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    • Hulu vs. YouTube TV vs. Sling TV vs. DirecTV Stream channels
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    Hulu vs. YouTube TV vs. Sling TV vs. DirecTV Stream channels

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    With football season here, you could be trying to navigate how to stream the NFL without cable. Even if you aren’t into sports, a live TV streaming service could be the answer for your cord-cutting needs. Contract-free pricing, wide channel selections and the ability to watch on multiple devices are all factors that can make these services competitive compared to traditional TV or cable. You can stream sports, premium channels or prime-time TV, and not only do these platforms offer a broader lineup of channels compared with antennas, but they also provide the convenience of watching on your computer or mobile device. 

    There are six major services to pick from (we’re not including smaller ones): YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Philo. DirecTV and Disney have settled their carriage dispute, so channels like ESPN, FX and ABC have been restored.

    What really counts is the variety of channels these platforms offer, right? We’ve analyzed their primary channel lineups to help you decide which one may fit your needs.

    Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2024

    The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated Sept. 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 every 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.

    Fubo now offers the YES Network at no extra charge for baseball. And Hulu’s live TV offering now includes the MLB Network. We’ll also note Fubo’s big loss of Warner Bros. Discovery channels such as Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, TLC, Magnolia Network and Cartoon Network may make it less appealing.

    But if you want to get rid of cable, there are numerous live TV streaming choices available. Sling TV’s basic packages are $40 in most cities. But costs continue to go up. Fubo’s price for its basic plan is $80, which is the same price as DirecTV Stream’s base plan. YouTube TV costs $73 per month, and Hulu’s live offering is currently $77. Beware that Hulu plus Live TV will go up in price in October, making its basic package the most expensive at $83 per month. 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, DirecTV Stream, and Hulu Live. 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 ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) Fubo ($80)
    Total channels: 42 24 35 78 75 61 46
    ABC No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    CBS No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Fox No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    NBC No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    PBS No No No Yes Yes Yes No
    CW No No No Yes Yes Yes (limited) Yes
    MyNetworkTV No No No Yes Yes Yes No
    Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) Fubo ($80)
    A&E Yes Yes Yes No Yes $ No
    ACC Network No $ No Yes Yes $ Yes
    Accuweather Yes No No No No Yes Yes
    AMC Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
    Animal Planet Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No
    BBC America Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
    BBC World News Yes $ $ Yes No $ No
    BET Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Big Ten Network No No $ Yes Yes $ Yes
    Bloomberg TV No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
    Boomerang No $ $ No $ Yes No
    Bravo No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) Fubo ($80)
    Cartoon Network No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    CBS Sports Network No No No Yes Yes $ Yes
    Cheddar Yes No No Yes Yes $ Yes
    Cinemax No No No $ $ $ No
    CMT Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    CNBC No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    CNN No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    Comedy Central Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Cooking Channel Yes $ $ No $ $ $
    Destination America Yes $ $ No $ $ $
    Discovery Channel Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    Disney Channel No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Disney Junior No $ No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Disney XD No $ No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    E! No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    ESPN No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    ESPN 2 No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    ESPNEWS No $ No Yes Yes Yes $
    ESPNU No $ No Yes Yes Yes $
    Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) Fubo ($80)
    Food Network Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    Fox Business No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Fox News No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    FS1 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    FS2 No No $ Yes Yes $ Yes
    Freeform No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    FX No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    FX Movies No No $ Yes Yes Yes $
    FXX No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    FYI Yes $ $ No Yes $ No
    Golf Channel No No $ Yes Yes $ Yes
    Hallmark Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    HBO/Max No No No $ $ $ No
    HGTV Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    History Yes Yes Yes No Yes $ No
    HLN No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    IFC Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
    Investigation Discovery Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    Lifetime Yes Yes Yes No Yes $ No
    Lifetime Movie Network Yes $ $ No Yes $ No
    Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) FuboTV ($80)
    Magnolia Network Yes $ $ Yes Yes $ No
    MGM+ $ $ $ $ No $ No
    MLB Network No $ $ No Yes $ $
    Motor Trend Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
    MSNBC No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    MTV Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    MTV2 Yes $ $ Yes $ Yes $
    National Geographic No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Nat Geo Wild No No $ Yes Yes Yes $
    NBA TV No $ $ Yes No $ $
    NFL Network No No Yes Yes Yes $ Yes
    NFL Red Zone No No $ $ $ No $
    NHL Network No $ $ No No $ $
    Nickelodeon Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Nick Jr. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $ Yes
    Nicktoons Yes $ $ Yes $ $ $
    OWN Yes No No Yes Yes $ No
    Oxygen No No $ Yes Yes $ Yes
    Paramount Network Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Science Yes $ $ No $ $ $
    Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($40) Sling Blue ($40) YouTube TV ($73) Hulu with Live TV ($77) DirecTV Stream ($80) FuboTV ($80)
    SEC Network No $ No Yes Yes $ $
    Showtime No $ $ $ $ $ $
    Smithsonian Yes No No Yes Yes $ Yes
    Starz $ $ $ $ $ $ $
    Sundance TV Yes $ $ Yes No Yes No
    Syfy No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Tastemade Yes $ $ Yes No $ Yes
    TBS No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    TCM No $ $ Yes Yes Yes No
    TeenNick Yes $ $ Yes $ Yes $
    Telemundo No No No Yes Yes $ Yes
    Tennis Channel No $ $ No No $ $
    TLC Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    TNT No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    Travel Channel Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $ No
    TruTV No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes No
    TV Land Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    USA Network No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
    VH1 Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
    Vice Yes Yes Yes No Yes $ No
    WE tv Yes $ $ Yes No Yes No
    Channel Philo ($28) 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, yet it’s Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content which sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as Shōgun, The Bear 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. 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.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    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.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    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.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    DirecTV Stream is tied with Fubo as the most expensive, and its stiffest competition is still Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV. With its channel selection, it’s ideal for sports fans who want to watch local or national games. 

    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.

    Ty Pendlebury/CNET

    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 offer 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 Warner Bros. Discovery networks, including HGTV, Food Network, Cartoon Network, 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.

    Sarah Tew/CNET

    Philo raised its price from $25 to $28 for new subscribers and added an AMC Plus bundle, and it’s 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 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 $12 for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.

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