With NBA and NHL Seasons Over, It’s Time to Ditch YouTube TV for a Better Service
With NBA and NHL Seasons Over, It’s Time to Ditch YouTube TV for a Better Service
If you’ve been subscribing to YouTube TV for a while, you may have grown numb to the high price and channel limitations. As hockey and basketball head to their offseasons and the NFL won’t kick off until September, now is the perfect time to reevaluate if you’re getting the most bang for your buck. At The Streamable, we constantly test all the live TV options, so we can steer you to the right choice.
Service Comparison Overview
| Feature | YouTube TV | DIRECTV STREAM | Hulu Live TV | Sling TV | Fubo | Philo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Price | $82.99 | $20.99 | $89.99 | $19.99 | $63.99 | $25 |
| Base Channels | 123 | 277 | 126 | 58 | 214 | 68 |
| Max Channels | 172 | 296 | 155 | 144 | 241 | 78 |
| Local Channels | Yes | Yes | Yes | In select markets | Yes | No |
| Sports Channels | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Regional Sports Networks | 6 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| DVR | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50 Hours (upgradable) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| On-Demand Services | No | No | Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ | No | No | No |
| Free channels | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Trial | Yes | 5 Days | 3 Days | No | 7 Days | 7 Days |
For Superior Sports and Entertainment: DIRECTV STREAM
We love DIRECTV STREAM as the most complete TV setup available today. There are 4 different channel tiers, unlimited streams at home, and an unlimited DVR. You can load up on 100 channels more than YouTube TV.
Switching to DIRECTV STREAM gives you A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime and more regional sports networks than any other service.
DIRECTV STREAM also works especially well if you’re a first-time cord-cutter. It resembles cable TV without any long-term contract. You can try it for free for five days.
For Maximum Entertainment on One Bill: Hulu Live TV
Would you be willing to pay $4 to get access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on demand? That’s a screaming deal, and that’s the minimal increase in monthly cost if you switch from YouTube TV. (Without Hulu Live TV, those three services would cost at least $15, so it’s a great value.)
The channel lineup is very similar to YouTube TV, but Hulu adds A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime. You also gain access to MLB Network and SportsNet NY.
For the first time in a very long time, Hulu Live TV is offering a 3-day free trial.
For Flexible Channel Lineups and Better Price: Sling TV
Sling TV is so unique, every cord-cutter should try it at least once. It allows you to customize your channel lineup more than any other streamer, helping you save tons of money as you watch. The built-in Sling Freestream is a nice touch, allowing you to watch several ad-supported channels without any financial commitment.
Inexpensive channel bundle add-ons usually cost $6/month. Choose Comedy Extra, News Extra, Heartland Extra, Sports Extra, Kids Extra, Lifestyle Extra, or Hollywood Extra. You can add them individually or get every bundle for $21-$27 / month. See what each bundle offers here.
Sling is also great if you like international content, since it offers channel bundles in Spanish, Cantonese, French, Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, Urdu, and other languages.
Like most non-YouTube TV services, Sling offers A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime.
Give it a try now and you’ll save 50% off your first month.
Other Options: Fubo and Philo
Fubo is so expensive and has lost so many important channels, we usually do not recommend it. The service only offers 18 of the top 35 cable channels.
However, switching to Fubo does offer MLB Network and SportsNet NY, and more regional sports channels than any service outside DIRECTV STREAM.
Unlike YouTube TV, Fubo does allow you to customize a multiview experience if you have Apple TV.
You can try Fubo free for a week.
Philo saves money by ditching the local and sports channels entirely. You’d still get 18 top cable channels, including A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime.
Even if Philo’s channel lineup doesn’t quite catch your eye, it’s worth signing up for Philo Free Channels, since you’d get 80+ viewing options at no cost.
For the full Philo experience, start with a 7-day free trial.
Full Channel Comparisons.
To compare your most-needed channels, be sure to consult our Service Matchmaker. But since we’re talking about switching from YouTube, here are the channels you can gain with each service.
Additional DIRECTV STREAM channels
A&E, AccuWeather, Altitude, American Heroes, Angels Broadcast TV, Angels.TV, Antena 3, aspireTV, Atres Cine, Atres Series, Audience, AXS TV, Baby TV, BabyFirst, 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 SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West, Bally Sports Wisconsin, Bloomberg TV, Blue Jackets Hockey Network, Blue Note+, Boomerang, BravesVision, Brewers.TV, Canal 22 Internacional, Caracol TV, Cardinals.TV, Centroamérica TV, Chicago Sports Network, Cine Estelar, Cine Nostalgia, Cine Sony, Cinelatino, Cinemax, CLEGuardians.TV, CLEO TV, CNBC World, CNN International, Cooking Channel, Court TV, Crime & Investigation, C-SPAN 2, Daystar Español, Daystar HD, Destination America, Detroit SportsNet, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Dove Channel, EarthxTV, Ecuador TV, Ecuavisa Internacional, Next Level Sports, Enlace, Estrella News, EWTN Español, FETV, Fuse, Fuse Music, FYI, Great American Family, GOLTV, Great American Country, Grit, HDNet Movies, Heroes & Icons, The History Channel, History En Español, HITN TV, Hola TV, Hurricanes Hockey Network, i24 News, INSP, Jewelry Television, Jewish Life TV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, LOGO, Mariners.TV, Marlins.TV, Marquee Sports Network, MASN, MASN2, Meganoticias, MegaTV, MeTV, MeTV Toons, MGM+ Hits, MGM+ Marquee, MLB Network, MSG, MSG Sportsnet, MTV Live, Multimedios, Nationals.TV, NESN, NHL Network, Nuestra Vision, Once Mexico, Outdoor Channel, Ovation HD, Perú Mágico, Rangers Sports Network, Rays.TV, Reds.TV, Reelz, Revolt, RFD TV, Rockies.TV, Root Sports Northwest, Royals.TV, Science, Shop LC HD, Shorts TV, Sony Movie Channel, Space City Home Network, Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum SportsNet LA, Sportsman Channel, SportsNet NY, SportsNet Pittsburgh, SUR Perú, Tastemade, TeleCentro, Telefe, The First, Tigers.TV, TV Chile, TV One, TVE, Universo, Univision tlnovelas, UPtv, Utah 16 (KUPX), VePlus, Vice TV, VideoRola, ViendoMovies, Vme, Wild+, Willow TV, YES Network, and ZooMoo
Additional Hulu Live TV channels
A&E, Adult Swim, American Heroes, Bloomberg TV, Boomerang, CBS News, Cinemax, CNBC World, CNN International, Cooking Channel, Crime & Investigation, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Discovery Turbo, Fubo Sports Network, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Country, The History Channel, History En Español, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, NBC News Now, Outdoor Channel, Science, Sportsman Channel, SportsNet NY, Telehit, Telehit Música, True Crime Network, TVG, TVG2, Universo, and Vice TV
Additional Sling TV channels
A&E, Afro, American Heroes, AXS TV, Baby TV, Bloomberg TV, Boomerang, CGTN, Cinemoi, Cooking Channel, Cowboy Channel, Destination America, Duck TV, Euronews, Fandor Festival, FETV, France 24, Fuse, Fusion, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Faith & Living, Great American Country, Grit, HDNet Movies, Heroes & Icons, The History Channel, Law&Crime, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, LOGO, Maker, MeTV, MGM+ Drive-In, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, NDTV 24/7, News18, NHL Network, Outdoor Channel, PixL, Pursuit, Reelz, Revolt, RFD TV, Science, Sling Kids, Sportsman Channel, Universo, Vibrant TV, Vice TV, WeatherNation, Willow TV, and Z Living HD
Additional Fubo channels
AccuWeather, AfricaNews, Altitude, Angels Broadcast TV, Arizona's Family Sports, At Home with Family Handyman, Baby TV, 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 SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West, Bally Sports Wisconsin, BET Jams, BET Soul, Bloomberg+, Bloomberg TV, Blue Jackets Hockey Network, Blue Note+, BravesVision, Brewers.TV, Cardinals.TV, CBeebies, Centroamérica TV, Chicago Sports Network, Cine Sony, CLEGuardians.TV, CLEO TV, CNBC World, Court TV, Curiosity Channel, Dbacks.TV, Detroit SportsNet, Dove Channel, EarthxTV, El Financiero, el gourmet, Next Level Sports, Estrella News, Euronews, FMC, FETV, FOXlife, Great American Family, Great American Faith & Living, GINX Esports TV, GOLTV, Great American Adventures, Great American Country, Grit, History & Warfare Now, Hola TV, Hurricanes Hockey Network, i24 News, INTI Network, INTROUBLE, INWONDER, Ion Mystery, Jewelry Television, Law&Crime, LOGO, MagellanTV, Mariners.TV, Marlins.TV, Marquee Sports Network, Más Chic, MASN, Maximum Effort, Meganoticias, MGM+ Hits, MGM+ Marquee, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, MSG, MSG Sportsnet, MTV Live, MTVU, Nationals.TV, NESN, NewsNet, NHL Network, Nick Music, Outdoor Channel, Padres.TV, Rangers Sports Network, Rays.TV, Reds.TV, Revry, Revry News, Rockies.TV, ROI TV, Root Sports Northwest, Royals.TV, Shop LC HD, Sony Movie Channel, Space City Home Network, Spectrum SportsNet LA, Sportsman Channel, SportsNet Pittsburgh, Tastemade, Telefe, The First, Tigers.TV, TUDNxtra, Twins.TV, Universo, Utah 16 (KUPX), Vme Kids, Waypoint, Wild+, Willow TV, YES Network, Zee Mundo, and Zona Futbol
Additional Philo channels
A&E, AccuWeather, American Heroes, aspireTV, AXS TV, Catchy Comedy, CLEO TV, Cooking Channel, Crime & Investigation, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, EarthxTV, FMC, FETV, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Faith & Living, HDNet Movies, The History Channel, Law&Crime, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MeTV, MeTV Toons, MGM+ Hits, MGM+ Marquee, Military History Channel, MTV Live, Reelz, Science, Sony Movie Channel, Starz Kids & Family, Story Television, Tastemade, TV One, UPtv, and Vice TV
Channel Chart
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| A&E | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| AMC | + $39 | - | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| BET | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Bravo | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Cartoon Network | + $0 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| CNN | + $22 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Comedy Central | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Discovery | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Disney Channel | + $0 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $18 | |
| Disney Junior | + $0 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | + $6 | - | + $18 | |
| E! | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Food Network | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Fox News | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Freeform | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $18 | |
| FX | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| FXX | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | + $6 | + $18 | |
| Hallmark Channel | + $39 | + $59 | - | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |
| HGTV | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| The History Channel | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Investigation Discovery | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| Lifetime | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| MS NOW | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| MTV | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |
| Nickelodeon | + $0 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | - | - | + $18 | |
| Paramount Network | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |
| SYFY | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| TBS | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TLC | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | + $18 | |
| TNT | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Travel Channel | + $22 | - | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
| truTV | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| USA Network | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| VH1 | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |
| WE tv | + $39 | - | - | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $18 | |