Looking for a way to try out services before signing up? Here’s my complete list of free streaming TV trials!

Finding the right live TV streaming service for your needs can be intimidating. There are literally hundreds of channels and a number of services offer most of them.

Using our step-by-step process below, you can easily figure out which streaming service is right for you. If you know what channels your favorite shows are on, then you know what channels you need to prioritize.

Like with most things, one size does not fit all. You need to balance out cost and channel selection to find the cable TV alternative that is right for you.

Table Of Contents

1 Step-by-Step Instructions
2 Streaming Services Overview
3 Streaming TV Channel Matrix
4 Streaming Sports Matrix
5 Live TV Streaming Services
6 Wrapping Up

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is a simple 7-step process for using the Streaming TV Channel and Streaming Sports matrices below.

Make a list of all your favorite TV series, events, and sports.
Make a second list of all the channels your favorite TV series, events, and sports air on. You can find guidance in the following pages:
- TV Series
- Events
- Sports
Use the matrices below. They provide lists of the most popular channels and sports along with indications of which streaming service offers each. You can use them to figure out which services offer the channels you cannot live without.
Sign up for a trial of the streaming service that best matches your needs. (Many offer free trials.)
Test it out. Make sure the channels you care about work as expected. Make sure the video quality is acceptable.
If you are not satisfied with the video quality or channel selection, contact tech support. If that does not work, simply cancel before the trial is over.
If you are satisfied with the channel selection and video quality then consider this exercise a success!

Streaming Services Overview

You can get complete details about all the major live TV streaming services in our review:

Price

DIRECTV STREAM: $79.99/month
Fubo: $79.99/month
Hulu + Live TV: $76.99/month
Philo: $28/month
Sling TV: $40.00/month
YouTube TV: $72.99/month

DVR Specs

DIRECTV STREAM: Unlimited
Fubo: 1000 hours
Hulu + Live TV: Unlimited
Philo: Unlimited
Sling TV: 50 hours
YouTube TV: Unlimited

Simultaneous Screens

DIRECTV STREAM: Unlimited
Fubo: 10
Hulu + Live TV: 2
Philo: 3
Sling TV: 3/1
YouTube TV: 3

Streaming TV Channel Matrix

In the following table:

✔️ = The base plan includes the channel
💲 = The channel is available as an add-on or in a higher-price plan
❌ = The channel is not available at all
“Blue” = Available in the Sling Blue plan only
“Orange” = Available in the Sling Orange plan only

Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
A&E	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	❌	✔
ABC	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌
ABC News	✔	❌	✔	❌	✔	❌
ACCN	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
AccuWeather	✔	❌	❌	✔	❌	✔
AMC	✔	Orange and Blue	❌	✔	✔	✔
AHC	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Animal Planet	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔
Aspire	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
AWE	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
AXS TV	❌	Orange and Blue	❌	✔	❌	✔
Baby TV	❌	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
BabyFirst	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
BBC America	✔	Orange and Blue	❌	✔	✔	❌
BBC World	💲	💲	❌	💲	✔	✔
beIN Sports	✔	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
beIN Xtra	✔	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
BET	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
BET her	💲	❌	💲	💲	✔	✔
BET Jams	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
BET Soul	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
B1G	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Billiard TV	❌	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
BNC	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Bloomberg	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	❌	✔
Boomerang	❌	💲	✔	✔	❌	❌
Bravo	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
BYU TV	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
C-SPAN	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
C-SPAN 2	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
CN	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
CBS	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌
CBSSN	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔	❌
CBSN	✔	❌	✔	❌	❌	❌
CGTN	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Cheddar	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	💲	✔	✔
Cinémoi	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	💲
Cleo TV	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
CMT	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	✔
CNBC	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
CNBC World	💲	❌	💲	💲	❌	❌
CNN	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
CNN Intl	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌	❌
Comedy Ctrl	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
Comet	✔	Orange and Blue	❌	❌	✔	❌
Cooking	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Court TV	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌
Cowboy	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Cozi TV	✔	❌	✔	❌	✔	❌
Crackle	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
C & I	❌	❌	✔	💲	❌	✔
Curiosity Strm	✔	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
The CW	💲	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌
Dabl	❌	❌	✔	❌	✔	❌
Dest America	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Discovery	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
Disc Family	💲	❌	💲	💲	❌	✔
Disc Life	💲	❌	💲	💲	❌	✔
Disney	✔	Orange	✔	✔	✔	❌
Disney Junior	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Disney XD	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
Docurama	❌	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
Dove	❌	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
Dox	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Duck TV	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
DUST	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
E!	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
ESPN	✔	Orange	✔	✔	✔	❌
ESPN2	✔	Orange	✔	✔	✔	❌
ESPN3	✔†	Orange	✔†	✔†	✔†	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
ESPNews	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
ESPNU	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Estrella	✔	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
FETV	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Fight Network	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
FM	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	❌
Food Network	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
Fox	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Fox Business	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
Fox News	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Fox Soccer	💲	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
Fox Soul	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌
France 24	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Freeform	✔	Orange	✔	✔	✔	❌
FS1	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
FS2	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Fuse TV	💲	Orange and Blue	❌	💲	❌	❌
FX	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
FXM	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
FXX	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
FYI Network	❌	💲	✔	💲	❌	✔
G4	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
GAC	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Great American Family	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Great American Faith & Living	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	✔
Galavisión	✔	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌
GSN	💲	💲	❌	💲	✔	✔
Game+	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
getTV	✔	❌	❌	❌	✔	✔
Golf Channel	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
GolTV	💲	❌	❌	💲	💲	❌
Grit	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
GustoTV	✔	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Hallmark	✔	💲	❌	✔	✔	✔
HDNet Movies	❌	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
Here TV	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
H & I	❌	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
HGTV	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
History	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	❌	✔
HLN	❌	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Hopster	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
IFC	✔	Orange and Blue	❌	✔	✔	✔
ii24 News	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Insight TV	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
INSP	💲	💲	❌	❌	❌	✔
ID	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
ION	✔	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌
Jewelry TV	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	✔
Kids Street	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Law & Crime	💲	💲	❌	❌	💲	✔
Lifetime	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	❌	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
LMN	❌	❌	✔	💲	❌	✔
Local Now	✔	Orange and Blue	❌	❌	❌	✔
Logo TV	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌	✔
Longhorn	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Magnolia	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
MAVTV	💲	❌	💲	❌	💲	❌
MGM	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
Military History	❌	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌
MLB Network	💲	💲	❌	💲	✔	❌
MotorTrend	✔	Orange	✔	✔	✔	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
MSNBC	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
MTV	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	✔
MTV Classic	💲	❌	💲	💲	✔	✔
MTV Live	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
MTV2	💲	💲	💲	✔	✔	✔
MTVU	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
NASA	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌	❌
Nat Geo Wild	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Nat Geo	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
NBA TV	💲	💲	❌	💲	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
NBC	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
NBC News	✔	❌	✔	❌	✔	❌
NBC Universo	✔	💲	💲	✔	✔	❌
NBCLX	✔	❌	✔	❌	✔	❌
Newsmax	✔	💲	❌	✔	❌	❌
NewsNation	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Next Level	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
NFL Network	✔	Blue	✔	❌	✔	❌
NFL RedZone	💲	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌
NHL Network	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Nick Jr	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	💲	✔	✔
Nick Music	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Nickelodeon	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔
Nicktoons	💲	💲	💲	💲	✔	✔
Olympic	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
OANN	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Outdoor	💲	💲	💲	❌	❌	❌
Outside TV	💲	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
Ovation	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
OWN	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Oxygen	✔	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Pac-12	💲	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Paramount	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	✔
PBS	❌	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌
PBS Kids	❌	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌
People TV	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Pixl	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
PlayersTV	❌	❌	❌	❌	💲	✔
Pocket Watch	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
Pop TV	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
Pursuit	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
QVC	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌
QVC-2	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Real Madrid	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Reelz	❌	💲	❌	✔	❌	💲
Revolt	💲	💲	❌	✔	❌	✔
Revry	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔
RFD-TV	❌	💲	❌	✔	❌	❌
RT America	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Science	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
SEC Network	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔	❌
Smithsonian	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔	❌
Sony Movie	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌	💲
SportsGrind	❌	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
Sportsman	💲	💲	💲	💲	❌	❌
Stadium	💲	Orange and Blue	❌	❌	💲	❌
Start TV	❌	💲	✔	❌	✔	❌
Sundance	✔	💲	❌	✔	✔	✔
Syfy	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Tastemade	✔	💲	❌	💲	✔	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
TBS	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
TCM	❌	💲	✔	✔	✔	❌
TeenNick	💲	💲	💲	✔	✔	✔
Telemundo	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔	❌
Tennis	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
Tigo Sports	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
TLC	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	✔
TNT	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Travel	✔	Orange and Blue	✔	💲	✔	✔
TruTV	❌	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
TUDN	✔	❌	❌	💲	❌	❌
TV Land	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	✔
TV One	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
TVG	✔	❌	💲	💲	💲	❌
TVG2	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌
TyC Sports	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌	❌
UniMás	✔	❌	❌	💲	✔	❌
Universal Kids	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔	❌
Univision	✔	❌	❌	✔	✔	❌
UPtv	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌	✔
Channel	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV	Philo
USA	✔	Blue	✔	✔	✔	❌
VH1	✔	💲	✔	✔	✔	✔
Vice TV	❌	Orange and Blue	✔	✔	❌	✔
VSiN	💲	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
WE tv	✔	💲	❌	✔	✔	✔
Weather	✔	❌	❌	💲	❌	❌
Weather Nation	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Willow TV	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
World Fishing	💲	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌
Zona Futbol	💲	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Streaming Sports Matrix

In the following table:

✔️ — The base plan supports the sport well
💲 — The sport is well supported with an add-on or in a higher-price plan
❌ — The sport is not well supported.

Note that some of the soccer leagues are not well-represented on live TV. Those you can usually find via Paramount+, which is just $7.99/month.

Sport	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV
Baseball (MLB)	💲	❌	❌	💲	❌
Basketball (NBA)	❌	❌	❌	💲	❌
Basketball (NCAA)	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔
Boxing	❌	💲	✔	❌	❌
Cricket	❌	💲	❌	❌	❌
Cycling	✔	✔	✔	✔	❌
Darts[1]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Football (NCAA)	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔
Football (NFL)	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔
Football (USFL)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Football (XFL)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Formula 1	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Sport	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV
Golf	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔
Gymnastics	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Hockey (NHL)	❌	❌	❌	✔	❌
Horse Racing	✔	❌	💲	💲	💲
IndyCar	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
MotoGP	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔
NASCAR	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Olympics	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Poker	✔	❌	✔	💲	✔
Pool[1]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Sport	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV
Pro Wrestling	❌	✔	✔	✔	✔
Rugby	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Snooker[1]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer	✔	💲	✔	💲	❌
Soccer (AFC)[2]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (Brasileiro Série A)[2]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (Bundesliga)	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Soccer (CAF)	✔	💲	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (CONCACAF)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Soccer (La Liga)	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Sport	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV
Soccer (Liga MX)	✔	❌	❌	💲	❌
Soccer (Ligue 1)	✔	💲	❌	❌	❌
MLS	❌	❌	✔	💲	❌
Soccer (NWSL)[2]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (OFC)[3]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (Olympic)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Soccer (Premier League)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Soccer (Serie A)[2]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Soccer (UEFA)[2]	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Softball	✔	❌	✔	✔	✔
Sport	Fubo	Sling	Hulu	DTVS	YTTV
Tennis	💲	💲	❌	💲	❌
UFC	❌	❌	✔	❌	❌
Volleyball	💲	💲	✔	💲	✔

[1] Darts, pool, and snooker fans should check out DAZN.
[2] AFC, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, NWSL, Serie A, and UEFA fans should look at Paramount+.
[3] OFC fans should go to Eleven Sports.

Live TV Streaming Services

Streaming services vary quite a bit in their price, which channels they carry, and their features. We get asked a lot, “What’s the best streaming service?” Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to that question. There’s only the best streaming system for your household, your budget, and your viewing habits.

Streaming services may differ, but they all have a few things in common:

They use your existing broadband internet connection to deliver your programming.
Many if not most of the channels they carry will look familiar to you as
“basic cable” channels: AMC, History Channel, Food Network, ESPN, and so forth.
There are no contracts, early termination penalties, installation appointments, or random mystery fees. You can cancel anytime, usually online.
Almost all have cloud DVR provided and on-demand programming available.

So read on to find out which service is a good fit for you.

Fubo

Sporty Fubo is the only major live TV streaming service not owned by a major media conglomerate. Originally founded as a way for American soccer fans to follow their favorite sport, you can still see those roots in fuboTV’s unmatched international sports coverage.

But Fubo isn’t just sports anymore – roughly two-thirds of its channels are entertainment, news, and family channels like Discovery, FX, Nickelodeon, MTV, Fox News, and MSNBC. It also features an excellent channel-cost ratio, great 4K coverage (Elite+ plans), and one of the better interfaces.

Fubo offers three English base plans, a Spanish-language plan, and many add-ons. You can find more details on our Packages & Pricing page. Fubo runs on all standard streaming devices – see Fubo Devices for more info.

Here’s what you get with Fubo’s Pro Plan:

Base Price: $79.99/month
Channels: 150+, including local affiliates
Simultaneous Screens: 10 devices
Cloud DVR Storage: 1,000 hours
Regional Sports Networks: 14 (most of any service except DIRECTV STREAM)

Here’s what you’re missing with Fubo:

Turner networks (TNT, TBS, truTV): Home to March Madness, NBA playoffs and conference semifinals, some major MLB games, and the Stanley Cup playoffs and finals.
A+E Networks channels: A&E, History, Lifetime, FYI, Crime + Investigation, Vice
Warner Media channels: Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, CNN, Turner Classic Movies, HBO, Cinemax

Fubo Is Great For

Soccer fans
Other international sports fans – rugby, handball, cricket
NFL fans
Fans of niche competitive games like poker, billiards, or darts
Spanish-speaking sports fans
Philadelphia-area sports fans
Anyone looking for a solid general cable-replacement service

Philo

Philo is the baby of the streaming services, not in terms of age, but in terms of size and just how adorable it is. That’s an odd description for a TV provider, but it manages to make a decent service that charges only $28/month. It does this by passing over three major media owners, all local channels, and the mainstays of live TV: news and sports. Is it worth it? You decide.

Try Philo for Free

Philo offers one base plan, and several low-cost premium options (Philo Packages & Prices). It works on the standard devices, plus a few extras (Philo Devices).

Here’s what you get with Philo:

Price: $28/month
Channels: 60+
Simultaneous Screens: 3
Cloud DVR Storage: Unlimited

Here’s what you’re missing with Philo:

24-hour news channels (except BBC World News)
Live sports channels
Local networks
NBCUniversal-owned channels: Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, MSNBC, and USA
Warner Media channels: Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, CNN, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, HBO, Cinemax
Disney: ABC, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX, National Geographic, ESPN

Philo Is Great For

Antenna-owners (or those willing to buy an antenna) who don’t need networks from their TV provider
You who find most of the TV shows of the last fifteen to twenty years unwatchable
Fans of “classic” TV – reruns of favorites from the 1950s through the 1990s
Kids, especially less-discerning kids who will watch whatever’s on
Anyone on a budget, such as students or seniors
Schmaltzy movie addicts

Find more information in our Philo review.

Sling TV

Sling TV is the original live TV streaming service, the first to provide a real alternative to cable or satellite. Unlike DIRECTV STREAM, which applies the “kitchen sink” model to its service (as in, “everything but the”), Sling TV offers smaller base packages of core channels, with the option to customize with add-on bundles and a la carte premium networks. It’s like the IKEA of TV providers – everything is modular.

Save $25 on Sling TV Now

Sling has two base plans, 7 multi-channel add-ons, and dozens and dozens of a la carte options (Sling TV Packages & Prices), most of which are under $5/mo. It supports all major streaming devices, and some really exotic ones (Sling TV Devices).

One downside of Sling is that if you do want a large selection of channels, the costs add up. You are usually better off with FuboTV or one of the other full cable replacement services in this case.

Here’s what you get with Sling Blue:

Price: $40.00/month
Channels: 40+ (including NBC & Fox)
Simultaneous Screens: 3
Cloud DVR Storage: 50

Here’s what you get with Sling Orange:

Price: $40.00/month
Channels: 30+
Simultaneous Screens: 1
Cloud DVR Storage: 50

Here’s what you’re missing with Sling TV:

ABC and CBS
Regional sports networks
Nickelodeon (but does have spin-off channels Nick Jr. or Nicktoons)

Sling TV Is Great For

Bargain-hunters who are willing to pick and choose exactly what they want
Viewers who make minimal use of their DVR
People looking for a few specific channels that aren’t available through Philo
Subscribers looking for something really different from traditional cable

Read our full Sling TV review to know more.

DIRECTV STREAM

To be totally honest, DIRECTV STREAM’s single biggest draw is probably its regional sports networks. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a fine service, with a good mix of family, news, sports, lifestyle, and general entertainment channels. Unlike every other streaming service, it carries channels from all the major media outlets, with no glaring holes in its lineup. And it has the most thorough coverage of local network stations.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free Trial

But since the other services dropped the Bally Sports networks, DIRECTV STREAM has had a bit of a monopoly on the local sports gig. And that means, regardless of any of the other factors, good or bad, if you are a fan of your local pro baseball, basketball, or hockey team (plus some soccer teams), DIRECTV STREAM is, quite literally, the only game in town.

DIRECTV STREAM organizes its channels into four tiers: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier. See our Packages & Prices page for a full list. It supports most major streaming devices, except Android TVs. You can find more details on our DIRECTV STREAM Devices discussion.

DIRECTV STREAM normally offers a 5-day free trial but they combine it with other deals throughout the year.

Here’s what you get with DIRECTV STREAM’s Entertainment Package:

Base Price: $79.99/month
Channels: 75+, including local affiliates
Simultaneous Screens: Unlimited
Cloud DVR Storage: Unlimited

Here’s what you’re missing with DIRECTV STREAM:

Unlimited DVR: The storage is unlimited, but you can only keep your recordings for 9 months. DIRECTV STREAM also uniquely caps you at 30 episodes of a series.
NBC Sports Philadelphia: The only RSN missing from DIRECTV STREAM. Fans of the Phillies, Sixers, or Flyers should check out Hulu + Live TV or Fubo instead.

DIRECTV STREAM Is Great For

Die-hard fans of local baseball, basketball, hockey, and some soccer teams across the country (except Philadelphia)
Viewers who want all the channels and are willing to pay for them
Anyone who has trouble deciding between this add-on or that and would rather just pick a tier and be done with it.
First-time streamers or the less tech-savvy among us
Viewers who liked everything about their traditional cable or satellite provider except being locked into high prices by a contract.

Get more information in our complete DIRECTV STREAM review.

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu was the second streaming on-demand service, after Netflix, and it has successfully expanded its reach to live TV now too. For years, it’s had two major things going for it: first, a slew of critically and commercially acclaimed Originals; and second, new episodes of ongoing network series within 24 hours of airing. Now parent-company Disney is bringing out the big guns to compete head-to-head with YouTube TV and the others.

Try Hulu + Live TV for Free

Hulu Live only has one base plan, and a few add-ons (Hulu Live Packages & Prices). All Hulu Live subscriptions include the Hulu on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+. Hulu also has some really amazingly broad device support (Hulu Live Devices).

Here’s what you get with Hulu Live:

Price: $76.99/month
Channels: 85+, including local affiliates
Simultaneous Screens: 2
Cloud DVR Storage: Unlimited
Regional Sports Networks: 7

Here’s what you’re missing with Hulu Live:

AMC Networks channels: AMC, IFC, SundanceTV
League Networks: MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network

Hulu Live Is Great For

Viewers who like a lot of on-demand to fill the spaces between live programming.
Households with diverse tastes or ages looking for something for everyone
Hulu on-demand users who want to dip a toe into live TV streaming

Find more information in our detailed Hulu + Live TV review.

YouTube TV

Like Hulu + Live TV is the natural expansion of Hulu’s on-demand service, YouTube TV is the logical next step for YouTube’s user-generated video gallery. The comparison to Hulu is apt, because YouTube TV offers a similar service in scope and price. In lieu of Hulu Live’s on-demand bonuses (Disney+, ESPN+), YouTube TV has simply more channels, and a collection of a la carte add-ons second only to Sling TV.

YouTube TV has one English base plan, and one Spanish base plan, with more add-on options than Hulu Live (but not as many as Sling). It runs on all standard devices, but, being owned by Google, integrates with Android and Nest devices particularly well.

Here’s what you get with YouTube TV:

Price: $72.99/month
Channels: 100+ (plus local affiliates)
Simultaneous Screens: 3
Cloud DVR Storage: Unlimited
Regional Sports Networks: 7 (the same as Hulu Live)

Here’s what you’re missing with YouTube TV:

A+E Networks channels: A&E, History, Lifetime, FYI, Crime + Investigation, Vice

YouTube TV Is Great For

Viewers who prefer live channels over on-demand
Households that go for The Walking Dead and independent movies over On Patrol: Live and Ancient Aliens
Families with a variety of interests and ages looking for something for everyone

Read our in-depth YouTube TV review for more information.

Wrapping Up

Every one of these live TV streaming services offer things you couldn’t even get from cable a decade ago — much less for these prices. Your only question is which one is best for you.

FuboTV is the most popular service with our readers. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

Page Updates ▼▲

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Frank Moraes

I am a Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com, specializing in sports streaming and regional programming issues. With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and extensive experience in remote sensing technology, including early video streaming, I bring a unique technical perspective to the streaming industry.

My expertise in sports coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and regional sports networks, stems from years of hands-on experience as an early adopter of streaming services and my work addressing fans' viewing challenges. As a longtime cord-cutter and subscriber to multiple streaming platforms, I combine my technical knowledge with practical user experience, making me a leading expert in the field of sports streaming and entertainment technology.