Your local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS stations are free over the air in most of the US. This guide shows you how to get them with an antenna, what to do when one station won't come in, and the cheapest legal ways to stream each network when no signal reaches you. It ends with short notes for Canada, the UK and Australia.
Last checked: November 1, 2026. Station facts come from FCC records as of early October 2026. Streaming prices change often, so they're rounded here, and each service links to its own page.
The short answer
Free with an antenna. Most US homes can pick up the big networks with an antenna and a channel scan. No subscription, and the picture is often sharper than cable's.
One network missing? Check its band and its tower. One possible reason is that the station broadcasts on VHF, which flat indoor antennas pick up poorly. Tower direction, buildings and hills, or an amplifier can also knock out a single channel.
No signal? Stream one network, not all of them. Paramount+ Premium (about $14 a month) carries your live CBS station, Peacock Premium Plus (about $20) your NBC station, and Fox One (about $20) your FOX station. PBS streams free in the PBS app for many stations. For all of them at once, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DIRECTV cost roughly $45 to $100 a month.
Which option fits you
| Your situation | Best move |
|---|---|
| The FCC's reception map shows a strong or moderate signal for your stations | Try an antenna first. It costs $20 to $150 once, then nothing. |
| An antenna gets everything except one network | Work through the missing-channel checks below, or stream that one network on its own app. |
| You want local news only | Free news apps such as NewsON, Haystack News and your station's own app. |
| You want to record shows from the antenna | An over-the-air DVR, such as HDHomeRun, Tablo or AirTV. |
| No signal at all, and you want all the networks live | A live TV streaming service. Check your ZIP code on its site before you pay. |
| You rent or live in an HOA | You can usually still put up an antenna on space you control, such as a balcony. See the FCC rule below. |
Get your local channels free with an antenna
An antenna picks up the same signal your local stations have sent out since the 2009 digital switch. Most TVs sold in the US in recent years have a tuner for it built in; look for an "Antenna" or "Air" input.
Check your signal before you buy
- Enter your address in the FCC's DTV Reception Maps. It lists every station predicted to reach you, with a rating from strong to no signal.
- Note each station's band. Click a call sign to see its RF channel and which way its tower is. RF 14 to 36 is UHF; RF 7 to 13 is high VHF; RF 2 to 6 is low VHF.
- Cross-check with AntennaWeb. It suggests an antenna type for your address.
The FCC's ratings assume an outdoor antenna about 30 feet up. Indoors, expect less.
| FCC rating | What to try |
|---|---|
| Strong | An indoor antenna near a window or outside wall |
| Moderate | An attic or outdoor antenna |
| Weak | An outdoor antenna, mounted as high as you can |
| No signal | Streaming for that network |
Why one network won't come in
Work through these in order. Each one can knock out a single station while the rest come in fine.
- The tower is somewhere else. Stations in one market don't always share a tower site. On the FCC map, click the missing station's call sign to see which way its tower is, and aim or move the antenna that way.
- Something is in the way. Hills, tall buildings, metal siding and foil-backed insulation block some directions more than others. A window on another side of the house can make the difference.
- The station is on VHF. See below.
- An amplifier is overloading the tuner. Near the towers, an amplifier can wipe out a strong station. Try without it.
- The TV kept an old channel list. Run a full scan, not "add channels."
VHF: the band that flat antennas miss
The number your TV shows, such as 7.1, is usually not the frequency the station uses. The real one is the RF channel, and it decides which antenna works.
Most stations transmit on UHF (RF 14 to 36), which most indoor antennas handle. Some are on VHF: high VHF is RF 7 to 13, low VHF is RF 2 to 6. Flat "leaf" antennas are built mainly for UHF, and their small elements struggle with VHF waves, which are about 5 to 18 feet long.
A few examples whose standard signal (the one any digital TV can tune) is on VHF, confirmed by FCC filings or reports on each market's ATSC 3.0 launch:
| Market | Station (network, channel on your TV, RF channel) |
|---|---|
| New York | WABC (ABC 7.1, RF 7), WPIX (CW 11.1, sent from WABC's RF 7 transmitter; WPIX's own transmitter carries ATSC 3.0) |
| Houston | KHOU (CBS 11.1, RF 11) |
| Boston | WGBH (PBS 2.1, RF 5, low VHF) |
Other big-city stations are on VHF too. To check yours, look up its RF channel on the FCC map, and look for a "rescan" or "NextGen TV" notice on the station's website in case its channel moved to another transmitter.
Watch for borrowed transmitters. A station that has switched its own transmitter to ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) sends its standard channel from another station's transmitter. Chicago's WBBM (CBS 2) is an example: its own transmitter, on VHF RF 12, carries ATSC 3.0, while the CBS 2.1 most TVs tune comes from WGN's UHF transmitter on RF 19. So before you buy for a band, check which transmitter carries the channel you watch. The station's website usually explains it on a "rescan" or "NextGen TV" page.
If the channel you're missing is on VHF, three fixes, cheapest first:
- Rabbit ears. Extend the two telescoping rods fully. Old-style dipoles handle VHF better than most flat antennas.
- An antenna that lists VHF on the box, placed upstairs or in a window facing the tower.
- An attic or outdoor antenna with long elements. For low VHF, this is usually the most reliable answer.
Which antenna to buy
| Type | Rough price | Works best |
|---|---|---|
| Flat indoor | $20 to $40 | Strong UHF signals, towers within about 25 miles |
| Indoor with VHF elements, or rabbit ears | $15 to $50 | A strong VHF station nearby |
| Attic | $40 to $100 | Moderate signals. Metal roofs and foil insulation block it |
| Outdoor | $60 to $180 | Weak signals, low VHF, hills and long distances |
Ignore range claims of 150 or 200 miles. Range depends on the tower's power and height, the terrain and the band, not the box.
Set up and scan
- Place the antenna high, near a window or outside wall facing the towers.
- Set the TV's input to "Antenna" or "Air," not "Cable."
- Run a full channel scan from the TV's settings menu.
- Move the antenna a little and scan again if a network is missing. Small moves change a lot.
When a channel disappears later, do a full scan, not "add channels." A full scan clears the old list. Stations do change frequencies, and a TV holding an old list can lose them.
On a Roku TV
Roku's "Live TV" mixes hundreds of free internet channels with your antenna channels, so local stations are easy to miss. To find and keep them:
- Scan: Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Scan for channels.
- Hide the internet channels so only antenna stations show: Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Manage channels > Hide streaming channels.
- Optional: rename the input "Antenna," and set the TV to start on it in Settings > Power.
Don't pay extra for a "digital" or "HD" antenna. Antennas pick up VHF and UHF, and those labels are marketing; an older antenna still works. If your TV has a signal meter, use it while you aim: the channel count after a scan says little about how strong each signal is.
Problems people run into
An amplifier made it worse. Amplifiers help with long cable runs and splitters. Close to the towers, they can overload the tuner and wipe out channels that came in fine before. Try without it first.
One subchannel is weak, the main channel is fine. Stations that move to ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) often hand their old subchannels to another station's transmitter in the market. That transmitter can sit somewhere else, so 9.3 can come from a different tower than 9.1.
The picture breaks up at certain times. Planes on a flight path, trees in leaf, wind and ice can all bounce or block the signal. Raise the antenna or move it away from metal and other walls.
Several TVs. Each split costs signal, roughly 3.5 dB per two-way split. Use a distribution amplifier, or a network tuner (below) that streams to every TV over Wi-Fi instead of running cable.
You rent or live in an HOA. The FCC's OTARD rule bars most landlord and HOA restrictions on antennas in spaces you control alone, such as a balcony, patio or your own roof, and it covers the mast too. It doesn't cover shared areas like a building's common roof, and rules needed for safety or for a historic building can still apply.
Hidden tip: an old satellite dish mount and its coax make a ready-made spot for an outdoor antenna. And an attic or garage antenna can feed every room through the coax outlets your old cable service left behind.
Record shows from the antenna
An over-the-air DVR records local channels the way a cable box would, with no monthly TV bill.
| Device | How it works | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| HDHomeRun | A network tuner. Plug in the antenna; every TV and phone on your Wi-Fi watches through the app | Recording needs a hard drive and the DVR service, or apps such as Plex or Channels |
| Tablo | Tuner and DVR in one box, works through an app | The current models need an internet connection to run |
| AirTV | Puts antenna channels inside the Sling app guide | Made to pair with Sling |
Stream your local channels without an antenna
One network at a time
If only one or two networks are the problem, a single-network app costs far less than a full live TV service.
| Network | Cheapest legal stream | Rough price |
|---|---|---|
| CBS | Paramount+ Premium includes your live local CBS station. The cheaper Essential plan doesn't; it carries NFL games on CBS live, then the feed ends | About $14 a month |
| NBC | Peacock Premium Plus carries your live local NBC station in most markets | About $20 a month |
| FOX | Fox One includes live local FOX stations | About $20 a month |
| PBS | Your local PBS station streams live on PBS.org (no account) and in the PBS app (free account). You must be in the station's service area. PBS help | Free |
| ABC | No standalone app has live local ABC. Use an antenna or a live TV service |
Peacock's cheaper plans don't include the live NBC station; only Premium Plus does. The same goes for Paramount+ Essential and the live CBS station.
All the networks: live TV services
| Service | Rough price | Local channels |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | About $83 a month; its smaller Entertainment plan, about $55, also includes locals | Full local network coverage for more than 98% of US TV households, by YouTube's count. Unlimited DVR, kept 9 months |
| Hulu + Live TV | About $100 a month | Major networks in most markets. Includes Disney+ and ESPN |
| Fubo | About $89 (Pro) to $99 (Elite) a month, plus a regional sports fee in many areas; Sports + News, about $65, in select markets | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and more in most major markets; not every local station yet. Fubo's local channel lookup |
| DIRECTV | About $90 to $100+ for main packages; MyNews genre pack about $45 | Locals in most markets, with gaps. MyNews includes locals in many ZIP codes |
| Sling | Select with local channels: about $25 to $30 a month (about $20 base, plus a local-channel charge) | ABC, FOX and/or NBC in select markets only; check your ZIP. No CBS |
Before you pay, enter your ZIP code on the service's channel page. Coverage varies by market.
Fubo and NBC: Fubo lost NBC in November 2025 and restored it in 2026 after a new deal. Older guides still say Fubo has no NBC. Fubo itself says it carries local channels in most major markets, not all, so check your city in its lookup.
Carriage fights: live TV services sometimes lose a network for days or weeks while a contract is renegotiated. YouTube TV lost ABC for about two weeks starting October 31, 2025. An antenna keeps working through these disputes, which is why many people keep one as a backup.
Free apps for local news
These carry newscasts, not prime-time network shows:
- NewsON: live and recent newscasts from local stations in many markets.
- Haystack News: a mix of local and national news clips.
- Local Now: local news, weather and some station streams.
- The Roku Channel: more than 100 free local news streams, including several NBC-owned stations, in its Live TV guide.
- Your station's own app and website. Many stations stream their newscasts free.
What about network apps and Locast?
The CBS and NBC apps mostly need a TV provider sign-in for live TV. ABC closed its app in September 2024 and now offers its shows on ABC.com. None of these is a free way to watch your local station live.
Locast, the free service that streamed local stations online, shut down in 2021 after losing a court case. No free service has replaced it nationwide. Be wary of apps, sites or boxes that promise every local channel free with no antenna, and check who runs them before you sign up or pay.
Beyond ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX
The antenna wins here.
- CW and MyNetworkTV: carried by some live TV services in some markets. Check your ZIP code, or use an antenna.
- Spanish-language stations: Univision, Telemundo and UniMás stations are on the air in most big markets. YouTube TV, Fubo and DIRECTV sell Spanish-language plans; check which local stations each includes for you.
- Subchannels: networks such as MeTV, ION, Laff, Bounce, Court TV and Antenna TV each run on more than 100 US stations, free over the air. Few of them stream as local feeds. Our MeTV guide shows how to find one.
ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV): what it means for you
Some stations now also broadcast in ATSC 3.0, a newer standard with sharper video and better sound. Older TVs can't decode it. For now, the stations you watch still send a standard (ATSC 1.0) version as well.
- You don't need a new TV or tuner today. Under the current FCC rule, a full-power station that switches to ATSC 3.0 must keep its main channel on the air in the standard format too, often from another station's transmitter (see Chicago's WBBM above). A separate requirement, that the two versions carry substantially the same programs, ends July 17, 2027 unless the FCC extends it. In October 2025 the FCC proposed letting stations decide when to stop the standard signal altogether. That was still a proposal, not a final rule, when we last checked.
- Encryption is the catch. Many ATSC 3.0 channels are encrypted. Whether a receiver can play them, and whether it needs an internet connection to do so, depends on the model and its software. Check the exact model before you buy.
- Buy for today's signal. Any antenna works for both standards. Hold off on an ATSC 3.0 tuner unless you have a clear reason.
Local channels in Canada, the UK and Australia
Canada
An antenna picks up CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, Global, Citytv and other stations free in most large Canadian cities. Near the border, many homes also pick up US stations. Our records list about 100 operating digital stations in Canada.
To stream, CBC Gem shows your regional CBC station live for free, with ads, when you're in Canada and signed in with a free account. Its paid tier adds ad-free on-demand viewing and CBC News Network.
United Kingdom
Freeview through a rooftop aerial carries the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, with regional news for your area. Freely, from the same broadcasters, streams live channels over broadband on newer TVs, with no aerial.
You need a TV licence (£180 a year from April 2026) to watch or record live TV on any device, Freely included, and to use BBC iPlayer. Catch-up on ITVX, Channel 4 and 5's apps is licence-free when it isn't live.
Australia
A TV antenna brings in the ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine and 10 networks free, with no licence fee. The networks also stream live free in their own apps: ABC iview, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now and 10 (formerly 10Play). Homes outside terrestrial coverage can apply for VAST, which brings the free-to-air channels by satellite: you need to be approved and to buy the dish and decoder, but there's no ongoing charge.
Common questions
Can I get local channels without an antenna or cable?
Yes. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DIRECTV stream local stations in most markets. For one network, Paramount+ (CBS), Peacock Premium Plus (NBC) and Fox One (FOX) cost less. PBS is free in the PBS app for many stations.
Can I get local channels for free without an antenna?
Mostly local news only, through NewsON, station apps and websites. PBS is the exception: the PBS app streams many stations live, free with an account.
My antenna doesn't work with my Roku or my old TV. Why?
A Roku stick or box streams over the internet and has no antenna input. You don't need a new TV: plug the antenna into the TV's own antenna input, use the TV's remote to switch to that input, and run a channel scan there.
A TV with only an analog tuner can't show today's digital broadcasts without a digital-to-analog converter box. Check the model's specifications for an ATSC (digital) tuner; some older sets have one.
Do smart TVs have local channels built in?
Most smart TVs have the tuner built in, but they still need an antenna plugged into the coax port. The free channels in Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels or The Roku Channel are mostly national streams, with a few local news feeds.
Why does my antenna get every channel except one?
Check the tower direction first, then anything in the way, then the band: if the station's standard signal is on VHF (RF 13 or lower), flat indoor antennas pick it up poorly. Remove any amplifier and run a full scan. The missing-channel checks above go through each step.
Is the picture from an antenna worse than cable?
Often better. The broadcast signal is usually less compressed than cable and streaming feeds of the same station.
Can I watch my local channels when I travel?
It depends on the service and the device:
- YouTube TV shows the local stations for the place you're visiting, not your home ones, and you can't record local programs there. Use it in your home area at least every 3 months to keep your locals. (YouTube TV help)
- AirTV Anywhere lets you watch your home antenna's channels away from home in the Sling app, one stream at a time.
- Tablo: the current 4th-generation Tablo does not stream outside the home. Older network-connected Tablo models do, through Tablo Connect.
- Other live TV services set their own rules, so check the service's help page before a trip.
Do I need an amplifier?
Only for long cable runs, splitters, or a weak signal far from the towers. Near the towers, an amplifier can make reception worse.