September 2026
By the PickMyStream Editorial Desk. Prices and availability as of September 2026.
How to stream ESPN without cable in 2026
Cutting the cord used to mean giving up live sports. Not anymore. ESPN now sells its channels and its streaming content directly to you, no cable subscription required, and the choice comes down to two plans with two very different jobs.
This guide breaks down ESPN streaming the honest way. What ESPN Select actually carries, what ESPN Unlimited adds, what each costs as of September 26, 2026, the devices that run the app, and the bundles where ESPN Unlimited already comes attached to something you might buy anyway. By the end you will know exactly which plan matches how you watch.
The two ESPN plans, explained
ESPN sells two plans direct, and the names tell you less than the contents do. ESPN Select is $13.99 monthly or $139.99 a year, as of September 26, 2026. This is the plan built entirely from ESPN+ content. Top-tier soccer, PGA TOUR, NHL, college sports and a selection of other ESPN programming. If you remember ESPN+, this is where that content lives now.
One thing Select does not do is carry the ESPN cable channel itself. The networks’ live broadcasts and studio shows like SportsCenter sit in Unlimited, not here. Select is for the streaming-first sports fan who wants soccer, golf and college coverage without paying for the full channel lineup.
ESPN Unlimited is the bigger swing at $31.99 monthly or $319.99 a year, as of September 26, 2026. It includes all of the ESPN networks plus ESPN+: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, SEC Network+, ACC Network Extra, NFL Network and CW Sports.
If you signed up before August 20, 2026, ESPN says you keep your old price until your first billing date after September 17, 2026. Worth checking your account if you are a longtime subscriber before you assume the new numbers apply to you.
What ESPN Unlimited actually carries
This is the plan that replaces cable for most sports households. ESPN lists NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, tennis and golf majors, WWE, and SEC, ACC and Big 12 football and basketball. The studio shows are here too: SportsCenter, First Take and College GameDay.
Postseason is where Unlimited earns its price. ESPN lists postseason coverage from the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLB and the College Football Playoff. That is a full calendar of live sports, not a highlights service.
One caveat matters if you activate through a TV provider rather than buying direct. ESPN notes that when Unlimited is activated through a provider, content the provider does not carry may be missing. Buying direct from ESPN avoids that gap.
The devices that run ESPN
ESPN's app is nearly everywhere. Per ESPN's supported devices page, it runs on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th generation and later), Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox and Android TV, plus smart TVs from Hisense, LG webOS, Samsung Tizen and Vizio SmartCast, along with Xumo TV and the XiOne Box.
It also reaches into existing provider hardware: Xfinity Flex and X1 boxes and Cox Contour. On the go, the ESPN app covers iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire tablets, Windows 10 and 11 computers, and any modern web browser.
In short, if you own a recent smart TV or one of the mainstream streaming devices above, you can watch. There is no special box to buy just for ESPN.
Where ESPN Unlimited comes bundled
You do not always have to buy ESPN on its own. Per Disney's bundle page, read September 26, 2026, the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle is $35.99 monthly, pairing Disney+ with ads, Hulu with ads and ESPN Unlimited with ads. The Premium version is $44.99 monthly, which drops the ads on Disney+ and Hulu while keeping ESPN Unlimited with ads.
Hulu's help center also notes that its Hulu + Live TV plans, other than the Español plans, include the full ESPN Unlimited experience inside the ESPN app. So a live-TV subscription you already have may cover it.
ESPN Unlimited comes included with Spectrum Stream TV Signature ($100/mo for 1 year; standard rates apply after), and with Stream TV Pro and Stream TV VIP. Spectrum Internet is required and sold separately; Internet 100 is $20/mo for 2 years with a Spectrum TV plan.
Signature also carries 150+ live channels alongside its other included apps, among them HBO Max Basic With Ads, the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, Paramount+ Essential, Peacock Premium with Ads and FOX One. These apps come at no extra charge with the plan.
Which plan is right for you
Start with a simple question: do you need the ESPN channel? If your must-watch list is soccer, PGA TOUR, NHL and college coverage from the ESPN+ library, ESPN Select at $13.99 monthly does the job and keeps your bill low.
If you want the full menu, the NFL and NBA, SportsCenter and First Take, and every postseason ESPN carries, Unlimited is the only tier that delivers it. From there, do the math on how you already watch. If you would buy Disney+ and Hulu anyway, the bundle at $35.99 monthly may cost less than buying everything separately.
And if you want live channels beyond sports without stitching apps together, a TV plan that already includes ESPN Unlimited can be the cleaner total. The right answer is whichever combination costs you the least for what you actually watch.
Common questions
Is ESPN+ gone in 2026?
The content is still there. ESPN Select is the plan made entirely of ESPN+ content: top-tier soccer, PGA TOUR, NHL, college sports and a selection of other ESPN programming. ESPN+ is also part of ESPN Unlimited alongside the full network lineup.
Does ESPN Select include the ESPN channel?
No. ESPN Select is built from ESPN+ content and does not carry the ESPN cable channel itself. To get ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the other networks, you need ESPN Unlimited, which is $31.99 monthly or $319.99 a year as of September 26, 2026.
Can I watch ESPN on Roku?
Yes. Per ESPN's supported devices page, the app runs on Roku, along with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th generation and later), Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox and smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Vizio, Hisense and others.
Is ESPN Unlimited included with Spectrum?
Yes. ESPN Unlimited comes included with Spectrum Stream TV Signature ($100/mo for 1 year; standard rates apply after), and with Stream TV Pro and Stream TV VIP. Spectrum Internet is required and sold separately; Internet 100 is $20/mo for 2 years with a Spectrum TV plan.
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