How to watch the 2026 Oscars without cable: Stream details, deals, and more
Content
The best deals to watch the Oscars live without cable:
GET HULU FOR FREE
Hulu with ads
It’s free for T-Mobile customers
(save $11.99/month)
BEST DEAL FOR TV BROADCASTING
YouTube TV
21-day free trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months
(save $46)
BEST LIVE TV STREAMING SERVICE
Sling Select
$19.99/month
It’s been another great year in cinema, now it’s time to award the best films. The 98th Oscars are upon us. On March 15, the Academy will honor the best movies of 2025 on Hollywood’s biggest night. Conan O’Brien is set to host the event once again, and many of your favorite winners from years past will present the night’s biggest awards.
We hope some of our favorites get the awards they deserve — One Battle After Another, They are sinners, Hamnetand more – but everyone’s game. Want to see who takes home the titles of Best Actor, Best Director, Best Picture, and more? Here’s all the information you need to know to watch the 2026 Academy Awards live with or without cable.
When are the 2026 Oscars?
The 98th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and will air live at 7pm ET on ABC and Hulu, with a pre-show airing at 6:30pm ET.
Who are the Oscar nominees this year?
They are sinners leads the Oscars this year with a record 16 nominations. Basically, every award you can be nominated for, of course. One Battle After Another closely followed by 13, while Marty Supreme he won nine, too Hamnet seven were appointed.
Each year, there are as many snubs as there are surprises, and 2026 is no different. For example, we were a little surprised by that Bad: Good it came up empty with zero nominations. Our favorite sad boy, Paul Mescal, newcomer Chase Infiniti, and Jesse Plemons were also ignored by the Academy.
See the full list of 2026 Oscar nominees below in the FAQ section of this story.
How to watch the Oscars live without cable in 2026
For those with cable or over-the-air TV, you can tune your TV to your local ABC channel or watch online through ABC.com or the ABC app by signing in with your pay TV service provider. No cable access? No worries: For the second year in a row, the awards will be simulcast on Hulu to subscribers.
You also have the option of subscribing to a live TV cable replacement service to catch the Oscars live. These services essentially work like cable, giving you live access to a well-rounded channel selection through your internet connection (rather than a cable connection). There is no contract and they usually offer tests to test them. That means you can watch the Oscars for free, and cancel before you’re charged. But we’ll leave the details to you. Here are the best options (and deals) to check out.
Hulu streaming deals
Hulu is one of the most generous (if not the many generous) broadcasters, offering new and eligible returning subscribers a free 30-day trial. That means you can easily register and watch the Oscars for free then. If you don’t qualify for a free trial, we’ve included a few ways to save money on your subscription.
Limited-time bundle deal: Save $8/month on three months of Hulu and Disney+
$4.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month)
Through March 24, new subscribers can get both Hulu and Disney+ with ads for just $4.99 a month for three months. Normally $12.99 per month for the bundle, you’ll save $24 total on a three-month subscription. Only new and returning subscribers can take advantage of the deal; Current subscribers to Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, and more are eligible.
The best Hulu deal for the masses: Save 16% on an annual subscription to Hulu (with ads).
$99.99 per year (save 16%)
The best way to reduce the cost of a Hulu subscription any day is to sign up for an annual plan with ads. You’ll have to put up with a few interruptions in your content and pay up front, but it’ll save you 16 percent, or just shy of $24, over the course of a year. An annual subscription costs $119.99 (or $9.99 per month), and the $11.99 monthly plan can add up to $143.88 per year. If you want to reduce the relationship with ads, the price jumps to $18.99 per month, and there is no annual subscription available at this time.
Best for readers: Save $10/month with a Hulu subscriber
Readers can subscribe to Hulu for just $1.99 a month and stream the Oscars live. That’s more than 80 percent off Hulu’s regular ad-supported cost. The only requirement is that you can verify your college email address using SheerID.
Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) is included for select customers
Free for T-Mobile customers on the Experience Beyond plan (save $11.99/month)
Aside from a 30-day free trial, the only way to get Hulu for free in 2026 is to switch your phone plan to T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan. Customers on this plan can enjoy ad-free Hulu, as well as Netflix and Apple TV.
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Already on the Experience Beyond plan? Download or open the T-Life app, select Manage > See programs > Manage add-ons, then scroll to the Hulu streaming benefit and click “Continue.” Follow the prompts to connect an existing account or create a new one.
Live TV deals
If you prefer a cable alternative that gives you access to your local ABC channel and hundreds of other live channels, we recommend a few options. And many of them offer free trials and introductory rates. Here are a few options.
Best introductory offer: YouTube TV
21-day free trial, then $59.99/for your first 2 months (save $46)
The basic YouTube TV plan includes over 100 live channels, including your local ABC network. You’ll also get unlimited DVR space, three simultaneous streams, and up to six accounts with personalized recommendations. For a limited time, you can get a 21-day trial to test the waters, which means you can watch the Oscars for free. After that, your first two months will cost just $59.99 per month instead of the usual $82.99 per month.
Most affordable package: Sling TV Select package (for selected areas)
Sling’s a la carte setup and affordable prices make it very competitive in the live TV market. You can choose your package and channels depending on what you want to watch. You’ll need access to ABC to watch the Oscars live, which is included in Sling’s Select package for just $19.99 a month. Unfortunately, since ABC is a local network, it is only available in some local markets. Check if your local market includes ABC before you pull the trigger – Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, and more are included.
Credit: FuboTV
5-day free trial, $48.99 for your first month
FuboTV offers a free 5-day trial for newbies, allowing you to watch the Oscars on your local ABC channel. You’ll get access to over 200 other networks, as well as unlimited cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 different screens. After your trial, your first month’s cost is $48.99 ($73.99 a month after that).
