How To Watch Investigation Discovery Without Cable: Your Best Options

If you want to watch Investigation Discovery live online without cable, some of the best platforms to do this include TVision Vibe, Philo, Sling Blue and Vidgo. However, before choosing a plan, its important to consider the pros and cons of each platform so you can get the most out of your chosen platform.

When Investigation Discovery first launched in 2008, it quickly grabbed interest because of its crime stories. With a plethora of true crime documentaries under its name, it has quickly become the 24^th most-viewed television network of 2020.

However, it is still a cable network. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, paying a large cable bill for many people is not an option.

Does TVision Vibe Have Investigation Discovery

• $10 a month
• 30+ Channels
• No Free Trial

If you are a T-Mobile or legacy Sprint postpaid customer, you can get Investigation Discovery through TVision Vibe for only $10 a month. You can add the service to your existing T-Mobile account either through their website or their T-Mobile app.

Alongside other Discovery-owned networks like HGTV and Animal Planet, you also get BET, AMC, MTV and SundanceTV.

However, TVision Vibe’s channel lineup mostly consists of entertainment and lifestyle channels. T-Mobile’s other plan, TVision Live, carries sports and news networks but not Investigation Discovery.

To get channels like CNN, NBC and ESPN, you will need to subscribe to TVision Live and TVision Vibe. The Live plan currently costs $40 a month.

Additionally, TVision Vibe does not carry any local networks, which helps keep subscriptions lower. You can work around this issue by purchasing a decent antenna. With the service’s low price, you can couple it with other subscriptions to fill the content gaps.

If you want to know more about local networks and antennas, we have multiple articles on the subject on our website. You can read them here.

Premium networks are available for purchase. You can add each premium network individually for an extra cost:

1. STARZ – $8.99/mo
2. SHOWTIME – $10.99/mo
3. EPIX – $5.99/mo

As mentioned, you need to be a T-Mobile customer or a legacy Sprint postpaid customer to signup to TVision Vibe or Live. However, T-Mobile plans to make the service available for everyone soon.  

However, you can only stream TVision Vibe on mobile devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV and Amazon Fire TV. It is currently unsupported by Roku, Samsung TV, LG TV, gaming consoles and web browsers. It is worth noting the service is still in its infancy, so the number of supported devices may increase over time.

With TVision Vibe, you can simultaneously stream on up to two devices. But if you pair Vibe with the Live plan, you get a maximum of three concurrent streams.

TVision Vibe requires an additional $5 a month for the service’s 100-hour DVR storage. You can get this feature for free by subscribing to TVision Live.

Like other streaming services, you can fast forward and skip through recordings. A unique feature about the service’s DVR is you can extend recordings by 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes. This function ensures you don’t miss anything from your favorite shows.

If you plan on getting both plans, keep in mind the DVR is unavailable for Disney-owned networks.

T-Mobile is currently not offering free trials for both plans. You need to sign up to try the service. Fortunately, you can cancel anytime since there are no contracts or hidden fees.

Does Philo Have Investigation Discovery

• $20 a month
• 60+ Channels
• 7-Day Free Trial

Like TVision Vibe, Philo does have Investigation Discovery. But it lacks local or sports networks like ESPN, which is why it only costs $20 a month. Again, we recommend purchasing a quality antenna to watch regional sports and news.

Despite this issue, Philo’s channel offering is a top contender in the entertainment and lifestyle networks. Besides Investigation Discovery, you also get access to 60+ channels, including Crime + Investigation, Law & Crime, A&E, BBC America and TLC.

Philo offers premium networks as well. For $6 and $9 a month, you can get EPIX and STARZ, respectively. However, if you are looking to customize your streaming experience, you won’t get more from Philo.

But like TVision Vibe, the service’s low price allows you to subscribe to another streaming service. This way, you can pair Philo with another streaming platform to augment the service.

Philo does make up for its lack of customization options with its on-demand library. If you have a busy schedule, the service allows you to catch up on past episodes and movies. Rest assured you will find hours upon hours of entertainment through this feature.

You still must sit through advertisements. They are only a minute or two long, but you can’t skip them. However, you can pause, rewind and fast-forward through shows.

If you want to skip commercials, you have the option to fast-forward if you are watching a recording. Philo offers unlimited DVR, which allows you to record and watch shows for later viewing. The feature gives you enough time to catch up on missed shows before automatically deleting your recordings after 30 days.

Unfortunately, some shows are unavailable for recording. If you can’t record a particular show, you will receive a “Recording Disabled” notice.

Philo offers enough options to make sure you don’t miss anything from your favorite shows. If you can’t record a show or watch them on-demand, the service has a 72-hour playback feature.

For households with multiple viewers, Philo permits three streams at the same time. You and your family can watch your favorite shows on mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and web browsers.

Additionally, Philo has a unique verification process. You don’t need to type a password. Instead, the service sends you a six-digit code through your email address or phone number. This process acts like two-factor authentication, which is safer than the traditional means.

For new subscribers, Philo offers a 7-day free trial. You need to provide your contact and billing information to sign up. If you are unsatisfied with your experience with Philo, you can cancel the service before the trial or subscription expires. Like other streaming services, there are no cancellation fees.

Is Investigation Discovery on Sling

• $30 a month
• 45+ Channels
• 3-Day Free Trial

Investigation Discovery is on Sling Blue. Sling Blue offers fewer channels than Philo for $10 more. However, the service’s customizable nature allows you to pair Investigation Discovery with many add-ons.

It is important to remember these add-ons cost extra, with prices ranging from $5 to $10 a month. The channels in each add-on vary depending on content. For instance, if you want more news, you can purchase the Sports Extra. Even though it’s titled sports extra, this add-on consists of networks such as BBC World News, Law & Crime, Fox Business Network and more.

Check the table below to see the add-ons:

Investigation Discovery is also available on Sling Orange. However, while the two share some channels, Sling Blue has local networks.

With Sling Blue, you only get access to NBC and Fox-affiliated networks. You will miss out on CBS, ABC, PBS, ABC and more. But you can purchase a decent antenna to fix this issue.

Unfortunately, Sling TV is not as generous as TVision or Philo when it comes to DVR. You only get 10 hours of DVR, which pales in comparison to TVision’s 100 hours and Philo’s unlimited storage. There is an add-on increasing this to 50 hours. However, this will cost you an additional $5 a month.

Regardless, there are caveats to keep in mind. Some networks like Local Now are unavailable for recording. Additionally, if you don’t upgrade with Cloud DVR Plus, the service automatically deletes some of your recordings once the storage is full. You’ll lose all your recordings if you don’t renew your subscription after 30 days.

Sling Blue allows users to watch up to three screens at the same time. So, if you own more than one supported device—Amazon Fire TV, Android devices, iOS devices, web browsers, etc.—you can enjoy the service with others.

Furthermore, Sling TV shortens the distance between you and your friends with its Watch Party feature. With this feature, you can watch most live and on-demand content from the service.

You can invite up to 3 guests to join your Watch Party. These guests don’t even have to be subscribers. The service allows non-Sling customers to join three Watch Parties for free. There is no limit to the number of Watch Parties you can host. However, you can only host one Watch Party at a time.

There are some limitations to this feature. You can’t enjoy it with local channels, rentals, pay-per-view events, recordings and premium networks. It is also only available on Google Chrome and Safari browsers. At the time of writing, other devices do not support this feature.

Despite these limitations, Sling TV’s Watch Party feature allows users to connect with loved ones, especially during the pandemic.

You can follow these steps to use the Sling Watch Party:

1. Sign-in to your Sling account through Google Chrome or Safari.
2. Choose a show and click “Create Watch Party.”
3. Copy your Watch Party’s link and send it to family and friends.

There is a 3-day free trial for those who want to test Sling Blue before deciding to pay the monthly fee.

Investigation Discovery on Vidgo English

• $55 a month; $10 a month for the first two months
• 80+ Channels
• 3-Day Free Trial

Vidgo English is the most expensive service in this article. After dropping its other plans, two plans remain—Vidgo English and Vidgo Spanish. The English-language plan costs nearly as much as TVision Vibe, Philo, and Sling Blue combined. However, the service delivers in many aspects.

Vidgo ensures everyone in the family is satisfied with its service. Along with Discovery-owned channels, you also get access to the entire set of Disney Media Networks like History Channel, National Geographic, ESPN, HGTV, A&E and more.

Due to Vidgo’s partnership with Disney, you can watch several ABC networks together with Fox local channels. You will miss out on regional sports since NBC and SBG own most of those networks, but as mentioned, a good antenna fixes this issue.

The service costs less than traditional cable TV. But consumers on a tight budget will be delighted to know Vidgo is currently offering Vidgo English for $10 a month. However, after two months, it returns to its regular price of $55 a month.

Unfortunately, unlike its competitors, Vidgo lacks certain features. At the time of writing, Vidgo lacks on-demand content, cloud DVR and offline viewing options. The service promises to add these features soon. But currently, you will have to settle for its 24-hour playback function.

Like Sling TV, Vidgo has a watch-party feature known as Social TV. This feature allows you to create or join chat rooms called Hangs and watch shows simultaneously with friends or other fans. You can send GIFs, memes, polls, share reaction photos and more.

However, unlike Sling TV, there is no way for non-Vidgo subscribers to join Watch Parties. Furthermore, the feature is only available on mobile. You can’t use this feature on web browsers and other supported devices.

Speaking of supported devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, web browsers and mobile devices support Vidgo. You can stream on up to three devices at the same time.

Vidgo is pricier than the other services in this article. However, if you are still on the fence with the $10-a-month promotion, Vidgo also offers a 3-day free trial.

Is Investigation Discovery on Amazon Prime?

You can watch some of Investigation Discovery’s former and current programmings like Extreme Forensics and Murder Calls. But don’t expect Amazon Prime to be similar to the other streaming services in this list.

Amazon Prime Video doesn’t offer live shows. If you prefer live TV to on-demand content, you are better off subscribing to the likes of Philo or Sling Blue.

This isn’t to say Amazon Prime Video has little to offer. The service has some of the best original content in the market, such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys and Fleabag.

Another advantage Amazon Prime Video has over traditional streaming services is its ad-free content.

If you are interested in the service, it costs $12.99 a month or $119 a year. However, if you don’t care about Prime benefits, you can opt to go for Amazon Video, which is $8.99 a month. Either option offers 30-day free trials and three simultaneous streams.

Is Investigation Discovery on Hulu?

From A Crime to Remember to Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry, Hulu offers several of Investigation Discovery’s former and current shows. But like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu is purely an on-demand streaming service.

If you want to watch Hulu and live Investigation Discovery shows, you can subscribe to Hulu + Live TV instead. The live service is $64.99 a month ($70.99/mo without ads.) This price is significantly higher than a regular Hulu subscription—$5.99 a month ($11.99 without ads) or $59.99 a year.

Despite being an on-demand streaming service, the $5.99 plan’s occasional ads might disappoint some viewers.

Nevertheless, Hulu is a strong contender in the world of streaming services. It also comes with a 30-day free trial. However, if you are unhappy, cancel before the trial expires.

Can You Subscribe to Investigation Discovery?

For the new year, Discovery+ launched their own direct to consumer on-demand streaming app.

However, the app differentiates itself from others because of the content. While most streaming services offer a variety of shows and movies in different genres, Discovery+ focuses on bringing the best reality shows and documentaries to consumers. This includes Investigation Discovery, HGTV, A&E, TLC and more.  

Moreover, the service allows you to stream on four devices at once. This information is good news for those with multiple supported devices. You can watch the service on mobile devices, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Xbox consoles.

Discovery+ contains ads for $4.99/month. You can pay $6.99 a month for the ad-free option.

At the time of writing, Verizon is giving out 12 months of ad-free Discovery+ to their customers. You can get this promotion by getting the Fios Home Internet, 5G Home or select Verizon Unlimited plans.

If you wish to try Discovery+, the service does offer a 7-day free trial.

Conclusion

If you wish to cut the cord and still watch Investigation Discovery, there are streaming services to accommodate your budget.

All the streaming services above, allow you to enjoy Investigation Discovery with various price options. If you want to cut-the-cord but still keep your favorite crime documentaries, these streaming services are your best bet.

For the least expensive choices, consider TVision Vibe and Philo. Do keep in mind the former requires a T-Mobile or postpaid Legacy subscription.

Sling Blue is perfect for viewers who wish to customize their streaming experience. However, the price increases as you add extras.

If you want to pair Investigation Discovery with some of the most popular channels, Vidgo English is a viable option.

You can also try on-demand streaming services like Amazon Prime, Hulu and Discovery+. They don’t have live TV, but they cost far less than traditional streaming and cable options.

Lloyd Rano Opalec

How do you stream Investigation Discovery? Have you tried any of the streaming services mentioned above? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments below, which will help other readers with their decision.

Additional Resources:

Read some of our more popular blogs like

How to watch Newsmax TV without cable here

The cheapest way to get One America News here

Watch CNN & MSNBC without cable here

The cheapest way to watch Fox News here