The cheapest package comes in at a fairly standard $70, but the top tier costs $150, which likely negates any savings over a traditional cable plan. ![]() Like traditional cable, DirecTV Stream offers multiple packages, with different channels offered in each tier. Limited sports offerings in base (Entertainment) package - Expensive and complicated package system feels like traditional cableĪs the name makes clear, DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) is a streaming alternative to cable, offered by a company whose main focus is traditional cable. Best for Large Households: DirecTV Stream Take advantage of the seven-day free trial to see what you think. Hulu’s cloud storage is the same as YouTube’s (unlimited storage with a 9-month expiration date), but Hulu allows only two simultaneous streams, which could pose a problem in larger households. While Hulu + Live TV doesn’t offer PBS (which YouTube TV does), local PBS programming can be accessed with the free PBS app. If you want the ad-free option, that’ll run you $76 per month. Keep in mind that the on-demand Hulu content is ad-supported at the $70 price point. Hulu’s live option comes in at $5 more per month than YouTube TV, but that higher cost disappears if you also plan to pay for the on-demand streaming service from Hulu, ESPN, or the must-have Disney+ (aka the exclusive home for most Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and Disney content). The addition of the ESPN+ streaming service adds even more live sports and a bevy of on-demand sports content. Its broad coverage offers local broadcast channels, 13 news channels, and sports coverage that includes Fox Sports and the most ESPN channels of any service. Hulu began offering a live-component streaming service in 2017 then in late 2021, it added Disney+ and ESPN+ to the mix. Hulu’s own programming (and its relationship with Disney) is what sets Hulu + Live TV apart from YouTube TV. You also get their Unlimited Screens add-on, which allows for an impressive 10 simultaneous streams inside your home and another two outside. Keep in mind, though, the 1,000 hours are shared with everyone in your household who uses the service, regardless of whether you use different profiles. You get 1,000 hours of DVR storage (instead of the original 250), and your recordings never expire. Ĭurrently, both the Pro and Elite plans come with three fuboTV add-ons included at no extra cost. Both plans include the fascinating science- and tech-based Curiosity Stream channel. The upgrade also grants you a better news selection with BBC World News and Cheddar News. But if you want access to channels like NBA TV, the NHL Network, and the MLB Network, you’ll need to upgrade to the Elite plan. The cheaper Pro plan has 124 channels, with more than 35 devoted to sports, including the NFL Network, multiple ESPN channels, Big Ten Network (college sports), beIN Sports (global sports), TUDN (Mexican and European football), and their own fubo Sports Network. The service currently offers two tiers, Pro and Elite. CNN isn’t available, however, even with the Elite tier. Along with local broadcast stations, fuboTV includes entertainment and lifestyle channels like AMC, HGTV, Bravo, FX, and TLC, as well as a few news and business channels like MSNBC and Bloomberg. While it wins for best streaming service for sports, it also manages to cover non sports content admirably. Best Live Streaming Services: Reviews and Recommendations Best Overall : YouTube TVīeginning as a soccer streaming service in 2015, fuboTV now covers all sports and even offers eight of its own fubo Sports Network channels. ![]() For $15 more, we think it’s a better bet to get everything that’s included with YouTube TV. And to get the best mix of offerings, you need to sign up at the $50-per-month rate. ![]() While Sling TV offers some sports and news channels, it has no local stations. As media companies consolidate and grow, there are fewer options for live TV services, so there’s really only one major service that didn’t make the cut. We zeroed in on live TV streaming services that could replicate all, or at least some, of those elements.įour of our picks handle all missing elements to some degree, but we also included one option (Philo) that covers only the popular “cable” entertainment channels at a rock-bottom price. When you step away from cable and move to an all-streaming setup, you generally lose four main elements: live sports, live news, smaller “cable” channels (TBS, MTV, Bravo, AMC, TLC, etc.), and your local broadcast networks (your region’s CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox stations).
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