Cutting cable doesn't mean cutting football. Here's exactly which streaming services carry NFL games this season, what they cost, and which games each one covers — no bundles you don't need, no guesswork.
The main options
YouTube TV carries your local CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN affiliates, which covers the vast majority of nationally broadcast games plus your regional Sunday afternoon games. It's the closest thing to a traditional cable replacement. The base plan includes an unlimited cloud DVR, so you can record any game and watch it later without worrying about storage caps.
NFL+ (the league's own app) streams every out-of-market preseason game and in-market regular season games on your phone or tablet, plus condensed replays. It does not include live out-of-market regular-season games on a TV screen — that restriction comes from broadcast rights agreements, not the app itself. The condensed-game feature is genuinely useful: full games cut down to about 45 minutes with only the plays, no downtime.
Prime Video holds the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. If you already pay for Amazon Prime, this is included at no extra cost. Prime Video also offers alternate broadcast feeds, including a stats-heavy presentation and a more casual commentary option.
Paramount+ and Peacock carry select simulcasts of CBS and NBC games respectively, including a small number of exclusive streaming-only games each season. These are worth checking only if your team's schedule includes games on those exclusive windows.
ESPN+ is included with some live TV bundles and carries select international games and supplementary programming, but it does not replace a full ESPN channel subscription for Monday Night Football — you still need the linear ESPN channel for that.
What actually matters when choosing
- Which teams you follow. If your team is often on Sunday Night Football (NBC) or Thursday Night Football (Prime Video), your choice is largely made for you. Check your team's published schedule at NFL.com/schedules to see which network carries each game before committing to a subscription.
- Blackout rules still exist for some local broadcasts. A streaming subscription doesn't override regional blackout restrictions tied to your location. If a game is blacked out on streaming, an over-the-air antenna (usually under $30) picks up local CBS, FOX, and NBC broadcasts for free — a useful backup.
- You don't need more than one service for most fans. YouTube TV alone covers the majority of a typical season for viewers who mainly watch nationally broadcast games.
- Free trials and monthly billing. Most streaming services offer monthly plans with no annual commitment. You can subscribe at the start of the season and cancel after the Super Bowl without paying for off-season months.
How to check what covers your team specifically
Before choosing, look at your team's broadcast schedule for the first four weeks. Count how many games fall on CBS/FOX (local affiliates), NBC (Sunday Night), ESPN/ABC (Monday Night), and Prime Video (Thursday Night). That count tells you which single service covers the most games for your situation.
Do not confuse YouTube TV with NFL Sunday Ticket. Sunday Ticket is a separate out-of-market package for Sunday afternoon games from other regions. If you mainly watch your local team, YouTube TV or an antenna plus Prime Video is usually enough, and Sunday Ticket would be extra money for games you may not need.
Bottom line
For most people, YouTube TV plus an existing Prime membership covers close to a full season. Add NFL+ only if you specifically want condensed replays or out-of-market mobile viewing. An over-the-air antenna fills in any local-broadcast gaps for free. There's no single "best" answer — it depends on which broadcast networks carry your team most often.
Following more than one sport? The coverage breakdown is different for watching NBA games without cable — it's worth checking separately rather than assuming the same subscriptions cover both.