels like Unimas to your preferred lineup.
Fubo Elite
If you're a sports fan looking to cover all your bases, Fubo Elite has more than 256 channels and 130 live events that cover sports of all kinds, from basketball to cricket to golf. Channels include ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and FS2, beIN Sports, NFL Network, all the BIG Networks, and more. Depending on where you live, you should also have all the major local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. Even though Fubo Elite is a notch above the basic tier, with unlimited DVR and simultaneous screens, it still notably does not have Turner channels like CNN, TNT, and TBS.
Paramount+
Paramount+ is an on-demand streaming service packed with original series like the Star Trek reboots, Billions, Yellowstone, and Fraiser, blockbusters like Top Gun and Transformers, and live sports from CBS. The ad-supported plan costs $6/month, while the ad-free plan costs $12/month. The latter includes offline downloads, your local CBS station, and the entirety of Showtime, which is home to fan favorites like Yellowjackets and The Curse.