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From science nerds to curious souls, seekers of knowledge and adventure find it hard to resist the appeal of the National Geographic Channel. If you want to stream National Geographic without cable, the best options to use are Sling, Vidgo, Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV. However, there are differences between them. Read on to see which one best suits your household.
The National Geographic Channel, or Nat Geo TV, is a pay television network known for airing non-fiction television programs. with well-known shows such as “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” and “Life Below Zero.” The channel features documentaries exploring themes of nature, science, culture, and history. In 2016, it was rebranded to National Geographic and as of 2017, it is under the management of Walt Disney Television.
Find out how to stream this leading infotainment network below.
National Geographic is on Sling Blue
National Geographic is included in the Sling Blue package from Sling TV. For $35 a month, you can get 42 channels including Nat Geo.
The Sling Blue service allows up to three simultaneous streams of these channels on your TV and other devices. This can be increased to four streams, if you add a Sling Orange subscription.
By itself, a Sling Orange subscription lets you stream your favorite shows on one device only. With Sling Orange + Blue, you get a total of four streams on various devices, and an additional six channels. This is a good option for a household with multiple devices.
New and existing Sling subscribers receive 50 hours of free DVR storage. For an additional $5 a month, you can get DVR Plus, which gives you 200 hours of storage and the option to protect your favorite recordings. Both versions of DVR are compatible with all devices. DVR is available for all live programs except some networks like ESPN3.
If you don’t want a Sling subscription you can still watch free content. Sling free allows you to stream thousands of hours of movies on browsers, Android devices, and most streaming devices. No registration and no credit card details are required, and you can use Sling Free for as long as you want.
If you want to earn additional discounts to Sling, refer Sling TV to a friend and you can earn discounts of up to $200 a year.
You can sign up for Sling here
National Geographic on Vidgo Plus
You can watch National Geographic on Vidgo. Vidgo Plus starts at $55 a month for more than 95 channels. If you want to watch National Geographic with a good sports lineup, this streaming service has it. However, Vidgo is missing some popular channels like TBS and TNT.
An Interesting feature is the ability to host a live watch party on Vidgo with a chat platform. You can rewind, pause, or skip to the beginning of a TV show or live sporting event. Up to three devices can be used under your Vidgo subscription at any given time.
If you want to try Vidgo’s free trial period, your credit card details and email will be required. You are only charged at the end of your free week. Vidgo offers no cloud DVR, so if it’s not a deal-breaker for you, then Vidgo is worth trying.
Keep in mind, Vidgo’s cheapest plan is more expensive than Sling TV’s basic plan, but it offers more than twice the number of channels. Unlike Sling, Vidgo has no DVR and it has a limited trial period. Vidgo in some ways is like a traditional cable/satellite service with a unique chatroom feature sports fans will love.
You can sign up for Vidgo here.
National Geographic on Hulu Live TV
Yes, you can stream National Geographic on Hulu + Live TV. At $69.99 a month. Hulu + Live TV offers 75 channels including Disney+ and ESPN+. If you want an ad-free experience, you’ll need to upgrade to Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV for $75.99 a month.
If you are a Disney or ESPN fan, Hulu’s Live TV also gives you access to Disney+, ESPN+ and the extensive Hulu on-demand library.
Hulu + Live TV subscribers can record up to 50 hours with cloud DVR. Two users can stream at the same time and you can create up to six accounts for each subscription. You can upgrade to a 200-hour DVR with skippable ads for $14.98 a month. This add-on also allows you to use Hulu on unlimited screens at home and three more on the road.
Hulu offers a free trial, anywhere between one week to one month depending on what subscription and add-ons you sign up for. Billing information will be required upon sign-up, but you won’t be charged if you cancel before the trial period ends.
Hulu + Live TV, especially the ad-free version, is significantly more expensive than Sling and Vidgo, but it offers exclusive content from its own library. It comes with the same number of free cloud DVR hours as Vidgo but allows you to watch on fewer screens than Vidgo and Sling. Like the others, Hulu also offers a free trial period depending on the plan.
You can sign up for Hulu Live TV here.
National Geographic on YouTube TV
Yes, YouTube TV lets you stream your favorite National Geographic shows. For $64.99 a month, YouTube TV gives you access to 85+ live channels, Nat Geo included. Up to six people in the same household can watch shows on YouTube TV. You can also create up to six accounts under one subscription.
Additionally, YouTube TV is perfect for those who want to watch on their own time. With it’s generous unlimited cloud DVR storage, record and re-watch your favorite shows anytime. Each account has a personal library space and simultaneous recordings are possible. Additionally, recordings are stored for nine months.
Moreover, if you add the 4K Plus add-on you can stream shows with better video quality and on unlimited screens at home. You can also access your DVR recordings offline via your mobile device.
YouTube TV offers a two-week free trial with all the perks of a paid subscription. A one-month trial of 4K Plus is available for existing YouTube TV subscribers. Beyond that, you’ll be charged an extra $10 a month for the first year of 4K Plus. Afterward, the add-on will cost you $20 a month on top of the $64.99 base fee.
Since YouTube TV has a single plan, it’s easier to understand than other streaming plans. But the lack of customization might be a problem for some users, who might prefer a cheaper or more stripped-down streaming plan.
Sling TV, Vidgo, and Hulu have more plans for subscribers to choose from. Ad-supported Hulu + Live TV remains the most expensive option on this list, but YouTube TV is a close second. Nonetheless, YouTube TV offers 10 more channels than Hulu.
YouTube TV provides the highest number of screens and DVR cloud hours.
Sign up for YouTube TV here.
Can I Watch National Geographic on Amazon Prime?
Yes, you can watch National Geographic on Amazon Prime. You have the option to watch a single episode from a Nat Geo show for $1.99 or an entire season for a minimum of $4.99. Amazon Prime Video has a catalogue of Nat Geo shows and episodes for purchasing. Reviews are also available for each season and even per episode.
Can I Watch National Geographic on Netflix?
Kind of, yes. Netflix has a couple of National Geographic shows you might enjoy. For example, the Nat Geo TV series “One Strange Rock” and “Mars” are available for streaming on Netflix at the time of this blog post. Unfortunately, several titles left Netflix in 2019. Nonetheless, for as low as $9.99 a month, you can get a Netflix basic plan and watch a couple of popular Nat Geo shows.
Can I Watch National Geographic for Free?
You can watch National Geographic programs for free with a caveat. Sign up to watch any of the streaming services covered in this blog and watch National Geographic during the free trial. However, it means you can only watch National Geographic for free for a limited time. Still, thanks to streaming services, you can watch National Geographic without a cable or satellite TV subscription, which is typically more expensive.
Does National Geographic Have an App?
Yes, the National Geographic channel has an app and it’s free to download. The app is compatible with Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, and Roku devices. So, you’ll be able to watch Nat Geo shows on the go. In order to watch however, you will need an account and paid subscription to access the shows on the National Geographic TV app.
Conclusion
Since it’s launch in 2001, National Geographic has become one of the most popular channels offering both information and entertainment commonly called infotainment.
Streaming services like Sling TV, Vidgo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV allow you to stream the National Geographic channel without cable or satellite.
With prices ranging from $35 to $69.99 a month, these streaming platforms allow Nat Geo fans to watch and sometimes even record their best-loved shows. Subscriptions can be shared with one to five other subscribers and all the platforms on our list offer free trial periods. You can try these platforms yourself and decide which suits your budget, watching preferences, and needs. Just remember to cancel your subscriptions before the end of your trial to avoid unwanted charges.
If none of these platforms interest you, you can always watch select episode on Amazon Prime by renting the episode or season you want to stream. You can even watch a few Nat Geo titles on Netflix if you have an existing account.
No matter how you decide to stream National Geographic, we think it will be a vastly improved experience when compared to cable or satellite TV.
How do you watch National Geographic? Are you using cable or satellite or are you watching using a streaming service? Is cable TV still a better experience? Let us know in the comments below.
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Additional Resources
Read some of our more popular blog posts like, how to watch Tucker Carlson without cable, here
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Read 4 things cable companies don’t want you to know about antennas, here