The Masters has arrived in Augusta, and for golf fans, it’s the one major tournament that actually respects your wallet. Unlike most premium sporting events locked behind expensive paywalls, you can watch the entire 90th Masters Tournament completely free online. The defending champion Rory McIlroy, alongside Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and a field of genuinely elite competitors, will compete for the iconic green jacket over four days starting this week.
But having options and knowing which option works best for you are two different things. Let’s break down exactly how to watch, what each service costs, and whether you actually need to pay anything at all.
The Free Route (And It’s Actually Legitimate)
Here’s the thing that makes the Masters different from every other golf major: the official Masters website streams the entire tournament completely free. No subscription needed, no hidden fees. Just go to Masters.com and watch.
This free stream includes coverage throughout all four rounds. If you’re the type who likes to dip in and out during the day or catch early morning shots before work, this is your no-brainer option. It’s genuinely rare to see a Business this big offer such straightforward free access to its content.
The catch? If you’re traveling outside the US, you’ll hit geo-restrictions. The Masters website blocks international viewers to protect broadcast agreements in other territories. Some people use VPNs to work around this, and while VPNs themselves are legal tools used for cybersecurity and privacy, using them to bypass region-locked content can violate a service’s terms of use. The source material notes that VPN use is actually illegal in certain countries, so it’s worth checking your local laws before going that route.
Cable Alternatives for the Committed Watcher
If you’ve already got ESPN, CBS, or Paramount Plus, you’re largely covered. Here’s the schedule breakdown:
Rounds 1 and 2 (Thursday and Friday) air on Prime Video from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, then ESPN takes over from 3 to 7 p.m. ET. Rounds 3 and 4 (Friday and Saturday) move to Paramount Plus from 12 to 2 p.m. ET, with CBS handling 2 to 7 p.m. ET coverage. Early morning fans should hit either the ESPN app or, again, the Masters website.
The streaming landscape here is where things get fragmented. You’ll need ESPN Unlimited ($30 a month) to catch all the ESPN streams directly. Paramount Plus Essential has some live sports, but you need the Premium tier ($14 a month) to stream CBS directly. Prime Video costs $9 a month standalone or comes free with a full Amazon Prime membership ($15 a month).
None of these are outrageous individually, but stacking them adds up fast if you don’t already subscribe.
Live TV Services: The All-In-One Approach
For people who want sports channels beyond just the Masters, live TV streaming services like DirecTV and Fubo offer bundles that include both ESPN and CBS. DirecTV’s MySports pack runs $65 a month (first two months at $45 after a five-day free trial), while Fubo’s Sports + News package costs $56 a month ($46 for the first month after a free trial). Both include ESPN Unlimited and a broader selection of sports channels.
These services make sense if you’re already replacing cable or want reliable access to multiple sports throughout the year. For a one-week golf tournament? They’re probably overkill unless you’re a die-hard sports fan anyway.
The Real Question: What Should You Actually Do?
If you’re in the US and comfortable watching on a computer or tablet, just use Masters.com. Seriously. It’s free, it’s official, and it works. There’s no reason to overthink this.
If you prefer watching on a TV or want a more polished broadcast experience, check what you already have. Most people already subscribe to at least one of these services for other reasons. Lean on that.
The only time it makes sense to buy a new subscription specifically for the Masters is if you’re choosing between one service and another anyway, or if you genuinely want comprehensive coverage across all the broadcast partners. Even then, you’re looking at a one-time expense of $9 to $30 depending on what you pick.
Golf’s most prestigious tournament sits at an interesting intersection of access and tradition. The Masters has figured out something most major sporting events haven’t: you can be selective about where your content lives and still offer genuine value to a broad audience. Whether the rest of Business learns from that model remains to be seen.
