ESPN does not offer a free trial on any of its own subscription tiers. Its sign-up page carries no trial offer at all. The only genuine free trial that includes ESPN right now is YouTube TV’s 10 days. The cheapest paid alternative is a $4.99 Sling day pass.
This changed recently and most pages have not caught up. Two of the three services that used to offer a route in have withdrawn their trials, which leaves fewer options than almost any guide currently says.
Everything below was checked against the providers’ own pages on 18 July 2026.
ESPN Sells No Free Trial of Its Own
Go to ESPN’s subscription page and there is no trial on offer. The button says get ESPN, and the tiers are sold as paid subscriptions from the first day. There is no seven-day trial, no first-month-free offer, and no trial buried in the annual plan.
This catches people out because ESPN did run trials in the past, and older articles still describe them. If a page tells you to sign up for a free ESPN trial and cancel before it renews, that page is out of date.
The One Remaining Trial With ESPN Channels
YouTube TV, 10 days. This is the one remaining free trial that gets you the live ESPN channels, and it covers ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and SEC Network along with your local ABC. After the trial it is $82.99 a month, though new customers currently pay $67.99 a month for the first three months. Current terms are on the YouTube TV site.
The two obvious alternatives no longer help:
- Fubo has withdrawn its free trial on live-TV plans. Its Pro, Elite and Latino plans now go straight to paid, and only certain add-ons still carry trials. Fubo does include ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost once you subscribe, which is worth knowing, but there is no free way in.
- Sling has no free trial and has not for some time. What it has instead is cheaper, and it is covered below.
One caution on the YouTube TV trial. It gets you the ESPN channels, but not ESPN Unlimited, the standalone streaming product. That was announced as a YouTube TV benefit in November 2025 and had still not launched as of July 2026. The detail is in our page on whether ESPN is back on YouTube TV.
The $4.99 Route for a Single Game
If you want ESPN for one fixture rather than a season, the cheapest legitimate option is Sling’s 1 Day Pass at $4.99. It gives 24 hours of Sling Orange, which carries ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN4K.
For a single game that beats every alternative, including a free trial you would have to remember to cancel. If you want the channel for a whole season, Sling Orange at $45.99 a month is the cheapest continuing subscription that carries ESPN, well under YouTube TV or Fubo. Our Sling TV channel list sets out what else comes with it.
Direct Subscription Pricing and the Bundle
Bought direct, ESPN Unlimited starts at $29.99 a month. The more interesting number on ESPN’s own page is the bundle: Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited together start at $35.99 a month. Six dollars more than ESPN alone for two additional services is the better buy for most households that were considering ESPN Unlimited on its own.
ESPN also sells a cheaper Select tier, which carries a narrower slate of live rights rather than the full ESPN streaming product. Check current tiers and what each one includes on ESPN’s own subscription page before choosing, because the split between the tiers has moved more than once.
| Route | Cost | Gets you |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV free trial | Free for 10 days | All ESPN linear channels plus local ABC |
| Sling 1 Day Pass | $4.99 once | 24 hours of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN4K |
| Sling Orange | $45.99/mo | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN4K ongoing |
| ESPN Unlimited direct | From $29.99/mo | ESPN’s streaming service, no live-TV channels |
| Disney+, Hulu and ESPN bundle | From $35.99/mo | ESPN Unlimited plus Disney+ and Hulu |
| Fubo Pro | $88.99/mo, no trial | ESPN channels plus ESPN Unlimited included |
The Cable Login You May Already Own
If you have a cable or satellite subscription through any provider, you already have ESPN app access at no extra cost. Sign in to the ESPN app with your TV provider credentials and the live channels unlock. Households that inherited a package through a landlord, a family plan or a bundled broadband deal often have this without realising.
Beyond that, be realistic about what free means here. ESPN’s live rights are expensive and the network does not give them away. Sites promising free ESPN streams outside these routes are either showing you unlicensed feeds or collecting your card details. Our guide to watching live TV without cable covers what is genuinely free and what is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ESPN have a free trial in 2026?
No. ESPN does not offer a free trial on any of its subscription tiers. Its own sign-up page carries no trial offer, and subscriptions are paid from the first day. Older guides describing a seven-day ESPN trial are out of date.
How can I watch ESPN free?
The only genuine free trial that includes the live ESPN channels is YouTube TV’s 10-day trial. Beyond that, if you have any cable or satellite subscription you can sign in to the ESPN app with those credentials at no extra cost.
What is the cheapest way to watch ESPN?
For a single game, Sling’s 1 Day Pass at $4.99 gives 24 hours of Sling Orange, which carries ESPN. For an ongoing subscription, Sling Orange at $45.99 a month is the cheapest live-TV service carrying ESPN.
Does Fubo still have a free trial?
No. Fubo has withdrawn free trials from its Pro, Elite and Latino live-TV plans, which now go straight to paid. Only some add-ons still offer trials. Fubo does include ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost on Pro and Elite once you subscribe.
How much does ESPN Unlimited cost?
ESPN Unlimited starts at $29.99 a month bought direct. The Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited bundle starts at $35.99 a month, which is usually the better value if you would use any of the other two services.
What is the difference between ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select?
Unlimited is the full ESPN streaming product. Select is a cheaper tier carrying a narrower slate of live rights. The split between them has changed more than once, so check what each currently includes on ESPN’s own pages before subscribing.
Does the YouTube TV free trial include ESPN Unlimited?
No. The trial includes the live ESPN channels, but not ESPN Unlimited. That was announced as a YouTube TV benefit in November 2025 and had still not launched as of July 2026.
Can I watch ESPN free with a cable login?
Yes. Any active cable or satellite subscription that includes ESPN unlocks the ESPN app at no extra cost. Sign in with your TV provider credentials and the live channels become available.
Last updated 18 July 2026. Trial availability and pricing verified against ESPN, YouTube TV, Fubo and Sling on that date. Trial terms change often, so confirm on the provider’s own page before signing up.