YouTube TV Review
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels, 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The service includes an unlimited DVR. The Streamable does not recommend YouTube TV. Consider DIRECTV STREAM for a better channel lineup or Hulu Live TV for its free Disney Bundle.
YouTube TV offers select 4K content, including some live sports and on-demand shows, as part of their 4K Plus add-on. The 4K Plus add-on starts with a free trial and includes offline downloads and unlimited streams on your home network.
Review
We tested YouTube TV and other live TV streaming services for more than 100 hours. YouTube TV is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.
Features
Unlimited Cloud DVR
YouTube TV has Unlimited DVR storage, allowing you to keep shows for up to 9 months. You cannot record individual episodes, only entire series, sports teams, or major events.
If you start recording after you tune into a channel, the recording will start from when you first started watching. You can watch the recording from the beginning while it is still recording.
YouTube TV is the only service that offers offline downloads of content on your DVR. To enable that feature, you have to upgrade to their 4K Plus add-on, which will allow you to download shows and movies from your DVR for up to 30 days. You won’t be able to watch content on your streaming player, while it is downloaded offline.
Up to 3 Devices
This service allows for three simultaneous streams (among smartphones, tablets, and computers). You can add their 4K Plus add-on to stream on Unlimited Devices on your home network.
36 TV Everywhere Apps
Similar to traditional cable and satellite subscriptions, YouTube TV includes “TV Everywhere” logins for various channels’ apps where available.
List of Compatible Apps
- AMC App
- BBC America App
- Bravo Now
- BTN2GO
- CBS App
- CBS Sports App
- CNBC App
- DisneyNow
- E! Now
- FOX Business App
- FOX News App
- FOX Now
- Fox Sports Go
- Freeform App
- FX Now
- Golf Live Extra
- IFC App
- MLB At Bat
- MSNBC Now
- Nat Geo TV App
- NBC App
- NBC Sports App
- NESNgo
- Oxygen Now
- POP TV App
- Showtime Anytime
- SundanceTV App
- Syfy Now
- Telemundo Now
- Universal Kids App
- Universo Now
- USA Now
- Watch ABC
- Watch ESPN
- Watch TCM
- WE tv App
On Demand
A majority of channels offer on demand content, but you cannot skip or fast-forward through the content.
No Parental Controls
There are no parental controls for YouTube TV.
Only DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and Sling TV have parental control features.
Family Sharing Feature
Family Sharing allows you to create profiles for up to 5 additional people at no cost, allowing family members to log in with their own Google account to access live TV.
4K Plus Add-On Feature
YouTube TV offers a premium “4K Plus” add-on that includes select 4K content, offline downloads, and unlimited simultaneous streams on your home network. The add-on begins with a 30-day free trial, then costs $4.99/month for the first year, then increases to $9.99/month. Read our review of YouTube TV 4k Cost and Channels here.
Compatible Devices
YouTube TV is compatible with these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast (Google Cast)
- Roku
- Android TV
- iPhone/iPad (iOS 12+)
- Android Phone/Tablet (5.0+)
- Mac
- Windows
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- LG Smart TV (2016+)
- Samsung Smart TV (2016+)
- Sony Smart TV
- VIZIO Smart TV (AirPlay/Google Cast)
Phone & Tablet Apps
YouTube TV has the best smartphone and tablet apps of any of the live TV streaming providers.
The mobile apps have various tabs:
- Home: a live preview of shows currently on live TV. The home screen also has a list of recently viewed shows and recorded DVR content.
- Library: your recorded DVR content and a list of scheduled recordings.
- Live: a channel guide, showing what is currently airing on channels.
While you browse through the YouTube TV app, a live thumbnail of your most recently watched channel appears so you won’t miss anything. When you record sports, they will also let you jump between key highlights of games if you don’t want to watch the entire recording.
Computer
You can watch YouTube TV on Mac and Windows computers with Chrome. You cannot watch it using other browsers like Safari.
Channels
Local Channels
In most cases, you will have access to live (in major markets) and on demand content every. However, some local channels in smaller markets only have on-demand content or a national feed meaning you won’t get local news or sports.
For complete local availability, check our Channel Lookup tool.
Local Channel Restrictions
You can only access live local channels while you are in a market that YouTube TV is available.
If you are traveling, you will see the local channels of the market you are currently in (not your home market). If you are outside of a coverage area, you will only have access to national on demand content and your recordings.
Top Cable Channels
YouTube TV offers 32 of the top 35 cable channels, which is the most of any of the services, one more than fuboTV.
The top 35 cable channels are listed below. For a list of all channels, look at YouTube TV’s full channel lineup.
- 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
- Investigation Discovery
- MSNBC
- MTV
- Nickelodeon
- Paramount Network
- Syfy
- TBS
- TLC
- TNT
- Travel Channel
- truTV
- USA Network
- VH1
- WE tv
-
A&E -
History -
Lifetime
Sports Channels
National Sports Channels
YouTube TV includes national sports channels, such as ESPN, FS1, and Fox Sports 2.
Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)
YouTube TV gives access to a handful of regional sports networks (RSNs). DIRECTV STREAM offers the best RSN lineup available.
RSNs in Other Markets
- Monumental Sports Network
- NBC Sports Bay Area
- NBC Sports Boston
- NBC Sports California
- NBC Sports Philadelphia
- NBC Sports Philadelphia+
-
Altitude -
Arizona's Family Sports -
SportsNet Pittsburgh -
Chicago Sports Network -
FanDuel Sports Network Detroit -
FanDuel Sports Network Florida -
FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes -
FanDuel Sports Network Indiana -
FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City -
FanDuel Sports Network Midwest -
FanDuel Sports Network North -
FanDuel Sports Network Ohio -
FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma -
FanDuel Sports Network SoCal -
FanDuel Sports Network South -
FanDuel Sports Network Southeast -
FanDuel Sports Network Southwest -
FanDuel Sports Network Sun -
FanDuel Sports Network West -
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin -
Marquee Sports Network -
MASN -
MASN2 -
MSG -
MSG Sportsnet -
NESN -
Rockies.TV Channel -
Root Sports Northwest -
Space City Home Network -
Spectrum SportsNet -
Spectrum SportsNet LA -
SportsNet NY -
Utah 16 (KUPX) -
YES Network
Pro Sports
Professional sports league channels NBA TV and NFL Network are available on YouTube TV. MLB Network, NFL RedZone, and NHL Network is not available on YouTube TV.
NFL RedZone can be added for $11/month as part of their Sports Plus add-on.
College Sports
YouTube TV has one of the best services for college sports fans; it includes ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, and truTV.
Other Sports Channels
ESPNEWS and Golf Channel are available on YouTube TV.
Fox Soccer Plus can be added for $11/month as part of their Sports Plus add-on.
Premium Channels
You can add premium channels like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($11) and Starz ($11) to your YouTube TV account.
Add-Ons
YouTube TV offers lots of add-on channels and packages for non-English viewers. You are usually better off subscribing to any streaming services directly or through Prime Video, but if you prefer one bill, you can add these options on YouTube TV.
Spanish Plus
$15 Add-On- beIN Sports en español
- Cine Mexicano
- CNN En Español
- Discovery en Español
- Discovery Familia
- ESPN Deportes
- Estrella TV
- FOROtv
- FOX Deportes
- Nat Geo Mundo
- NTN24
- Nuestra Tele
- Pasiones
- Tr3s
- TyCSports
- WAPA América
- Bandamax
- De Pelicula
- De Pelicula Clásico
- Baby TV Español
- beIN XTRA en Español
- Cine Latino
- Hogar de HGTV
- SonyCine
- Tastemade en Español
- tlvnovelas
7-Day Free Trial - Get the entire season for $35
Tech Specs
- High definition video is similar to other streaming services, most in 60fps
- Live streaming is very stable, except when streaming to older Chromecast or Apple TV devices.
- Very fast channel switching, so you can actually channel surf.
720p HD
(Up to 4K UHD)
Video stream resolution is 720p/1080i at 60 fps for most channels. To reduce playback interruptions, YouTube TV will adapt the stream quality to match your network connection.
If you upgrade to their 4K Plus add-on, you can watch select events in 4K like College Football and Basketball on ESPN and FOX, and MLB on FOX.
60 FPS
Most video streams in 60 FPS.
Some Surround
Stereo/Surround Sound
While all live TV content has standard stereo audio, they support 5.1 surround sound on select devices.
Reliability
We rarely had issues with YouTube TV video playback freezing, pausing, or hiccups changing channels.
However, when using older Chromcast or Apple TV devices, we had issues with video buffering.
Live Delay
Live Delay
Live content is about 25 seconds behind cable TV, which is slightly better than average.
Channel Switching
Channel Switching
It takes about 1.5 seconds to switch between channels, which is the fastest of any streaming service.
User Experience
- Video player will feel very familiar to YouTube users.
- There is a standard channel guide with live previews, so you can see what’s playing before selecting a channel.
- Search is excellent and includes related YouTube clips.
Home Screen
The smartphones and tablets, the YouTube TV app’s home screen has a live preview of shows currently on live TV. The home screen also has a list of recently viewed shows and recorded DVR content.
As you scroll, the app suggests popular movies and TV shows, YouTube Premium Originals, and trending YouTube clips.
TV Guide
The YouTube TV channel guide lists available channels in a vertically scrolling list, with a live preview of what’s currently airing. When your device is in a landscape orientation, the guide will also show what is scheduled to air next.
Search
As you would likely expect, YouTube TV has excellent search capabilities. The search tab suggests genres, channels, and trending shows before you begin searching.
As you type to search, the results area will suggest shows, channels, people, and sports teams. When you tap on a result, the app shows episodes and related and related clips.
Show Details
The show listing page is very clean, making it easy to find live, recorded, and on demand episodes; the page also shows related YouTube clips.
Playback
On most channels, YouTube TV allows you to pause, skip forward and backwards, and jump to what’s currently live.
When you exit a live broadcast, a floating PIP displays while you browse through app.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does YouTube TV cost?
YouTube TV is available starting at $82.99 / month. See the full list: YouTube TV Pricing & Plans
Does YouTube TV have a free trial?
YouTube TV does not have a free trial.
Does YouTube TV have a DVR?
YouTube TV includes Unlimited of Cloud DVR storage.
What channels are on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV includes 60 channels including 32 top cable channels. See the full list: YouTube TV Channels.
How many streams are allowed at once on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV allows up to 3 devices at the same time. See more details: YouTube TV Simultaneous Streams
Does YouTube TV have local channels?
YouTube TV includes ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, The CW, and Univision in most, but not all markets. See the full list: YouTube TV Local Channels.
Does YouTube TV have live sports?
YouTube TV includes live sports from ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Fox Sports 2, NBA TV, NFL Network, TBS, TNT, and USA Network. See the full list: YouTube TV Sports Channels.
Does YouTube TV offer premium channels?
YouTube TV offers premium channels like HBO, MGM+, Parmount+ with SHOWTIME, and Starz for an additional fee. See the full list: YouTube TV Premium Channels.
Does YouTube TV offer on demand content?
YouTube TV includes on demand content from most of the channels they offer. Unlike content on your DVR, you won’t be able to skip ads.
Does YouTube TV support TV Everywhere apps?
YouTube TV includes access to many TV Eveywhere Apps with your YouTube TV credentials. See the full list: YouTube TV TV Everywhere Apps.
Does YouTube TV have a TV Guide?
YouTube TV includes a TV Guide similar to what you would get with your cable or satellite set-top box.
Does YouTube TV have ads?
YouTube TV includes ads during live viewing of shows, as well on all on-demand content. You can skip ads when you watch shows recorded to your DVR.
Does YouTube TV offer 4K streaming?
YouTube TV includes select 4K content as part of the service. A compatible device would be required.
Does YouTube TV offer Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound?
YouTube TV includes select content with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound as part of the service. It may only work on certain devices.