Live TV Streaming Subscribers Far Happier Than Cable Customers
YouTube TV ranks highest in customer satisfaction, but Hulu + Live TV is a close second.
Is live TV streaming better than a traditional cable or satellite plan? Both aim to deliver more or less the same experience with the same channels, and each has its own particular advantages and drawbacks. But, according to J.D. Power’s annual study on pay-TV customer satisfaction, it’s clear that streaming delivers better customer satisfaction than its more traditional pay-TV competitors.
Key Details:
- All of the top-five live TV streaming services have a better satisfaction score than the most satisfactory cable plan.
- YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV lead customer satisfaction among live streamers.
- Price differences is the leading cause of the gap in satisfaction between live TV streaming and cable.
The new survey from J.D. Power shows that just like last year, live TV streaming services — also known as virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPDs) — were better able to satisfy customers than traditional cable or satellite providers.
In fact, all five of the highest-scoring live TV streamers were more popular among consumers than the most satisfactory cable distributor. Spectrum has the highest satisfaction score among traditional linear providers at 530 points out of 1,000, which was beaten by DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV in ascending order.
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The placement of Spectrum at the top of the cable heap could be thanks in part to the company’s dedication to ensuring its customers get access to on-demand streaming services at no extra cost. Spectrum TV Select customers can sign up for free accounts of multiple streamers including AMC+, Disney+, Paramount+, ViX, and most recently Max and discovery+.
YouTube TV is the largest live TV streaming service on the market and boasts the top customer satisfaction score, a sign that it likely won’t lose too many of its subscribers to churn any time soon.
Why Are Live TV Streamers More Popular Than Cable?
Price was a major factor in the satisfaction gap observed between live TV streamers and cable and satellite companies in the J.D. Power survey. The reported average cost per month of live TV streaming is $75, while with cable and satellite, it ballooned to $120.
“It is clear that price has been a main driver in satisfaction, however, satisfaction for streaming is higher than cable and satellite customers across all seven dimensions of the study,” J.D. Power senior director Carl Lepper said. “Live streaming has reorganized the industry and as it continues, cable and satellite providers have been working hard to remain competitive, including exploring new revenue models to compete with the cost pressure.”
Cost factors may help to explain why satisfaction ratings for live TV streamers are lower than they were a year ago across the board. In 2023, YouTube TV had a score of 785, over 100 points higher than in 2024. It has not raised prices since the 2023 survey was released, but DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV have all changed — or announced upcoming changes — to their pricing schedules in the past 12 months. Perhaps the ripple effects of those changes are leading customers to believe that vMVPDs are getting more expensive as a whole.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $76.99/month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels, 33 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra charge.