Live TV Streaming Services
Review These Popular Options
$72.99/month
YouTube TV allows subscribers to stream over 100 “live” TV channels from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN & other popular cable networks — including the NFL Network, and the NBA Network. YouTube TV only has one tier option of “live” channels to choose from. Subscribers can add premium networks like HBO Max, SHOWTIME and MGM+ (formerly EPIX). With YouTube TV, subscribers can also record without any DVR storage space limits or extra charges.
- Pros
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- Local news, weather and sports available in most areas
- No DVR storage space limits
- Includes NFL, NBA, and PBS networks
- Cons
- Only three simultaneous streams
- Many regional sports networks are not available
- Can not fast forward through commercials unless using DVR feature
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Playstation, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, XBOX, LG, Samsung, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
- FAQ’s
Actually, the content from YouTube.com and YouTube TV reside in two separate worlds. So, you won’t find many YouTube clips in your search results when using the YouTube TV app.
Yes, YouTube TV has a “Sports Add-ons” package ($10.99 per month) which includes NFL RedZone and 12 additional sports channels. Once you become a member, click on the Membership tab under Setting to sign up for the “Sports Add-on.”
Simply go to https://tv.youtube.com/ and scroll down the page to area requesting your zip code. Type in your zip code and the available local stations streamed by YouTube TV will appear.
YouTube TV only comes with three simultaneous streams, but it allows up to six household members to share one subscription account. Once a person subscribes as a member of YouTube TV, they simply create a family group. Each member has their own login, DVR storage, and personalized recommendations.
For the YouTube TV members with a Base Plan, the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on is available during the presale at $249 for the season, a special launch offer savings of $100 off the retail price of $349 for the season. They are also offering a bundle option with NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone for a total of $289 for the season during the presale, another launch offer of $100 off the retail price of $389 for the season. All the discounted price offers end June 6. Fans who sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket with the YouTube TV Base Plan will have access to not only 100+ live channels, but also every Sunday game, including local, national, and out-of-market games.
Starting at $74.99/month
Includes over 75 “live” TV channels in the base Entertainment package and over 150 channels in the Premier package — plus gives access to over 40,000 Video on Demand (VOD) titles. The DIRECTV STREAM is very similar to the satellite version of DIRECTV, but without the big satellite dish installed on the outside or your house.
- Pros
- Allows for twenty simultaneous streams on your home network and three concurrent streams when traveling.
- No Annual Contract
- Can fast forward through commercials using your DVR
- DIRECTV streaming devices include “traditional/familiar looking” TV remote
- Includes regional sports network options
- Unlimited DVR storage
- Cons
- This is the priciest “live” TV streaming option
- Packages may automatically include lots of channels you never watch
- Purchase or rental of a streaming device from DIRECTV is more expensive
- NFL Sunday Ticket is not available as an add-on to DIRECTV STREAM
- Not able to create mutiple user account with one membership
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, LG, Samsung, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
No, the NFL Sunday Ticket is currently not available with DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV STREAM offers may Premium channels including HBO Max, Showtime, STARZ, MGM+ (formerly EPIX) and Cinemax.
The DIRECTV STREAM website provides a searchable page. Go to: www.directv.com/stream/channel-lineup/ and click on Regional Sports and Local and then type in your zip code. A listing of local channels and Regional Sports Networks will appear.
Roku has a feature called Bandwidth Saver to help people with data or bandwidth caps. After 4 hours without remote activity, you may be asked if you want to keep streaming. Click Keep streaming to continue playback. If you do nothing, DIRECTV STREAM will close. You can disable this feature in the Settings/Network menu.
Starting at $69.99/month
Hulu + Live TV is one of the most popular “live” streaming providers. Hulu + Live TV allows subscribers not only to stream over 85 “live” TV channels, but also gives subscribers access to the entire Hulu Video on Demand (VOD) library of popular, award-winding original series and documentaries. You will receive a Disney+ and ESPN+ subscription for free when signing up for Hulu + Live TV.
- Pros
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- Local news, weather and sports available in over 200 of the 210 DMAs in the US.
- Disney+ and ESPN+ included with Hulu + Live TV purchase
- Get access to 85,000+ TV shows and other Video on Demand (VOD) — including Hulu originals
- No DVR storage space limits.
- You can upgrade to Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV
- Cons
- Only two simultaneous streams
- Recent price increase
- Doesn’t include NBA and MLB networks
- Doesn’t include PBS
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, XBOX, LG, Samsung, VIZIO, Sony and Nintendo are compatible.
FAQ’s
Yes, Hulu + Live TV has a “Sports Add-ons” package which includes NFL RedZone. Click here to see details.
Hulu + Live TV has a “Network and Zip Code Checker Tool” located www.hulu.com/live-tv. Scroll down to “All Your TV in One Place” and click on “View Channels in Your Area” then type in your zip code.
Starting at $74.99/month
Fubo is the world’s only sports-focused “live” TV streaming service. Fubo features three basic plans, Pro, Elite, and Premier. The Pro package includes over 100 “live” TV channels, 130 plus sporting events (with full coverage on specials like Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, Stanley Cup, PGA Tour, NASCAR, etc) streaming of league soccer games and tournaments, plus thousands of Video on Demand (VOD) TV episodes and hundreds of movies.
- Pros
- Seven day free trial
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- Includes most local news, weather and sports channels
- Create up to 6 profiles per account
- 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage
- Cons
- Only three simultaneous streams
- Does not include TBS, TCM, TNT, truTV or Vice.
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, LG, Samsung, VIZIO, Xbox and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
Fubo does not actually own or have much control over the VOD content of popular TV shows. This content is owned by the networks (i.e. HGTV, MotorTrend, Food Network and History Channel) so you’ll mostly only find the most recent episodes, not the episodes from previous seasons.
Yes, Fubo streams lots of RSN including: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, Marquee Sports Network, Root Sports Northwest, MSG, MSG+, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports California+, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Chicago+, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Philadelphia+, NBC Sports Washington, NESN, SNY, Bally Sports and more to come.
Fubo does provide streaming of local news, weather and sports channels. Click here for a listing of local channels from the Fubo Help Center.
Roku has a feature called Bandwidth Saver to help people with data or bandwidth caps. After 4 hours without remote activity, you may be asked if you want to keep streaming. Click Keep streaming to continue playback. If you do nothing, Fubo will close. You can disable this feature in the Settings/Network menu.
$40/month
Sling TV offers the cheapest option of getting access to “live” streaming content. One of the reasons for the lower price is Sling TV plans doesn’t offer local news/weather/sports channels and thus no ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX shows. (You may need to purchase an HD antenna and AirTV2 to watch local channels.) Although Sling is rolling out local channels in a some areas. Its Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans offer options for different viewing preferences. The Extras and Add-Ons allow subscribers to customize their plans with additional content, ie Comedy, News, Kids, Lifestyle, Hollywood, Hallmark Movies — plus add Premium channels like SHOWTIME, STARZ AND MGM+ (formerly EPIX).
- Pros
- Cheap option for accessing “live” TV
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- Can fast forward through commercials in recorded content using your DVR
- Able to add SHOWTIME, STARZ, NFL RedZone packages and more
- Cons
- May need to purchase an HD antenna and AirTV2 to watch local channels
- Only one simultaneous stream with Sling Orange
- Only three simultaneous streams with Sling Blue
- No Discovery, Fox News, MSNBC or NFL Network on Sling Orange
- No Disney, ESPN, Freeform, MotorTrend on Sling Blue
- 50 hours of DVR storage
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, LG, XBOX, Samsung, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
Yes. Click here to see the channels offered in twenty different languages.
Yes, a majority of Sling TV channels are available in HD. Sling TV’s goal is to provide a high-quatliy video experience inside or outside of the home, anywhere a solid wired , wi-fi or mobile connection is available.
$25/month
Philo is one of the most affordable, “best value” streaming services but is geared to subscribers who want no sports, no national news channels, no local channels and no ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX shows. Philo does provide both “live” and Video On Demand (VOD) titles. These include over 70 “live” TV channels and over 60,000 Video On Demand (VOD) titles.
- Pros
- Seven day free trial
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- No DVR storage space limits
- VOD library of over 70,000 movies, shows, and specials
- Cons
- Only three simultaneous streams
- DVR storage is only saved for a year
- No local sports or news channels
- Includes no national news channels
- Can only fast forward through some commercials using the DVR feature
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
Although there are no DVR storage space limits on Philo, recorded content is stored for only one year from the recording.
Starting at $4.99/month
Formerly known as CBS All Access, the service streams content aired by CBS broadcast properties and ViacomCBS’s library — BET, Nickelodeon, MTV, etc. Paramount+ costs just $4.99 per month for the basic plan and $9.99 for an ad-free subscription. For local news/weather/sports channels, Paramount+ doesn’t offer the streaming of local news/weather/sports from ABC, NBC and FOX — and thus no ABC, NBC, or FOX shows, either. (You may need to purchase an HD antenna to watch local channels.) If you subscriber to Paramount+ Premium, you can stream your local CBS news/weather/sports station and stream the CBS channel’s content. Paramount+ includes their popular original content and 30,000+ VOD episodes and movies.
- Pros
- Seven day free trial
- No Annual Contract
- No Hidden Fees
- Premium plan is (mostly) ad-free
- Includes an economical option
- You can download shows and movies for offline viewing with the Premium plan
- Cons
- Paramount+ does not have a DVR feature for recording live shows for replaying
- Only Premium subscribers can watch local CBS news/weather/sports channels.
- Subscribers can watch NFL games on CBS but only if you are a Paramount+ Premium member.
- Streaming local NBC, ABC and FOX news/weather/sports channels are not available
- You will probably need to purchase an HD antenna and AirTV2 to watch local news/weather/sports channels.
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, LG, Samsung, VIZIO, Xbox, PlayStation and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
You’ll only be able to stream your local CBS news/weather/sports station and even then it’ll only be CBS and only if you subscribe to Paramount+ Premium. Click here to see the list of local CBS stations across the country.
Streaming devices include Roku, Amazon FireTV, Google Chromecast, and Apple TV.
Starting at $4.99/month
Peacock is a streaming live TV and on demand movie service owned by the television and streaming division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Popular live tv channels that Peacock offers include the WWE Network, Premier League, GolfPass, and NBC Sports. Peacock’s Premium tier ($4.99 per month) permits access to its full library of content. Peacock allows you to instantly watch over 40,000 hours of movies and TV shows and includes over 50 live TV channels. The Premium tier include a maximum of five minutes of commercials per hour. The Premium Plus tier ($9.99 per month) is mostly commercial-free and allows for downloading of select titles for viewing offline.
- Pros
- Peacock is an affordable option
- Access to full seasons of The Office
- Set Parental Controls to block access inappropriate content to your kids by creating a PIN
- Access to Peacock Originals
- Ability to create a profile curated for kids content
- Cons
- Missing the major, popular TVs shows found on ABC, CBS and Fox.
- No downloads for offline viewing unless subscribe to the Premier Plus tier
- Few sports options
- You’ll need to connect to a US IP address via a VPN app to stream Peacock when overseas.
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Playstation, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, XBOX, LG, Samsung, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
Peacock includes TV shows like The Office, Psych, The NFL Network, Saturday Night Live, Law and Order, Yellowstone, Parks and Recreation, King of Queens, Cheers, Downton Abby, 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Keeping up with the Kardashians,The George Lopez Show, Two and a Half Men, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, plus live events (WWE and NBC’s NFL games). The Premium Plus tier ($9.99) is mostly ad free with the ability to download and watch select titles offline.
NBC’s Sunday Night NFL games are available via streaming on Peacock.
These games can be streamed on the Premium tier of Peacock, but it’s only $4.99 per month. So, if you’re a fan, it’s still a great deal.
Starting at $6.99/month
FrndlyTV offers the lowest Live Steaming option but that comes with only 40+ channel options. The Classic tier offers HD quality, two simultaneous streams and unlimited DVR recordings. The Premium tier offers HD quality, four simultaneous streams and unlimited DVR recordings. If you binge watch the Lifetime and Hallmark channels, this may be your ticket.
- Pros
- Lowest price
- No annual contract
- No Hidden Fees
- 7 day free trial
- Record multiple shows and movies at the same time
- Cons
- Basic Plan includes no DVR hours
- Basic Plan allows only one simultaneous streams
- No live news or live sports are available
- Low number of TV channels
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, and Sony are compatible.
FAQ’s
Yes, in addition to streaming all three Hallmark channel, subscribers can add on-demand Hallmark movies for an additional $5.99 per month.
Frndly has a “no sports and no locals” approach to it’s content. This allows them to offer lots of channels but still at less than half the cost when compared to YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
If you’re on the Classic Plan recorded content is stored for three months. Recorded shows are saved for nine months on the Premium Plan.
Starting at $69.99/month
Vidgo is a newer live tv streaming service with over 150 channels included in its Premium package ($84.99 per month) and over 110 channels in its Plus package ($69.99 per month). The Spanish Package ($39.95 per month) includes over 45 channels. Vidgo also has over 14,000 shows and movies ready for viewing on demand. Hundreds of hours of new content are added daily. Vidgo also has TV Everywhere so you’re able to watch content when you’re on-the-go. It’s a free added service for Vidgo subscribers.
- Pros
- Carries Hallmark Channel and Lifetime Channel
- Includes Disney owned channels
- Includes major sports networks like ESPN and FOX Sports
- No hidden fees or annual contracts
- Economical live streaming option
- Cons
- Only 20 hours of free DVR included
- Allows up to only three devices streamed simultaneously
- Does not create its own original content
- Does not include PBS
- Devices
Firestick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Playstation, iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Andriod TV, XBOX, LG, Samsung, VIZIO and Sony are compatible.
Yes, Vidgo does include the RFD TV Channel, the Cowboy Channel in its Premium Channel. INSP is included in both its Plus Package and in the Premium Package.
Vidgo does offer some local FOX and ABC stations for many major cities across the US. It does not offer the NBC or CBS Networks, so you’ll not be able to watch shows on those channels nor be able to view local news on NBC and CBS affiliate stations.
