Since its establishment in the 19th century, the National Geographic Society has consistently been at the forefront of telling the stories of our world. Through the society’s magazines, websites, and maybe most commonly its TV channel, we’ve come to know so much more about ourselves, the Earth, the creatures we share it with, and the galaxies beyond it.
And sure, docuseries like Lost Cities, Cosmos, Cesar Millan, and The Story of God (hosted by Morgan Freeman!) are vital parts of what make Nat Geo tick, but every now and then, the channel also airs original period dramas with surprisingly high-quality production value, like the anthology series Genius, for instance, or the award-winning A Small Light. Equal parts educational and entertaining, the channel itself is a staple in any household with a TV.
Now, you used to need cable to access Nat Geo. But these days, you only need an internet connection. You don’t even have to pay to watch the channel—at least not immediately.
To watch Nat Geo for free, you can sign up for any of the free trials offered by the live TV streaming services below. The trials vary in length by service, so make sure you cancel before the trial ends. If you’re happy with the service, however, you can continue watching and you’ll be charged monthly at the regular price, also detailed below.
National Geographic 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
Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.
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, MS NOW, 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
National Geographic 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
Sling TV is a relatively affordable and wide-ranging live TV streaming service that has three main plans: the family-friendly Sling Orange, the sports-and-news-focused Sling Blue, and the comprehensive Sling Orange + Blue. The latter has a total of 46 channels, including IFC, TNT, and MGM, plus cloud DVR and simultaneous streams. You can also add multiple add-ons, like the Sports Extra, the News Extra, and the International Extra, to enhance your base package.
See the full Sling 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, MS NOW, 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
National Geographic Free Trial on Fubo
Price: $88.99/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
Cancel within 7 days and pay $0.
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, Comedy Central, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, 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, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, IFC, INSP, Investigation Discovery, ION, Ion Mystery, Local Now, MotorTrend, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, OWN, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, 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, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America
National Geographic 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
Cancel within 5 days and pay $0.
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, MS NOW, 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
National Geographic Free Trial on Hulu with Live TV
Price: $89.99/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
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 base plan comes 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, MS NOW, 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
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Philo?
Not Possible. Philo offers a free trial but does not carry National Geographic.
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Amazon Prime?
Not Possible. Amazon Prime offers a free trial but does not carry National Geographic.
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Peacock?
Not Possible. Peacock does not carry National Geographic and does not offer a trial.
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Paramount+?
Not Possible. Paramount+ does not carry National Geographic and does not offer a trial.
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Frndly TV?
Not Possible. Frndly TV offers a free trial but does not carry National Geographic.
Can you get a National Geographic free trial with Sling TV?
Not Possible. Sling TV carries National Geographic but does not offer a free trial.