It’s the question that comes right after installation: “I have Starlink now — how do I watch TV?” The answer is better than most people expect. Starlink doesn’t sell TV, and that’s an advantage: you build exactly the package you want, and a lot of Canadian television streams free. Here’s the full picture with real prices.
An antenna plus free apps covers a lot. RiverTV at $16.99 fills most of the rest.
Sports is the only genuinely expensive part. Everything else costs far less than a cable package.
1. What’s already free
Canada’s major broadcasters stream a surprising amount at no cost:
| Service | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CBC Gem | Free tier with live CBC and a large on-demand library | Free (ads) |
| CTV.ca | Recent episodes of many CTV shows | Free (ads) |
| Global TV app | Recent episodes, some live content | Free (ads) |
| CityTV, TVO, Knowledge | Regional and educational programming | Free |
If you’re within range of a broadcast tower, a $30-60 digital antenna pulls in CBC, CTV, Global and CityTV in full HD, free forever — and it uses zero Starlink data. For anyone on a metered Roam plan, this is the single best purchase you can make.
2. RiverTV: the best value for cord-cutters
RiverTV costs $16.99/month with a 30-day free trial and no contract. It works over any internet connection, which makes it a natural fit for Starlink.
What’s included — 25+ live channels:
- Broadcast: Global, CBC, CBC News Network
- Factual: History, H2, National Geographic, Smithsonian Channel, Crime + Investigation
- Entertainment: Showcase, Slice, W Network, Lifetime, T+E, MovieTime, Rewind, Silver Screen Classics
- Lifestyle: Home Network, Flavour Network, Cottage Life, Makeful
- Kids: YTV, Treehouse, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim
Optional add-ons include Hollywood Suite ($3.99) and Super Channel ($9.99). It runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, iOS and in a browser.
What it doesn’t have: no TSN, no Sportsnet, no live sports to speak of. Note also that RiverTV is now owned by Videotron.
3. Sports: the expensive part
This is where cord-cutting gets complicated in Canada, because the rights are locked up by the big telecoms.
| Service | Roughly | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Sportsnet+ (Rogers) | ~$25-30/mo | National NHL coverage, MLB, NBA |
| TSN+ (Bell) | ~$20/mo | Formula 1, NFL, CFL, tennis, golf, regional NHL |
| Amazon Prime Video | ~$10/mo | Includes some NHL coverage in Canada, plus everything else Prime |
| Fubo (Canada) | Varies | Soccer-focused: international leagues and tournaments |
Two things worth knowing. TSN holds exclusive Canadian F1 rights, so F1 TV is restricted here. And NHL.TV doesn’t serve Canada — Canadian NHL streaming runs through Sportsnet+, with regional blackouts. Prices shift with promotions and season; check current rates before subscribing.
4. What to avoid
“All channels for $20/month” is illegal retransmission
Search for sports without cable and you’ll find services promising every channel for a fraction of the price. They rebroadcast signals they don’t hold rights to. The practical risks: the service vanishes with your money, you have no recourse, your card details sit with an unknown operator, and Canadian providers have obtained court-ordered blocks against several of them. Legitimate services are carried on Rogers, Videotron and Shaw set-top boxes — that’s a useful legitimacy test.
5. How much Starlink data TV uses
On a Residential plan, data is unlimited — stream freely. On a metered Roam plan, watch the numbers:
- HD streaming: about 3 GB per hour
- 4K streaming: about 7 GB per hour
- An evening of hockey in HD: roughly 9 GB
On a 100 GB Roam plan that’s about 30 hours of HD TV per month. Dropping from 4K to 1080p roughly doubles what you get. See plan pricing →
Our picks by household
Basics only
Family
Sports fan
Frequently asked questions
Does Starlink offer TV?
No. Starlink provides internet only. You choose your own TV services, which gives you far more flexibility than a bundled cable package.
Is Starlink fast enough for streaming?
Easily. HD needs 5-10 Mbps and 4K about 25 Mbps. Starlink commonly delivers 50-200 Mbps across Canada.
Will it drop out during the game?
Brief interruptions are possible with obstructions or heavy weather. A well-placed dish with clear sky solves most of it. See the obstruction guide →
Can I keep cable TV and use Starlink for internet?
Yes, many people do. But add it up first — an antenna plus streaming usually costs less than a TV-only cable package.
What about at the cottage on a Roam plan?
It works, but video is what burns through a data cap. An antenna uses no data at all, which makes it even more valuable there. See our cottage guide →
Not connected yet?
Check Starlink availability at your address and get your first month free through our official referral link.
Prices as of September 2026 and subject to change; sports packages in particular vary by season and promotion. Verify on official sites before subscribing. Last updated: September 1, 2026.
*1 mois d'abonnement Starlink gratuit (équivalent à votre forfait) crédité automatiquement 30 jours après l'activation de votre service, en commandant via notre lien de référral officiel RC-DF-7650727-61403-46. Programme officiel SpaceX. Aucun coût supplémentaire pour vous : prix identique à starlink.com. FastSat.ca reçoit une compensation (140 $ en argent ou en crédit) pour chaque référral, ce qui finance le site.