YouTube isn’t just for watching people film their pets in their homes anymore. This media channel has become a giant, in part driven by YouTube TV. The premium service boasts over 100 live TV channels, including Fox, CNN, and ESPN. It also offers unlimited DVR space and is streaming compatible with devices like Amazon’s Fire TV and Xbox. There is no annual contract; instead, you pay a monthly fee for use.
In the age of streaming services for people who left cable behind, or those who never had cable, YouTube TV is one of many options. Sling TV boasts similar live TV channels for a monthly fee. There are also on-demand streaming services like Discovery+ and Disney+. We also can’t forget the launch of ESPN’s new streaming option that recently rocked the WWE fanbase due to the increase in price.
However, YouTube TV may not be worth what you pay for it. YouTube TV is subject to carriage agreements, meaning the shows you want may come and go. It’s also very expensive, leaving users desperate to find ways to lower their bill by even $10 for six months. It begs the question of whether it’s worth the cost at all, considering all the content that you might never use.
The problems with YouTube TV and carriage agreements
Despite YouTube TV boasting a bunch of channels, that is always subject to change. This is due to a thing called a carriage agreement. Carriage agreements are essentially arrangements that give different TV streaming services the rights to different content, and they get renegotiated periodically. So you might get YouTube TV for specific channels, only to see those channels removed in the future and put on a different platform. Of course, your monthly price for YouTube TV won’t change.
The issue has reared its head with a carriage agreement dispute between YouTube TV and Fox. The two companies have struggled to agree on renewal terms in 2025. The situation has left viewers worried about losing access to Fox content, especially its sports content.
In what has heated up to be a rather nasty debacle, YouTube has stated that Fox is “asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive”, while Fox has said YouTube “exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace”. YouTube has assured users that if Fox becomes unavailable, they will provide a $10 credit.
The problems with YouTube TV’s price
The Base Plan of YouTube TV costs $83 per month. There is also additional content that you can add for additional fees. For example, to get 4K, unlimited simultaneous streams, and watch recordings offline, it’s an additional $9.99. The Entertainment Plus bundle featuring channels like HBO Max and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is a staggering $29.99 extra.
At some point, it makes consumers reflect on just how much they are paying each month to only watch television. The purpose of going from cable to streaming services was to slim down to the exact content you want to watch, so you don’t have to pay extra for a bunch of channels you don’t use. If you still want a live TV watching experience, the Sling Orange + Blue plan only costs $61 a month for more than 50 channels. It begs the question of how often all 100+ channels of YouTube TV are actually watched weekly to justify the cost.
If you have specific shows you watch, a great deal of money is saved through on-demand streaming services. For example, Discovery+ is $5.99 a month or $9.99 for the no-ad version. It features channels like Discovery, HGTV, TLC, the Food Network, and more. The only drawback is that sometimes new episodes are delayed a week or more from their live date prior to appearing on Discovery+. However, if you are someone who doesn’t watch a lot of TV in general, these kinds of services are much more affordable than YouTube TV.
