Looking for an alternative to cable? Live TV streaming might just be the answer you’ve been searching for. With competitive pricing and a variety of channels, including sports networks and primetime TV shows, these streaming services are definitely worth considering. And if you’re someone who values contract-free options, you’ll find these apps particularly appealing. Not only do they offer a wider range of channels compared to antennas, but they also provide the convenience of watching on your desktop or mobile device.
Right now, there are six main streaming services to choose from: YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Philo. However, what really counts is the variety of channels they offer, right? That’s why we’ve carefully reviewed these services and put together a list of the ones that give you the most bang for your buck.
Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2024
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared, updated March 2024
The main difference between the services is their channel selection. All of them offer different lineups of channels for various prices.
Below you’ll find a chart that shows the top 100 channels across all six services, but note that not each service has a worthy 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two different “base” tiers, Orange and Blue. And if you’re wondering, I chose which “top” channels made the cut. Sorry, AXS TV, Discovery Life, GSN and Universal HD.
Plenty of live TV streaming choices are available to anyone who wants to cut the cable cord. Sling TV’s basic packages are $40 in most cities. But costs continue to go up. Fubo’s price increase is now official, and DirecTV Stream is $80 per month for its base plan. YouTube TV costs $73 per month, while Hulu’s live TV service now costs $77 a month with ads and $90 without ads. Those changes are reflected in the chart below where applicable.
Some more stuff to know about the chart:
Yes = The channel is available on the cheapest pricing tier. That price is listed next to the service’s name.
No = The channel isn’t available at all on that service.
$ = The channel is available for an extra fee, either a la carte or as part of a more expensive package or add-on.
Regional sports networks — local channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball and hockey teams — are not listed. DirecTV Stream’s $120 tier has the most RSNs by far, but a few are available on other services. See our NBA and NHL streaming guides for details.
Local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MyNetworkTV and The CW networks are not available in every city. Since availability of these channels varies, you’ll want to check the service’s website to verify that it carries your local network.
Local PBS stations are only currently available on YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, and some have been added to Hulu. Again, you’ll want to check local availability.Sling Blue subscribers in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco must now pay $45 per month, but have access to local ABC, Fox and NBC channels. Customers in Fresno, Houston and Raleigh now have both ABC and Fox on their Blue or Orange-and-Blue subscriptions at no extra charge. This is not reflected in the chart. Check Sling’s site to see which local channels are available in your area.Fubo subscribers may find that the ACC Network and SEC Network are included with their package at no extra cost. Check availability for your state.The chart columns are arranged in order of price, so if you can’t see everything you want, try scrolling right.Overwhelmed? An easier-to-understand Google Spreadsheet is here.
Philo vs. Sling TV vs. Fubo vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Stream vs. Hulu: Top 100 channels compared
Channel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)Fubo ($80)Total channels: 42243578745756ABC NoNoNoYesYesYesYesCBS NoNoNoYesYesYesYesFox NoNoYesYesYesYesYesNBC NoNoYesYesYesYesYesPBS NoNoNoYesYesYesNoCW NoNoNoYesYesYes (limited)YesMyNetworkTV NoNoNoYesYesYesNoChannel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)Fubo ($80)A&E YesYesYesNoYes$NoACC Network No$NoYesYes$YesAccuweather YesNoNoNoNoYesYesAMC YesYesYesYesNoYesNoAnimal Planet YesNoNoYesYesYesYesBBC America YesYesYesYesNoYesNoBBC World News Yes$$YesNo$NoBET YesYesYesYesYesYesYesBig Ten Network NoNo$YesYes$YesBloomberg TV NoYesYesNoYesYesYesBoomerang No$$No$YesNoBravo NoNoYesYesYesYesYesChannel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)Fubo ($80)Cartoon Network NoYesYesYesYesYesNoCBS Sports Network NoNoNoYesYes$YesCheddar YesNoNoYesYes$YesCinemax NoNoNo$$$NoCMT Yes$$YesYesYesYesCNBC NoNo$YesYesYesYesCNN NoYesYesYesYesYesNoComedy Central YesYesYesYesYesYesYesCooking Channel Yes$$No$$$Destination America Yes$$No$$$Discovery Channel YesNoYesYesYesYesYesDisney Channel NoYesNoYesYesYesYesDisney Junior No$NoYesYesYesYesDisney XD No$NoYesYesYesYesE! NoNoYesYesYesYesYesESPN NoYesNoYesYesYesYesESPN 2 NoYesNoYesYesYesYesESPNEWS No$NoYesYes$$ESPNU No$NoYesYes$$Channel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)Fubo ($80)Food Network YesYesYesYesYesYesYesFox Business NoNo$YesYesYesYesFox News NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFS1 NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFS2 NoNo$YesYes$YesFreeform NoYesNoYesYesYesYesFX NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFX Movies NoNo$YesYes$$FXX NoNo$YesYesYesYesFYI Yes$$NoYes$NoGolf Channel NoNo$YesYes$YesHallmark Yes$$YesYesYesYesHBO/Max NoNoNo$$$NoHGTV YesYesYesYesYesYesYesHistory YesYesYesNoYes$NoHLN No$YesYesYesYesNoIFC YesYesYesYesNoYesNoInvestigation Discovery YesYesYesYesYesYesYesLifetime YesYesYesNoYes$NoLifetime Movie Network Yes$$NoYes$NoChannel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)FuboTV ($80)Magnolia Network Yes$$YesYes$YesMGM+ $$$$No$NoMLB Network No$$NoNo$$Motor Trend YesYesNoYesYesYesYesMSNBC NoNoYesYesYesYesYesMTV Yes$$YesYesYesYesMTV2 Yes$$Yes$Yes$National Geographic NoNoYesYesYesYesYesNat Geo Wild NoNo$YesYes$$NBA TV No$$YesNo$$NFL Network NoNoYesYesYes$YesNFL Red Zone NoNo$$$No$NHL Network No$$NoNo$$Nickelodeon YesNoNoYesYesYesYesNick Jr. YesYesYesYesYes$YesNicktoons Yes$$Yes$$$OWN YesNoNoYesYes$YesOxygen NoNo$YesYes$YesParamount Network Yes$$YesYesYesYesScience Yes$$No$$$Channel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)FuboTV ($80)SEC Network No$NoYesYes$$Showtime No$$$$$$Smithsonian YesNoNoYesYes$YesStarz $$$$$$$Sundance TV Yes$$YesNoYesNoSyfy NoNoYesYesYesYesYesTastemade Yes$$YesNo$YesTBS NoYesYesYesYesYesNoTCM No$$YesYesYesNoTeenNick Yes$$Yes$Yes$Telemundo NoNoNoYesYes$YesTennis Channel No$$NoNo$$TLC YesNoYesYesYesYesYesTNT NoYesYesYesYesYesNoTravel Channel YesYesYesYesYes$YesTruTV No$YesYesYesYesNoTV Land Yes$$YesYesYesYesUSA Network NoNoYesYesYesYesYesVH1 Yes$$YesYesYesYesVice YesYesYesNoYes$NoWE tv Yes$$YesNoYesNoChannel Philo ($25)Sling Orange ($40)Sling Blue ($40)YouTube TV ($73)Hulu with Live TV ($77)DirecTV Stream ($80)FuboTV ($80) James Martin/CNET
A series of price hikes has brought a number of additional channels to Hulu, including PBS and access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, at a $77 price tag. Its channel selection isn’t as robust as YouTube TV and Fubo, yet it’s Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content which sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale, The Orville and Only Murders in the Building give it a content advantage no other service can match.
Live TV subscribers also receive unlimited DVR that includes fast-forwarding and on-demand playback — at no additional cost. It’s a move that has aligned Hulu with its competitors in terms of features, but the channel lineup may still be a deciding factor. For example, the platform recently lost Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate channels. It’s $4 more than YouTube TV which has more channels, but the access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus may make it a more appealing choice for you. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
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With an excellent channel selection, easy-to-use interface and best-in-class cloud DVR, the $73 per month YouTube TV is one of the best cable TV replacements. It offers a $20 4K upgrade, but the downside is there isn’t much to watch at present unless you watch select channels. If you don’t mind paying a bit more than the Sling TVs of the world, or want to watch live NBA games, YouTube TV offers a high standard of live TV streaming. Read our YouTube TV review.
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If you want to save a little money and don’t mind missing out on local channels, Sling TV is the best of the budget services. Its Orange and Blue packages start at $40 per month, and you can combine them for a monthly rate of $55 ($60 in some regions). The Orange option nets you one stream, while Blue gives you three. It’s not as comprehensive or as easy to navigate as YouTube, but with a bit of work, including adding an antenna or an AirTV 2 DVR, it’s an unbeatable value. We’ll also add that the service offers local channels such as ABC and CBS in some regions where the monthly rate is $45. Read our Sling TV review.
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DirecTV Stream is tied with Fubo as the most expensive, and its stiffest competition is still Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV. The service does have its pluses, though — for example, it includes the flipper-friendly ability to swipe left and right to change channels. Additionally, it includes some channels some other services can’t, including nearly 250 PBS stations nationwide. The $80 Entertainment package may suit your needs with its 75-plus channels. But for cord-cutters who want to follow their local NBA or MLB team, DirecTV Stream’s $109 Choice package is our live TV streaming pick because it has access to more regional sports networks than the competition. Nonetheless, you’ll want to make sure your channel is included here, and not available on one of our preferred picks, before you pony up. Read our DirecTV Stream review.
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There’s a lot to like about Fubo — it offers a wide selection of channels and its sports focus makes it especially attractive to soccer fans or NBA, NHL and MLB fans who live in an area served by one of Fubo’s RSNs. It’s also a great choice for NFL fans since it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, that offers NFL Network and optional RedZone. As of February 2024, Fubo is charging more for its service and access to Bally Sports RSNs. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Turner networks, including CNN, TNT and TBS — especially since the latter two carry a lot of sports content, in particular NBA, NHL and MLB. Those missing channels, and the $80 price tag, makes it less attractive than YouTube TV for most viewers. Read our Fubo review.
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At $25 Philo is still a cheap live TV streaming service with a variety of channels, but it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks — although Cheddar and BBC news are available. Philo offers bread-and-butter cable staples like AMC, Comedy Channel, Nickelodeon and Magnolia Network, and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It’s also one of the cheapest live services that streams Paramount, home of Yellowstone, and it includes a cloud DVR and optional add-ons from Epix and Starz. We think most people are better off paying another $15 for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.