If you are a fan of reality shows, A&E is probably essential. But due to the channel’s popularity, it is widely provided by live TV streaming services. Read on to learn how you can get it without a cable provider.
In a hurry? Several of the top streaming services offer A&E. These are the best:
- DIRECTV STREAM: Makes it easy to switch from cable to streaming with their 75+ channel Entertainment plan and options for much more. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: The top low-cost streaming service provides a great base channel lineup in both its plans. Save 50% your first month with Sling TV.
- Philo: This service gives you 60+ live TV channel for just $25/mo!
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
A&E is the flagship cable TV channel of A+E Networks, which also encompasses History, Lifetime, Crime + Investigation, and Spike Jonze’s Vice.
The channel is still trying to recover from the cancellation in 2020 of its biggest hit Live PD, and it has a couple of brand new series starting in early 2022 to help it do that: the reality drama Adults Adopting Adults and documentary serial Secrets of Playboy.
You can stream pay TV channels like A&E through the internet at a fraction of the price of cable or satellite, with no contracts or inconvenient installation appointments. Read on for more details.
What Is A&E
Once the Arts & Entertainment Network, the A&E channel used to be up there with PBS as a source of cultural, academic, intellectual programming — such as its Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning series, Biography and British co-productions and imports.
Over the years, it has succumbed to the same channel drift that claimed its sister channel History and most of the Discovery channels. Now, its content is largely a mixture of reality shows like Storage Wars and true crime documentaries like Killer Cases.
A&E was riding high as the #8 cable channel in ratings in 2020 when George Floyd was killed, prompting the network to put its top-rated show Live PD on indefinite hiatus.
With the controversy around the Austin, TX police department’s handling of Javier Ambler’s death while in custody while filming the show, A&E decided to make the hiatus permanent. Given it was many viewers’ favorite show, half its audience left overnight and the network dropped to #20.
It didn’t help that the show occupied multiple primetime evenings, giving A&E channel a giant hole in its programming schedule that they had to scramble to fill.
It’s not the first time A&E has canceled a show amid political controversy and experienced a viewer backlash. In 2013, after one year on the air, Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson was first put on hiatus, then reinstated, ticking off viewers on both sides of the controversy.
The network announced last year that it was going to focus on “total-audience metrics” versus the traditionally coveted 18-54-year-old group. According to entertainment analysts, this means they’re going to be focusing on the 55-and-over crowd.
However, a recent documentary on Janet Jackson that aired on both A&E and Lifetime did very well across all age groups, so things could be looking up again.
A&E Shows
The top TV shows on A&E include:
- Biography
- Cold Case Files
- Court Cam
- Hoarders
- Intervention
- Secrets of Playboy
- Storage Wars
- Voices Magnified.
Unblock Your Favorite Movies and Shows With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
How to Stream A&E
A&E’s sister channels at A+E Networks are FYI, History, Military History, Lifetime, LMN (Lifetime Movie Network), and Crime + Investigation. You can watch similar content — unscripted reality and documentaries — on Discovery’s TLC, NBCUniversal’s Bravo, and AMC Networks‘ WE tv.
Most of the major streaming services offer the A&E channel. The two major exceptions are FuboTV and YouTube TV.
Philo
Philo is a huge bargain, especially if you like the A+E channels. For $25/mo, you get over 60 channels, including all the A+E channels (except Military History) plus TLC and WE tv.
It doesn’t carry WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal (no Bravo), or Disney-owned channels. It’s also missing sports and your local networks. But it does come with a great interface, unlimited DVR, and streaming on up to 3 devices at once. And only Frndly is cheaper (see below).
Get all the details in our Philo review.
Sling TV
Sling TV lets you create your own custom package. It’s as close to a la carte cable as you’ll ever get. But you don’t even need that. A&E, Bravo, History, Lifetime, TLC, and Vice are all right there in the Sling Blue base plan for $40.00/mo. (Alternatively, you can get Sling Orange, which comes with fewer channels but does include ESPN and Disney Channel.)
Grab the Lifestyle Extra add-on for $6/mo to get FYI, LMN, WE tv, and more. 50 hours of cloud DVR are included, and you can watch Sling Blue on up to 3 devices at the same time.
Learn everything in our Sling TV review.
DIRECTV STREAM
If it’s in the top 50 cable channels, it’s likely that DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) carries it. So it’s not surprising at all to find A&E, Lifetime, History, TLC, Vice, WE tv, and Bravo all in the base tier, the Entertainment Package, which runs $79.99/mo.
DIRECTV STREAM also gives you all your local stations, as well as unlimited cloud DVR and unlimited devices streaming in your home at the same time.
For more, see our DIRECTV STREAM review.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV offers over 85 live TV channels, and, as the name says, Hulu. That means thousands of on-demand shows and movies. But that’s not all! It also comes with Disney+ and ESPN+.
The base plan is $76.99/mo and includes A&E, Bravo, FYI, History, Lifetime, LMN, TLC, and Vice. If you toss on the Entertainment Add-on, you can get Crime + Investigation and Military History — it’s the only service that carries the latter.
Check out our Hulu + Live TV review for details.
Vidgo
Vidgo undercuts a lot of the competition, while still keeping sports and news in the mix. Not especially strong on local networks, it does carry A&E, FYI, History, Lifetime, LMN, TLC, and Vice in its Plus package, which is $69.99/mo.
You can stream on up to 3 devices, but Vidgo does take a pass on WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, and AMC Networks channels. And it includes no DVR and on-demand content.
See our Vidgo review for more information.
Other Ways to Stream A&E
None of those grab you? Don’t worry, there are more ways to stream The Art of Entertainment:
- Frndly TV: Frndly TV is a skinny bundle of over 30 general information, educational, and family live and on-demand channels starting at $7.99/mo. They recently reached an agreement with A+E to carry all of A&E’s sister networks. Other channels include the Hallmark Channel, Weather Channel, INSP, and BYU TV. (Frndly TV review)
- A&E Crime Central: A&E’s on-demand collection of 900+ true crime and justice system series and specials curated from A&E, History, and Lifetime/LMN. Featured shows include Dog the Bounty Hunter, After the First 48, 60 Days In, and Female Forces.
- Hulu: Hulu’s on-demand library starts at only $6.99/mo and contains over a dozen of A&E’s juiciest true crime and legal documentaries and series, as well as Storage Wars and Duck Dynasty.
- A&E App: Most devices allow you to watch A&E live and on-demand with this app. It requires that you have a TV provider to use it via TV Everywhere. You can similarly watch right on the A&E website.
Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN
You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
| i | See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs. |
Supported Devices to Stream A&E
Most of the streaming services listed above support the devices in use today. We’ll just go over the most popular devices but you can find complete lists in the streaming reviews.
Android TV-based televisions are not supported by DIRECTV STREAM but they are by the other services. In contrast, DIRECTV STREAM allows you to use its own device, which can make the switch to streaming easier.
You can also cast to your TV from a smartphone, tablet, or web browser using Chromecast that is either built-in or added as an external device. This is supported by all services.
Samsung smart TVs are supported by Hulu, Sling, and DIRECTV. Sling and Hulu also support LG and VIZIO smart TVs.
All the services support the popular TV “stick” devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. They also support mobile devices with iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android.
The Xbox One gaming system is supported by Sling and Hulu. PlayStation and Nintendo Switch are supported by Hulu. And finally, Sling TV supports the Oculus VR system.
Today’s A&E Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Court Cam A judge calls back a woman who curses and leaves a hearing; a murder victim's father rushes a defendant in court; a wife seeks a protection order against a woman involved with her husband; and more. | |
| Court Cam A daring courthouse escape; an angry defendant flips a podium, a chipmunk interrupts a Zoom hearing. | |
| Court Cam A look at some of the wildest courtroom moments; an accused burglar keeps falling asleep during his virtual hearing; a judge has no time for Sovereign Citizen tactics; a drunk school bus driver shows up impaired for his plea hearing. | |
| Court Cam An armed robbery suspect escapes from the courthouse; a woman makes a virtual court appearance from her shower; the mother of a shooting victim unleashes her fury on the gunman. | |
| Court Cam A behind-the-scenes look into some of the most wild, unruly and dramatic moments caught on tape in courtrooms across the country; witnesses, judges and victims share their perspectives of the emotional outbursts and chaotic moments. | |
| Court Cam Deputies are assaulted during a hearing; courtroom chaos after a sentencing; a murderer's wife turns state's witness. | |
| Court Cam A fugitive shows up to the courthouse but changes his mind and flees from officers; an assault victim confronts her attacker in court; a defendant curses and makes obscene gestures at the judge. | |
| Court Cam A defendant wants a hip-hop superstar to be his lawyer; a man is convicted in a murder-for-hire plot; a woman attacks her attorney in court. | |
| Court Cam A judge calls back a woman who curses and leaves a hearing; a murder victim's father rushes a defendant in court; a wife seeks a protection order against a woman involved with her husband; and more. | |
| Court Cam A daring courthouse escape; an angry defendant flips a podium, a chipmunk interrupts a Zoom hearing. | |
| Court Cam A look at some of the wildest courtroom moments; an accused burglar keeps falling asleep during his virtual hearing; a judge has no time for Sovereign Citizen tactics; a drunk school bus driver shows up impaired for his plea hearing. | |
| Court Cam An armed robbery suspect escapes from the courthouse; a woman makes a virtual court appearance from her shower; the mother of a shooting victim unleashes her fury on the gunman. | |
| Overwhelmed with IRS Debt? Keys to Resolving Tax Debt See how one company is changing people's lives by helping them put their tax problems to rest. | |
| Car accident? Free Legal Consultation Legal professionals standing by to answer your questions. | |
| House Stealing - The Latest Cyberthreat and How To Protect Your Home Home Title Lock - Title Theft is Real and Your Equity is at Risk. Protect the Title to Your Home Today with America's Leader in Home Title Monitoring, Change Alerts and Title Restoration. | |
| Who Stole My Life? Every 3 seconds an American's identity is stolen. Just how safe is your 401k? Your bank account? Your home? Your credit? Crime Reporter Tom Morris Jr. investigates the identity theft epidemic. Find out how you can help protect yourself with LifeLock. | |
| Inogen Portable Oxygen - No More Tanks! Regain independence and enjoy greater mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of portable oxygen. | |
| David Jeremiah Dr. David Jeremiah's goal is to deliver the unchanging Word of God to an ever-changing world. | |
| Joni: Table Talk Joni and guests tackle a wide range of relevant issues, controversial subjects and hard-hitting news topics with candor and wit. | |
| Parking Wars A man with a pacemaker becomes enraged at the impound lot; an angry citizen pushes Carmen to the limit; Jen is gung-ho about her job. | |
| Parking Wars An Israeli tourist tries to get his car released from the lot; ticket writer Danielle must deal with an angry deliveryman; Elissa and Rob give a couple the boot. | |
| Parking Wars Long-haired DeAndre, nicknamed "Ponytail," confronts an irate citizen over parking on city property in Detroit; Michele and Sonjia, the "Super Boot Crew," boot a widow whose husband may have racked up tickets on their car. | |
| Parking Wars A blizzard dumps 10 inches of snow on Philadelphia and adds to the aggravation at the impound lot; winter weather causes problems for booters Garfield and Sherry. | |
| Parking Wars April Fool's Day is no joke in Philly when Garfield and Sherry face off with a man trying to block the boot; in Detroit, veteran ticket-writer Norman demands respect, even when cursed out by angry women. | |
| Parking Wars A man with a gun is upset about his booted car; an attractive ticket-writer dishes out tough love. | |
| The First 48 – Smoke Screen; The Last Goodbye A 28-year-old father is stabbed to death while at work; a 35-year-old man is shot to death in a bar bathroom. | |
| The First 48 – The Invitation After a young man gets shot to death at a motel party, Tulsa Detective Justin Ritter discovers a photo posted online that may have triggered a dangerous chain of events. | |
| The First 48 – Closing Time; Family Matters The killing of a foreign exchange student is captured on video; family members are involved in a shooting at a New Orleans carwash. | |
| The First 48 – Murder on Maiden Lane A crew of robbers guns down an Atlanta father; a detective working her first case suspects that she may be pursuing the wrong suspect. | |
| The First 48 – Fighting Words; Signs of Violence Detectives hope neighbors can provide information on the slaying of a Dallas father; suspects in the killing of a deaf man may be linked to an earlier unsolved murder. | |
| The First 48 – No Warning; Over the Edge In Tulsa, a young mother is gunned down at a convenience store by a shotgun-toting assailant; in Kansas City, a local businessman is executed and Detective Jason Sutton looks to his employees for a motive. | |
| The First 48 – A Day Like This In Mobile, Ala., one teenager is killed, and another's life is forever changed when a single decision turns fatal. | |
| The First 48 – Snatched When a homeless man is killed after getting run over in a Tulsa, Okla. parking lot, detectives work to track down the elusive driver. | |
| The First 48 – Along Came a Killer When three people are gunned down in a quiet neighborhood, Gwinnette County police struggle to find a connection between the victims. | |
| The First 48 – Among Friends A young man is shot dead in front of his mother's house; detectives look to his friends and family to find his killer. | |
| The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes – Beware of Strangers A Dallas retiree is found mysteriously stabbed to death in his own bed; then, a grisly murder outside a local Cincinnati bar sends shockwaves among its patrons; finally, a father is ambushed and gunned down in a restaurant parking lot in Tulsa. | |
| Accused: Guilty or Innocent? – Murderous Mother or Protective Parent? A violent assault ends in a fatal stabbing when a young mother kills her boyfriend, in a bid to defend her child; considered innocent by police for four years, she was re-arrested and now faces up to 41 years in prison. | |
| Interrogation Raw – Honey, Are You in There? After police respond to an apparent suicide, the case takes an unexpected turn when investigators cannot find a gun near the body. |
Wrapping Up
So don’t miss out on any of your favorite A&E programs. Sign up for one of the services above, and you can go ahead and sweep your cable bill right under the rug without missing any episodes of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures or Extreme Unboxing.
Our top recommendation to watch A&E is Philo. Try Philo free for 7 days.
FAQs
Are A&E shows available on-demand?
A&E shows certainly are available on-demand! All of the services above except Vidgo have at least some on-demand content, which generally contains at least recent episodes of current shows. In addition, Hulu has a number of A&E series available and Amazon Prime Video has some included as well (and some you have to buy).
You could also subscribe to A&E Crime Central, A+E Networks’ on-demand library of true crime-related programming from across its major channels, either by itself directly through A+E or through Amazon Prime Channels, Apple TV Channels, or Roku Channels.
Is A&E available on FuboTV?
Sadly, FuboTV (and YouTube TV) have not reached an agreement with A+E Networks to carry any of its channels, which is why you won’t see FYI, Crime + Investigation, either of the History channels, either of the Lifetime channels, or Vice on those services either.
What is the cheapest way to get A&E?
That would be Frndly TV at $7.99/mo. It’s a mix of on-demand and live channels including Local Now, UPtv, Outdoor Channel, Game Show Network — basically a lineup of cable TV’s Most Inoffensive Channels, ranging from completely neutral (The Weather Channel) to religious-tinged (Dove Channel, BYU TV) to determinedly wholesome (Hallmark, INSP). They just acquired the A+E Networks channels, including A&E.
Ditch “Big Cable” Now – 3 Simple Steps to Cut the Cord
- Pick the right streaming service
- Get the content you deserve with the best VPN.
- Supercharge your internet provider
That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!
Page Updates ▼▲
-
Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Image changes.
-
Added links. Various changes to content.
-
Linking. Reworded some things.
-
Added links.
-
Added VPN info. Added a few links. Various changes to content.
-
Added buttons for streaming services. Updated some sub-sections. Image changes. Pricing updates.
-
Added sub-section. Image changes. Put related links. Misc content updates.
-
Pricing updates. Added some more links. Various changes.
-
Added links to streaming services. Linking. Image changes. Pricing updates.
-
Coming Soon: New Arrivals On Hulu Live In August And Beyond - 07/31/2022 -
How to Watch Live TV on Hulu - 07/17/2022 -
Top 15 Cities With the Most Baseball Victories - 07/15/2022