How to Watch HGTV: Channels, Streaming, and More
We reviewed dozens of TV providers to find you the best ways to watch HGTV shows.
Package: America’s Top 200
Price: $89.99/mo.
Live channels: 240+
Editorial star rating: 4.01/5.00
Package: Spectrum TV® Silver
Price: $69.99/mo.
Live channels: 175+
Editorial star rating: 3.49/5.00
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® Silver, and streaming service Philo’s base package.
Read on to find out why we made our choices and to see which HGTV TV package is right for you and your household.
How can I watch HGTV without cable?
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, we highly recommend Philo because of its cheap price, month-to-month contract, and variety of lifestyle channels like HGTV and the Travel Channel.
Looking to stream HGTV on demand? Currently, Netflix doesn’t have any HGTV shows, but a basic Hulu subscription (starting at $5.99 per month) will get you a ton of HGTV series like Flip or Flop on demand.
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.
HGTV on DISH Network
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.
HGTV on DIRECTV
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 NFL games you can (and HGTV during halftime). With NFL SUNDAY TICKET, you can get every NFL game included free for the first year with some DIRECTV packages.
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.
How can I watch HGTV with cable?
There are at least two solid reasons to get HGTV with cable: bundle discounts and convenience. You can save 10–30 bucks a month on your combined TV and internet bill when you sign up for cable.
And if you like to channel surf, another great reason to choose cable over streaming is higher channel counts. Usually, you can get about 50–100 more channels than you would with streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV 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.
Premium TV experience: DISH Network
Package: America’s Top 200
Price: $89.99/mo.
Live channels: 240+
Editorial star rating: 4.01/5.00
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 2020.
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 $89.99 per month (and no price hikes).
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 $15 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.
Best value: Spectrum
Package: Spectrum TV® Silver
Price: $69.99/mo.
Live channels: 175+
Editorial star rating: 3.49/5.00
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.)
For the price, you can’t get much better than Spectrum TV® Silver. This monster of a TV package comes with 175+ channels—including HGTV and premium channels like HBO and SHOWTIME—for a very reasonable $69.99 per month.
Think about it: HBO and SHOWTIME add-ons usually cost a combined $25 per month. So, a fantastic streaming service like YouTube TV ($64.99 per month) or Hulu + Live TV (starting at $54.99 per month)—which don’t include premium channels—can’t touch Spectrum TV® Silver in terms of channels for the price.
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.
So, as you can see, even value-packed Spectrum TV® Silver has some trade-offs.
Cheapest: Philo
For the budget-conscious HGTV fan, you can’t beat Philo for $25 per month. Sure you won’t get half as many channels as you would with DISH or Spectrum, but you’ll pay less than a third of the cost.
Another thing to consider when going with Philo is that you won’t get any live news or sports channels with your package. For a lot of our readers, popular lifestyle channels like HGTV, Hallmark Channel, and Lifetime are more than enough.
But if you or your partner is even a low-key sports fan or news watcher, Philo might not be right for you.
Pro tip: You can supplement Philo with an HD TV antenna for local news and tons of nationally televised sports.
Channel selection aside, Philo also packs a punch with its unlimited cloud DVR. Shows will be deleted after 30 days, but unlimited storage? Come on! Say hello to DVR recordings of the entire Property Brothers franchise.
Watch HGTV app
The HGTV app (a.k.a. Watch HGTV) is another way you can stream HGTV from a web browser or any compatible device.
First things first, the Watch HGTV app is free to download, but you must have a TV provider login to use it. That means that you can’t watch HGTV for free (*writer shrugs*).
The Watch HGTV app is pretty handy, though. True HGTV fans will enjoy over 10,000 episodes on demand, a live HGTV stream, and the occasional early premier of original HGTV shows.
Not bad for a free app, eh? Again, you’ll need a TV provider login to use the Watch HGTV app, but that’s why we’re here: to help you find one.
Enter your zip code to see top TV providers in your area.
What channel is HGTV on?
For our readers who already have HGTV, you might be wondering what channel it’s on. Well, the answer depends on your TV provider.
HGTV channel number by provider
- AT&T TV—channel 450
- DIRECTV—channel 229
- DISH—channel 112
- Spectrum—channel 160
- Verizon Fios TV—channels 165
Our final take
HGTV is available from pretty much every major TV provider. That said, we think DISH, Spectrum, and Philo have great TV packages that include HGTV.
DISH’s America’s Top 200 has over 240 live channels, including HGTV, and a solid DVR for $89.99 per month.
We think Spectrum TV® Silver is a great value at $69.99 per month with HGTV and premium channels like HBO and SHOWTIME included.
And for the budget-conscious, Philo has the goods with 63+ channels, including HGTV, for only $25 per month. To sweeten the pot, Philo includes a free trial and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
How to watch HGTV FAQ
What is HGTV?
HGTV, short for Home & Garden Television, is a popular Discovery, Inc. and Scripps Networks channel. Originally, its programming focused on how-to shows for home improvement and gardening.
Now it’s a hotspot for home-buying and renovation reality TV shows.
Is HGTV free?
No, HGTV is not free. You’ll need a TV provider subscription to watch HGTV.
Which streaming service has HGTV?
Pretty much every major live TV streaming service has HGTV. We highly recommend Philo ($25.00 per month) if you’re into lifestyle channels and Hulu + Live TV (starting at $54.99 per month) if you want a complete channel lineup.
Does Amazon Prime have HGTV?
Yes, Amazon Prime Video has HGTV shows. You have to purchase seasons individually, however.
Does Netflix have HGTV?
Currently, Netflix doesn’t have any HGTV shows. Netflix does, however, have some HGTV-like original shows, such as Interior Design Matters and Amazing Interiors.
For a ton of HGTV shows on-demand, you’ll need a Hulu subscription.
Can you pay for just HGTV?
Unfortunately, you can’t just pay for HGTV because you need a TV provider login to watch it.
