How to watch Riverdale season 5 finale online and without cable

The cast of Riverdale on season 5 poster
(Image credit: The CW)

Resting in peace won't be easy tonight when we watch the Riverdale season 5 finale online, even without cable. Archie and crew are closing the first chapter of their adult lives in their town, but more mysteries and murders await them next year.

Riverdale season 5 finale start time, channel

Riverdale season 5 episode 19 is today (Wednesday, October 6) at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.

This season tracked Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Veronica (Camila Mendes), Jughead (Cole Sprouse), Toni (Vanessa Morgan), Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) and friends after a seven-year time jump. As adults, they returned to town — with some of them teaching at the high school where they used to get into all sorts of trouble.

In the Riverdale season 5 finale, "Chapter Ninety-Five: Riverdale: RIP(?)," the gang is picking up the pieces after a long, rough year. But a fire at Pop's forces them to make a difficult decision about the future of the town.

Here's everything to know about how to watch the Riverdale season 5 finale. Plus, check out a promo:

How to watch Riverdale season 5 finale anywhere, with a VPN

Just because The CW isn't available everywhere doesn't mean you need to miss Riverdale season 5 finale. Watching along with the rest of the internet can be pretty easy. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you go.

We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)

ExpressVPN

Our favorite VPN service, ExpressVPN, really shines thanks to its safety, speed and simplicity-to-use. It's also compatible with loads of devices - from iOS and Android to Roku, Apple TV and PlayStations. You'll even get an extra 3 months free if you sign up for a year, or there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you just want to give it a try.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your website or streaming service of choice and tune in.

How to watch Riverdale season 5 finale in the US

American fans can watch the Riverdale season 5 finale on Wednesday, October 6 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW, if you get the network with your TV package or with one of the best TV antennas.

If you've already cut the cord, you can watch Riverdale 519 online via several live TV streaming services, including Fubo TV, Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV.

Of these options, we recommend FuboTV, one of the best streaming services on the market.

Fubo.TV

Fubo.TV is a great alternative to a cable package. With the Family Plan ($65 per month), you get over 120 channels, including all the local broadcast networks and top cable brands like Lifetime, AMC, E!, HGTV, FX, ESPN, Syfy and Paramount Network. 

You can watch Riverdale for free without cable via The CW app, which is available on most major streaming devices including Apple TV and Roku. New episodes drop the day after the episode airs on TV. 

How to watch Riverdale season 5 finale: Netflix release date

International viewers in most territories — including Canada, the UK and Australia — can watch Riverdale season 5 episodes on Netflix the day after the U.S. airing.

Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.