How to Watch Hallmark Channel Without Cable: Stream Countdown to Christmas

The calendar may still read October, but Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas officially kicked off on Friday, October 18.

The linear cable network, owned by Crown Media and Hallmark (yes, the greeting card company), cranks out new made-for-TV romantic movies multiple times a month in addition to original series like When Calls the Heart.

This year, the network plans to release 42 new movies in the weeks between Halloween and New Year’s despite still-growing competition from Great American Country Family, a network comprised mainly of former Hallmark executives and talent.

The network is embracing diversity even further this year, featuring people of color and LGBTQ+ characters more consistently (as opposed to GAC Family, which some critics say started a culture war over ex-Hallmark, current-GAC star Candace Cameron Bure’s 2022 comments about keeping “traditional marriage” at the center of its movies). The move by Hallmark has been viewed as a step in the right direction for the network, and diversity only continues to grow.

Hallmark Channel is not the only network the company owns; there’s also Hallmark Family, which airs “family-friendly dramatic content,” and Hallmark Mysteries, which airs original series and movies of its own, in addition to splitting the Countdown to Christmas roster every winter.

If you recently cut the cord but want to stay up to date with the latest and greatest from Hallmark, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve outlined several ways to watch all three Hallmark linear cable networks live.

What Live TV Streaming Services Have The Hallmark Channel?

You can also watch Hallmark Channel on several live TV streaming services created to replace traditional cable television, often with many live channels and features you’d expect with cable, such as DVR.

You can sign up for any of the following streaming services by going to their website linked below and choosing the plan that would allow you to stream all of your Hallmark faves.

• DIRECTV Stream: Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Mysteries are included with DIRECTV Stream’s Entertainment plan for $86.98/month after a five-day free trial. Add Hallmark Family for an additional fee every month.
• Hulu + Live TV: Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are included in Hulu + Live TV’s base plan, which costs $59.99/month for your first three months. Hallmark Family is only included if you subscribe to the Entertainment Add-On for an extra $7.99/month.
• Philo: You can watch all three Hallmark channels on Philo for $28/month.
• Frndly TV: All three Hallmark networks are included with Frndly TV, which is one of the most affordable live TV streaming services, with plans starting at just $6.99/month.
• fuboTV: All three Hallmark networks are included in all of fuboTV’s streaming plans, starting at $59.99 for your first month.

How To Watch Hallmark Channel With Cable:

If you have cable, you can find the channel number by using Hallmark’s channel locator. Input your zip code and look for your cable provider on the list, and you’ll be able to find the channel number for all three Hallmark networks. You can also quickly find the Hallmark Channel schedule plus Drama and Movies & Mysteries on their respective websites.

The Hallmark Channel app for smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices also has on-demand titles available to stream with your cable TV login information.

How To Watch Hallmark Channel On Peacock:

The most cost-effective way to watch all three Hallmark channels live is with a Peacock subscription. NBC Universal’s streaming service announced a partnership with Hallmark in advance of 2022’s Countdown to Christmas that’s still going strong today. It includes live access to all three Hallmark networks 24/7, plus a back catalog featuring some of their most popular movies and complete series like Chesapeake Shores.

New movies are available to stream on-demand on Peacock for 72 hours after they initially air, and new episodes of Hallmark Channel original series, like When Calls the Heart, are added to Peacock on Monday mornings following a Sunday night premiere; unlike movies, these don’t expire. You can also stream the four most recent When Calls the Heart seasons as well as the full series of Ride and the first two seasons of The Way Home.

Signing up for Peacock is as easy as heading to its website and choosing one of two plans: the ad-supported Premium plan for $7.99/month or $79.99/year, and the ad-free Premium Plus plan for $13.99/month or $139.99/year. The live channels have ads regardless of your plan, but Premium Plus removes them for any on-demand titles.

What is Hallmark+?

Hallmark+ replaced Hallmark Movies Now earlier this year; it’s a streaming service by the network that does not include live channels. It has an on-demand catalog that features a lot of older movies (including many of last year’s Countdown to Christmas titles) and complete series from the networks. However, newer titles are not guaranteed (except for currently-airing series, which premiere later in the week than they do on cable).

Hallmark+ also has its own original series and movies you won’t be able to watch anywhere else, like The Chicken Sisters and The Groomsmen trilogy of movies. Mistletoe Murders will premiere later this season in addition to two reality-type shows, Finding Mr. Christmas and Ready, Set, Glow!.

It costs $7.99/month but won’t necessarily replace having access to live Hallmark.

Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas Schedule 2024:

This year’s Countdown to Christmas officially began on October 18 and will continue through December 21 with new movies airing most Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.

Some of the highlights of this year’s Countdown to Christmas include Santa Tell Me, a reunion of When Calls the Heart star Erin Krakow and former co-star Daniel Lissing; Christmas with the Singhs, which follows an Indian-American family; Three Wiser Men and a Boy, a sequel to 2022’s Three Wise Men and a Baby; Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, which is set to feature cameos from Donna Kelce, Jenna Bush Hager, Andy Reid, and a handful of Kansas City Chiefs players; and Season’s Greetings from Cherry Lane, a multigenerational love story on Hallmark+.

Check out the full schedule below; unless otherwise noted, all movies will air on the Hallmark Channel at 8:00 p.m. ET.

• ‘Twas the Date Before Christmas – Friday, October 18
• Holiday Crashers – Saturday, October 19
• Scouting for Christmas – Sunday, October 20
• This Time Each Year – Thursday, October 24 on Hallmark Mystery
• Operation Nutcracker – Friday, October 25
• The Christmas Charade – Saturday, October 26
• The 5-Year Christmas Party – Sunday, October 27
• My Sweet Austrian Holiday – Thursday, October 31
• A Carol for Two – Friday, November 1
• Our Holiday Story – Saturday, November 2
• Holiday Mismatch – Sunday, November 3
• Five Gold Rings – Thursday, November 7 on Hallmark Mystery
• Trivia at St. Nick’s – Friday, November 8
• Santa Tell Me – Saturday, November 9
• ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish – Sunday, November 10
• A Reason for the Season – Thursday, November 14 on Hallmark Mystery
• Christmas with the Singhs – Friday, November 15
• Jingle Bell Run – Saturday, November 16
• Confessions of a Christmas Letter – Sunday, November 17
• A Novel Noel – Thursday, November 21 on Hallmark Mystery
• Christmas on Call – Friday, November 22
• Three Wiser Men and a Boy – Saturday, November 23
• To Have and To Holiday – Sunday, November 24
• Christmas Under the Lights – Wednesday, November 27 on Hallmark Mystery
• Debbie Macomber’s Joyful Mrs. Miracle – Thursday, November 28
• A ’90s Christmas – Friday, November 29 at 6:00 p.m. ET
• Deck the Walls – Friday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET
• Believe in Christmas – Saturday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. ET
• Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story – Saturday, November 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET
• The Finnish Line – Sunday, December 1 at 6:00 p.m. ET
• The Christmas Quest – Sunday, December 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET
• A Dance in the Snow – Thursday, December 5 on Hallmark Mystery
• Season’s Greetings from Cherry Lane – Thursday, December 5 on Hallmark+
• Private Princess Christmas – Friday, December 6
• Sugarplummed – Saturday, December 7
• Leah’s Perfect Gift – Sunday, December 8
• All I Need for Christmas – Thursday, December 12 on Hallmark Mystery
• Hanukkah on the Rocks – Friday, December 13
• The Santa Class – Saturday, December 14
• Following Yonder Star – Sunday, December 15
• Trading Up Christmas – Thursday, December 19 on Hallmark Mystery
• Happy Howlidays – Saturday, December 21

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, how to watch your favorite sports teams and movies on each streaming service and the very best in tech, like soundbars, to enhance your viewing experience. Not only does Angela test and compare the services, devices and merch she writes about, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and the New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews. 

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