X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. How we test TVs

Sling TV now totally free during primetime, no credit card required

New users can watch live news and more than 50 other channels every night at no charge.

Ty_Pendlebury.jpg
Ty_Pendlebury.jpg
Ty Pendlebury Editor
Ty Pendlebury is a journalism graduate of RMIT Melbourne, and has worked at CNET since 2006. He lives in New York City where he writes about streaming and home audio.
Expertise Ty has worked for radio, print, and online publications, and has been writing about home entertainment since 2004. He majored in Cinema Studies when studying at RMIT. He is an avid record collector and streaming music enthusiast. Credentials
  • Ty was nominated for Best New Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism awards, but he has only ever won one thing. As a youth, he was awarded a free session for the photography studio at a local supermarket.
See full bio
David_Katzmaier.jpg
David_Katzmaier.jpg
David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
See full bio
Ty Pendlebury
David Katzmaier
2 min read
screen-shot-2020-03-26-at-11-45-11-am.png
Sling TV

Live TV streaming service Sling TV has been rolling out a bunch of promotions in response to coronavirus stay-at-home orders nationwide, and the newest one could be its best yet. The company now lets new users stream every channel in its Sling Blue package for free during seven primetime hours, starting at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) to midnight wherever you are, every night.

Called "Happy Hour Across America," the promotion is available to "those new to Sling TV," according to the company's press release. That means you'll need to create an account with a username and password to watch. Unlike most other free trials, however, you don't have to give any credit card details.

Read more: Best free TV streaming services: HBO, Roku, Sling TV, Pluto TV, Tubi TV

Sling TV Blue streams over 50 live channels, including news networks CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, BBC America, Cheddar, Newsy and Local Now. It also delivers live Fox and NBC stations in major cities including New York, LA and Chicago, as well as numerous national networks like TNT, History, National Geographic and Nick Jr. The service includes a cloud DVR and allows up to three simultaneous streams. Sling Blue is CNET's Editors' Choice for budget live TV streaming services and costs $30 a month for a full subscription.

See at Sling TV

You can watch on pretty much any screen with the Sling TV app, including TV devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast or Xbox One. You can also watch on Apple or Android phones using the app or via sling.com on phones and PCs using the Chrome, Safari or Edge browser. A solid internet connection is required.

Coronavirus updates

Sling rebranded its free TV program in March, which initially added free news from ABC New Live and Fox News and then expanded to offer local Fox stations for free. Since then it has offered a 14-day free trial and then a seven-day version, both without requiring credit cards.

Sling says viewership of its news channels has risen by 161% over the last month and characterizes the promotion as a public service to families practicing social distancing. 

streamingtvservices
Watch this: Live TV streaming services for cord cutters: How to choose the best one for you