We reviewed dozens of TV providers to find you the best ways to watch HGTV shows.
Premium TV experience $84.99–$114.99/mo. Live channels: DVR storage: $84.99–$114.99/mo. Live channels: DVR storage: Cheapest cable $39.99–$74.99/mo. Live channels: DVR storage: Not included $39.99–$74.99/mo. Live channels: DVR storage: Not included Cheapest live TV streaming Live channels: DVR storage: Live channels: DVR storage: Cheapest on-demand streaming Live channels: On-demand library: Live channels: On-demand library: By Mike StrayerAug 14, 2024 | Share
Let’s start with the good news: pretty much every TV provider has a package that includes HGTV. Now, for the (not really all that) bad news: you’re gonna have to sort through a ton of choices.
Not to worry, much like the hosts of House Hunters, we’ve looked at dozens of TV packages that include HGTV and whittled it down for you: DISH’s America’s Top 200, Spectrum’s Spectrum TV ® Select, streaming service Philo’s base package, the on-demand streaming service Discovery+, plus Discovery+’s new merger with Max (formerly HBO Max).
Read on to find out why we made our choices and to see which HGTV TV package is right for you and your household.
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You don’t need to have cable TV to watch HGTV—but you’ll probably need streaming TV or even satellite TV (which is, admittedly, a lot like cable). So you’ll probably want to look into streaming TV services first.
These days, watching HGTV without cable is a breeze. You’ll still have to pay to get a reliable HGTV stream, but you can usually get a streaming service package for less than a typical cable package.
If HGTV is one of the main reasons you want TV service, we highly recommend Philo because of its low monthly price, month-to-month contract, and variety of lifestyle channels like HGTV and the Travel Channel.
But we also highly recommend streaming past seasons of HGTV shows on Discovery+, which is even more affordable and has no contracts. And thanks to the new Discovery+ and HBO Max merger, HGTV is also now available on Max.
You can stream HGTV on your computer, tablet, or phone at HGTV.com or by downloading the HGTV app (a.k.a. Watch HGTV)—but using the app requires a cable, satellite, or streaming TV provider login.
You can also download your TV provider’s app to any compatible device, including streaming devices like the Roku Ultra and Amazon Fire TV Stick that are connected to your smart TV.
If you’d like more detailed information about how all of these streaming services compare to each other, check out our guide to the Best Live TV Streaming Services.
That said, if you’re looking for a premium TV experience above and beyond most streaming and cable packages, you’ll want a satellite TV package.
Again, for a premium TV experience that includes HGTV, we really like DISH Network. DISH packages have all the bells and whistles: huge channel lineups, state-of-the-art equipment, and transparent contracts.
Pro tip: Already have DISH? Maybe we can help you, too. HGTV is on channel 112 and is available in HD.
DIRECTV is also a decent option if you want HGTV as a part of your premium TV experience, especially if you’re a sports fan.
Maybe you like to do home repairs on Saturday and park it on the couch every Sunday to watch all the regional sports channels you want.
Pro tip: Pssst, DIRECTV customers, HGTV is channel 229 on DIRECTV.
Just be careful: DIRECTV prices go way up after the first year, and its Genie DVR can’t hold a candle to DISH’s Hopper 3.
There are at least two solid reasons to get HGTV with cable: bundles and channel counts. Having a combined TV and internet bill is super convenient. And if you like to channel surf, cable TV packages have 50–200 more channels than you’ll get from streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV—and for roughly the same price.
Those are just some of the reasons why we like Spectrum for cable TV packages that include HGTV (more on why below).
Pro tip: Looking for HGTV on Spectrum? We got you: HGTV is channel 160 on Spectrum.
That said, Spectrum might not be available in your area. So, if you want to score a sweet cable bundle with your HGTV, you’ll wanna enter your zip code below to see TV providers in your ‘hood.
Package: America’s Top 200
Price: $99.99/mo.*
Live channels: 240+
* All information contained herein is confidential and subject to change. Offer for new and qualifying customers only. Other restrictions may apply a 2-year price guarantee.
Like we said above, DISH is your best bet if you want all things TV all the time. In fact, we named DISH best overall among TV providers.
In particular, we think DISH’s America’s Top 200 package is a pretty good deal. With it, you’ll get 240+ channels—including HGTV, DIY Network, and the Cooking Channel—for $99.99 per month (and no price hikes for three years).
Your DISH package will also include the Hopper Duo, a fairly decent DVR with 2 TB of storage that you can connect to two TVs at the same time. (The Hopper 3 is $10 per month extra, but might be worth adding to your package if you’re a true TV fiend.)
And then there’s the on-demand content. Each DISH package has up to 80,000 free titles on demand, which you can watch on most devices with the DISH Anywhere app. Did we mention that the DISH Anywhere app will also allow you to stream live TV and DVR recordings? Not too shabby, eh?
Pro tip: Your DISH login will allow you to use the HGTV app (a.k.a. Watch HGTV), too.
Don’t get us wrong: DISH has some downsides, of course. DISH packages are pretty expensive for a lot of folks. Also, you’ll have to get a satellite dish installed on your home—and clean snow off it in the winter.
So, DISH Network isn’t for everyone, but we still think it’s pretty damn good compared to the competition.
Package: Spectrum TV Select
Price: $69.99/mo. for 12 mos.*
Live channels: 155–160+
As much as we hate to say it, we gotta give it to cable provider Spectrum for the value of its TV packages. (We may be CableTV.com, but we think, for a lot of folks, cable isn’t the right choice.)
Out of all cable and TV providers, Spectrum has the cheapest standalone TV package. For $69.99 a month (for 12 months), Spectrum TV Select has 155+ channels. Among these networks are the top 35 most-watched channels—HGTV included.
Why then would you go with DISH or a streaming service over Spectrum? The short answer is equipment.
The Spectrum DVR add-on for $4.99 per month has way less storage than the Hopper Duo and most streaming services’ cloud DVRs, including Philo’s. What’s more, the Spectrum TV app is way glitchier and has a lot less content than the DISH Anywhere app and most streaming apps, including Philo’s.
But, if you have room in your budget, you can complement Spectrum TV Select with top premium movie and sports channels—HBO (with Max ™ ), Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ® , STARZ ® & STARZENCORE ® , and the Sports View add-on (20 channels including NFL Network and NFL RedZone)—for $40.00 more per month. That would make your total monthly payment only $99.99, which is a good price for so much content.