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Whether you’re part of Bachelor Nation or can’t go a Monday without football, you’re likely wondering how to watch ABC to follow all of your favorite shows and sports. This includes the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.
Founded in May 1943 by Edward J. Noble and Louis Blanche, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American commercial broadcast television network currently owned by The Walt Disney Company. It launched into radio in 1943 and television in 1948. ABC also has eight owned-and-operated stations and over 230 affiliated television stations in the United States and its territories. In terms of the ABC television network, you’ll find 89 hours of regularly scheduled network programming each week, plus 22 hours of primetime programming to affiliated stations. Big names on ABC include The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, Abbott Elementary, and Shark Tank, among others.
ABC additionally features daytime programming with talk shows like The View and GMA3: What You Need to Know, alongside soap opera General Hospital. As for ABC News programming, catch Good Morning America, nightly editions of ABC World News Tonight, This Week, and more. For all of the night owls out there, tune into Jimmy Kimmel Live! late at night during the week.
Calling all sports fans, ABC has got you covered for this type of programming too. Disney has scheduled most of its sports right on ESPN networks until 2020. Since 2020, ESPN has aired sports telecasts and some simulcasts, along with exclusive games of ESPN Monday Night Football broadcasts, on ABC. You’ll find NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB games. On top of all that, ABC broadcasts specials such as the Academy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, American Music Awards, and the Country Music Association Awards.
So how can viewers get started with this wide range of offerings? Keep reading for how to watch ABC live for free to see your favorite shows and games.
How to watch ABC live for free
ABC is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, which starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends (with $10 off your first three months). Fubo offers a seven-day free trial, which starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends. While Hulu+ With Live TV doesn’t have a free trial, it is cheaper per month than the other options, starting at $68.99 per month, and offers plans that include free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.
Best Overall Pick to Watch ABC: DirecTV Stream
Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch ABC live for free for its free trial, price (including its current deal), and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial and has a current deal where new subscribers can receive $10 off their first three months. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $74.99 per month with the first three months at $64.99 per month; Choice, which costs $99.99 per month with the first three months at $89.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $109.99 per month with the first three months at $99.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $154.99 per month with the first three months at $144.99 per month.
As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch ABC with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.
- Visit streamtv.directv.com
- Click “Shop Packages”
- Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ABC and start watching
Best Free Trial Pick to Watch ABC: Fubo
Fubo is our best free trial pick to watch ABC live for free. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial (two days longer than DirecTV Stream) and offers three plans: Pro, which costs $74.99 per month; Elite, which costs $84.99 per month; and Ultimate, which costs $99.99 per month.
As for the difference between the plans, Pro includes 180 channels, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 screens at once. Elite includes everything in Pro, as well as a total of 256 channels and 4K resolution. Ultimate includes everything in Pro and Elite, as well as a total of 299 channels, Showtime, and Red Zone NFL Network. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch ABC with Fubo’s free trial.
- Visit Fubo.TV
- Click “Start Free Trial”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ABC and start watching
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch ABC: Hulu+ Live TV
Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch ABC based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch ABC with Hulu+ Live TV.
- Visit Hulu.com/liveTV
- Click “Sign Up Now”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ABC and start watching
ABC Programming
Here’s a full list of ABC’s program offerings:
Most popular right now, according to ABC
Dramas
- Grey’s Anatomy
- The Good Doctor
- Station 19
- The Rookie
- Will Trent
Comedies
- The Conners
- Abbott Elementary
- Not Dead Yet
- Docuseries
- Superstar
Reality/non-scripted
- America’s Funniest Home Videos
- The Bachelor
- The Bachelorette
- Dancing with the Stars
- Shark Tank
- The Great Christmas Light Fight
- Bachelor in Paradise
- American Idol
- Judge Steve Harvey
- Claim to Fame
- The Parent Test
- The Prank Panel
- The Golden Bachelor
Specials
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
- Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve
- Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
- CMA Music Festival
- Prep & Landing
- CMA Country Christmas
- Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
- Toy Story of Terror!
- Toy Story That Time Forgot
- The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration
- Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
- Mickey Saves Christmas
- Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions)
Game shows
- Celebrity Family Feud
- The $100,000 Pyramid
- Press Your Luck
- Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
- The Chase
- Generation Gap
- Celebrity Jeopardy!
- Jeopardy! Masters
Soap operas
Awards shows
- American Music Awards
- Academy Awards
- Country Music Association Awards
- ESPY Awards
Talk shows
- The View
- GMA3: What You Need to Know
Late night shows
News
- ABC World News Tonight
- Good Morning America
- 20/20
- Nightline
- This Week
- America This Morning
- World News Now
Saturday morning
- Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown
- Outback Adventures with Tim Faulkner
- Rock the Park
- Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin
- Oh Baby! with Anji Corley
Film presentations
- The Ten Commandments
- The Sound of Music
- ABC Saturday Movie of the Week
ESPN programming
