Streaming TV Matrix
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How to Find the Stream Live TV Streaming Service for Your Interests & Budget

I’ve used all the live TV streaming services and I like them all. Each has advantages and disadvantages and finding the right one for you will depend on what you are looking for. Here is a rundown of the top services:

  • Fubo: This is a “sports first” streaming service meaning it is focused on sports but also offers a good selection of other channels. It is especially good for MLB, NBA, and NHL fans. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
  • Sling TV: The original live TV streaming service offers the most flexibility of any service. And it is the cheapest way to get ESPN. Save 50% on Sling TV now!
  • DIRECTV STREAM: Truly a full cable replacement service. If you are leaving cable for the first time, this is the service that includes everything you expect. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
  • Hulu + Live TV: I think this is the best choice for the average cord-cutter. It has a great selection of live TV channels in addition to ESPN+ and Disney+ for a very reasonable $82.99/month. Try the Hulu Live free 3-day trial.
  • Philo: If sports isn’t your thing, Philo is a great choice. It features most non-sports “cable” channels for $28.00/month. Combine it with a digital antenna and you get everything most people would ever want. Try Philo free for 7 days.
  • Frndly TV: Similar to Philo but more family-oriented without some of the more popular channels like Comedy Central and AMC. But at just $6.99/month for the base plan, it’s hard to resist. Get Frndly TV free for 7 days!
  • YouTube TV: This is a great service — similar in many ways to Hulu Live. It also offers a great selection of channel add-ons. But the big reason to sign up is if you want NFL Sunday Ticket. YouTube TV offers a free trial.

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.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Find the Right Streaming Service

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

  1. Make a list of all your favorite TV series, events, and sports.
  2. 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:
  3. 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.
  4. Sign up for a trial of the streaming service that best matches your needs. (Many offer free trials.)
  5. Test it out. Make sure the channels you care about work as expected. Make sure the video quality is acceptable.
  6. 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.
  7. If you are satisfied with the channel selection and video quality then consider this exercise a success!

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
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
A&EOrange and Blue
ABC
ABC News
ACCN💲💲💲
AccuWeather
AMCOrange and Blue
AHC💲💲💲💲
Animal Planet
Aspire💲
AWE💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
AXS TVOrange and Blue
Baby TV💲💲
BabyFirst
BBC AmericaOrange and Blue
BBC World💲💲💲
beIN Sports💲💲
beIN Xtra💲
BETOrange and Blue
BET her💲💲💲
BET Jams💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
BET Soul💲
B1G💲💲
Billiard TV💲
BNC
BloombergOrange and Blue
Boomerang💲
BravoBlue
BYU TV
C-SPAN
C-SPAN 2
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
CNOrange and Blue
CBS
CBSSN💲
CBSN
CGTN💲
CheddarOrange and Blue💲
Cinémoi💲💲
Cleo TV💲
CMT💲
CNBC💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
CNBC World💲💲💲
CNNOrange and Blue
CNN Intl
Comedy CtrlOrange and Blue
CometOrange and Blue
Cooking💲💲💲💲
Court TV
Cowboy💲
Cozi TV
Crackle
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
C & I💲
Curiosity Strm💲💲
The CW💲
Dabl
Dest America💲💲💲💲
DiscoveryBlue
Disc Family💲💲💲
Disc Life💲💲💲
DisneyOrange
Disney Junior💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Disney XD💲
Docurama💲💲
Dove💲💲
Dox💲
Duck TV💲
DUST💲
E!Blue
ESPNOrange
ESPN2Orange
ESPN3✔†Orange✔†✔†✔†
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
ESPNews💲💲💲
ESPNU💲💲💲
Estrella💲💲
FETV💲
Fight Network💲
FM💲
Food NetworkOrange and Blue
FoxBlue
Fox Business💲
Fox NewsBlue
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Fox Soccer💲💲
Fox Soul
France 24💲
FreeformOrange
FS1Blue
FS2💲💲
Fuse TV💲Orange and Blue💲
FXBlue
FXM💲💲💲
FXX💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
FYI Network💲💲
G4
GAC💲💲💲💲
Great American Family💲💲💲💲
Great American Faith & Living💲
Galavisión
GSN💲💲💲
Game+💲
getTV
Golf Channel💲💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
GolTV💲💲💲
Grit💲
GustoTV
Hallmark💲
HDNet Movies💲💲
Here TV💲
H & I💲💲
HGTVOrange and Blue
HistoryOrange and Blue
HLNBlue
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Hopster💲
IFCOrange and Blue
ii24 News
Insight TV💲
INSP💲💲
IDOrange and Blue
ION
Jewelry TV
Kids Street
Law & Crime💲💲💲
LifetimeOrange and Blue
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
LMN💲
Local NowOrange and Blue
Logo TV💲💲💲
Longhorn
Magnolia💲💲💲💲
MAVTV💲💲💲
MGM💲
Military History💲
MLB Network💲💲💲
MotorTrendOrange
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
MSNBCBlue
MTV💲
MTV Classic💲💲💲
MTV Live💲💲
MTV2💲💲💲
MTVU💲
NASA
Nat Geo Wild💲💲💲
Nat GeoBlue
NBA TV💲💲💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
NBCBlue
NBC News
NBC Universo💲💲
NBCLX
Newsmax💲
NewsNation💲💲
Next Level💲
NFL NetworkBlue
NFL RedZone💲💲💲💲
NHL Network💲💲💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Nick JrOrange and Blue💲
Nick Music💲
Nickelodeon
Nicktoons💲💲💲💲
Olympic💲💲
OANN
Outdoor💲💲💲
Outside TV💲💲
Ovation
OWN💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Oxygen💲💲
Pac-12💲💲
Paramount💲
PBS
PBS Kids
People TV💲
Pixl💲
PlayersTV💲
Pocket Watch
Pop TV💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
Pursuit💲
QVC
QVC-2
Real Madrid💲
Reelz💲💲
Revolt💲💲
Revry💲
RFD-TV💲
RT America💲
Science💲💲💲💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
SEC Network💲💲💲
Smithsonian💲
Sony Movie💲💲💲
SportsGrind💲
Sportsman💲💲💲💲
Stadium💲Orange and Blue💲
Start TV💲
Sundance💲
SyfyBlue
Tastemade💲💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
TBSOrange and Blue
TCM💲
TeenNick💲💲💲
Telemundo
Tennis💲💲💲
Tigo Sports💲
TLCBlue
TNTOrange and Blue
TravelOrange and Blue💲
TruTVBlue
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
TUDN💲
TV Land💲
TV One💲
TVG💲💲💲
TVG2💲💲
TyC Sports💲💲💲
UniMás💲
Universal Kids💲
Univision
UPtv💲
ChannelFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTVPhilo
USABlue
VH1💲
Vice TVOrange 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.

SportFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTV
Baseball (MLB)💲💲
Basketball (NBA)💲
Basketball (NCAA)💲💲💲
Boxing💲
Cricket💲
Cycling
Darts[1]
Football (NCAA)💲💲💲
Football (NFL)
Football (USFL)
Football (XFL)
Formula 1
SportFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTV
Golf
Gymnastics
Hockey (NHL)
Horse Racing💲💲💲
IndyCar
MotoGP
NASCAR
Olympics
Poker💲
Pool[1]
SportFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTV
Pro Wrestling
Rugby
Snooker[1]
Soccer💲💲
Soccer (AFC)[2]
Soccer (Brasileiro Série A)[2]
Soccer (Bundesliga)
Soccer (CAF)💲
Soccer (CONCACAF)
Soccer (La Liga)
SportFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTV
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
SportFuboSlingHuluDTVSYTTV
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.

Streaming Services Overview

Streaming services vary quite a bit in their price, which channels they carry, and their features.I 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 service 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.
ServicePriceChannelsDVRScreens
DIRECTV$86.9990+UnlimitedUnlimited
Frndly$6.9950+0 hours1
Fubo$79.99150+Unlimited10
Hulu Live$82.9995+Unlimited2
Philo$28.0070+Unlimited3
Sling$40.0030+50 hours3/1
YouTube$72.99100+Unlimited3

Our Choice

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.

Fubo is my favorite streaming service because of its relatively low cost, inclusion of almost all RSNs, sports coverage, and general channel selection. It is also the most popular service with our readers. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

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Frank Moraes
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