NBA League Pass App & Subscription: The Best Way to Follow NBA

The NBA League Pass app is a convenient solution to fulfill all your NBA streaming needs. However, just because it’s a handy thing to have doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Is it good enough to warrant a subscription if you’re a big NBA fan? Let’s find out.

Also read: Best Sports Apps for Android and iOS

How Does the NBA League Pass App Work?

Perhaps you’ve purchased an NBA League Pass subscription for NBA playoff streaming. However, it’s not always practical to watch games on a laptop or TV when you’re at home. After all, people are busy and aren’t always home.

This is precisely why the NBA League Pass app exists. With it, all the NBA games are easily accessible on a smartphone. Of course, the kind of content you’ll have access to will depend on your NBA subscription. We’ll save talks about that for later.

For now, how does the NBA League Pass app work, and is it something you should install? Here’s everything you can expect from installing the app on your smartphone or tablet.

Mobile-Specific Viewing Features

The NBA League Pass app delivers all the best NBA content to you complete with enhanced viewing features. It’s optimized for mobile users, allowing you to even zoom into games as you’re watching them on the go. Moreover, it even provides interactive statistics and graphics to help you get an overview of the current status.

Cross-Platform Access

The NBA League Pass app is downloadable on different platforms. Whether you’re using a tablet, phone, streaming stick, or anything else, you’ll be able to access the app without problems. You can even view content cross-platform as long as you’re signed in on each device.

However, your subscription’s limitations do apply here as most subscription tiers don’t allow for simultaneous streaming on multiple devices. Of course, the Premium plan is an exception.

Access to All NBA-Related Content

With the NBA League Pass app, you get to access all of the NBA-related news you need. You can check out the official schedule, standings, stats, scores, news, and more. You can even easily view in-game and post-game highlights as well as game previews and recaps.

It also conveniently includes access to events and press conferences relevant to the games. What’s more, you can even personalize the experience based on the teams you follow and your favorite players. It’s also the best place to download all the games you want to watch later while you’re offline.

In addition, the NBA League Pass app also conveniently caters to non-English speaking fans. You can stream the games in various languages and never miss anything important in the games again.

Get NBA: Live Games & Scores from the App Store

Get NBA: Live Games & Scores from Google Play Store

NBA League Pass Tiered Plans

The NBA League Pass app may be a convenient smartphone app wherein you can stream all NBA games. However, the type of content you can access on the app will depend on the subscription tier you go for.

League Pass

The most popular type of subscription the NBA League Pass app and service offers is the League Pass tier. With it, you can stream all NBA games live and on-demand, whether it’s a regular game or post-season. This applies whether you’re a subscriber from the US or abroad.

However, there are constraints to this tier if you’re streaming from the United States. Local blackout rules still apply to subscribers of the tier. Hence, there will be a three-day wait time before you can catch up to all the games. Moreover, you can only view national broadcasts from NBA TV, ESPN, ABC, and TNT three hours later. Hence, you can’t stream the playoff finals live with just a regular League Pass subscription.

If you missed the live stream of current games, you can still catch them on-demand from the archives. You can download them for offline viewing or get 10-minute replays for a quick catch-up.

If you’re interested in the League Pass tier, it costs $4.99 weekly, $11.99 monthly, or $93.99 annually. However, do note that the prices will vary per location. After all, you don’t want to pay for the full service if you’ve already missed a bunch of games.

League Pass Premium

The League Pass Premium is an upgraded version of the League Pass tier and brings better perks. For example, it gets rid of all the commercials that get in the way whenever you’re watching a broadcast. This tier is also the only offer that allows you to stream games on two devices at a time. Hence, it’s the best plan to get if you’d like to split the cost with a friend.

In addition, the League Pass Premium adds full-length replays as a bonus. Thus, you’re not restricted to 10-minute replays if you ever miss a game.

League Pass Premium costs $13.99 monthly or $109.99 yearly in the US. There is no weekly subscription for the premium tier, unfortunately.

Team Pass

If you are not necessarily a fan of the whole NBA but have favorite teams you want to religiously follow, we recommend considering the Team Pass tier.

With the Team Pass, you can watch every game you want that features your team of choice. However, it has similar restrictions to the League Pass for US subscribers. Hence, you’ll only be able to stream out-of-market as they’re playing live. The rest come with similar constraints.

Overall, the Team Pass has tons of great advantages over other plans. For example, you get access to most of the same perks as the League Pass at a lower price. Hence, you can view 10-minute replays, watch games offline, and stream in mostly the same way.

The Team Pass goes for $5.99 monthly or $51.99 yearly. Likewise, the prices also vary depending on the season and when you apply.

NBA TV Live (United States Only)

For US fans, the NBA TV Live tier is a great option to stream the NBA games. That’s because it essentially acts as a national TV channel just for the NBA. With it, you can watch several games weekly and access its features 24/7. It also includes exclusive original content, features, press conferences, and more.

However, NBA TV Live isn’t a tier that’s mutually exclusive from other tiers. That’s because you can pair it with the US League or Team Pass tiers as well if you’d prefer.

If you like the perks of NBA TV Live, you can get it for $59.99 yearly. However, this also changes based on when you apply for a subscription.

3-Game Choice / 8-Game Choice (Non-US Only)

For international fans, the regular subscription passes won’t always seem attractive. That’s completely understandable, too, because you can’t always watch games live because of different time zones. Therefore, it would make more sense to access a tier catered specifically to international fans. What is that tier, you ask? It’s the 8-Game Choice.

With the 8-Game Choice, you can pick eight games a month that you can live-stream or watch on-demand. Hence, you can watch NBA games at your own pace without messing with your body clock. It’s also a useful tier if you’re a casual fan who simply wants things on-demand.

A different version of the 8-Game Choice, called the 3-Game Choice, also exists depending on your country. As the name suggests, it offers you three games instead of eight that you can watch on-demand. However, price and availability will vary on continent and country. Hence, you should check out the NBA League Pass app or website to double-check things before you subscribe. Do note that prices will depend on when you choose to apply.

Day Pass (International Only)

Just because you’re an NBA fan doesn’t mean you’re willing to dedicate so much money to the sport. Some fans are more casual about it and simply want to watch games from time to time. If that description suits you, then check out the NBA Day Pass.

With this, you can get 24-hour access to whatever League Pass customers get.  It’s a great way to binge-stream a lot of content while staying on a low budget.

The Day Pass costs $1.99 more or less, depending on where you are and depending on the season.

League Pass for Your Business

The NBA League Pass app may be handy for individual subscribers. However, NBA streaming isn’t just limited to individuals. Businesses can also have access to the subscription’s benefits and live stream games in their establishments. Whether it’s a restaurant or a sports store, you can get NBA League Pass access for your business.

Of course, you’ll need to apply for the “League Pass for Your Business” service to do this. With an approved application, you can stream games as they play or on-demand, both without commercials. Moreover, you can even stream several games in your store on different TV screens. It’s also easy to manage and doesn’t take too much to sign up. However, prices will vary and you’ll have to submit a request through their website first.

Where Is the NBA League Pass Available?

The NBA is a big deal in more than just North America. Besides its origin country, fans all over the world follow NBA games and root for their favorite teams and players. That’s probably why the NBA League Pass app and its subscription service are available even outside the US.

The global version of the NBA League Pass is called the International League Pass. Through it, fans of tons of foreign countries can opt-in on the same subscription and access the same content. Some of the countries included are Japan, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, and Europe.

Where Else Can You Watch NBA With League Pass?

The NBA League Pass app is a must-have for fans who want to stream games on the go. However, accessing its contents isn’t just limited to iOS or Android. You can view games on different operating systems and streaming devices as well.

For example, you can view NBA games through these subscriptions from streaming sticks and TV operating systems. These include the Roku, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, and Chromecast.

Users can also watch games through a PS4/5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X. You can even view these games through an Oculus device — but it’s only available to US subscribers.

Lastly, you can also simply drop the NBA League Pass app altogether in favor of a computer. Through a regular browser, you can stream these games from NBA.com and watch to your hearts’ content.

Does the NBA League Pass Offer a Free Trial?

The NBA League Pass app and its subscription services are incredibly handy for fans. However, they’re also notoriously expensive and aren’t always worth it for everyone. Not every fan will want to dive into a subscription without having tried out the service first.

Thankfully, the NBA League Pass does offer free trials for seven days if you’re a new subscriber. It’s applicable for the League Pass Premium, League Pass, Team Pass, and 3/8-Game Choice. You can sign up right now on their website or through the NBA League Pass app.

Which TV Services Offer NBA League Pass Content?

Streaming the NBA games via the NBA League Pass is great and everything. However, not everyone will want a standalone subscription just for the NBA. That is unless you simply live and breathe the NBA. If you’re a regular person, however, subscribing to a TV service with NBA League Pass content might make more sense.

Here is a list of the services that offer it at the time of writing. Note: offers and content availability may change without prior notice. They also vary by location so keep that in mind.

Of course, if you’re after just NBA content, then the NBA League Pass app and subscription may be worth it. However, keep in mind that there are still location-based restrictions of what you can watch regardless of the tier. Hence, a TV service might make even more sense if you want to watch all NBA games.

Is an NBA League Pass Worth It?

Regardless of where you’re located in the world, if you’re an NBA fan, then you’ll certainly want to watch the games. However, even if you’re a huge fan, it doesn’t automatically warrant a subscription to the service. So, is an NBA league pass worth it for NBA fans? Like most services, the answer will certainly depend on you.

Firstly, it depends on how big of a fan you are. It’s certainly less costly than going to games in person. Moreover, it’s a great way to access all of the best out-of-market NBA content. However, it certainly has a lot of caveats to it.

For example, blackouts are still a problem even when you’re already shelling out money for the service. Furthermore, not all the NBA tiers get rid of the pesky commercials that everyone has always hated since cable television. If you’re not a fan of the blackouts in particular, then we recommend getting a TV service instead. Think YouTube TV, Xfinity, Fubo, Dish, or Sling.

If you don’t mind those drawbacks, then the NBA League Pass is certainly worth it. It’s a great way to follow your favorite teams and never miss a game. It’s just a cool way to watch games on the go if you’ve always been an NBA fan.

For all these reasons, the NBA League Pass is certainly worth a shot — that is if you can afford it. If you’re unsure, there’s always a free trial waiting to help you decide.