Over the air, your local NBC station is free. Peacock, NBC's streaming service, carries that same station live, but only on its most expensive plan. This guide sorts out what each Peacock plan includes, what NBC.com will and won't do without cable, and how to fix NBC when it won't come in.
Last checked: November 2, 2026. Prices are regular monthly prices, rounded, before taxes and fees. Local NBC availability depends on where you are.
The short answer
Free: an antenna picks up your local NBC station live. Our local channels guide covers antenna setup.
Cheapest live stream: Peacock Premium Plus, about $20 a month, includes your live local NBC station. Peacock's cheaper plans don't.
Shows after they air: current NBC shows stream on Peacock the next day, even on its cheapest plan, Select (about $9).
Which option fits you
| What you want | Best move |
|---|---|
| Live NBC for free, and a station is in range | An antenna (one-time cost) |
| Live NBC streamed, as cheaply as possible | Peacock Premium Plus, about $20 a month |
| NBC shows the next day, but not live | Peacock Select, about $9 a month |
| NBC shows plus Sunday Night Football and other sports | Peacock Premium, about $13 a month |
| NBC plus ESPN and other cable channels | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo or DIRECTV |
| National news only | NBC News NOW, streamed online (not your local station) |
Peacock: which plan has live NBC
Peacock's own NBC page is plain about it: you stream your "live local NBC channel with a Peacock Premium Plus plan."
| Plan | Price | Live local NBC | NBC shows on demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select | About $9 a month | No | Yes, next-day NBC and Bravo shows, plus selected full seasons |
| Premium | About $13 a month | No | Yes |
| Premium Plus | About $20 a month | Yes | Yes, without most ads |
How the live station works on Peacock:
- It follows your location. Peacock picks the NBC station from the location your internet connection reports. A VPN or an unusual internet provider can land you on the wrong market.
- Sometimes you get the national feed. When Peacock can't show a local program for rights reasons, it switches to NBC's national feed instead.
- Prices went up in 2026. Premium and Premium Plus rose in August 2026, so older articles quote lower figures.
Sunday Night Football and many NBA games stream on Peacock Premium, so you don't need Premium Plus just for those. Premium Plus is only needed for the full live NBC station: local news, Today, and everything else NBC airs in your area.
Watch NBC free with an antenna
Your local NBC station broadcasts free: local news, Today, NBC Nightly News, prime time, Saturday Night Live and Sunday Night Football. An antenna and a channel scan bring it all in live.
For antenna choice and placement, see our local channels guide. Before buying, look up your NBC station on the FCC's DTV Reception Maps. Some NBC stations broadcast on VHF (RF channel 13 or lower), which small flat antennas often miss.
When NBC is the one channel missing
- Check the direction. Your NBC tower may stand apart from the others. Aim at it, using the FCC map.
- Raise the antenna, or move it to a window facing that tower.
- For a VHF station, use rabbit ears or an antenna rated for VHF.
- Rescan from scratch, not "add channels."
NBC.com and the NBC app without cable
NBC's live stream needs a TV provider sign-in. According to NBC's help center:
- You must link a TV provider account, and you see only the NBC station for where you physically are.
- Your provider's billing address has to be in that same area.
- Most providers make you sign in again about once a month.
Some full episodes on NBC.com and in the NBC app play without a sign-in, usually the day after they air, while others stay locked behind one. So if NBC.com keeps asking you to sign in, it isn't a fault. Without a TV provider, the live station on NBC.com isn't available; use an antenna or Peacock Premium Plus.
Stream NBC live with a live TV service
These services carry local NBC stations in most markets. Check your ZIP code on the service's channel page first.
| 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 |
| 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 | NBC "in most regions via local affiliates" |
| Sling | Blue or Select | Varies; local channels cost extra where offered | NBC only in select markets; check your ZIP for the total |
Free NBC news (not your local station)
NBC News NOW streams national news online. It doesn't carry your station's local news, prime time or sports. Many NBC stations also stream their own newscasts on their websites.
When NBC drops off a service
Carriage deals between streaming services and NBCUniversal come up for renewal every few years. In October 2025, YouTube TV and NBCUniversal signed a new multi-year deal after a short extension, so NBC never went dark there. Not every dispute ends that smoothly: NBC stations owned by other companies have their own deals, and those can lapse in one market only.
An antenna keeps working whatever the outcome.
Common questions
Is NBC free?
Yes, over the air. An antenna gets your local NBC station at no monthly cost.
Does Peacock have live NBC?
Yes, but only on Premium Plus (about $20 a month). Select and Premium don't include the live local station.
Is Peacock free?
Not for new subscribers. Peacock ended its free plan for new customers in January 2023, so every plan now costs money.
Can I watch Sunday Night Football without cable?
Yes. It's on your local NBC station (free with an antenna) and streams on Peacock Premium.
Why does NBC.com keep asking me to sign in?
The live stream needs a TV provider login, and most providers expire it about once a month.
Can I watch NBC on Roku, Fire TV or a smart TV?
Yes. Use the Peacock app or a live TV service's app. With an antenna, connect it to the TV's coaxial input (often labelled ANT or Antenna/Cable In), not HDMI, then scan for channels.