The Voice is back, and this time it comes with a five-day free trial and a $1 trick. Season 30 premieres Monday (Sept. 21) with a two-hour kickoff on NBC, followed by one-hour episodes Tuesday and Wednesday. The show returns with Carson Daly hosting, Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson back as coaches, and Riley Green and Queen Latifah joining the panel for the first time.
If you do not have cable, the streaming world has a few free ways to catch the season — though “free” here works like a vending machine with two buttons. You can try DirecTV for five days, or grab a month of Fubo or Hulu + Live TV for nothing up front. Both are free in name only, with the catch that you have to sign up first.
The Premiere Schedule
The season opens with a special three-night event. Monday’s episode runs two hours at 8 p.m. ET/PT, then Tuesday and Wednesday each get an hour at the same time.
NBC airs the show Mondays until the season finale. The next day, it drops on Peacock for on-demand streaming.
The free-trial offers are the headline here. DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV all run free trials so you can watch NBC without spending money up front. The catch is that you have to enter your payment information to get in the door, and the trial ends the day you sign up.
DirecTV’s Five-Day Trial
DirecTV is the cheapest route for a short stay. A subscription gets you live TV, local and cable channels, including NBC, at $59.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterward). The five-day trial is open now, so you can watch for free if you sign up now.
The service covers the broadcast networks — NBC, CBS and FOX — plus many cable channels, including FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, Cartoon Network, ESPN, FS1, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, Lifetime, CNBC, BET, MTV, Paramount Network and more.
Sling TV also offers NBC through its Blue plan, which goes for $54.99 per month and includes a free cloud DVR and additional free channels. The catch is that pricing and channel availability vary from market to market.
Fubo’s Affordable Option
Fubo is the other cheap route. It starts at $63.99 for the first month ($88.99 per month afterward) with more than 230 channels, including local and cable networks like NBC. The service offers a five-day free trial for new users who sign up.
Fubo streams on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and web browsers. It includes live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, CBS and FOX, plus dozens of cable networks such as FX, Bravo, TLC, ESPN, E!, FS1, MTV, CMT, ID, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network, TV Land and VH1.
Hulu + Live TV and the Streaming Bundle
Hulu + Live TV is the easiest package if you want streaming services together. Prices start at $89.99 per month, and each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no additional cost. The cable alternative also features many other networks, including CBS, NBC, FOX, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, ESPN and Hallmark Channel.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for people who want all of these services together in one package. It is the most expensive option on the list, but it carries the streaming services that the other platforms do not.
Peacock’s Two Plans
Peacock is the official home for on-demand, and it has two plans. The Premium Plan costs $12.99 per month and is ad-supported, giving you access to movies, TV shows, originals, live sports from NBC Sports and live news from NBC News. The Premium Plus plan costs $19.99 per month, adds no ads, your local NBC channel live and the ability to download and stream offline.
Peacock also offers a discount for paying yearly. You can get 17% off when you do the annual plan for $129.99 per year or $199.99 per year, respectively.
Peacock does not offer a free trial, but it does have a $1 trick. You can get 30 days of access to Peacock for as low as $1 with Walmart+, as one of the service’s benefits and perks.
Alongside The Voice, Peacock carries the entire Peacock library, including Obsession, The Paper, Yellowstone, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Poker Face and Saturday Night Live.
The streaming platform also offers music documentaries and specials, such as Toby Keith: An American Icon, Bowie: The Man Who Changed the World, Bob Dylan: The Folk Years, Stevie Nicks: Through the Looking Glass, Katy Perry: Main Square and Welcome to the A: 50 Years of Hip-Hop in Atlanta.
Which Route Makes Sense
The free trials are the draw, but they are not the whole story. DirecTV is the cheapest monthly plan at $59.99 for the first month, and its five-day trial lets you watch without commitment. Fubo is the most affordable first-month price at $63.99, with a five-day trial of its own.
Hulu + Live TV is the most expensive monthly option at $89.99, but it bundles three streaming services together. Peacock’s Premium Plus plan is the most expensive monthly plan at $19.99, and it is the only one that comes with local NBC live.
The $1 trick through Walmart+ is the cheapest entry point if you already have the membership. That gives you 30 days for as low as $1.
Here is how the numbers break down:
- DirecTV: $59.99 first month ($89.99 per month afterward), 5-day free trial
- Fubo: $63.99 first month ($89.99 per month afterward), 5-day free trial
- Hulu + Live TV: $89.99 per month, includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited
- Peacock Premium: $12.99 per month, ad-supported
- Peacock Premium Plus: $19.99 per month, no ads, local NBC live, offline downloads
- Peacock annual: $129.99 per year or $199.99 per year, 17% off
- Walmart+: 30 days for as low as $1
The five-day trial and the $1 offer are the same trick dressed in different clothes. Both are free in name, both require you to enter payment information, and both end the day you sign up. The difference is that the five-day trial is open to anyone, while the $1 offer is tied to an existing Walmart+ membership.
That is the honest answer. The free-trial offers exist to get people in the door, and they are designed to turn into subscriptions by the end of the week. Whether that is a good deal depends on how long you want to watch.
The Voice season 30 broadcasts Mondays starting Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. One of the best ways to watch is with DirecTV, which has the cheapest monthly price and the longest trial. But if you want everything in one package, Hulu + Live TV is the only option that bundles Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN together. The $1 trick through Walmart+ is the cheapest way to get started, but it only works if you already have the membership.
The season returns with a new coaching panel, a new host and a new group of contestants. It starts Monday, and the free-trial offers are the easiest way to watch — as long as you do not mind the fine print.
Source material: “Here’s Where to Watch ‘The Voice’ Season 30 Online for Free,” Billboard.
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