How Do DIRECTV NOW PLUS & DIRECTV NOW MAX Compare to fuboTV, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, Sling TV, Philo, and YouTube TV?
Yesterday, it was leaked on the DirecTV website that DIRECTV NOW is planning to introduce two new plans, called DIRECTV NOW PLUS ($50) and DIRECTV MAX ($70). We have received the full leaked channel list, so we compared the new plans to the current DIRECTV NOW Live a Little, Just Right, Go Big, and Gotta Have It plans.
Unfortunately, the new plans lose more than half their top channels. While they gain HBO, they lose 18 of the Top 35 Channels, including those from Viacom, Discovery/Scripps, and AMC. Both plans include locals, cable channels from Disney, NBCU, FOX/FX, and Hallmark.
We’ve compared the current DIRECTV NOW plans to the MAX and PLUS plans, but how do they compare to other Live TV Streaming Services?
Want to Learn More About Live TV Streaming Services?
- You can read our full review comparing 7 different cord-cutting services including DIRECTV NOW, PlayStation Vue, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
- Use our Channel Finder to add your favorite channels, shows, and sports teams and we’ll tell you the best service for you.
How Do DIRECTV NOW PLUS & DIRECTV NOW MAX Compare to Other Live TV Streaming Services?
Locals Channels
Just like current plans, both new plans will carry local CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, The CW, and MyNetworkTV. Whether you receive those channels will depend on your market.
Top Cable Channels
Both plans include cable channels from Turner, Disney, NBCU, FOX/FX, and Hallmark, but only include 18 of the Top 35 cable channels — the fewest of any Live TV Streaming Service.
Neither plan carries channels from Viacom, Discovery/Scripps, and AMC. All current DIRECTV NOW plans have 34 of the Top 35 cable channels.
Last month, Fubo announced they are adding Viacom channels (MTV, VH1, etc.) to their service, but they have not gone live quite yet.
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| A&E | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | |
| AMC | - | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| CNN | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Discovery | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Disney Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Disney Junior | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| E! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Food Network | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox News | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| HGTV | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| History | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | |
| Investigation Discovery | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lifetime | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | |
| MSNBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Paramount Network | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Syfy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| TBS | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| TLC | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Travel Channel | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| WE tv | - | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Regional Sports Networks
Under the new plans, you will be required to subscribe to DIRECTV NOW MAX ($70) in order to get your RSN. This is $20 more than any other service that offers Regional Sports Networks.
National Sports Channels
Just like current DIRECTV NOW plans, the new PLUS and MAX plans will include ESPN, FS1, NBCSN, TBS, & TNT.
While other services also include these channels in their base plans, you could all of them for just $40 with Sling TV, YouTube TV or $45 with PlayStation Vue and Hulu Live TV.
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FS1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Fox Sports 2 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| TBS | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
Pro Sports Channels
Neither PLUS or MAX will include any pro sports channels like NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, or NHL Network.
PlayStation Vue includes NFL Network, NBA TV, and MLB Network in their $50 plan.
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| MLB Network | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | |
| NBA TV | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| NFL RedZone | - | - | + $11 | + $11 | + $10 | + $10 | - | + $11 | |
| NHL Network | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - | |
College Sports Channels
Under the new plans, you will need to subscribe to DIRECTV NOW MAX ($70) to get College Sports Channels. Most of these channels are included with YouTube TV ($40) and PlayStation Vue ($55).
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| ACC Network | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ACC Network Extra | - | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Big Ten Network | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| CBS Sports Network | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPNU | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Longhorn Network | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | - | - | |
| Pac-12 Network | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| SEC Network | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| truTV | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
Other Sports Channels
Under the new plans, you will need to subscribe to DIRECTV NOW MAX ($70) to get those channels. The Tennis Channel isn’t available on either plan.
Most of these channels are included with YouTube TV ($40) and PlayStation Vue ($55).
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| beIN Sports | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $11 | |
| Next Level Sports | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | - | - | - | - | |
| ESPNEWS | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FanDuel TV | - | - | - | - | + $10 | - | - | + $11 | |
| Fox Soccer Plus | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | - | + $15 | - | + $11 | |
| Golf Channel | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Tennis Channel | - | - | + $8 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $11 | |
Premium Channels
The biggest difference with the new plans it that they include HBO, HBO Family, and HBO Latino. This is currently a $15 add-on on most other services.
Additionally, the MAX plan also include Cinemax which is $9-15 add-on on other services.
| AT&T TV NOW | Fubo | Hulu | PS Vue | Philo | YouTube | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “PLUS” | “Live a Little” | “fubo” | “Elite” | “Hulu Live TV” | “Core” | “Base” | “YouTube TV” | ||
| Sign Up | Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $54.99 | $59.99 | $91.99 | $101.99 | $76.99 | $55 | $16 | $72.99 | ||
| Cinemax | + $11 | + $11 | - | - | + $9 | + $15 | - | - | |
| HBO | + $10 | + $10 | - | - | + $15 | + $15 | - | + $16 | |
| MGM+ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | |
| Parmount+ with SHOWTIME | + $11 | + $11 | + $11 | + $11 | + $11 | + $11 | - | + $11 | |
| Starz | + $11 | + $11 | + $10 | + $10 | + $9 | - | + $9 | + $9 | |
Want to Learn More About Live TV Streaming Services?
- You can read our full review comparing 7 different cord-cutting services including DIRECTV NOW, PlayStation Vue, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
- Use our Channel Finder to add your favorite channels, shows, and sports teams and we’ll tell you the best service for you.