How to watch 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' live online
You know a show is good when every finale is "the most shocking yet" and every season is "the most dramatic in history."
The ultimate guilty pleasure that is The Bachelor is so corny-in-a-good-way, we actually look forward to Mondays. Every episode, finale, and season are that intense for devoted superfans, even if Chris Harrison is paid to exaggerate in those narrations.
There's just something so fun about drinking while watching men and women cry over a person they just met (or over a bottle of champagne).
Any veteran member of Bachelor Nation knows that missing an episode is comparable to the pain of being sent home on a two-on-one. When watching ABC via cable isn't an option, there are streaming services that have your back — because the most info you get from spoiler live tweets is a vague reaction pic.
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While broadcast channels like CBS and NBC are almost always available in a streaming service's cheapest package, ABC is weirdly elusive and not offered live with some big players. Luckily, Hulu, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue are here to save the night. We'll break down subscription prices, free trials, and other factors to help you find your best bet Bachelor-wise.
Hulu with Live TV — $44.99/month after a seven-day free trial
Why can't every potential bae be as dependable as Hulu? Hulu's live TV option is probably the best way to watch The Bachelor, especially if you're already paying for regular Hulu. (Budget-friendly Sling TV recently got rid of its broadcast add-on.) You'll get over 60 channels in total including ABC, CBS, Cartoon Network, FX, and TLC.
If watching live is just an emergency one-time thing, you can sign up for a one-week free trial. When that ends and you don't want to pay the 45 bucks each month, you'll be glad to know that new episodes of The Bachelor are added to watch the day after they air and are free for all Hulu members, even without the live add-on. Bless. (Non-live Hulu prices range from $5.99 to $11.99 per month, depending on whether you can put up ad breaks or not.)
YouTube TV — $40/month after a five-day free trial
Not a Hulu person? You can get your dose of mush with YouTube's live TV subscription. One of the only other streaming services to have ABC in a package (in this case, the only package), YouTube TV offers over 60 channels including ABC, Freeform, National Geographic, and a ton of sports channels.
Again, you can sign up for a five-day free trial if watching live online is just a one-time need. But if you're fine with watching a day late, there are cheaper options: YouTube does add episodes of The Bachelor the night after they air, the $40/month membership is required to access those.
Playstation Vue — $44.99/month after five-day free trial
For Bachelor Nation and gaming fans who live under the same roof, PlayStation Vue could be clutch. Sony's live TV subscription offers four packages, with ABC available in the lowest tier. (ABC live streaming isn't available everywhere, so enter your zip code before signing up.) Vue's Access plan offers 49 channels including ABC, AMC, The Food Network, and HGTV.
To watch live once, you can sign up for a five-day free trial and cancel it before it ends. After that, you'll have to pay $44.99 per month to watch The Bachelor live or catch reruns once they're added. Unless you have a reason to go with PlayStation specifically, Hulu or YouTube TV offer more channels in their packages for cheaper.
ABC Live Stream — free with TV provider login
ABC's official site is a given. ABC Go isn't a streaming service with a subscription — instead, as long as you have a login from a TV provider like Comcast or Optimum, you can watch live for free. Like Hulu, ABC also makes new episodes available the next day. You'll need that same login to stream the most recent episode, but older ones are free for anyone to watch.
Here, you can also join The Bachelor version of Fantasy Football or sign up to date the next Bachelor or Bachelorette. (If this is the post that inspires you to sign up and you make it on the show, we expect credit.)
An HD antenna — $39.99.
When your Wi-Fi is shitty or the free trial thing sounds like too much work, an HD antenna is a risk-free alternative that'll last way longer than a free trial. An absolute must for cord cutters, these paper thin devices pick up over-the-air channels like ABC, CBS, and NBC for free just by sticking them to a nearby wall or window. And nope, they don't require a subscription.
The selection on Amazon is slightly overwhelming, but this one from Rhidon has over 2,000 five-star ratings and is budget-friendly at just $39.99.
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Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
