National Geographic is one of the iconic “cable” channels. But it is no longer necessary to get a cable or even satellite subscription to watch it. Read on to learn all your choices.
In a hurry? National Geographic comes with the base plans of most of the top streaming services. So all you need to do is decide what else you want in your streaming service. Here are our favorites:
- Fubo: With 150+ channels, it offers something for everyone. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Provides everything you expect from cable with many options. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: Probably the best streaming service in terms of customization with a super low price and a 50% discount on your first month!
If you can’t watch your favorite sports, TV and movies because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve. Signup now.
Table Of Contents
National Geographic is nature at its finest. With this channel, you can feel like you are on a safari without leaving your living room.
Although many people pay gobs of money to cable or satellite providers to watch Nat Geo as part of expensive bundles, there are other ways to view the documentaries that you can’t give up.
What Is National Geographic?
In the beginning, National Geographic, formerly known as National Geographic Channel, was owned by Fox Cable Networks and National Geographic Television and Film. It launched on January 7, 2001.
It has developed into a flagship channel that delivers documentaries and other non-fiction shows — mostly revolving around nature. Also, certain shows encompass topics of history and culture.
Since that time, it has branched out to include various sister networks, including Nat Geo Wild. In 2017, the Walt Disney Company bought a majority share in Nat Geo.
Throughout its years on air, National Geographic has made a lasting impact with its programming. Although this is not a channel famous for celebrity-centered sitcoms, it has attracted some big names in the industry.
For example, in 2016, Morgan Freeman hosted The Story of God. This fascinating documentary series drew great praise for the exploration of different religions and cultures.
Also, Rob Lowe brought extremely high ratings for his narration of The 90s: The Last Great Decade. In fact, 1.10 million viewers turned in to watch the show.
Shows
The key to the success of National Geographic is its non-fiction programs that range from the ordinary to the bizarre. Whether you want to see the weirdest of the wild or useful information in action, the lineup is sure to please.
- Brain Games: Who isn’t in awe of the analyzation of human cognitive abilities in real time? The series takes a unique approach to presenting the audience with various scenarios in order to explain how the human brain functions.
- Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted: You can join this famous chef as he explores some of the most remote locations on the globe. Along the way, you get an inside look at various cultures and unforgettable culinary discoveries.
- Life Below Zero: It’s bad enough when wolves and bears are your neighbors. However, it gets worse when the temperature drops to -60 degrees, and you must battle for your basic necessities. Follow resilient Alaskans who thrive in this environment.
- Locked Up Abroad: There is something fascinating about watching convicted criminals getting along behind bars. This program follows stories of people who’ve been arrested while spending time overseas.
- Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller: Documentary series that follows the flow of illicit good around the globe.
- Wicked Tuna: This is one of the longest running series on National Geographic. It is a reality TV show that follows commercial tuna fisherman in Gloucester, Massachusetts. You join their adventures as they hunt for Atlantic bluefin tuna. It is so popular, you may wish to catch Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, which is its sister series.
National Geographic Wild
Nat Geo Wild first launched in Hong Kong in January 2006. Eventually, it expanded across the world and became the first bilingual wildlife service. Programming is very similar to the wildlife and natural history shows on National Geographic.
Here are some of its popular shows:
- Cesar’s Way: This is the newest series from Cesar Millan, the well-known “Dog Whisperer.” Very similar to his past show, Milan works with dog owners who need help with pet relationships.
- The Incredible Dr Pol: Being a veterinarian is serious business. Dr Pol proves this as he treats all types of animals from big to small. Follow along as he performs emergency treatments and life-saving tasks.
- Secrets of the Zoo: Back for another season, this series gives unprecedented access to the one of the world’s biggest and most popular zoos. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
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.
Stream National Geographic
Thanks to current technology, National Geographic can be streamed through a number of services. You can ditch your long-term cable and satellite contracts. Choose one of the established streaming services that best fits your needs.
FuboTV
Although FuboTV is geared to the sports enthusiast, its 130+ base channel lineup includes a broad range of channels. For $79.99/mo, you get National Geographic as well as FX, HGTV, and the Disney Channel. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade with the Fubo Extra add-on ($7.99/mo), which gives you 46 more channels. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
All FuboTV plans come with 1000 hours of cloud DVR and simultaneous streaming on up to ten devices. Our FuboTV review has complete information.
Sling TV
Sling Blue comes with 40+ live TV channels (including National Geographic) for just $40.00/mo. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade with the Heartland Extra for $6/mo. It adds a total of 13 channels including Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel.
The base plan comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR and streaming on up to three devices at the same time. See our Sling TV review for details.
DIRECTV STREAM
All DIRECTV STREAM plans include National Geographic and they start at $79.99/mo. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade to the Ultimate Plan for $119.99/mo. It includes 130+ channels including an unmatched selection of regional sports networks and 8 Starz channels. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV STREAM comes with unlimited cloud DVR as long as you sign-up online and streaming on unlimited devices at home and on the road. Read our review for more.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is originally just that: the outstanding Hulu on-demand service plus 85+ live TV channels. Then they added Disney+. It’s an amazing deal for for $76.99/mo. This includes both National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. You also get all your local channels and a broad selection of sports, news, family, and entertainment channels.
Its plan comes with unlimited cloud DVR (9 months storage) and streaming on up to 2 devices at once. Find out more in our Hulu + Live TV review.
Vidgo
Vidgo offers a lot: well over 110 channels including ABC and Fox in select areas. And it offers a great selection of sports channels and family-friendly content including National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. And it comes for a modest price of $69.99/mo.
One downside of Vidgo is that it does not offer a cloud DVR. But you can watch on up to three devices at once. Check out our Vidgo review.
YouTube TV
To experience 100+ top channels, including National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild, YouTube TV is worth a try. This service costs $72.99/mo for the base plan and offers a number of add-ons. See our YouTube TV review for more.
On Demand
You can also watch National Geographic shows and documentaries on-demand from a number of sources.
- Disney+: It is’nt just for the kids. You gain access to unlimited entertainment, including Nat Geo for $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Note that the service is included with Hulu + Live TV.
- Hulu: For $7.99/mo, you can enjoy Nat Geo through Hulu’s on-demand service. However, a better deal is to purchase the Hulu Bundle, which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for only $14.99/mo.
- Amazon Prime: Offers a variety of Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild episodes. Certain shows are included for free with a Prime membership. Others will cost approximately $1.99 per full episode or $9.99 for entire seasons. See our Amazon Prime review.
Devices to Live Stream National Geographic
You can watch National Geographic on a lot more than just TVs these days. The streaming services above support the wide variety of devices in use today.
Let’s start with TV devices. All the services support Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. Mobile devices running Android and iOS are also universally supported. So are all the major web browsers. Finally, you can cast from web browsers and mobile devices to TVs using Chromecast.
Except for DIRECTV STREAM, the services support Android TV devices. And except for Vidgo, they Samsung smart TVs. Hulu, Fubo, and Sling all support LG and VIZIO smart TVs and Xbox One gaming systems. Hulu supports the PlayStation.
Our streaming reviews contain complete lists of supported devices.
TV Everywhere allows you to use your TV provider (including all of the live TV streaming services) to watch National Geographic using the Nat Geo TV app.
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. |
Today’s National Geographic Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Rewind the '90s – The Rise of the Internet In the 1990s, humanity learns to surf the web, and nothing is the same ever again. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Toys From Transformers to the Rubik's Cube, Rob Lowe counts down the top toys of the '80s. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Gadgets Rob Lowe counts down the top gadgets of the '80s, exploring how lives were changed by inventions like the Walkman, Gameboy and Macintosh. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Fast Food Rob Lowe counts down the 10 most memorable fast foods of the 1980s. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Commercials Rob Lowe counts down the best ads of the '80s, uncovering the secrets behind spots like Bud's Spuds MacKenzie, Where's the Beef and Apple's 1984. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Streetwear Rob Lowe counts down the greatest street fashions of the '80s. | |
| The '80s: Top Ten – Watercooler Moments Rob Lowe counts down the greatest watercooler moments of the '80s. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Finland's Midnight Sun Chef Ramsay explores Lapland in northern Finland by playing swamp football, navigating fierce rapids, fishing for white fish, and cooking in a sauna before going head to head with chef Kim Mikkola in a riverside cook-off. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Holy Mole Mexico Gordon attempts to master ancient cooking secrets in Oaxaca, Mexico's culinary capital. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Lush and Wild Puerto Rico Gordon explores Puerto Rico in search of local ingredients as the island reclaims its food supply after Hurricane Maria. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Texas Throwdown In the wilds of the Lone Star State, chef Ramsay learns the meaning of "Texas Tough." | |
| EPCOT Becoming: Inside the Transformation Imagineers are dedicated to transforming EPCOT for new generations. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Holy Mole Mexico Gordon attempts to master ancient cooking secrets in Oaxaca, Mexico's culinary capital. | |
| Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Finland's Midnight Sun Chef Ramsay explores Lapland in northern Finland by playing swamp football, navigating fierce rapids, fishing for white fish, and cooking in a sauna before going head to head with chef Kim Mikkola in a riverside cook-off. | |
| EPCOT Becoming: Inside the Transformation Imagineers are dedicated to transforming EPCOT for new generations. | |
| Lost Treasures of Egypt – Tutankhamun's Treasures Archaeologists unearth a long-lost box of treasures from inside Tutankhamun's tomb; new technology reveals why this boy king's resting place remained hidden from tomb robbers for thousands of years; a team is tasked with transporting Tut's treasures. | |
| Lost Treasures of Egypt – Cleopatra's Lost Tomb Archaeologists hunt for Queen Cleopatra's lost tomb; underwater archaeologists explore sunken ruins; a team takes mummies to the hospital to scan for hidden treasure; an archaeologist discovers a secret tunnel network at a forgotten temple. | |
| Lost Treasures of Egypt – Tomb Raiders A dramatic find reveals ancient, state-sanctioned tomb robbery on an industrial scale. | |
| Lost Treasures of Egypt – Hunt for the Pyramid Tomb An investigation into why the great pharaohs of Egypt abandoned the pyramids of Giza and chose a secret cemetery in the Valley of the Kings in which to be buried; a team looks for clues to identify human remains found in looted graves. | |
| Inogen Portable Oxygen - No More Tanks! Regain independence and enjoy greater mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of portable oxygen. | |
| Shark CarpetXpertTM with StainStrikerTM 2-in-1 deep carpet cleaner with built-in spot & stain remove Shark CarpetXpert with StainStriker, 2-in-1 deep carpet and upholstery cleaner with a handheld spot & stain eliminator, combines Shark's powerful suction & deep-cleaning innovation to deliver unbeatable deep carpet cleaning & tough stain elimination. | |
| Car Repair Secrets! Save thousands on car repairs. | |
| 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. | |
| Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill Meet the Shark Ninja Wood Fire Grill, with Master Grill, BBQ Smoke, and Air Fry outdoor capabilities. Powered by electricity and flavored by real burning wood pellets, Woodfire Technology allows you to easily create rich flavor you can see and taste. | |
| Nazi Megastructures – Hitler's British Invasion Plan The Nazi war machine reaches the English Channel in May 1940; Hitler plans to destroy Britain's air power and land troops in southern England. | |
| Nazi Megastructures – Japan's Death Railway Japanese force Allied POWS and Asian laborers to lay 258 miles of track to build the Burma Railway in support of their armed forces during the Burma Campaign. | |
| Nazi Megastructures – Hell Island Japan and the U.S. vie for control of Guadalcanal in the Pacific; whoever controls Guadalcanal will potentially win World War II. |
Wrapping Up
If you loved the original magazine version, this channel brings the best of the wild and historical stories to life. With the help of a streaming service, you can get in on the action without cable.
Although Hulu + Live TV is a top option, you can weigh the choices for yourself. Become an explorer! You can go deeper and push boundaries that only National Geographic can deliver!
Other Family and Kids Channels
Here are our list for watching related channels:
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