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Racers, start your engines — RuPaul is back for a 17th season. We've combed through all of the viewing options to highlight everything you need to know about where to watch RuPaul's Drag Race, including live streaming and on-demand options.
This season will bring together 14 new contestants who will compete for $200,000 and the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar" across 90-minute episodes. The new season offers a splashy twist, the Badonka Dunk Tank, which will allow contestants a last chance at staying in the competition — at the expense of possibly dunking Michelle Visage in water. The guest judge lineup this season is absolutely stacked. Katy Perry, Quinta Brunson, Paul W. Downs, Hunter Schafer, Law Roach, Sam Smith, and Tracee Ellis Ross are among the many celebs slated to make an appearance.
The streaming options get a bit complicated, but we'll break down what you need to know below. Keep reading to learn how to tune into the show, whether you want to watch new episodes or catch up on past seasons.
RuPaul's Drag Race airs on MTV in the US. New episodes drop on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET, starting on January 3, 2025.
Cord-cutters without access to MTV can still tune into RuPaul's Drag Race live with the help of a live TV streaming service. Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo are some of the best month-to-month live TV streaming services out there.
You can stream past seasons of Drag Race on-demand on Paramount Plus, which we'll dig into later, but new episodes usually aren't available on the app until after the latest season has finished airing, so we recommend subscribing to one of the above live TV packages if you'd like to watch the new season now. These services also have solid DVR capabilities and a robust on-demand selection, so they'll be able to help you out if you can't watch a new episode right when it airs but don't want to wait a few months to stream it.
Philo is the cheapest of the bunch and one of the best budget live TV streaming services out there. The app comes with 70+ live channels, including MTV, Paramount Network, and AMC, among others. Subscriptions cost $28/month and include a one-week free trial.
Sling TV is the next cheapest option. Subscriptions start at $46/month for either of the service's base plans, but you'll also need to get the Entertainment Extra add-on for an additional $6/month to access MTV. This extra also grants viewers access to TV Land, Paramount Network, Logo, and more. In total, this will run you $52/month, but Sling is currently offering $23 off your first month of service, making it less than $30 today.
DirecTV Stream and Fubo are two of the more comprehensive live TV streaming services out there. They're great options for those who are seeking a cable alternative with tons of live channels in addition to MTV. DirecTV Stream subscriptions start at $87/month and include a five-day free trial, while Fubo subscriptions start at $80/month and include a seven-day free trial.
If you're looking to watch past episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race or don't mind waiting a while to see the new season, Paramount Plus is the way to go. The streaming service has all 16 past seasons and should eventually get Season 17 as well. In the past, the latest season has become available sometime after it finishes airing in full in the US. Subscriptions start at $8/month for the Essential tier, which offers ad-supported on-demand streaming. You can upgrade to Paramount Plus with Showtime for $13/month for an ad-free on-demand experience, in addition to CBS live streaming and access to Showtime content. All subscriptions, including annual plans, come with a one-week free trial.
If you're traveling abroad and don't want to miss out on a new episode, you can still keep up with most of your usual watch options (like Philo, Sling, and Fubo) with the help of a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs are handy cybersecurity tools that enable people to change the virtual location on their electronic devices so that they can still access their go-to websites and apps just like they would back home. Since the services we've recommended today require US payment methods, this option will work best for Americans who are just traveling away from home at the moment.
ExpressVPN is our top recommendation. The user-friendly app has impressive security perks, a massive selection of servers, and tons of other assets, which we break down in our ExpressVPN review. Subscriptions cost $12.95/month for the flexible plan, but you can find savings in a long-term contract. Plus, the app has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The official RuPaul's Drag Race YouTube channel dropped a Season 17 trailer in mid-December. The preview offers a sneak peek of some of the upcoming drama this season, as well as a first look at a few of the guest judges. Check out the full video below:
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
