How to Watch the Astros and Rockets Without Cable in 2026: Every Option, Priced

Where Astros and Rockets games air

Most Astros and Rockets games air on Space City Home Network, a regional sports network owned by the two teams. A regional sports network (RSN) is a cable channel that holds the local TV rights to a team's games. A smaller number of games are national broadcasts, which belong to the network that holds them.

Type of game	Where it airs	On SCHN+?
Astros regular season, local	Space City Home Network	Yes
Rockets regular season, local	Space City Home Network	Yes
Nationally televised regular-season games	The national network that holds the game	No
Astros playoffs	MLB's national broadcast partners	No
Rockets playoffs	National networks such as ESPN and ABC	No

That split comes straight from the SCHN+ help center, It says MLB playoff games are not available on SCHN+. Rockets playoff games air exclusively on national networks.

Every way to watch, priced

The cheapest way to get both teams is IPTVZ at $74.99 a year, followed by SCHN+ at $199.99 a year. Fubo and DIRECTV streaming carry the network too, inside much larger monthly packages. Prices below come from each provider's own site on October 17, 2026.

Option	Price	Astros and Rockets	Playoffs and national games	Houston locals
IPTVZ, 12 months	$74.99 once	Yes, Space City Home Network	ESPN, TBS, TNT, FS1, MLB Network, NBA TV, ABC 13, FOX 26	Yes
SCHN+ annual	$199.99 a year	Yes, in the Houston area	No	No
SCHN+ 6 months	$99.99	Yes	No	No
SCHN+ monthly	$19.99 a month	Yes	No	No
Fubo	Check fubo.tv; prices vary by plan	Yes, per the network	Depends on the plan	Yes
DIRECTV streaming	Entertainment $89.99 a month; MySports $64.99 a month	Yes, per the network; check which package includes it	Depends on the package	Yes
YouTube TV	$82.99 a month	No, not on the network's provider list	Yes	Yes
Radio (AM 790, which fans on Reddit point to)	Free	Audio only	Audio only	No

Sources: SCHN+ plans, the Space City Home Network viewer FAQ (Fubo and DIRECTV streaming), DIRECTV and YouTube TV. Fubo blocks price pages outside the US, so check its current plans directly. One Reddit commenter warns that Fubo shows its regional sports fee of $12 to $15 only at checkout. Look for that line before you pay.

Our finding: On the full year, IPTVZ's 12-month plan costs $125 less than SCHN+ annual. It also adds the national channels that carry the playoffs, plus the Houston locals for the Texans. SCHN+ alone covers the regular season only.

SCHN+ explained

SCHN+ is the Space City Home Network app you can buy without a cable or streaming package. It launched on December 3, 2025, as the direct-to-consumer version of the network, reported Houston Public Media. Here is what the SCHN+ help center says you get:

• Who can buy it: in-market fans, meaning viewers in the area where Astros and Rockets games are shown locally.
• Already have cable with SCHN? Then you can sign in to the app with your TV provider at no extra cost.
• Screens: up to three devices streaming at the same time.
• Watching on a TV: cast from the app with Chromecast or AirPlay. Screen mirroring your whole phone is not supported.
• Internet: at least 5 Mbps, and 10 to 15 Mbps for the best HD picture.

Worth it if you only follow the Astros and Rockets during the regular season and already have the national channels another way. The 6-month plan at $99.99 suits a single season, since baseball runs roughly from spring to fall.

And yes, someone always asks about league passes. MLB.TV and NBA League Pass black out games in the local market, which is why Houston fans need the local network in the first place.

The playoff problem

The games you care about most are the ones SCHN+ cannot show. Per the SCHN+ help center, Astros playoff games air on MLB's national partners and Rockets playoff games on national networks. So an SCHN+-only setup goes dark exactly when the season gets interesting.

You know the one: October, the Astros are in it, and your app shows the score. To follow a playoff run you need the national channels too. Over the air, FOX 26 and ABC 13 carry some of them for free. For the cable networks, like ESPN, TBS and TNT, you need a TV service. IPTVZ includes all of them, next to Space City Home Network.

And the Texans?

Texans games are on Houston's local broadcast stations, so they work differently from the Astros and Rockets. Most games air on KHOU 11 (CBS), KRIV 26 (FOX) or KPRC 2 (NBC). Games shown nationally on cable also reach a local Houston station, because NFL rules put them on broadcast TV in the teams' home markets.

That means an antenna covers most Texans games, if it receives the VHF stations. Our Houston TV stations guide explains why CBS 11 and ABC 13 are the usual trouble spots. On IPTVZ, all the Houston locals and ESPN and NFL Network are in the same app.

Which option is cheapest for you?

The right answer depends on how much of the Houston sports calendar you watch. Here is the honest version:

1. Regular season only, nothing else: SCHN+ at $199.99 a year, or $99.99 for one 6-month season.
2. Astros, Rockets, playoffs, Texans and the rest of TV: IPTVZ at $74.99 for 12 months, which covers all of it for less than SCHN+ alone.
3. You want a big-brand package with cloud DVR: DIRECTV streaming or Fubo. First confirm the package includes Space City Home Network, and check the regional sports fee.
4. Free: the radio broadcasts, plus the national games FOX 26 and ABC 13 carry over the air.

Spoiler: the sports fan paying $90 a month in that Reddit thread was not paying for the Astros. They were paying for everything bundled around them. If you are new to streaming TV, our guide to IPTV in Houston explains how it works and what you need.

Houston sports streaming FAQ

How can I watch the Astros without cable?

Get Space City Home Network another way: the SCHN+ app ($199.99 a year), Fubo or DIRECTV streaming, or IPTVZ, which includes the network in its $74.99 12-month plan. National games air on networks such as FOX, ESPN and TBS.

Is Space City Home Network on YouTube TV?

No. The network's own FAQ lists Fubo and DIRECTV streaming as its streaming providers, and YouTube TV is not among them.

How much is SCHN+?

SCHN+ costs $19.99 a month, $99.99 for 6 months or $199.99 a year. If your TV package already includes Space City Home Network, you can sign in to the app at no extra cost.

Are Astros and Rockets playoff games on SCHN+?

No. According to the SCHN+ help center, MLB playoff games air on MLB's national partners and Rockets playoff games on national networks such as ESPN and ABC.

Can I cast SCHN+ to my TV?

Yes. The app supports Chromecast and AirPlay casting from its video player. Mirroring your whole phone screen is not supported.

Can I watch the Astros on regular TV?

Only the national games carried by broadcast networks, such as FOX 26 in Houston. Most regular-season games are on Space City Home Network, a cable sports channel.

Can I watch the Astros live for free?

On the radio, yes; Houston fans on Reddit point to AM 790. On TV, only national games on over-the-air networks like FOX 26 are free with an antenna. Free trials, like IPTVZ's 24-hour trial, let you test a paid option before you buy.

Does MLB.TV show Astros games in Houston?

MLB.TV blacks out games in the local market, so Houston-area fans cannot watch live Astros games on it. That is why Space City Home Network or SCHN+ is needed for local games.

The short version

• Astros and Rockets local games are on Space City Home Network only.
• SCHN+ costs $199.99 a year but has no playoffs and no local stations.
• YouTube TV does not carry the network; Fubo and DIRECTV streaming do.
• IPTVZ includes the network, the national sports channels and the Houston locals for $74.99 a year.

Test it before the next first pitch or tip-off. A free 24-hour IPTVZ trial takes a couple of minutes, and plans start at $29.99 for 3 months. Want every Houston channel number too? See the Houston TV stations guide.