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UPtv Without Cable: Stream Family TV Together Cheaply & Online With These Options

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If you are looking for television that the whole family can enjoy, UPtv is a great choice. And you don’t need a cable or satellite subscription to access it either. Read on to learn your options.

In a hurry? UPtv isn’t available from the biggest streaming services like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. But you still have a number of choices. Check out these:

  • DIRECTV STREAM: This full-cable replacement service will make you think you never left cable. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
  • Philo: This low-cost streaming service gives you 60+ channels for a fraction of what other services charge. Try Philo free for 7 days.
  • Vidgo: Get a bunch of family, sports, and news channels. Try one month for $20.

Watching TV with your family is hard these days. Cuss words are all over prime time, couples tumble into bed left and right, and there’s blood and gore everywhere. Even the Hallmark Channel isn’t safe from social agendas. And this can be an issue even in Netflix Kids mode, which has been known to let questionable content through.

Whether you’re a conservative parent or you just want to avoid awkward conversations with your kids, it can be a relief to know that there are still a few channels that offer 100% clean family-friendly programming.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

One of these channels is UPtv, which chooses to focus on positive, life-affirming messages while still displaying all the relatable complexity of family life.

UPtv Homepage
Homepage of the UPtv website.

What Is UPtv

UPtv was founded in 2004 as the Gospel Music Channel (later GMC TV) by Charles Humbard. As the name implies, it presented gospel music along with Christian contemporary, Southern Gospel, Christian metal, and other Christian music styles.

Over the next ten years, the network began to mix in original programming and Christian music awards, and later, popular family-friendly syndicated series and movies. In 2013, it was rebranded as UPtv, embodying the uplifting nature of its content.

The channel’s core demographic is exactly who you’d expect: Christian conservative families, often homeschoolers. This group is looking for TV that’s in line with their values while also remaining entertaining for kids and adults.

But UPtv is also a welcome safe space for parents who

  • Want to let their teens or tweens watch TV on their own
  • Don’t want to have to answer delicate questions in the middle of family movie night
  • Don’t want to deal with weeks of entrail- and brain-splattered nightmares
  • Don’t want to hear the latest naughty word gleefully repeated at the most embarrassing times.

It’s also good for adults who just don’t care for that kind of language or content.

UPtv, along with BYU-TV, FETV, and INSP lean toward the Christian side of family programming. They feature faith-based inspirational stories or outright religious programming (usually televangelist in nature) mixed in with classic TV and movies and ultra-wholesome originals.

There are, of course, alternatives (or compliments) for UPtv. For the religion without the classic TV, you can tune to BET Gospel or the Dove Channel. And for the classic TV without the religion, there’s Classic Reruns, getTV, Heroes & Icons, and PixL.

Other family channels include aspireTV (UPtv’s sister station for African-American programming), Discovery Family, Freeform, GAC Family, GAC Living, Game Show Network, and the Hallmark channels (original, Movies & Mysteries, and Drama).

UPtv Shows

UPtv’s programming is a mix of original series, original (mostly romantic) movies, imported family shows (Heartland), and popular syndicated classics (Gilmore Girls, Reba, and Little House on the Prairie).

UPtv Original Series

  • Bringing Up Bates
  • Date My Dad
  • Design Twins
  • Growing Up McGhee
  • Jo Frost: Nanny on Tour
  • Morgan Family Strong
  • Our Wedding Story
  • Small Town, Big Mayor.

UPtv Movies

  • Betting on the Bride
  • A Bridesmaid in Love
  • A Honeymoon to Remember (Coming Soon)
  • In-Lawfully Yours
  • Love’s Last Resort
  • Overcomer
  • A Picture Perfect Wedding
  • Run the Race (Coming Soon)
  • The Song to my Heart
  • The Wedding Fix (Coming Soon)
  • A Wedding to Remember.

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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.

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Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

Stream UPtv

If you think current entertainment shows are shocking, have you seen your cable bill recently? The truth is that you don’t need to pay an arm and a leg for clean entertainment. The following live TV streaming services bring you the same channels as your cable company, but at a fraction of the price.

There’s also no contract. Your spouse deserves your long-term commitment, not your TV provider. And more good news: the services that carry UPtv tend to be on the cheaper side. Let’s get into details.

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has lots of different channels, big and small. It’s the service on this list most like a traditional cable company in its lineup. Unfortunately, it’s also the most cable-like in its price tag, too: $108.99/mo for UPtv, GAC Family, Game Show Network, Heroes & Icons, Freeform, The Hallmark Channel, and the 100+ other channels in the Choice Package. On the plus side, you’ll also get your regional sports networks, which feature almost all the home team games in MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS.

You also have many options for premium channels including HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax, MGM+, and Starz.

All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR (online subscriptions only) and the ability to stream on unlimited devices at once. See our DIRECTV STREAM review for all the details.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Philo

philo logo

Philo is the anti-DIRECTV STREAM. Just $25/mo gets you over 60 channels, including UPtv, aspireTV, INSP, Discovery Family, Game Show Network, getTV, 3 Hallmark channels, 2 GAC Networks, and the Game Show Network. You also get lots of kids programing like Nickelodeon and Pocket.Watch. Try Philo free for 7 days.

Be aware that it doesn’t get you any NBCUniversal channels (Syfy, USA, Bravo), WarnerMedia channels (Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, CNN), Disney channels (ABC, Disney, ESPN, FX), news channels (aside from BBC World News), sports channels, or local channels (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC).

Philo also offers the premium channels MGM+ and Starz for an extra fee. (Note that Starz Kids & Family is included in its base plan.)

You can stream it on up to 3 screens at once and you get unlimited DVR. There are even a few premium movie channels such as Starz and MGM+. For more information, see our Philo review.

Try Philo Free for 7 Days

Vidgo

vidgo logo

Vidgo carries a lot of family-friendly channels in its 100+ channel Plus package for $69.99/mo. Aside from UPtv, it’s got aspireTV, BYU-TV, Classic Reruns, FETV, Freeform, Game Show Network, getTV, all three Hallmarks, and INSP. Upgrade to Premium at $84.99/mo, and you can also get BET Gospel, Discovery Family, and GAC Family.

One downside: Vidgo offers no cloud DVR. However, you can stream on up to 3 devices at once. See our Vidgo review for more information.

Try Vidgo Today!

Other Ways To Stream UPtv

But those aren’t the only ways to stream UPtv. Check out these skinny services:

  • UP Faith & Family: UP Entertainment’s own commercial-free on-demand streaming service contains both UPtv’s and aspireTV’s series, specials, and movies. Subscribers also get first access to new seasons of Heartland in the US. It costs $5.99/mo after a 14-day free trial, or $53.99/yr (save 25%). You can subscribe directly on UP Entertainment’s website, or through Amazon Prime Video Channels, Sling TV, Apple TV+, Roku, or YouTube TV.
  • FreeCast: FreeCast is mainly an aggregator of streaming service content — you enter your subscriptions, and it collects them together with any free services you want to follow and lets you search and browse them all in one place. This basic helpful service is $3.99/mo, but bump it up to $6.99 and you also get a dozen and a half live channels, including UPtv, FETV, RFD-TV, and Outside TV.
  • Frndly TV: Frndly TV is 30+ channels of low-priced family fun. Hallmark channels, Heartland TV, Game Show Network, The Weather Channel, History, BYU TV, Curiosity Stream — from the informative to the heartwarming, Frndly’s got all your essentials starting at $6.99/mo. (Frndly TV review)

Streaming Devices for UPtv

Just because you are streaming UPtv doesn’t mean you need to watch in front of a computer. The streaming services that offer it support the most popular devices. These include:

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android phones and tablets
  • Apple TV
  • Chromecast
  • iOS (iPhone, iPad)
  • Roku
  • Web browser.

DIRECTV STREAM also allows you to use its own device, which you can purchase from it. It also supports Samsung smart TVs. Vidgo and Philo also support Android TV-based devices. And Philo supports the Amazon Fire tablet.

UP Faith & Family also supports Xbox gaming consoles.

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 UPtv Schedule

Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:

HeartlandWorking on a Dream

Tim gets Amy's help projecting a positive image to the community to help his custody case.

HeartlandBreaking Down and Building Up

Amy must find a way to save rescue horses from kill buyers.

Walker, Texas RangerLucas

Walker turns to White Eagle for help in telling Lucas that he has AIDS, news that inspires the boy to become a crusader against the disease.

Walker, Texas RangerForgotten People

Walker and Trivette convince C.D. to go under cover as an Alzheimer's patient after an old friend of Trivette's mysteriously dies.

Walker, Texas RangerLast of a Breed

Walker finds the long-lost diary of the legendary Hayes Cooper, a man who saved his town from a band of killers.

Walker, Texas RangerLast of a Breed

Cabe Wallace, about to arrest Hayes Cooper for murder, makes a deal with the outlaw that would allow him to go after Kilgore and the rest of his band.

RebaThe Two Girl Theory

Barbra Jean convinces unenthusiastic Reba to go clubbing; Van explains the birds and the bees to Jake.

RebaVan's Agent

As he tries to woo a powerful sports agent (Wendie Malick) who also happens to be gay, Van accidentally "outs" his mother-in-law.

RebaSurprise

Reba and Cheyenne throw a surprise party in honor of Van's new arena football contract, but the real surprise comes when Van announces he has been traded to a team in Denver.

RebaCouple's Therapy

Reba finds out Brock's holds her responsible for most of their marital problems.

RebaAll Fore One

When Reba encourages Brock to follow his dream of playing professional golf, Barbra Jean gets upset, fearing it may lead to the end of her marriage.

RebaHello, I Must Be Going

Cheyenne's emotions about Van living part-time in Denver boil over when she learns that he lied about having to return to Denver early.

RebaThanksgiving

Reba and Barbra Jean battle over who should host Thanksgiving dinner and feelings get hurt; BJ cooks.

RebaNo Boys Upstairs

Reba allows Kyra to spend time unsupervised with her boyfriend, but she questions that decision when she learns they broke the rules.

Last Man StandingSchool Merger

Chuck and Mike debate the merits of an inner city school merging with a high school in an upscale neighborhood; Boyd's Halloween costume -- a lump of coal -- reminds Vanessa of her job's potential impact on the environment.

Last Man StandingMike Advises Mandy

Mike gives Mandy advice on how to set aside money for paying taxes, but she decides to do things her own way.

Last Man StandingBig Shots

Mike gets caught between Kristin and Ryan when it's discovered that Boyd was never vaccinated against chicken pox.

Last Man StandingRisky Behavior

Mindy worries about Kyle's safety after he gets in an accident; Ed makes an unexpected announcement; Eve plays with her high school football team.

Last Man StandingChanging Light Bulbs

When Mike discovers Vanessa has given away the last of his incandescent light bulbs, he and Chuck go looking for more; Mandy announces she is getting her own apartment.

Last Man StandingOutdoor Man Grill

Mike is inspired to follow his dream to open a fish and game restaurant; Eve and Mandy go pheasant hunting.

Last Man StandingWedding Planning

When Mike offers Kristin and Ryan a cash gift to put toward their wedding, they must decide whether it's worth the conditions that come with it.

Last Man StandingHelen Potts

Mike has a confrontation with his neighbor over her noisy projects; Eve learns Ed isn't who she thought he was.

Blue BloodsCritical Condition

Danny makes a discovery about an attempted bank robber's past; Jamie starts working with a new partner (Monica Raymund).

Blue BloodsInnocence

Erin reopens a rape case Frank worked on 18 years ago; when three teens are murdered, Jackie and Danny can't determine an obvious motive.

Blue BloodsA Night on the Town

Danny tries to investigate a case while having a romantic weekend with Linda; Jamie goes under cover to infiltrate a crime family.

Walker, Texas RangerChild of Hope

While the Rangers search for a baby's mother, Alex and Walker take responsibility for the youth and realize they want a child of their own.

Walker, Texas RangerFaith

Walker races to find a hijacked ambulance that holds the donor liver needed to save the life of Faith, a young genetic liver disorder victim.

Behind the scenes with Blair Underwood on Pain

Take a behind-the-scenes look at award-winning actor and producer, Blair Underwood, on pain and the effects of inflammation on the body.

Pain Relief TV

Matt's pain from his 20 year old lost limb is solved.

Relief from inflammation

Connie Craig-Carrol & Founder Ken Meares investigates Omega XL, the ultimate all natural solution for joint pain from inflammation.

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.

NEW Secret to Younger Skin

Get an ULTRA youthful-looking neck at any age! TUNE IN TO SEE HOW!

David Jeremiah

Dr. David Jeremiah's goal is to deliver the unchanging Word of God to an ever-changing world.

HeartlandWild Horses

Amy and Ty go to Scott's reservation to help save a herd of wild horses from a dangerous virus.

HeartlandTrue Calling

Amy's dog is injured by a rancher, and it's up to Ty to save his life.

HeartlandCandles in the Wind

A mystery horse's arrival sends Amy and Ty down a life-altering path.

Wrapping Up

So if you and your family love your TV time but you don’t love what’s sometimes on the screen, check out UPtv, and never lack for family-friendly viewing again. Then sign up for one of the services above, because saving money is one value every family can get behind. We recommend Philo for most viewers.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Stream Other Family and Kids Channels

Here are our alternatives for watching other family and kids channels:

Ditch “Big Cable” Now – 3 Simple Steps to Cut the Cord

  1. Pick the right streaming service
  2. Get the content you deserve with the best VPN.
  3. Supercharge your internet provider

That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!

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