If you’re looking for a new live TV streaming service, is YouTube TV or DIRECTV STREAM a better choice? The decision may depend on what you value most. Both are excellent streaming options with lots of pros and cons. If you’d like a quick comparison, check out The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker. Let’s dig in to compare your options.
Winner on Price: YouTube TV (Barely)
This is close, but YouTube TV is $72.99 / month, while DIRECTV STREAM starts at $79.99 / month and goes up from there. But price alone isn’t the only factor to consider. Keep reading to see what your subscription actually gets you each month.
Winner on Overall Channels: DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM’s most basic package includes 31 of the top 35 cable channels, which tops YouTube TV’s 32.
Overall, YouTube TV has access to 114 channels while DIRECTV STREAM offers 220.
DIRECTV STREAM offers every channel YouTube TV does, but also gives you access to A&E, History, and Lifetime.
Channel Upgrade Bundles
DIRECTV STREAM offers a whopping four different tiers of services.
- Entertainment: 87 channels for $79.99 / month
- Choice: 187 channels for $108.99 / month
- Ultimate: 215 channels for $119.99 / month
- Premier: 220 channels for $164.99 / month
YouTube TV offers an Entertainment Plus package with HBO Max, Showtime, and STARZ for $29.99 / month.
Both services allow for some individual channel add-ons at lower price points.
| YouTube | DIRECTV STREAM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “YouTube TV” | “Entertain.” | “Choice” | “Ultimate” | “Premier” | ||
| Sign Up | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | ||
| $72.99 | $79.99 | $108.99 | $119.99 | $164.99 | ||
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Winner on Local Channels: Draw
Both services offer ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, The CW, and Univision.
Winner on Sports Channels: DIRECTV STREAM
Pro Sports Networks
The big differentiator here is whether you prefer the NFL or regional sports networks (RSNs).
YouTube TV offers access to NBA TV and NFL Network in its base package. You can add Sports Plus for $11/month to add beIN Sports, Billiard TV, FanDuel TV, Fight Network, Fox Soccer Plus, GOLTV, IMPACT Wrestling, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, Outside Television, PlayersTV, PokerGO, SportsGrid, Stadium, Tennis Channel, TVG, and VSiN.
DIRECTV STREAM offers MLB Network and NBA TV starting at the “Choice” package for $108.99 / month.
| DTV STREAM | YouTube | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $79.99 | $72.99 | ||
| MLB Network | + $15 | - | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | + $15 | ✓ | |
| NFL RedZone | + $15 | + $11 | |
| NHL Network | + $15 | - |
Regional Sports Networks
This is the biggest benefit if you choose DIRECTV STREAM. It offers the widest access to RSNs of any live streaming service, though your price can escalate quickly to get them.
Only DIRECTV STREAM offers Altitude, SportsNet Pittsburgh, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, Bally Sports Carolinas, Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Oklahoma, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports Tennessee, Bally Sports West, Bally Sports Wisconsin, Fox Sports 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, SportsTime Ohio, and YES Network.
Both services offer these regional sports networks: Monumental Sports Network, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, and NBC Sports Chicago.
College Sports Networks
When it comes to college sports, both services are comparable. Both provide ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, and truTV.
Only YouTube TV offers ACC Network Extra in its base package.
Winner on Included Features: YouTube TV
DVR
Both services now include unlimited DVR capacity. Both DVRs keep those recordings for nine months.
4K
YouTube TV offers a 4K Plus plan for $19.99/month ($9.99/month for the first 12 months).
DIRECTV STREAM does not currently offer 4K.
Verdict
If you’re a sports fan who loves to follow a specific franchise, DIRECTV STREAM may be your only streaming option. And That access does come at a premium price. This would also be your choice if you have to have A&E, History, and Lifetime.
For people who don’t need the regional sports networks, YouTube TV offers a powerful package at a lower price point. For NFL fans, the inclusion of NFL Network and NFL RedZone make this a more attractive package. The included unlimited DVR is also a great feature.