You’re sitting on the couch, it’s 11:30 PM on a Saturday, and you suddenly realize you have no idea how to actually watch the show. It happens. Saturday Night Live has been around for fifty years, yet finding where can you stream SNL feels like a moving target because of how NBC shuffles its licensing deals. You want the live sketches. You want the Weekend Update clips. Maybe you just want to see if the musical guest actually hits the high notes or if they're just vibes.
Honestly, the landscape is a mess.
If you have a digital antenna and a clear view of the sky, you're golden. But for the rest of us living in the streaming era, it basically comes down to one big green app and a few expensive live-TV workarounds. NBC wants you on Peacock. That’s the short answer. But the long answer involves blackouts, "Next Day" delays, and the weird purgatory of YouTube clips that cut out right before the best punchline.
The Peacock Power Play
Peacock is the "official" home. Since NBC Universal owns both the network and the streamer, they’ve made it the primary destination. If you have a Premium or Premium Plus subscription, you can watch the show live. This is actually a big deal because, for a long time, you couldn't stream the live broadcast at all. You had to wait until Sunday morning like a peasant.
Now? You just open the app at 11:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM PT and click the "Channels" tab.
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But there’s a catch. There's always a catch. If your local NBC affiliate isn't participating in the Peacock live stream—which is rare now but still happens in some smaller markets—you might be stuck. Also, the "Free" tier of Peacock? Yeah, that won't get you the live feed. You’ve gotta pay.
What’s cool about Peacock, though, is the archive. They have almost every season. We're talking 1975 Chevy Chase stuff all the way to the current cast. If you're looking for where can you stream SNL from the 90s specifically, Peacock is basically the only spot that hasn't butchered the musical performances due to copyright issues, though some sketches still go missing because of music licensing.
Can You Watch SNL Live Without Peacock?
Maybe. If you’re willing to drop $75 a month.
Live TV streaming services (vMVPDs) are the most reliable way to get the "traditional" TV experience. This includes:
- Hulu + Live TV: This is the big one. It gives you the local NBC feed. It also includes Disney+ and ESPN+, which is a lot of content, but it’s pricey.
- YouTube TV: Usually the most stable stream. If you care about DVR-ing the show to skip the commercials (and let's be real, the commercials are half the runtime), this is the best option.
- FuboTV: Great for sports fans, but it carries NBC in most markets.
- Sling TV: This one is tricky. You need the "Sling Blue" package, and NBC is only available in select major markets like New York, LA, Chicago, and Philly. If you live in middle-of-nowhere Nebraska, Sling might let you down.
Check your zip code before you buy. Seriously. Nothing hurts worse than paying for a month of service only to find out your local station isn't included in the package.
The YouTube Loophole (And Why It Sucks)
We’ve all done it. It’s Sunday morning, you’re hungover or just lazy, and you see a sketch trending on X (formerly Twitter). You go to the Saturday Night Live YouTube channel.
It’s great for snippets. The SNL team is actually incredibly fast at uploading individual sketches. Usually, by 2:00 AM ET, the "Cold Open" and the "Monologue" are already live.
But you miss the "flow." You miss the musical guests sometimes because of rights. And you definitely miss the weird, ten-to-one sketches—those bizarre bits that air at 12:50 AM that are usually the funniest thing in the whole episode. YouTube is a highlight reel, not a viewing experience. If you’re asking where can you stream SNL because you want the experience, YouTube isn't the answer. It’s just the cliff notes.
What About International Fans?
This is where it gets genuinely annoying. If you're in Canada, Global TV is your best bet. They usually have the rights and a decent streaming app.
In the UK? It’s often Sky Comedy or Now TV.
But for a lot of the world, SNL is "region-locked." This is why VPNs are so popular in the comedy community. People use services like ExpressVPN or NordVPN to set their location to the US and then log into Peacock. It’s a bit of a gray area, but for a comedy nerd in Australia, it’s often the only way to see the show before the internet spoils every single joke.
Why Some Episodes Just... Vanish
You might notice that even on Peacock, some episodes from the 80s or 2000s are missing segments. Usually, it's the music.
When SNL originally aired, they got the rights to broadcast a song one time. They didn't negotiate for "perpetual digital streaming rights" in 1992 because that wasn't a thing. So, when NBC uploads an old episode, they often have to cut the musical guest or even sketches that use a specific pop song in the background. It’s a licensing nightmare.
If you’re looking for a specific musical performance from 1998, you might actually be better off searching for physical media or (shh) fan-archived sites. Streaming has its limits.
The Cost Factor: A Quick Breakdown
Let's talk money because nobody wants to spend $80 to watch a three-minute sketch about a talking dog.
- Peacock Premium: Usually around $7.99/month. This is the cheapest "legal" way to get it live.
- Hulu (No Live TV): You can watch the full episode the next day. It’s usually up by 6:00 AM Sunday. This costs about $7.99 to $18.99 depending on ads.
- Over-the-Air (OTA): One-time cost of an antenna (maybe $25). $0 per month. This is the ultimate "life hack" if you live in a city.
Modern Streaming Quirks in 2026
By now, the way we consume this stuff has shifted toward "fast channels" and social integration. You might see SNL clips popping up on TikTok or Instagram Reels almost instantly. NBC has leaned into this. They know people have short attention spans.
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However, the "Full Episode" remains the holy grail for purists. There is a specific rhythm to the show: the political opener, the monologue, the fake commercial, the first musical set, Weekend Update, and then the weird stuff. If you watch it out of order on social media, you lose that late-night "live" energy that makes the show special.
Practical Steps to Get Your SNL Fix Tonight
Stop scrolling through ten different apps. Here is the move.
First, check if you have a Paramount+ or Max sub. If you do... well, they won't help you. SNL is strictly NBC.
If you want to watch live right now:
Download Peacock. Pay for the Premium tier. Go to the "Live" or "Channels" section. If it's Saturday at 11:30 PM, it will be right there.
If you want to watch tomorrow morning:
Hulu is the most reliable "next-day" partner. They’ve had a deal with NBC for years. The episodes usually drop early Sunday.
If you are broke:
The SNL YouTube channel is your best friend. You won't get the whole show, but you'll get the 20% of the show that everyone will be talking about at the office on Monday.
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If you are outside the US:
Get a reputable VPN, set your server to New York or Los Angeles, and use a Peacock account. It’s cumbersome but effective.
Ultimately, the answer to where can you stream SNL is simpler than it used to be, but it still requires picking a side in the streaming wars. NBC has circled the wagons around Peacock. If you’re a die-hard fan, that’s where you have to live. If you’re a casual viewer, YouTube is plenty. Just don't expect to find it on Netflix—that's a bridge too far for the network execs.
Check your internet speed before the monologue starts. Nothing ruins a "live" experience like a buffering wheel right when the guest star walks out for a surprise cameo. Get your snacks ready, pick your platform, and hope for a good host.
Go to the App Store or Google Play, download the Peacock app, and ensure your subscription is active at least an hour before airtime to avoid last-minute login headaches. If you're using an antenna, do a "channel scan" now to make sure NBC is coming in clear before the signal gets wonky at night.