One of the major concerns people have before cutting the cord is potentially losing access to live sports. But the great thing about live TV streaming services is that you never lose that access. Minus the contracts and complications of cable, these streaming services connect you to a host of live channels, including ESPN. 

So not only can you watch the latest SportsCenter takes and NFL, NBA, MLB, and college sports matches without a cord, you can also do so for free.

To watch ESPN without spending a dime, you can sign up for any one of the free trials offered by the live TV streaming services below. They have their own pros, cons, and unique channel lineups, but for the most part, the trials last five to seven days. You have to remember to cancel by then, otherwise, you’ll be charged the regular monthly fee. 

ESPN Free Trial on DIRECTV Stream

Price: $86.99/month • 5 days free trial • Total channels: 75-150+ • On-demand: Yes • DVR limits: Unlimited, 9 mo. expiration • Profiles per account: 5 • Simultaneous at-home streams: 3 • Picture-in-picture: Yes • Multiview: Yes

Try DIRECTV Stream free for 5 days

Cancel within 5 days and pay $0.

This complete cord-cutting package from the legacy satellite brand offers news, sports, family-oriented channels, and tops it off with local networks such as ABC and NBC affiliates. They offer a decent 5 day trial, which you can cancel by getting in touch with them. This trial applies to all their packages: Entertainement, which is the base package and includes ESPN, Choice, which includes more sports channels like Tennis and ESPNU, Ultimate, and Premiere which includes HBO, Starz, and Cinemax.

See the full DIRECTV Stream channel lineup

A&E, ABC, ACC Network, AccuWeather, AMC, American Heroes, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Aspire, AXS TV, BabyFirst, BBC America, BBC News, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bounce, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, Cleo TV, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNN En Español, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, daystar, Destination America, Directv 4K, Directv 4K Live 1, Directv 4K Live 2, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, Earthx TV, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FanDuel TV, FM, FMC, Food Network, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, Fuse, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, FYI, Great American Family, Grit, Hallmark Channel, HBO, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, HLN, Hogar de HGTV, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Jewelry TV, Justice Central, Lifetime, LMN, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, Newsmax, Newsmax TV, NewsNation, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Origin Sports, Ovation, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS Kids, Pop, PowerNation, Pursuit, QVC, QVC2, QVC3, Reelz, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, Science Channel, Scientology Network, SEC Network, Shop LC, ShortsTV, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, SportsGrid, Sportsman Channel, Starz, Starz Encore, Starz Encore Action, Starz Encore Black, Starz Encore Classic, Starz Encore Family, Starz Encore Suspense, Starz Encore Westerns, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Tennis Channel, The Design Network, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Tru TV, TUDN, TV Land, TV One, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, UPtv, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv

How to start your DirecTV Stream free trial

ESPN is on the base Entertainment package, circled here. The red ESPN logo sits in the Includes row of the Entertainment card ($86.99/mo after the trial), and every tier above it carries ESPN too.
One thing to check first: channel availability depends on your ZIP, so confirm your local and regional ESPN feeds with DirecTV's channel lookup before you sign up. The free trial runs 5 days, so set a reminder right after you join.
Source: directv.com/stream, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.
A cheap alternative (not currently offering free trial):

ESPN on Sling TV

Price: $45.99/month • Total channels: 100+ • On-demand: 40,000+ Movies/Shows • DVR limits: Unlimited, 9 mo. expiration • Profiles per account: 6 • Simultaneous at-home streams: 3 • Picture-in-picture: Yes • Multiview: Yes

Go to Sling TV

DirecTV Stream is a streaming service that offers everything from live TV, local channels, on-demand films, sports packages, and even premium cable networks like HBO and Starz for an additional fee. Its plans, which start at $70/month, are on the pricier side of live TV, but that’s because it offers unlimited DVR and streams on top of at least 75 channels, depending on the plan you pick.

See the full Sling TV channel lineup

A&E, ABC, ACC Network, AccuWeather, AMC, American Heroes, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Aspire, AXS TV, BabyFirst, BBC America, BBC News, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bounce, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, Cleo TV, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNN En Español, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, daystar, Destination America, Directv 4K, Directv 4K Live 1, Directv 4K Live 2, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, Earthx TV, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FanDuel TV, FM, FMC, Food Network, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, Fuse, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, FYI, Great American Family, Grit, Hallmark Channel, HBO, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, HLN, Hogar de HGTV, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Jewelry TV, Justice Central, Lifetime, LMN, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, Newsmax, Newsmax TV, NewsNation, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Origin Sports, Ovation, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS Kids, Pop, PowerNation, Pursuit, QVC, QVC2, QVC3, Reelz, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, Science Channel, Scientology Network, SEC Network, Shop LC, ShortsTV, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, SportsGrid, Sportsman Channel, Starz, Starz Encore, Starz Encore Action, Starz Encore Black, Starz Encore Classic, Starz Encore Family, Starz Encore Suspense, Starz Encore Westerns, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Tennis Channel, The Design Network, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Tru TV, TUDN, TV Land, TV One, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, UPtv, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv

How to subscribe to Sling (ESPN rides with Sling Orange, no free trial)

Click See all plans. Sling's homepage pitches live TV from $19.99/mo. Sling doesn't run a free trial like the others, so there's no trial button; See all plans takes you straight to the plan grid.
For ESPN you want Sling Orange ($45.99/mo), the sports-leaning lineup that carries ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. Sling Blue does not include ESPN, so don't pick Blue if ESPN is why you're here. No free trial, but the half-off first month promo Sling runs year-round drops your first bill to about $23.
Source: sling.com, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.

ESPN Free Trial on Fubo

Price: $73.99/month • 7 days free trial • Total channels: 100+ • On-demand: Yes • DVR limits: 1000 hours • Profiles per account: 6 • Simultaneous at-home streams: 3-10 • Picture-in-picture: Yes • Multiview: Yes

Try Fubo free for 7 days

Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.

As the streaming service scuplted for live sports fans, Fubo TV is a staple in the cord-cutting world. They currently offer a 7 day trial to any of their plans, with just the base including ESPN, Fox Sports, Bein Sports, TNT - basically, all you need to watch almost any sport. If you cancel within the first 7 days, you will not be charged.

See the full Fubo channel lineup

A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Animal Planet, Bein Sports, beIN Sports en Español, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, Estrella TV, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, IFC, INSP, Investigation Discovery, ION, Ion Mystery, Local Now, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Tastemade, TBD, Telemundo, The CW, The Weather Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra4, TUDNxtra5, TUDNxtra6, TUDNxtra7, TUDNxtra8, TUDNxtra9, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America

How to start your Fubo free trial

ESPN sits right in Fubo's channel wall, and the orange Start free trial button is your way in. Fubo leads with a grid of its channels, and the ESPN networks ride the base Pro plan ($73.99/mo after the trial).
Fubo asks for a card before the trial starts, but nothing is charged until the trial ends. Pro already carries the ESPN family, so you don't need a higher tier just for ESPN.
Source: fubo.tv, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.
Click Next to begin. Fubo opens its signup with a plain welcome screen, marked Step 1 of 3. There's nothing to fill in here; it's just the entry point before the account and plan steps.
Source: fubo.tv, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.
Enter your email, a password, and your ZIP code, then hit Confirm. This is where Fubo creates your account. The note on the right is the part that matters: your ZIP code determines which plans and channels you get, including which regional ESPN feeds and RSNs show up.
After this step Fubo shows the plan picker. The base Pro plan already includes ESPN, so you don't need to upgrade.
Source: fubo.tv, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.

ESPN Free Trial on Hulu with Live TV

Price: $82.99/month • 3 days free trial • Total channels: 85+ • On-demand: Yes • DVR limits: Unlimited, 9 mo. expiration • Profiles per account: 6 • Simultaneous at-home streams: 2 • Picture-in-picture: Yes • Multiview: No

Try Hulu with Live TV free for 3 days

Cancel within 3 days and pay $0.

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.

See the full Hulu with Live TV channel lineup

A&E, ABC, ABC Localish, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Discovery en Español, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, HLN, Investigation Discovery, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, LMN, Localish, Military History Channel, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, NASA, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC News Now, NBCLX, NewsNation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, Telemundo, The CW, The Grio, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land, Universal Kids, USA, VH1, Vice

How to start your Hulu + Live TV free trial

Make sure you're on the Hulu + Live TV page, not regular Hulu. The page you want is the green hulu + LIVE TV one at hulu.com/live-tv, with the TRY 3 DAYS FREE button. Plain Hulu is on-demand only and does not carry ESPN.
The deal here is the bundle: Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN for $89.99/mo, and the full ESPN family is part of the Live TV lineup. Click Start your free trial. The trial is short at 3 days, so set a reminder.
Source: hulu.com/live-tv, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.

ESPN Free Trial on YouTube TV

Price: $82.99/month • 7 days free trial • Total channels: 100+ • On-demand: Yes • DVR limits: Unlimited, 9 mo. expiration • Profiles per account: 6 • Simultaneous at-home streams: 3 • Picture-in-picture: Yes • Multiview: Yes

Try YouTube TV free for 7 days

Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.

The most popular cord-cutting streaming service, with ESPN, ABC, CBS, and more includes a generous 7 day trial. Youtube TV doesn't usually charge until the trial period ends, which means you can get it, and if you choose to cancel within 7 days, you don't get charged. If you do get charged during the trial period for whatever reason, Youtube will issue a refund. This means you try get the base package, the Spanish package, or the NFL Sunday Ticket and cancel at anytime for free.

See the full YouTube TV channel lineup

ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, NewsNation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, TCM, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telemundo, The CW, The Great Courses, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, WE tv

How to start your YouTube TV free trial

Click TRY IT 21 DAYS FOR $0 in the top-right. YouTube TV is running a 21-day free trial right now, longer than anything else on this page. The CTA sits in the header in white text on blue.
ESPN is on the main YouTube TV plan ($82.99/mo after the trial), which is the one you want. Signing up routes you through Google sign-in and a ZIP prompt that sets your local channels and regional ESPN feeds.
Source: tv.youtube.com, screenshot taken on June 8, 2026.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Philo?

Not Possible. Philo does not carry ESPN and does not offer a trial.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Amazon Prime?

Not Possible. Amazon Prime does offer a free trial but it unfortunately it does not carry ESPN.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Fubo?

Possible. You can get a ESPN free trial with Fubo. Fubo offers a 7 day trial for ESPN, after which you will be charged $73.99/month.

Try Fubo free for 7 days

Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Hulu with Live TV?

Possible. You can get a ESPN free trial with Hulu with Live TV. Hulu with Live TV offers a 3 day trial for ESPN, after which you will be charged $82.99/month.

Try Hulu with Live TV free for 3 days

Cancel within 3 days and pay $0.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with YouTube TV?

Possible. You can get a ESPN free trial with YouTube TV. YouTube TV offers a 7 day trial for ESPN, after which you will be charged $82.99/month.

Try YouTube TV free for 7 days

Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Peacock?

Not Possible. Peacock does not carry ESPN and does not offer a trial.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Paramount+?

Not Possible. Paramount+ does offer a free trial but it unfortunately it does not carry ESPN.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Frndly TV?

Not Possible. Frndly TV does offer a free trial but it unfortunately it does not carry ESPN.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with DIRECTV Stream?

Possible. You can get a ESPN free trial with DIRECTV Stream. DIRECTV Stream offers a 5 day trial for ESPN, after which you will be charged $86.99/month.

Try DIRECTV Stream free for 5 days

Cancel within 5 days and pay $0.

Can you get a ESPN free trial with Sling TV?

Not Possible. Sling TV carries ESPN but does not offer a free trial.