Your local CBS station costs nothing to watch with an antenna. Stream it instead and you'll most likely use Paramount+, where the cheaper plan leaves out the live station. This guide explains which Paramount+ plan actually carries your station, what the other options cost, and what to do when CBS won't come in.
Last checked: November 2, 2026. Prices are regular monthly prices, rounded, before taxes and fees. Local CBS availability depends on your ZIP code.
The short answer
Free: an antenna picks up your local CBS station live. Our local channels guide covers antenna setup.
Cheapest live stream: Paramount+ Premium, about $14 a month, includes your live local CBS station where available. The cheaper Essential plan (about $9) does not.
Shows the next day: new CBS episodes stream on Paramount+ (either plan), generally the day after they air.
Which option fits you
| What you want | Best move |
|---|---|
| Live CBS for free, and a station is in range | An antenna (one-time cost) |
| Live CBS streamed, as cheaply as possible | Paramount+ Premium, about $14 a month |
| CBS shows, but not live | Paramount+ Essential, about $9 a month |
| CBS plus ESPN and other cable channels | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo or DIRECTV |
| National news only | CBS News 24/7, free (not your local station) |
Paramount+: which plan has live CBS
This is the part most guides get wrong. Paramount's own help page says the Essential plan "does not include the viewer's local live CBS station." Live CBS comes with Premium.
| Plan | Price | Live local CBS | CBS shows on demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | About $9 a month | No (it streams NFL games on CBS in your market, then the live feed ends) | Yes, generally the next day |
| Premium | About $14 a month | Yes, where available | Yes |
A few things to know before you subscribe:
- "Where available" matters. Paramount+ carries your local station only where it has a deal with that station's owner. If yours isn't covered, you may see no live CBS at all.
- Premium still has ads on live TV. Premium removes ads from on-demand shows, but the live CBS feed keeps its commercials.
- Old prices are everywhere. Many articles still quote $4.99, $5.99 or $7.99 for Essential. Check the price on Paramount+'s own page.
Watch CBS free with an antenna
Your local CBS station broadcasts free over the air: local news, CBS Mornings, prime time, and sports such as NFL games and college basketball. With an antenna and a channel scan, it all comes in live.
See our local channels guide for choosing and placing an antenna. One CBS-specific check: look up your CBS station on the FCC's DTV Reception Maps. An RF channel of 13 or lower means VHF, which flat indoor antennas pick up poorly.
When CBS is the one channel missing
- Aim toward the CBS tower. On the FCC map, click your CBS station's call sign for its direction and distance.
- Move the antenna higher, or to a window facing that tower.
- If CBS is on VHF, try extended rabbit ears or an antenna that lists VHF on the box.
- Run a full rescan. If CBS vanished after a scan worked before, the station may have changed frequency. A fresh scan usually brings it back.
Stream CBS live with a live TV service
If you want CBS alongside cable channels, these services carry local CBS stations in most markets. Enter your ZIP code on the service's channel page before you subscribe.
| Service | Plan | Regular price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | Main plan | About $83 a month | Smaller plans with locals start around $55 |
| DIRECTV | MyNews genre pack | About $45 a month | Locals where available |
| DIRECTV | Entertainment | About $90 a month | Locals vary by market |
| Fubo | Pro, Elite, Sports + News | About $89, $99 and $65 | Plus a regional sports fee in many areas |
| Hulu + Live TV | With ads | About $100 a month | Includes Disney+ and ESPN |
Sling doesn't carry CBS in any market. Sling can show antenna channels alongside its own on some devices, but the CBS station then comes from your antenna, not from Sling.
Why your team's game isn't on
Your local CBS station shows the Sunday-afternoon NFL games assigned to your region. Out-of-market Sunday-afternoon regular-season games aren't on it, whether you watch by antenna, Paramount+ or a live TV service. NFL Sunday Ticket covers those games only; it doesn't include college games, national broadcasts or the postseason.
College games on CBS follow the same idea: you get the games your station airs, and a game shown only in another region won't be on yours.
Free CBS streams (not your local station)
- CBS News 24/7 streams live news free. It's national news, not your station's local newscast or prime time.
- CBS Sports HQ is free 24/7 sports news and highlights, not live games.
- CBS Sports Network is a separate cable channel. It is not CBS.
The CBS app and CBS.com stream live TV only if you sign in with a TV provider.
When CBS drops off a service
CBS can disappear from a live TV service when the service and the station's owner fail to renew their deal. Many CBS stations aren't owned by CBS, so these disputes can hit one market and not the next.
Recent example: DIRECTV dropped 54 Scripps-owned stations, a mix of ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates, on May 31, 2026. They returned on July 10, 2026.
An antenna keeps working through disputes like these.
Common questions
Is CBS free?
Yes, over the air. An antenna gets your local CBS station at no monthly cost. Streaming it live costs money.
Does Paramount+ have live CBS?
Only on the Premium plan, and only where Paramount+ carries your local station. Essential has CBS shows on demand and NFL games on CBS, but not the live station.
Can I watch CBS on Sling or Peacock?
No. Neither carries CBS.
I have Paramount+. Why does the CBS app still ask me to sign in?
The CBS app and CBS.com are separate from Paramount+, and their live TV needs a TV provider login. A Paramount+ account doesn't unlock them. Watch live CBS in the Paramount+ app instead, which needs the Premium plan.
Can I watch CBS on Roku, Fire TV or a smart TV?
Yes. Use the Paramount+ app, or a live TV service's app. With an antenna, plug it into the TV's coaxial input (often labelled ANT or Antenna/Cable In), not an HDMI port, and run a channel scan.