What ESPN+ Costs and What Games You Actually See

ESPN+ costs $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year as a standalone subscription. If you bundle it with Disney+ and Hulu, the price drops to $14.99 per month for all three services together. The subscription gives you access to some NHL games, but not all of them — and that matters before you sign up.

ESPN+ carries roughly 75 to 100 NHL games per season, depending on the year. These are mostly regular-season matchups, with a smaller number of playoff games. The games shown are selected by ESPN and the NHL; you cannot pick which games appear on the service. If your team plays a game on a traditional broadcast channel like ABC, ESPN, or TNT, that game will not be on ESPN+ — you would need cable or a separate subscription to watch it.

The service streams in up to 4K resolution on compatible devices, though most streams run at 1080p. You can watch on phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, and streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV. ESPN+ also includes access to other sports content — college football, soccer, baseball, and more — but if you are subscribing mainly for hockey, focus on the NHL game count.

Key Takeaways

  • ESPN+ shows roughly 75 to 100 NHL regular-season games per year, but not games broadcast on ABC, ESPN, or TNT.
  • The subscription costs $10.99 per month standalone, or $14.99 per month bundled with Disney+ and Hulu.
  • You need a separate cable subscription or another streaming service to watch nationally televised games and most playoff matchups.
  • ESPN+ works on phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs, but you must have an internet connection to stream.
  • Blackout rules may prevent you from watching your local team's games, depending on where you live and which network holds local broadcast rights.

How Blackout Rules Affect Which Games You Can Watch

Blackout restrictions are a major limitation with ESPN+. If you live in the market of an NHL team, games involving that team may be blacked out on ESPN+ to protect the rights of local broadcasters and cable providers. For example, if you live in New York and the Rangers play a game on ESPN+, you might not be able to watch it because a local New York broadcaster has exclusive rights to show Rangers games in that region.

Blackout rules vary by team and by game. There is no single list you can check in advance — you often find out a game is blacked out only when you try to watch it. If a game is blacked out, ESPN+ will tell you it is unavailable in your location. The only way around a blackout is to use a VPN (virtual private network), though ESPN's terms of service prohibit this, and doing so carries the risk of account suspension.

National playoff games and Stanley Cup Finals are typically not subject to blackout restrictions, so you can usually watch those on ESPN+ regardless of where you live. Regular-season games, however, are the ones most likely to be blocked in your local market.

How to Sign Up and Start Watching

To sign up for ESPN+, go to espnplus.com or download the ESPN app on your phone or streaming device. You will need an email address and a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or PayPal account. During signup, you choose whether you want the monthly plan ($10.99) or the annual plan ($109.99). If you choose the bundle with Disney+ and Hulu, you select that option during the same process.

After you complete payment, your account is active immediately. You can start watching right away by logging into the ESPN app or website with the email and password you created. If you are watching on a smart TV or streaming device, you download the ESPN app, open it, and sign in with the same credentials.

ESPN+ does not require a cable subscription or a login from another provider. It is a standalone service, so you do not need to authenticate through a cable company. This makes it simpler to set up than some sports streaming services, but it also means you are only getting the games ESPN+ has rights to show — not the full range of games available on cable.

Devices You Can Use and Streaming Quality

ESPN+ works on a wide range of devices. On phones and tablets, download the ESPN app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. On computers, go to espnplus.com and log in through your web browser. On smart TVs, download the ESPN app from your TV's app store — ESPN+ is available on Samsung, LG, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV devices.

Streaming quality depends on your internet connection and your device. ESPN+ can stream in up to 4K on compatible devices if your internet speed is at least 35 Mbps. For standard HD (1080p), you need at least 8 Mbps. If your connection is slower, the stream will automatically drop to a lower resolution to avoid buffering. You can also manually adjust the quality in the app settings if you want to save data on a mobile connection.

ESPN+ allows simultaneous streams on up to four devices at the same time with one account, though only one stream can play at a time on the same device. If you share your login with family members, keep in mind that each person watching counts toward that limit.

What Happens When Your Subscription Ends

If you cancel your ESPN+ subscription, your access stops at the end of your billing period. If you paid monthly, you lose access on the date your next month would have started. If you paid annually, you keep access until the anniversary of your signup date. ESPN will send you a reminder email before your subscription renews, so you have a chance to cancel before you are charged again.

You can cancel anytime through the ESPN app or website. Go to your account settings, find the subscription section, and select "Cancel Subscription." You do not need to call anyone or contact customer service. If you cancel and then want to resubscribe later, you can sign back up at any time — there is no penalty for canceling and returning.

If you signed up for the bundle with Disney+ and Hulu, canceling ESPN+ does not cancel the other services. You can cancel each one independently through your account settings.

How ESPN+ Compares to Other Ways to Watch NHL Games

ESPN+ is one of several options for watching hockey without cable. The NHL+ subscription ($19.99 per month or $179.99 per year) shows out-of-market regular-season games and some playoff games, but it has the same blackout restrictions as ESPN+ for local games. The difference is that NHL+ focuses only on hockey, while ESPN+ includes all sports.

Traditional cable packages include ESPN, TNT, and regional sports networks that show NHL games. If you have cable, you can watch nationally televised games through those channels, and you can often stream them through the cable provider's app. However, cable costs significantly more than ESPN+ — typically $50 to $150 per month depending on the package.

Some games are also broadcast on network television (ABC), which you can watch for free with an antenna or through the ABC app if you have a cable login. The trade-off with ESPN+ is that it is cheaper than cable but shows fewer games and has blackout restrictions. If you want to watch every game your team plays, you likely need a combination of services — ESPN+ for out-of-market games, cable or a local broadcast option for home games, and possibly NHL+ as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch live games or only replays on ESPN+?

ESPN+ shows live games as they happen. You can also watch replays and highlights after the game ends, usually available within a few hours. If you miss a live game, you can watch the full replay on demand through the app.

Do I need a cable login to use ESPN+?

No. ESPN+ is a standalone subscription that does not require a cable account. You sign up directly with an email and payment method, and you can start watching immediately.

What if a game is blacked out in my area?

If a game is blacked out, ESPN+ will show an unavailable message when you try to watch. You would need to find the game on another service — cable, a local broadcast, or another streaming option. Blackout rules are set by the NHL and broadcasters, not by ESPN+, so ESPN+ cannot override them.

Can I share my ESPN+ password with family members?

ESPN+ allows up to four simultaneous streams on one account, so family members can watch at the same time on different devices. However, ESPN's terms of service state that accounts are for personal use only, and sharing passwords outside your household may violate those terms.

Is there a free trial for ESPN+?

ESPN+ occasionally offers free trial periods, usually seven days, but these promotions change and are not always available. Check espnplus.com to see if a trial is currently offered. If you sign up for the bundle with Disney+ and Hulu, a trial may be included for all three services.