Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
March 8, 2026: With this update, our recommended live TV streaming services remain unchanged. Our existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.
Best for Live and On-Demand Content
Hulu
- Excellent TV series selection
- Extensive live TV channel lineup
- Robust cloud DVR option
- Available on nearly every media streaming device
- Appealing bundle deals
- Base plan includes ads
- Offline downloads require a premium account
- Missing all Bally Sports and most SportsNet RSNs
Hulu is one of the best all-in-one services for cord-cutters, given its diverse set of streaming options. In addition to a strong library of classic shows and a good selection of movies, Hulu has a robust live TV option. After adding several Viacom channels to its lineup, including BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Hulu picked up NFL Network and NFL RedZone.
People who want live and on-demand content: Streaming and traditional live TV are often pitted against each other, but you get the best of both worlds with Hulu. The base Hulu service is a top-tier on-demand streaming service with an impressive backlog and acclaimed originals like The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Shogun. Meanwhile, Hulu’s live TV service gives you access to 95 channels (including ESPN, TBS, and The Weather Channel) to replace cable.
Starting Price
$11.99 per month; $88.99 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited; 9 Months
Concurrent Streams
2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices)
- Excellent lineup of sports, news, and entertainment channels
- Impressive viewing features for sports fans
- Robust and easy-to-use DVR features
- Intuitive interface
- Supports three simultaneous streams per account by default
- Excellent add-ons
- Expensive
- Lacks most SportsNet and all Bally Sports RSNs
YouTube TV offers an excellent selection of live sports and news channels, as well as many popular entertainment options. A few of the top networks available include ABC, AMC, CBS, CNN, Discovery, ESPN, Fox, FX, NBC, and PBS. The complete package is $82.99 per month, but new, lower-priced, genre-based tiers ease the cost of entry.
Cord-cutters: YouTube TV doesn’t just recreate the traditional live TV experience; it improves it. It offers a robust base channel lineup for all audiences, which you can further supplement with add-on channels such as Curiosity Stream and Starz. You can enjoy the library with premium perks, including 4K streaming, unlimited simultaneous streams, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and offline viewing of DVR content.
Fantasy sports fans: YouTube TV’s multiview feature sweetens the already impressive package by letting you watch up to four channels simultaneously on a single screen. This gives you the ultimate view of the big plays while following multiple teams.
Starting Price
$82.99 per month
Sports Coverage
National & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited; 9 Months
Concurrent Streams
3 or Unlimited (at home)
Learn More
YouTube TV Review
Best for Sports Fanatics
Fubo
- Many live sports and on-demand entertainment options
- Reliable streaming in testing
- Excellent web interface
- Capable DVR functionality
- Some 4K content
- Most live streams are limited to 720p
- Lacks A&E, Turner, and WBD channels
- Lookback mode limitations
Fubo is a great option for sports fans. Its base subscription plan, Fubo Essential, costs $84.99 per month and includes approximately 200 channels, with the exact number varying by your location. For national sports events, there’s CBS, FOX, NBA TV, NBC, and NFL Network. For international sports, you get the beIN network and Univision. Want a break from ball? Fubo offers a wide range of entertainment channels, including FX, National Geographic, SYFY, and USA.
Sports fans: Fubo’s mix of broadcast networks and specialty cable channels ensures you can catch everything from big Premier League, NBA, and NFL games to hard-hitting boxing and MMA matches. In addition, Fubo offers the cool Lookback feature that allows you to watch any contest you may have missed up to 72 hours after it first aired. Similarly, the Startover feature lets you view currently airing sports from the beginning, regardless of when you tuned in to the program.
Starting Price
$84.99 per month
Sports Coverage
International, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited
Concurrent Streams
2 or 10
Best for Local Channels and RSNs
DirecTV
- Reliable streaming performance
- Supports 20 simultaneous streams
- Lineup includes RSNs from Comcast, Sinclair, and Spectrum
- Parental control options
- No longer has a two-year subscription requirement
- More affordable Genre Pack options
- Expensive
- Some interface quirks
DirecTV offers a premium live streaming service with the features to match. It supports 20 simultaneous streams, parental control options, and DVR functionality with unlimited storage, as well as the ability to save up to 30 episodes for up to nine months. Be prepared to spend at least $100 per month, and potentially much more, depending on your plan and add-ons (although the smaller Genre Packs bundles come in at lower prices).
People who want a large channel selection: DirecTV’s high price comes with a substantial channel lineup; the service’s top tier features more than 185 options. In addition, DirecTV is one of the few live TV streaming services we’ve reviewed that offers local broadcast affiliates (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) and regional sports networks (RSNs) from Comcast, Sinclair, and Spectrum, making it particularly appealing to sports fans.
Starting Price
$101.98 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
20 hours or Unlimited, nine months
Concurrent Streams
20 (at home) and 3 (away from home)
Learn More
DirecTV Review
Viewers on Tight Budgets
Philo
- Inexpensive
- More than 70 channels
- Free channels
- Good mobile apps
- Easy-to-use DVR
- No major sports coverage
- Few news channels
- Lacks parental control options
- Some saved and on-demand content has ads
Although it lacks local news and sports coverage, Philo’s quality live channels satisfy entertainment and lifestyle fans, at a price far easier to swallow compared with live TV streaming rivals. With Philo, you can access content from AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BET, Cooking Channel, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, IFC, Lifetime, Logo, and The Travel Channel.
Viewers on tight budgets: Most live TV subscriptions cost much more than the typical on-demand video services, so Philo ($33 per month, with free channel options) is appealing if you’re looking to save money. Despite its cheaper price tag, Philo delivers an impressive channel lineup with reliable streaming performance and intuitive DVR functionality.
Starting Price
$33 per month
Sports Coverage
None
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited; 365 days
Concurrent Streams
3
- Good channel selection
- Flexible subscription options
- Free tier
- Reliable streaming performance
- Prices continue to increase
- Limited offering of local channels and regional sports networks
- Confusing channel distribution
Sling TV offers multiple, flexible plans that allow you to create a live streaming plan that works best for you. Its highest tiers have increased in price over time. The most expensive is the combined Blue and Orange plan, which includes AMC, CNN, BBC America, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Disney, ESPN, Food Network, HGTV, IFC, TBS, TNT, and Travel Channel.
Viewers who want channel flexibility: Sling TV offers several add-on channels, such as MGM+ and Starz, for people seeking the most entertainment options. Additional add-on packages target specific genres and audiences, such as the Kids Extra bundle and the Comedy Extra package.
Starting Price
$46 per month; $66 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
50 hours or unlimited; Indefinitely
Concurrent Streams
1 (for Sling Orange channels), 3 (for Sling Blue channels)
Learn More
Sling TV Review
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The Best Live TV Streaming Services for 2026
Compare Specs
Buying Guide: The Best Live TV Streaming Services for 2026
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News and Network Shows
So long as the live video streaming service you choose offers affiliate broadcast channels in your market, you can watch your favorite network shows from the likes of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. Most of the services here, including YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, host these networks. YouTube TV is the only service we’ve reviewed that includes local PBS channels.
Other television channels aren’t dependent on your geographic location. Philo is an excellent option for watching such entertainment networks, including AMC, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, Lifetime, Nickelodeon, and Travel Channel. Many video streaming services with entertainment channels also include on-demand content from channels you can watch at your leisure and record to DVR storage. Others combine live TV with more traditional on-demand libraries. A subscription to Hulu + Live TV, for instance, lets you watch all the shows and movies from Hulu’s on-demand service, including its original shows. Accepting fewer channels is also an easy way to lower the price. Frndly TV lacks many major channels, but it also costs a fraction of the price compared with competitors.
Although news channels may not be the primary way people stay informed about the world these days, they remain a valuable resource for live coverage of national and international events. For comprehensive news coverage, make sure the platform you choose includes commercial broadcast affiliates (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) and cable news channels (such as BBC America, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, and MSNBC). Some services also include news networks not based in the US, such as BBC World News. For instance, DirecTV, Fubo, and Sling TV offer international channels; however, an additional fee is required for some of them.
Some services claim to offer “live TV,” but in reality, they provide 24/7 online marathons of preprogrammed, existing material. We skipped those. Every service covered here is truly live.
Live Sports
To watch all the sports you previously could with your cable subscription, consult our roundup of the best sports streaming services. When selecting a service, ensure that it offers all the channels you want to watch in your area, including regional sports networks (RSNs) for coverage of local MLB, NBA, and NHL teams. Most services offer the NBC Sports RSNs. DirecTV offers Bally Sports RSNs (previously known as FOX Sports networks) and SportsNet RSNs (formerly AT&T SportsNet). Which RSNs you need depends on your location and the sports you like to watch.
Not all services include all the major league channels, such as NFL Network, NBA TV, or MLB Network. Ensuring that a service covers all the affiliate broadcast channels in your area, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, is also important, as many games air on these channels. Know that you are not exempt from local market restrictions or coverage blackouts.
We assume you want the best streaming quality, no matter your device. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV support 1080p/60fps live streams on select platforms. Fubo was the first live TV service to broadcast select events in 4K, but an add-on brings that capability to YouTube TV. Several services also offer valuable features for sports enthusiasts. DirecTV and Fubo, for instance, include DVR features that respectively let you start broadcasts from the beginning should you jump into them mid-game, and watch matches that have aired in the past few days. Note that these features are only available on select channels.
If you are an NFL fan, check out our roundup of the best NFL streaming services to make sure you can watch all the games on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. If you don’t want to pay additional fees every month to watch NFL games, there are some free options. For instance, the NFL Mobile and Yahoo Sports apps let you watch in-market and prime-time games, including Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football. Amazon Prime subscribers can watch Thursday Night Football games at no additional cost, while Peacock subscribers can stream Sunday Night Football broadcasts.
Want to view even more sports? We also have roundups of the best NBA streaming services, MLB streaming services, and NHL streaming services.
(Credit: Fubo/PCMag)
DVR, Simultaneous Streams, and Apps
All the streaming services in this roundup offer some form of DVR capabilities. If you like to save and rewatch significant TV moments, you should ideally look for a service that lets you record many hours’ worth of shows and keep them indefinitely. Robust DVR capabilities are also useful for sports fans, as some games may air at inconvenient times. YouTube TV is unique because one of its available add-ons lets you download DVR content for offline viewing on mobile devices.
The ability to stream on several devices simultaneously is also highly useful for large households. Most services let you pay more for higher concurrent streaming limits.
The best live TV streaming services support a wide range of devices, including phones, tablets, game consoles, web browsers, streaming devices, and smart TVs. Some services also give you greater control over accessibility settings and parental controls than cable. DirecTV and Sling TV, for example, let parents restrict what their kids can watch by rating.
Recommended by Our Editors
Live TV Options That Missed the Cut
We don’t include single-channel options, such as Paramount+, or services that only stream live sports and limited events, such as Amazon Prime Video, Dazn, ESPN Select, and Peacock. Those services are all too narrow in scope to be reasonable cable alternatives. The same applies to Medici.tv, which exclusively broadcasts live classical music concerts.
We also exclude services like Pluto TV and Xumo from this roundup, as they primarily offer preprogrammed content rather than live TV channels. However, some people may appreciate channels of endless content streams (and that they are free streaming services). Plex also offers preprogrammed content and can serve as a live TV interface if you set up the correct hardware.
You can also set up a digital antenna and tuner to receive local channels over the air on your own. If an event is popular enough, such as a political debate or the Olympics, the broadcast may be available to stream online for free from the organizer’s website.
Video Streaming Services: What You Should Know
On-Demand Streaming Services
Although you may intend to replicate your cable experience one-to-one with video streaming services, we recommend that you don’t. Take a moment to identify the channels you watch regularly. On-demand services open up an entirely new world of content, featuring many shows that are not available on traditional cable. These on-demand shows also tend to be the subject of pop culture discussions and critical acclaim. Amazon Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time, Netflix’s Stranger Things, and Paramount+’s Star Trek: Lower Decks are just a few examples. Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hulu also feature original content you can’t get anywhere else. Cinephiles should check out our roundup of the best movie streaming services, too.
For even more on streaming, check out five reasons to ditch your video subscription and keep cable. Learn how to pick streaming services that fit your budget, and let you enjoy all sorts of reality show trash. Finally, check out our recommended streaming video guides if you’re unsure what to watch.
