fuboTV Review: Less Expensive Than Cable, But What Do You Get?

If you are thinking about getting rid of cable, FuboTV is one of the top options. And when it comes to sports, 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.

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

Below we will explain everything about FuboTV and its options as well as the best alternatives if you find it isn’t quite right for you.

FuboTV Overview

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, FuboTV is still focused on sports. They offer a wide variety of channels — 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 FuboTV is that it has slightly less coverage in other areas (eg, news channels) than competitors like Hulu Live TV. But even in this area, FuboTV has made major gains over the last couple of years and is now highly competitive.

There are two standard plans: Starter and Elite. The old Fubo Standard and Family plan have been combined as the Starter plan. It is $64.99/mo and offers 100+ channels. The old Ultra plan has been replaced with the cheaper Elite plan for $79.99/mo that offers over 200 channels. FuboTV also offers a Spanish-language package called Latino Quarterly. It is $33/mo, billed quarterly (hence the name).

In addition to the base packages, FuboTV offers many add-ons including pay channel sets like SHOWTIME as well as special interest channel sets like NFL RedZone and Portuguese Plus. All FuboTV services are charged per period (monthly or quarterly) with no contract.

Sign Up For A Free 7-Day FuboTV Trial

Like other Live TV streaming services, FuboTV 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.

FuboTV also allows subscribers to use multiple screens simultaneously — 3 screens on the base plans. You can upgrade to 10 ($9.99/mo) home screens (and 2 on the go) with an add-on. A basic cloud DVR with 250 hours of storage is also provided. This amount can be upgraded to 1,000 hours ($9.99/mo).

Here’s the FuboTV review at a glance:

• Less expensive than cable: $64.99/mo.
• No contract or commitment.
• Access to 100+ channels to watch live.
• Great sports coverage: soccer, NBA, MLB, NFL, cycling, etc.
• Full coverage of sports networks: ESPN, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), NBCSN, NBA TV, BeIn Sports, and more.
• Popular channels: FOX News, AMC, Bravo, Food Network, and many others.
• Excellent coverage of local stations in most areas.
• Free cloud DVR to record live TV.
• Supports nearly all devices including Roku, Apple TV, iPhone/Android, web browser, and Xbox One.

Is FuboTV worth it? That depends on your preferences, but overall it’s an attractive service. The base price is $64.99/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, FuboTV is worth checking out. And it is painless to do so. They offer a 7-day free trial.

Our full 2021 FuboTV review below will help explain the details.

FuboTV Plans

The standard FuboTV 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.

Note that FuboTV also has a Pro plan — it is just the Starter plan with 10 screens and 1,000 hours of DVR. For a thorough discussion of plans, channels, add-ons, and more, see our article FuboTV Packages.

FuboTV Performance and User Experience

FuboTV 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. And they stream special events in 4K/HDR. Note, however, that 4K content cannot be recorded with the DVR.

Subscribers can use multiple screens simultaneously. The Starter package comes with 3 screens. (This is also part of the Family Share add-on if you have an older package.) You can get even more screens with the Unlimited Screens add-on but your internet bandwidth may be the limiting factor.

FuboTV Cloud DVR

Like most streaming services, FuboTV offers a cloud DVR to allow you to record content. The default used to offer 30 hours of storage. Now the Starter plan comes with 250 hours. And you can expand to 1,000 hours with an add-on.

The FuboTV 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. The bad side is that this can eat up a lot of your storage.

FuboTV Interface

FuboTV provides a slick and easy-to-use interface regardless of the platform it is running on. 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.

Sign Up For A Free 7-Day FuboTV Trial

FuboTV Device Support

FuboTV 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 FuboTV’s support for devices — including 4K devices — see our complete FuboTV Devices Guide.

FuboTV Content: The Basics

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

Live TV Channels

The exact number of channels that are included with a subscription will depend upon your exact location. Local and regional channels differ from place to place. There are 8 local network affiliates: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW, Telemundo, Univision, and UniMax. Most locations have ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and Telemundo. But some have as few as one and others have all eight. If you go to the FuboTV home page, it will tell you exactly what channels are available in your area. For more information, see our FuboTV local channel guide.

Starter Plan Channel Line-Up

The Starter plan features a wide array of TV channels. There are 47 entertainment-oriented channels:

There are also 13 news and information channels:

Finally, FuboTV offers 38 sports-oriented channels. See the special section on sports below for complete details.

Extra Elite Plan Channels

The Elite plan comes with everything in the Starter plan plus the Fubo Extra add-on, which provides 45+ more channels:

Latino Quarterly Plan Channel Line-Up

FuboTV offers a Spanish-language plan with 32 channels:

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

Turner and A&E Channels

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

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

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

Sign Up For A Free 7-Day FuboTV Trial

On-Demand Content

Although it is primarily a Live TV streaming service, FuboTV 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 FuboTV 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 FuboTV channels — including a comparison of the channels that come with each plan — see FuboTV Packages. It should answer any questions you may still have.

FuboTV Sports Channels

FuboTV 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.

Starter Sports Channels

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, 38 offer significant sports programming.

Extra Elite Plan Sports Channels

The Elite plan adds 14 more channels for sports fans:

Latino Quarterly Sports Channels

Even the low-cost Spanish-language plan offers a good selection (19 channels) of sports programming:

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

FuboTV Add-Ons and Premium Channels

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

Premium Add-Ons

Your FuboTV subscription can be supplemented with four premium services:

• SHOWTIME ($10.99/mo): 9 SHOWTIME channels with the entire SHOWTIME library on-demand.
• STARZ ($8.99/mo): 7 STARZ live channels include STARZ Kids & Family. It also includes all the STARZ on-demand content.
• EPIX ($5.99/mo): 3 EPIX live channels plus thousands of shows and movies-on-demand. Select programs are available in 4K.
• AMC Premiere ($4.99/mo): allows you to stream content ad-free and provides access to full-seasons on-demand. It also includes bonus content for fans of the channel.

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

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

Sign Up For A Free 7-Day FuboTV Trial

Channel Add-Ons

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 45+ channel add-on above because it is part of the Elite package. It provides a broad selection of channels with some great specific-sports channels.
• 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): 15 Spanish-language channels with a broad selection.
• Portuguese Plus ($14.99/mo): GolTV Spanish and four Portuguese-language channels: 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 26 channels total.
• NBA League Pass ($28.99/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 is the ultimate package.
• International Sports Plus ($6.99/mo): 8 channels focused on international sports. This is very close to the now discontinued Fubo Cycling add-on.
• Adventure Plus ($4.99/mo): 6 outdoors-oriented channels.
• 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.

Technical Add-Ons

Two of the technical add-ons appear to be for subscribers with older plans. Family Share ($5.99/mo) provides 3 simultaneous screens, which is included in all the current base plans. Cloud DVR 250 ($9.99/mo) provides 250 hours of storage, which again is provided with all current plans.

The following two add-ons are for Starter and Latino Quarterly plan subscribers. These add-ons are already included with the Elite plan.

• Unlimited Screens ($5.99/mo): allows a single account to stream on 10 home devices and two remote ones.
• Cloud DVR 1000 ($9.99/mo): provides 1000 hours of storage.

Getting Started With FuboTV

Like all streaming services, FuboTV works over the internet. You need a reliable connection in order to use it. Here are the steps to get started:

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

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

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

5. Regardless of the plan you chose in Step 2, you will need to choose again. This step introduces the Pro plan, which is the Starter plan with the Unlimited Screens and Cloud DVR 1000 add-ons. If you want these, it’s a good deal: $15.98/mo normally for $5.00 here. But if you are interested, see the next step because you can get these for free if you pay quarterly instead of monthly.

6. If you pay by the quarter (rather than monthly), FuboTV throws in Unlimited Screens and Cloud DVR 1000 add-ons. Click the appropriate button.

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

8. 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.

Is FuboTV Worth It?

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

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

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

More Info on FuboTV

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

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

FuboTV Alternatives

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

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is the closest Live TV streaming service to FuboTV. It has a great selection of channels — including sports. FuboTV can’t be matched when it comes to international sports coverage but for most fans, the two services are similar.

Both services provide the same 3 simultaneous screens by default. But YouTube TV has what is widely considered the best Cloud DVR in the industry. It has no storage limit. The only limit is that you can only store recordings for 9 months. So if you want to store content for longer, FuboTV is better.

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

Sling TV

Sling TV is a good option if you want a basic package. They offer two plans at $35/mo. Sling Blue provides 44 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 33 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 $50/mo. Sling TV has other advantages like 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 FuboTV does — especially for sports.

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

Hulu Live TV

Hulu Live TV is a comparable service to FuboTV. It is a bit more expensive but it comes with ESPN+ and Disney+. Of particular note is the absence of sports league channels.

By default, it provides 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (FuboTV has 250 hours). One limitation is that Hulu does not allow you to fast-forward through content. It also offers 2 simultaneous screens (FuboTV offers 3). Hulu provides the same feature add-ons as FuboTV for roughly the same price. And their premium add-ons include some options not available with FuboTV like HBO Max and Cinemax. But they have nothing like FuboTV’s sports 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.

Sign Up For A Free 7-Day FuboTV Trial

FAQs

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

Is FuboTV better than Hulu Live TV and Sling TV?

Every streaming service has advantages and disadvantages. FuboTV is no different. When it comes to sports (and especially international sports), FuboTV 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 FuboTV?

FuboTV is a month-to-month service that doesn’t use contracts. You can cancel at any time. Note however that Latino Quarterly has a three-month payment schedule. And the month-to-month plans also be set-up on a quarterly payment schedule (in exchange for some plan extras). So you could be tired into 3 months of service. Otherwise, you can cancel at any time.

Is FuboTV free?

FuboTV does not 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 FuboTV reminds you a day before the trial is over so you can cancel before being charged.

Can I skip commercials with FuboTV?

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 FuboTV cost?

FuboTV’s base (Starter) plan cost $64.99/mo. For that, you get well over 100 channels including location-dependent local and regional stations. For Spanish speakers, FuboTV offers Latino Quarterly for just $33.00 per month. (You must pay 3-months at a time, however.) For that, you get 32 channels. FuboTV also offers a higher-level plan (Elite) for $79.99 and many add-on choices.

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Frank Moraes

Frank Moraes is a freelance writer specializing in technology, business, and film. You can see his writing on low-budget and "weird" film at Psychotronic Review -- and many other places.

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