Is Fubo the Best Cable Alternative? Complete Review of Plans, Channels & Add Ons

If you are thinking about cutting the cord and getting rid of cable, Fubo (FuboTV) is one of the top options. And when it comes to sports streaming, it is arguably the top option. With it, you can get everything you currently get from your cable provider and spend less in the process.

Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

This may sound too good to be true, so read on. We aren’t saying that Fubo is perfect. But for most cable subscribers, becoming a cord-cutter will be a major improvement.

Fubo has services available in three countries. The Canada plan is sports-focused. The Spain plan is more general. The US plan is a mix of the two. This article is about the US plan.

Fubo Overview

Pros	Cons
✔ Great sports coverage	❌ Relatively expensive
✔ Wide device support	❌ No Turner channels
✔ Major Events in 4K	❌ No HBO options

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Fubo (previously FuboTV) is an online streaming service that lets you watch live TV without a cable subscription. It works over the internet, and you’ll need a compatible device to use it. Once you’re set-up, you can watch live sports, news, TV shows, and more from many of TV’s most popular networks.

Started as a service to stream international soccer games, Fubo is still focused on sports. They offer a widely varied channel lineup — including many local and regional channels. This is true of all their plans although you can get even more with add-ons.

The main downside of Fubo is that it has slightly less coverage in some areas than competitors like Hulu + Live TV. But even in this area, Fubo has made major gains over the last couple of years and is now highly competitive.

There are three standard plans: Pro, Elite, and Premier. The base plan is $79.99/mo and offers 120+ channels. The Elite plan for $89.99/mo offers over 170 channels. Basically, it’s the Pro plan with the addition of the Fubo Extra and News Plus add-ons. The Premier plan is $99.99/mo for over 180 channels, or everything in the Elite plan plus 9 Showtime channels (a whole dollar off the Elite plan plus Showtime as an add-on).

Fubo also offers a Spanish-language package, Fubo Latino, for $32.99/mo. It comes with 40 channels, and as with the English plans, they are heavy on sports.

In addition to the base packages, Fubo offers many add-ons including pay channel sets like Showtime as well as special interest channel sets like Sports Plus With NFL RedZone ($10.99/mo) and Portuguese Plus ($14.99/mo). All Fubo services are charged per period (monthly, quarterly, or annually) with no contract.

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Like other live TV streaming services, Fubo works on most devices — from desktop computers to smartphones and Xbox One to Amazon Fire TV. They are all easy to set up as well.

Fubo also allows subscribers to use multiple screens simultaneously. The English plans come with streaming on up to 10 devices at home and 3 on the road. The Spanish plan allows you to stream on up to two devices at once.

An unlimited cloud DVR is standard with all plans.

Here’s the Fubo review at a glance:

• Less expensive than cable: $79.99/mo.
• No contract or commitment.
• Access to 120+ channels to watch live.
• Great sports coverage: soccer, NBA, MLB, NFL, cycling, etc
• Full coverage of sports networks: ESPN, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), NBA TV, BeIn Sports, TUDN, and more
• Popular channels: Bravo, Food Network, FX, USA, and many others
• Excellent coverage of local stations
• Free cloud DVR to record live TV
• Supports nearly all devices

Is Fubo worth it? That depends on your preferences, but overall it’s an attractive service. The base price is $79.99/mo, which is far lower than the average cost of cable. And it offers a comparable number of channels.

So if you’re thinking about getting rid of cable, Fubo is worth checking out. And it is painless to do so. They offer a 7-day free trial.

Our full 2022 Fubo review below will help explain the details.

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Fubo Plans

The standard Fubo plans provide everything that most viewers would want. All of them can be supplemented, of course. We discuss this below in depth. For now, here are the basics of the available plans with standard pricing.

	Pro	Elite	Premier	Latino
Price	$79.99/mo	$89.99/mo	$99.99/mo	$32.99/mo
Channels	130+	170+	180+	40
Screens	10	10	10	2
Hours of Cloud DVR	∞	∞	∞	∞

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Fubo Performance and User Experience

Fubo is generally streamed at 720p and 60 FPS (frames per second). (Some content is only available at 30 FPS.) There is substantial content that streams 1080p. Elite and Premier subscribers can stream special events in 4K/UHD, though Fubo has removed this perk for Pro subscribers. Note, however, that 4K content cannot be recorded with the DVR.

Subscribers can use multiple screens simultaneously. The Pro, Elite, and Premier packages come with 10 screens. This is the number of devices that can be used at the same time at home. You can also on up to three devices away from home.

Also included is an excellent selection of TV Everywhere apps that allow you to access 85+ channels.

See our Fubo packages page for details about TV Everywhere.

The Latino package allows you to watch on two devices at once. You can upgrade this with the Family Share ($5.99/mo) or Unlimited Screens ($9.99/mo) add-ons.

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Fubo Cloud DVR

Fubo used to offer a set number of hours of permanent cloud DVR storage. But they have gone in the direction of most other services by now offering unlimited storage but with a 9-month time limit.

The Fubo DVR is unusual. It doesn’t record from the point in a program you start recording. Instead, it records the entire program. This is good in that it allows you to watch an entire program even if you were late to it.

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Fubo Interface

Fubo provides a slick and easy-to-use interface regardless of the platform it is running on. If you learn it on one device, you will be very comfortable with it on all the others.

Although there are differences between these platforms, they all provide the same basic navigation features.

• Home: presents the most popular Live TV channels with the programs that are currently being shown. It also provides direct links to featured content (popular movies, shows, and sporting events). The Live Sports section lists popular events currently streaming. There are also links to Top Leagues & Tournaments.
• Sports: presents Featured content and a complete list of all the sporting events taking place. This list can be limited by sport: Soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, racing, tennis, rugby, boxing, MMA, horse racing, and Other. This can be further filtered. For example, Racing is subdivided into NASCAR Cup Series, eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, Formula E, and several others.
• Shows and Movies: present popular content. It also provides links to on-demand content.
• Guide: is like a standard cable interface: all the channels are listed with what they are currently and soon to show.
• Recordings: Lists all of the shows/movies/events that you’ve recorded with the cloud DVR. It is a simple list that can be filtered for sports, shows, and movies. This interface is not ideal if you have a lot of recordings. But this is a problem with most services.

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Fubo Device Support

Fubo is compatible with most devices.

• Web browser: most web browsers on PC, Mac, and Linux. They do, however, recommend Chrome.
• Android: any version from 5.0 (released late 2014) onward.
• Android TV: any TVs with this standard like all of Sony’s smart TVs.
• iOS: iPhone 5s (released late 2013) onward, newer iPads (5th generation+, Mini 2+, Pro and Air), and the iPod Touch generation 6 and newer.
• Chromecast: Ultra and anything 2nd generation (late 2015) and newer. Chromecast is also supported in some TVs.
• Apple TV: 4th generation (late 2015) and later including tvOS 13 and beyond.
• Hisense: supports smart TVs with this system from 2020 onward.
• Samsung Smart TV: from 2015 through 2020.
• Xbox One: supports all models.
• Roku: supports all models but with limitations for units before 3700 (Oct 2016).
• Amazon Fire TV: supports all models and installations.

If you still have questions about Fubo’s support for devices — including 4K devices — see our complete Fubo Devices Guide.

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Fubo Content: The Basics

Fubo provides a good selection of live TV channels and on-demand content regardless of the plan.

Live TV Channels on Fubo

The exact number of channels that are included with a subscription will depend upon your location. Local and regional channels differ from place to place.

There are 10 local network affiliates: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW, Telemundo, Univision, UniMas, myNetwork TV, and Cozi TV. Most locations have ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and Telemundo. But some have as few as one and others have all ten.

If you go to the Fubo home page, it will tell you exactly what channels are available in your area. For more information, see our Fubo local channel guide.

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Fubo’s “Pro” Plan Channel Line-Up

The Pro plan features a wide array of TV channels. There are 14 news and information channels, 71 entertainment-oriented channels, and 37 sports-focused channels.

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Fubo’s Extra “Elite” Plan Channels

The Elite plan comes with everything in the Starter plan plus the Fubo Extra add-on, which provides 57 more channels, and the News Plus add-on, which is 11 extra channels:

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Fubo’s Additional “Premier” Plan Channels

The Premier plan comes with everything in the Elite plan plus nine Showtime channels:

Fubo’s “Latino” Plan Channel Line-Up

Fubo offers a Spanish-language plan with 40 channels:

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There are also lots of add-on channels and packages you can get. We discuss this as well as Fubo’s sports offerings below.

Turner, A&E, and AMC Channels on Fubo

In mid-2020, while otherwise greatly expanding its channels, Fubo stopped providing content from Turner Broadcasting System. So you can’t watch popular channels like CNN, TNT, or TBS. Also gone: Turner Classic Movies, Boomerang, and Cartoon Network (Adult Swim).

In mid-2021, Fubo ended its contract with A&E Networks. As a result, they no longer offer A&E, FYI Channel, History Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network (LMN), and Vice.

And finally, starting in 2023, Fubo dropped AMC Networks channels. So no more AMC, BBC America, BBC World News, IFC, Sundance TV, We TV, or AMC Premier package.

If these channels are essential to you, see some Fubo alternatives below.

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On-Demand Content With Fubo

Although it is primarily a live TV streaming service, Fubo provides an impressive selection of on-demand TV shows and movies. It’s a well-rounded collection designed to appeal to a broad audience.

The Fubo interface makes it easy to look at different genres of movies. More demanding viewers will find some surprising gems — especially in genres like horror. The selection of on-demand TV shows is even more extensive.

On the other hand, some on-demand content is limited. In particular, there are relatively few family-oriented movies and TV shows.

For a complete discussion of Fubo channels — including a comparison of the channels that come with each plan — see Fubo Packages. It should answer any questions you may still have.

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Fubo Sports Channels

Fubo started in 2015 as a way to stream soccer to underserved US viewers. Since that time, it has greatly broadened its offerings. But it remains focused on sports where it continues to be a leader among the streaming services.

Sports Channels on Fubo’s “Pro” Plan

Sports coverage is complicated in that it is broadcast on networks, sports-oriented channels, paid channels, regional sports networks (RSNs), and local channels. Of the basic channel set, 37 offer significant sports programming.

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Regional Sports Networks on Fubo

Fubo includes regional sports networks (RSNs) in every plan. The critical thing about RSNs is that you only get the ones that are local to you. So for instance, if you’re in Boston, you’re not going to get the California RSNs, and vice versa.

Fubo also offers all of the Bally Sports channels and YES Network.

If RSNs are of interest to you, you should check out our page on Fubo’s local and regional channels.

Sports Channels on Fubo’s Extra “Elite” Plan

The Elite plan adds 13 more channels for sports fans:

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Latino Sports Channels on Fubo

Even the low-cost Spanish-language plan offers a good selection (21 channels) of sports programming:

We didn’t add Galavision to this list because despite airing a lot of sports, it is a general channel (like USA).

Fubo offers other sports channels as add-ons as discussed below.

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Fubo Add-Ons and Premium Channels

Fubo offers premium, channel, and technical add-ons.

Premium Add-Ons For Fubo

Your Fubo subscription can be supplemented with four premium services:

• SHOWTIME ($12.99/mo): 9 SHOWTIME channels with the entire SHOWTIME library on-demand.
• STARZ ($9.99/mo): 7 STARZ live channels include STARZ Kids & Family. It also includes all the STARZ on-demand content.
• MGM+ ($5.99/mo): 3 MGM+ live channels plus thousands of shows and movies-on-demand. Select programs are available in 4K if your plan includes it.

For $19.99/mo, you can get the bundle SHOWTIME + STARZ + MGM+.

Note: Fubo does not currently provide any of the HBO channels. If those are critical to you, you will need to use a different streaming service. We discuss some of those below.

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Channel Add-Ons For Fubo

Most of the channel add-ons are focused on sports. Before discussing them, we’ll look at the general ones:

• Fubo Extra ($7.99/mo): We discussed this 50 channel add-on above because it is part of the Elite package. It provides a broad selection of channels with some great sports-focused channels.
• News Plus ($2.99/mo): News from around the world with 11 channels: CNBC World, Euronews, Bloomberg Quicktake, Bloomberg Plus, ticker NEWS, NewsNet, i24NEWS, Africanews, Revry News, The Young Turks, and Cheddar News.
• Fox Nation ($5.99/mo): A streaming video on demand complement to the Fox News Channel, featuring over 180 shows and thousands of hours of original shows and specials.
• Entretenimiento Plus ($4.99/mo): live and on-demand content from 9 hispanic channels: Antena 3, Bandamax, De Película, De Película Clásico, FOROtv, NTN24, Telehit Música (Ritmoson), Telehit, and Univision Tlnovelas.
• Latino Plus ($19.99/mo): 20 Spanish-language channels with a broad selection: GolTV, TyC Sports, Cine Sony, El Gourmet, Nat Geo Mundo, Mas Chic, Nuestra Tele Telefe, Discovery Familia, Discovery en Espanol, Tr3s, BabyTV Spanish, Cinelatino, WAPA America, Centro America TV, Pasiones, and Television Dominicana.
• Portuguese Plus ($14.99/mo): GolTV Spanish and four Portuguese-language channels: GolTV, Benfica TV, RTP Açores, RTP3, and RTP Internacional.

Despite the excellent sports content found in the standard packages, there is still a lot to offer as add-ons. Note, however, that there is some overlap between different add-on packages.

• Sports Plus With NFL RedZone ($10.99/mo): despite the name, this add-on provides access to much more than NFL — especially NCAA football but also NBA, NFL, MLB, and more. It includes 27 channels total: NFL RedZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network, MLB Strikezone, ESPNU, ESPNews, ACCN, SECN, Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Arizona, Pac-12 Bay Area, Pac-12 Los Angeles, Pac-12 Mountain, Pac-12 Oregon, Pac-12 Washington, Tennis Channel, GAME+, Fuel TV, Fight Network, IMPACT! Wrestling, Next Level Sports, Racing America, Sportsgrid, Stadium, Stadium 1, Stadium 2, Stadium 3, Unbeaten, World Poker Tour, and Zona Futbol.
• Sports Lite ($9.99/mo): Includes 8 channels: NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, Tennis Channel, SECN, ACCN, ESPNU, and ESPNews. We have no idea why anyone would not spend one dollar more and get Sports Plus With NFL RedZone.
• NBA League Pass ($14.99/mo): provides streaming of all out-of-market NBA games. If you’re a fan of a distant team or the league as a whole, this package is the crème de la crème.
• International Sports Plus ($6.99/mo): 11 channels focused on international sports. This is very close to the now discontinued Fubo Cycling add-on. Includes: Fubo Latino Network, Fox Deportes, Zona Futbol, ESPN Deportes, GolTV (Spanish and English), TyC Sports, Fox Soccer Plus, Tigo Sports, Next Level Sports, and Real Madrid TV.
• Adventure Plus ($4.99/mo): 6 outdoors-oriented channels: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, Outside TV, MAVTV, and InTrouble, and Waypoint TV.
• RAI Italia ($8.99/mo): Italian-language channel that covers Serie A and Coppa Italia soccer.
• TV5MONDE ($9.99/mo): French-language channel covering soccer, rugby, and more.

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Technical Add-Ons For Fubo

Since providing unlimited cloud DVR storage on all plans, Fubo only offers a technical add-on related to screens — and they are both for the Fubo Latino plan.

• Family Share ($5.99/mo): Stream on up to 3 devices at once.
• Unlimited Screens ($9.99/mo): allows a single account to stream on 10 home devices and two remote ones.

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How to Get Started With Fubo

Like all streaming services, Fubo works over the internet. You need a reliable connection in order to use it.

The following process refers to the Starter plan. It no longer exists. It was the same as the Pro plan but included only unlimited cloud DVR storage and streaming on up to 3 devices.

1. Go to the Fubo website.
2. Scroll down to “Which plan is right for you?” to select the Fubo channel package. Click “Start free trial.

3. Create an account with your email address and password. Verify your zip code and click “CONTINUE.”

4. Fubo will send a message to your email address with a 6-digit code. Enter it and click “Submit.”

5. The next screen allows you to purchase add-ons for your subscription. When finished, click “CONTINUE TO LAST STEP.”

6. Finally, enter your payment information and click “START WATCHING FUBOTV.”

You can now watch Live TV on all your devices. You can cancel your subscription at any time.

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Is Fubo Worth It?

Fubo is an excellent service overall. Of course, whether is right for you will depend upon your needs.

Over the last couple of years, Fubo has greatly broadened its offerings. Even still, other services may be a better fit if you are most interested in news and TV shows.

With sports, Fubo should be on your shortlist of services. And if you are interested in less-common sports or international sports, Fubo is almost certainly the way to go.

But you don’t have to guess. You can try Fubo free for 7 days to see if it works for you. Give it a try now.

More Info on Fubo

If you are looking for more information on Fubo, we have it:

• Fubo Packages
  • ESPN on Fubo
  • NFL on Fubo
  • How to Cancel Your Fubo Subscription
• Fubo Local Channels
• Fubo Devices
  • Fubo on Roku Devices
  • Fubo on Apple TV
  • Fubo on Xbox One
• Fubo vs Sling TV
• Fubo Canada
• Fubo Spain

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Fubo Alternatives

If sports is the most important factor in your choice of a streaming service, Fubo is probably your best bet. But for those with different needs, there are other services worth considering.

	Fubo	Hulu	DIRECTV STREAM	Sling TV
Channels	120+	85+	75+	30+|40+
Price	$79.99/mo	$76.99/mo	$79.99/mo	$40.00/mo
Free Trial	✔	❌	✔	❌
Contract	None	None	None	None
Phone	✔	✔	✔	✔
Live Chat	❌	✔	✔	✔
Ad-Free	❌	Add-on	❌	❌
DVR Skip Ads	✔	✔	✔	✔
Screens	10	2	unlimited	3
DVR Hours	∞	∞	∞	50
Resolution	720p 1080	720p 1080p	720p 1080p	720p
FPS	Up to 60	Up to 60	Up to 60	Up to 60

Sling TV

Sling TV is a good option if you want a basic package. They offer two plans at $40.00/mo. Sling Blue provides 40 channels focused on news and entertainment although it does offer some sports like the NFL Network. It comes with 3 device streams and 50 hours of DVR storage.

Sling Orange is oriented more toward sports. It offers 30+ channels including 3 ESPN channels. It also provides 50 hours of DVR storage but only a single device stream.

You can get both Blue and Orange for $55.00/mo. Sling TV has other advantages including support for all the Turner-owned channels like CNN. And it provides a free service with some basic Live TV and on-demand TV shows and films.

The main problem with Sling TV is that it provides weak local and regional channels. There are add-ons that can help in this regard but even with them, Sling TV doesn’t offer the kind of coverage Fubo does — especially for sports.

See Sling TV vs Fubo: How They Compare for more information.

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is for the hometown fans. Specifically, fans of basketball, baseball, and hockey home teams who can only catch the home games on the regional sports networks (RSNs) that are exclusive to DIRECTV STREAM.

DIRECTV STREAM is the only streaming service left that carries the Bally regional sports networks, which in many parts of the country are the only way to watch otherwise-blacked out games. It also includes the Turner channels that Fubo is missing.

Plans start at $79.99/mo, though to get the RSNs you need the Choice plan, which is $108.99/mo. All plans come with unlimited DVR storage space and unlimited device streams in your home (plus 3 outside it).

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Hulu Live TV

Hulu Live TV is a comparable service to Fubo. It costs the same but comes with ESPN+ and Disney+. Of particular note is the absence of sports league channels other than NFL Network.

Hulu Live provides unlimited Cloud DVR storage (Fubo starts at 1000 hours). One limitation is that Hulu only offers 2 simultaneous screens whereas Fubo offers 10.

Hulu provides the same feature add-ons as Fubo for roughly the same price. And their premium add-ons include some options not available with Fubo like HBO Max and Cinemax. But it provides nothing like Fubo’s sports base and add-on channels.

Hulu Live TV does have advantages, however. They offer slightly better local programming. And they also offer unparalleled TV shows on-demand. Hulu Live TV is an excellent streaming service and depending on your needs, it may be the right choice for you.

Try Hulu + Live TV for 3 Days Free!

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is the closest live TV streaming service to Fubo. Fubo can’t be matched when it comes to international sports coverage but for most fans, the two services are similar.

Fubo offers 10 simultaneous screens (and 2 away from home) and YouTube TV offers only 3. YouTube TV is also one of several streaming services to offer unlimited DVR storage space. The only limit is that you can only store recordings for 9 months. So if you want to store content for longer, Fubo is better.

Fubo offers more channels overall, but YouTube TV has excellent coverage and includes channels that Fubo doesn’t, like those from Turner.

Wrapping Up

Fubo is our top choice for sports streaming. But it’s also arguably as good as a general streaming service. No one will be disappointed with it.

Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

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FAQs

For easy reference, here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about Fubo.

What happened to FuboTV?

On March 21, 2023, FuboTV rebranded as Fubo. Otherwise, there was no change. According to the company, “The rebrand to Fubo reflects the company’s emphasis on efficient growth.” We aren’t sure exactly what that means but it is certainly true that the “TV” in “FuboTV” is not necessary. Fubo was and is one of the biggest live TV streaming services in the world and there is no confusion with the new name.

Is Fubo good for watching the NFL playoffs?

Fubo allows you to watch every NFL playoff game including Super Bowl LVIII, which will be on CBS. It is an excellent service for NFL fans generally. It allows you nearly full access to watch NFL games through the regular season including those that air Sunday afternoon on your local CBS and Fox affiliates along with access to Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football. You also get to watch International games and special games like those on Thanksgiving.

The one exception when it comes to NFL coverage is Thursday Night Football (doesn’t affect the postseason). The only way to watch these matchups is through Amazon Prime Video. This is an issue for all NFL fans regardless of whether they watch via streaming, cable, or satellite.

Is Fubo better than Hulu Live TV and Sling TV?

That depends. Every live streaming TV service has advantages and disadvantages. Fubo is no different. When it comes to sports (and especially international sports), Fubo is better than these competitors. But Hulu + Live TV has many advantages like better local channel support. And Sling TV is a great choice if you are on a budget. See our alternatives discussion for more information.

Is it easy to cancel Fubo?

Yes. Fubo is a month-to-month service that doesn’t use contracts. You can cancel at any time. Note however that the month-to-month plans also be set up on a quarterly or annual payment schedule (in exchange for some plan extras). So you could be tied into 3 months to a year of service. Otherwise, you can cancel at any time.

Is Fubo free?

No. Fubo doesn’t offer a free plan like Sling TV. It does, however, offer a 7-day free trial. You must provide a credit card to get the trial. But Fubo reminds you a day before the trial is over so you can cancel before being charged.

Can I skip commercials with Fubo?

Yes and no. You can’t skip commercials on a live TV stream just as you can’t on live cable. You can skip commercials on shows/events you have recorded with the Cloud DVR. (Some streaming services do not allow this or charge extra for the ability.) So by recording something and watching it slightly late, you can skip all the commercials.

What does Fubo cost?

Fubo’s base (Pro) plan costs $79.99/mo. For that, you get well over 110 channels including location-dependent local and regional stations. For Spanish speakers, Fubo offers Fubo Latino with 40 channels for just $32.99/mo per month. Fubo also offers two higher-level plans: Elite for $89.99/mo with over 50 more channels, and Premier for $99.99/mo for over 60 more channels.

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