Watch the San Francisco 49ers live without cable on the device of your choice, including Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, and more.
Table of Contents
For local fans in NorCal, most 49ers games will air on KTVU-TV FOX 2 or KPIX-TV CBS 5. Several live TV streaming services, including YouTube TV, Hulu, and Fubo, carry local FOX and CBS affiliates.
Our top pick for watching the 49ers in 2023, Fubo “Sports Lite,” not only carries all the channels you need to watch every 49ers game, but the platform also includes PAC-12 Network, FS1, NBC Sports California, and NBC Sports Bay Area for watching local pro teams, plus Stanford, Cal, USC, and UCLA. Out-of-market 49ers fans can stream games with YouTube TV by upgrading to NFL Sunday Ticket.
All the channels you need to watch the 49ers, including KTVU FOX 2, ESPN, CBS, NBC. Watch the Warriors, Giants, and A’s on NBC Sports Bay Area and California. | $84.99 / month | 7 Day Free Trial |
Local fans only and mobile only. Watch every 49ers game live online on a smart phone or tablet. | $39.99 / year | 7 day free trial |
Watch KTVU FOX 2, KPIX-TV CBS 5, NBC, ESPN, and more. Upgrade to watch the 49ers out-of-market on NFL Sunday Ticket. | $72.99 / month | 14 Day Free Trial |
Great budget option. Watch the 49ers on KTVU FOX 2 in-market. | $35 / month | Explore offers |
Which cities are in-market for 49ers games?
Some NFL fans who cut the cord and live stream sporting events are surprised to learn that NFL TV coverage, even when you watch online, is determined by zip code and region. For example, the local FOX affiliate you get when you sign up for a live TV streaming provider will be the same channel you watched with cable. In the Bay Area, the local FOX affiliate is KTVU FOX 2.
Based on NFL coverage maps from 506 Sports, the following markets will often be in-market for 49ers games, which means their local affiliates will show the games regularly:
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Berkely, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Reno, NV
- Oregon also gets a lot of 49ers games
The most important channels for 49ers fans
The most important channels for 49ers fans will be CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NBC, and of all these, FOX, the channel with rights for most NFC games through 2033, will be the most important for watching the 49ers week in and week out.
NFL coverage for each channel:
- CBS – In-market AFC games / some NFL Playoff games / Super Bowl LVIII
- FOX – In-market NFC Games / some NFL Playoff games
- ESPN – Monday Night Football / some NFL Playoff games
- NBC – Sunday Night Football / some NFL playoff games
The table below documents the live TV streaming providers that carry the most important channels for watching the NFL.
| Fubo | DIRECTV STREAM – Choice | Paramount+ | Sling Blue | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| $74.99 / month | $99.99 / month | $5.99 / month | $35 / month | $72.99 / month |
Note: Sling TV offers FOX and NBC, but only in select markets. The Bay Area is one of a handful of markets that get both FOX and NBC on Sling TV.
The best local options for 49ers fans
If you live in the Bay Area, these streaming services will be great options for watching the 49ers.
Fubo – best choice for 49ers and PAC-12 football
Although YouTube TV is hard to beat after the addition of NFL Sunday Ticket for 2023, Fubo is our top overall pick for Bay Area football fans because of the ability to watch both college and pro football, as well as local MLB and NBA action, all from the Fubo app.
Pros
- Full local 49ers coverage from the Bay Area
- 4K upgrade with Fubo Elite
- College football fans can watch their favorite teams, including Cal, Stanford, USC Trojans, and UCLA football on PAC-12 Network with Fubo “Sports Lite.”
- Carries NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants baseball and Golden State Warriors basketball.
Cons
- Lacks unlimited DVR
- Lacks TBS and TNT
NFL+ – best overall option for mobile and budget pick
If you are a local 49ers fans content to watch the season on mobile or a tablet, you can watch every game on NFL+ for $40 for the entire year. This is far and away the best value available in streaming sports.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Free trial available
- Full local 49ers coverage, including all the biggest games (MNF, Playoffs, TNF, SNF, Super Bowl)
- Live audio of every NFL team
Cons
- Only available on mobile and tablet
Sling TV Blue – budget pick for 49ers FOX broadcasts
Even though the platform is missing ABC and CBS in the San Francisco TV market, and watching ESPN requires a more expensive upgrade, I like to offer Sling TV Blue as a good option for NFC fans, like 49ers fans, in markets where Sling carries FOX and NBC, as it does in the Bay Area.
Why? Because the rising cost of streaming services is pricing some families out of the market.
Pros
- Budget option
- Watch KTVU FOX 2, and if you upgrade to Sling Orange & Blue, ESPN can be added as well.
- If the 49ers appear on Sunday Night Football, fans in the Bay can watch with Sling Blue on NBC.
Cons
- Lacks ABC and CBS
- Can’t watch NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants baseball and Golden State Warriors basketball.
Can I watch the 49ers on DIRECTV STREAM?
With the base DirecTV Stream package, you can get CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC, all the channels you need to watch the 49ers.
Read our DirecTV Stream review.
Pros
- Full local coverage of 49ers football
- Upgrading to the “Choice” plan, you get NBC Sports Bay Area, which offers comprehensive in-market Bay Area sports coverage with Giants baseball and Warriors basketball.
Cons
- Lacks PAC-12 Network
Can I watch the 49ers on Hulu + Live TV?
Yes, you can watch 49ers games in-market, as well as nationally televised games, with Hulu + Live TV.
Read our Hulu + Live TV review.
Pros
- Full local 49ers coverage in the Bay Area
- ESPN+ bundle for UFC events
- Carries NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants baseball and Golden State Warriors basketball.
Cons
- Lacks PAC-12 Network
Can I watch the 49ers on YouTube TV?
Yes, you can watch 49ers games on YouTube TV as well as NBC Sports Bay Area. New for 2023, YouTube TV is also the home of NFL Sunday Ticket, which means the platform is a must-have for out-of-market 49ers fans.
Read our YouTubeTV review.
Pros
- YouTube TV boasts unlimited DVR storage
- Easy to use for multi-lingual families. My wife is Japanese and I was impressed how seamlessly the YouTube TV interface and instructions could translate to a new language.
- Carries NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants baseball and Golden State Warriors basketball
- 4K upgrade available
- Unlimited DVR
Cons
- Google account required to signup
- Lacks PAC-12 Network
If you don’t live in the Bay Area (out-of-market)
For fans that live far away from the Bay Area, but still want to watch the 49ers every week, you have two options.
- Wait for the 49ers to be on national TV, or hybrid regional games. We estimate these options would cover 4-5 games a year, and the chances the 49ers are on will increase in the west and mountain west.
- Buy NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV to guarantee access to 49ers broadcasts every Sunday. YouTube TV is available for $349 with a YouTube TV subscription, and for $449 without.
Watch the 49ers out-of-market with NFL Sunday Ticket.
49ers Sideline: What We’re Watching
With three viable starters, none of whom are standouts, who will start at QB for the 49ers? When we tune in to 49ers games this season, we will be watching the QB battle with close attention. Brock Purdy, a former 3-star recruit from Iowa State, is the projected starter by many, but has been injured. Behind him are Sam Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft, and Trey Lance, a 3-star recruit who played college ball at Marshall. It is anyone’s guess who emerges as the starter, and the competition will likely extend well into the season. Pro Football Focus ranked the 49ers QB competition as the biggest position group battle to watch this season. We will definitely be tuning in.
Watching the 49ers FAQ
No, you can’t watch the 49ers on NBC Sports Bay Area. The Warriors regular season is broadcast to in-market fans on NBC Sports Bay Area, but not 49ers games.
The 49ers list their TV and radio partners here. KNBR AM 680 is the primary radio home of the 49ers in the Bay Area, and can be streamed at this link.