09-02-2025
How to Watch Animal Planet For Free Without Cable to Catch the Irwins, Puppy Bowl & More
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Whether you're craving epic nature documentaries or heartwarming pet stories, we've got your guide on how to watch Animal Planet for free without cable.
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Animal Planet has been bringing the animal kingdom into our living rooms since 1996, when it first made its way onto television screens as a collaboration between BBC and Discovery Communications. While Discovery (now Warner Bros. Discovery) eventually took the reins, the channel's mission has remained unchanged: connecting humans with the fascinating world of animals.
Gone are the days when Animal Planet was just about peaceful nature documentaries (though we still love those!) Today, the network serves up an addictive mix of heart-pounding wildlife rescues, incredible vet stories, and unforgettable family adventures. Fan favorites like Crikey! It's the Irwins keep the spirit of Steve Irwin alive while introducing a new generation to wildlife conservation. Meanwhile, shows like Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet and The Zoo give us an intimate look at the dedicated professionals who devote their lives to helping animals.
With Animal Planet reaching over 80 million American homes and inspiring countless wildlife enthusiasts, it's no wonder so many viewers are eager to tune in. If that includes you, here's your guide to watching Animal Planet for free, no cable required.
Animal Planet is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Philo, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $86.99 per month after the trial ends (with $10 off your first three months). Meanwhile, Philo offers a seven-day free trial and costs $28 per month after the free trial ends.
Hulu+ With Live TV doesn't have a free trial, however, they offer more bang for your buck than the other options. Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $81.99 per month and offers plans that include free subscriptions to both Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.
Best Overall Pick to Watch Animal Planet: DirecTV Stream
Best Budget Pick to Watch Animal Planet: Philo's Free Trial
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch Animal Planet: Hulu+ With Live TV
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Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch Animal Planet live for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. Direct TV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $86.99 per month; Choice, which costs $114.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $129.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $169.99 per month. Animal Planet is available with all four plans.
As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch Animal Planet with DirecTV Stream's free trial.
Visit packages page
Click 'Try It Free' for the plan of your choice
Enter your information and payment method
Search for Animal Planet and start watching your favorite shows!
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Philo is our best budget pick to watch Animal Planet shows for its price and free trial length. Philo offers a seven-day free trial and costs $28 per month after the trial ends. Along with Animal Planet, Philo also offers similar channels like Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, and Discovery Life. As for what else it includes, Philo offers more than 70 channels, as well as an unlimited DVR service. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch Animal Planet with Philo's free trial.
Visit
Click 'Start Free Trial'
Enter your information and payment method
Search for Animal Planet and start watching your favorite shows!
$81.99+
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Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch Animal Planet based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $81.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $87.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $95.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Animal Planet is included in all four plans. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch Animal Planet with Hulu+ Live TV.
Visit
Click 'Sign Up Now'
Enter your information and payment method
Search for Animal Planet and start watching your favorite shows!
See below for a list of current programs on Animal Planet.
Big Cat Tales (Jonathan and Angela Scott document big cats in the Maasai Mara Reserve)
Crikey! It's the Irwins (The Irwin family documents life at the Australia Zoo)
Dodo Heroes: Courage Up Close (Learn more about the organizations and heroes featured in Dodo Heroes)
Dog Detectives (Meet the unsung heroes of the crime-fighting world)
Dogs 101 (Get up close and personal with a variety of popular dog breeds)
Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet (Dr. Dee Thornell cares for wild and domestic animals in Fairbanks, Alaska)
Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet (Dr. Jeff & team give hope to pets and their owners)
Extinct or Alive (Forrest Galante is on a mission to find supposedly extinct species)
Finding Bigfoot (Four eccentric but passionate investigators search for Bigfoot)
Gator Boys (Witness the death-defying exploits of two extraordinary alligator trappers)
I Was Prey (Survivors recount the true stories of confronting a deadly predator)
Lone Star Law (Everything's bigger in Texas, including the job of the Texas Game Wardens)
Louisiana Law (Discover the lives of men and women protecting the Louisiana wildlife)
Monsters Inside Me (Patients battle parasitic creatures that have taken over their bodies)
My Cat From Hell (Jackson Galaxy helps families on the verge of giving up their felines)
My Pack Life (In Oregon, Lee Asher builds a sanctuary for animals in need of a home)
Mysterious Creatures with Forrest Galante (Forrest Galante uncovers dangerous mysteries of the animal world)
North Woods Law (Follow Game Wardens protecting Maine from life and death situations)
Northwest Law (The Department of Fish and Wildlife officers risk their lives on the job)
Otter Dynasty (The royal Otter clans of Singapore battle for territory and survival)
Pets and Pickers (The Regional Animal Protection Society ensures healthcare to pets in need)
Pit Bulls & Parolees (A rescue center gives pit bulls and parolees a second chance at life)
Pit Bulls & Parolees: Found a Forever Home (A rescue center gives pit bulls and parolees a second chance at life)
Pit Bulls & Parolees: Harrowing Rescues (A rescue center gives pit bulls and parolees a second chance at life)
Pit Bulls & Parolees: Waiting for a Forever Home (A rescue center gives pit bulls and parolees a second chance at life)
Puppy Bowl (Puppies battle it out on the gridiron to score touchdowns—and a home)
Puppy Bowl Presents: 20 Years of Puppies (Dan the Ref celebrates 20 years of the cutest game in sports)
River Monsters (Jeremy Wade hunts for freshwater fish with a taste for human flesh)
Road to Puppy Bowl (Meet four extraordinary rescue groups saving the lives of countless pets)
Shark Academy (Eight rising shark aficionados are tested to become master of the species)
Surviving Joe Exotic (Joe Exotic gives one last interview before his arrest)
Tanked (The biggest aquarium manufacturer in the US creates over-the-top tanks)
Tanked Jr. (Abby and her friends reveal the steps to build a fin-tastic tank)
The Aquarium (Viewers are taken behind the scenes of Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium)
The Vet Life (Three vets and their families begin new lives and careers in Houston, TX)
The Vet Life: Extreme Animal Encounters (The veterinarians share their most intense experiences)
The Zoo (In the new season, Dr. Paul Calle discusses Nadia, the tiger who tested positive for COVID-19)
The Zoo: From the Inside (Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Bronx Zoo, a leader in conservation)
The Zoo: San Diego (A behind-the-scenes look reveals the lives of animals at the San Diego Zoo)
The Zoo: San Diego – A Look Inside (A behind-the-scenes look reveals the lives of animals at the San Diego Zoo)
Too Cute! (Too Cute! tells the coming-of-age stories of cuddly baby animals)
Treehouse Masters (Pete Nelson creates incredible homes and businesses in nature's canopy)
Wardens of the North (Discover the lives of men and women protecting the Michigan wildlife)
Yellowstone Wardens (Discover the lives of conservation officers protecting Montana's land)
Zoltan the Wolfman (Following the daily life of renowned animal trainer Zoltan Horkai)
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