5 Of The Best Live TV Streaming Services To Keep You Entertained
While cable TV used to be the norm for decades, its dominance has significantly declined in recent years, and there are a few good reasons for that. First, cable TV ties viewers to rigid schedules and limited options. You have to be in front of the TV at a specific time to catch your favorite shows, and if you miss them, tough luck — no rewind button here. Cable subscriptions also often come with hefty price tags and hidden fees, leaving many consumers feeling like they are paying for channels they never watch.
In contrast, live TV streaming services have emerged as viable alternatives. These services liberate users from the rigid schedules and limited options imposed by cable TV. Instead of being bound to specific broadcast times, users can watch their favorite shows at their convenience, empowering them with greater control over their viewing experience.
Furthermore, live streaming services offer more cost-effective solutions compared to traditional cable subscriptions. They are also highly customizable, so you can personalize your channel lineup to suit your interests and access content on multiple devices.
There are several cheap ways to watch live TV without a cable subscription today, but some top the list. Below, we share the five best live TV streaming services to keep you entertained. We have compiled our recommendations after hand-testing the services, carefully analyzing reputable publications, and considering factors like channel selection, pricing, features, and user experience. We also provide more details about our recommendation procedure at the end.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a popular choice for live TV streaming in the U.S. Let's start with the main features: more than a hundred live TV channels, including local sports, news, and entertainment, as well as unlimited cloud DVR storage, six accounts per household, and a selection of YouTube Originals.
The unlimited DVR storage allows you to record your favorite shows and movies to watch later. There's no limit to how much you can record, and you can access your recordings from any device, whether at home or on the go. Speaking of content, YouTube TV not only provides live TV but also offers a wide selection of on-demand programming.
YouTube TV also offers a variety of premium add-ons, such as HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz, which give you access to more movies, shows, and channels. You can also add sports networks, such as NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone, which let you watch out-of-market games and highlights. You can customize your plan according to your preferences and budget.
However, YouTube TV is not the cheapest option, as it costs $73 per month. It also has limited regional sports networks and 4K content. If you are looking for a more affordable or sports-focused service, you might want to consider other alternatives.
Hulu Plus Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a streaming service offered by Hulu that combines their on-demand library with live television channels. It provides subscribers with more than 95 channels. You can watch live sports, breaking news, awards shows, primetime dramas, daytime soaps, local teams and weather forecasts, and more. These include networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, CNN, HGTV, Food Network, Disney Channel, and more. You can also browse and flip through channels with the live guide.
Similar to YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV offers features such as cloud DVR. You can record live TV and watch it later when you prefer. Moreover, it also gives you full access to the Hulu streaming library, which includes thousands of shows and movies, Hulu Originals, and more. You can also add premium and partner add-ons like HBO Max, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, STARZ, and ESPN+ for an additional fee.
Hulu Plus Live TV has different pricing options depending on the plan and add-ons you choose. The basic plan costs $76.99/month and includes Hulu (with ads), Disney+ (with ads), and ESPN+ (with ads), along with live and on-demand TV from over 90 channels. You can also upgrade to a plan that removes ads from Hulu and Disney+ for $89.99. However, if you just want to watch live TV, you can get it for $75.99/month.
Sling TV
If you are looking for an affordable live TV option, Sling TV can be a good choice. One of the main features of Sling TV is that it gives you the choice between two main plans: Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Each plan costs $40/month. The Orange plan includes 32 channels, while the Blue plan comes with 41 channels. The orange plan is more suitable for sports fans, as it has channels like ESPN, Disney Channel, and AMC.
The blue plan is more suitable for news and entertainment fans, as it has channels like FX, NBC, and NFL Network. You can also combine them for a discounted price. This way, you can customize your channel lineup according to your preferences and needs. Moreover, if you want to watch additional local channels for free, you can do that using an Over-the-Air (OTA) antenna connected to your TV. This setup can be one of the best streaming devices for watching local TV for free.
The service also gives you a cloud DVR, which lets you record up to 50 hours of live TV and watch it whenever you want, wherever you want. You can also upgrade to 200 hours of DVR storage for an extra $5/month. Recently, Sling TV also launched Sling Freestream, which is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers over 400 live channels and numerous on-demand titles. You can watch it without a credit card. This can be a good option if you are not ready to pay for live TV yet.
Philo
Philo is another cheap live TV option, offering 70+ live channels for $25 a month. You can choose from various genres, such as entertainment, lifestyle, comedy, reality, and more. Some of the popular channels are A&E, AMC, BET, Comedy Central, Discovery, Hallmark, HGTV, MTV, Nickelodeon, TLC, and more. Another feature of Philo TV is that it gives you unlimited DVR, which lets you record as many live or future shows as you want and save them for up to 12 months.
You can watch Philo TV on various devices, such as smart TVs, streaming devices, gaming consoles, smartphones, tablets, and computers. You can also stream on up to three devices at the same time with the same account. You can also create up to 10 profiles per account.
However, Philo TV also has some drawbacks that you should consider before subscribing. For instance, Philo TV does not include any local or sports channels, such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, ESPN, and more. You may miss out on some of the live news, sports, and events that are available on these channels.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream is a versatile and reliable streaming service that offers a lot of options for live and on-demand TV. One of the main features of DirecTV Stream is that it offers four different packages, ranging from $70/month to $150/month. Each package includes different channels and features, and you can also add premium channels like HBO Max, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, and STARZ for an extra fee. The packages are Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier, and they have 65+, 90+, 130+, and 140+ channels respectively. This way, you can customize your channel lineup according to your preferences and needs.
It also gives you a cloud DVR, which lets you record up to 20 hours of live TV and watch it whenever you want, wherever you want. You can also record up to 30 episodes and keep them for up to nine months. Additionally, you have the option to stream on up to 20 devices at the same time on your home network or up to three devices at the same time outside your home network.
The only drawback is that DirecTV Stream is one of the most expensive streaming services on the market. You may also have to pay extra fees for regional sports networks, premium channels, DVR storage, and additional streams.
How we selected these streaming services
There are several live TV streaming services online, but not all are worth your hard-earned money. Our list was compiled after personally testing the services and gathering reviews from several reputable online sources. The reputable publications we used during our research include ZDNet, U.S. News, and Business Insider.