Best Live TV Streaming Service Providers 2021

With each day, more and more people are ditching cable or satellite TV and switching over to a live TV streaming service. You’re definitely not alone.

We’ll help you find the best live TV streaming service based on your budget, favorite channels, and DVR storage needs.

For a fun live TV streaming experience with the family, we’re here to give you the details of some of the best services in the industry.

YouTube TV is our favorite live TV streaming service, hands down

Your $65 per month will be well spent

What do we like about YouTube TV?

• YouTube TV has a solid channel lineup (and it just got better).
• This streaming service has the best DVR in the industry.

You get 85 great channels, including the new addition of ViacomCBS channels

YouTube TV recently raised its pricing because it got 14 new ViacomCBS channels, such as Comedy Central, BET, and Paramount Network.

But our favorite part about YouTube TV’s channel lineup: you get NBA TV and MLB Network. Sure, you can get these channels with fuboTV, but you’d have to pay $85 per month.

There’s no question why we named it the best streaming service for sports.

Other great channels in YouTube TV’s channel lineup include the following:

Record everything

Well, not literally … but you could. You get an unlimited DVR storage space with YouTube TV, and your recordings will save for up to nine months!

A few things you could do with YouTube TV’s DVR:

• Record all of the NBA games during the week to binge-watch over the weekend
• Record cooking shows with yummy recipes for the family reunion in three months
• Record a Christmas movie to watch in the summer (don’t act like you couldn’t use a little cheer in June)

What don’t we like about YouTube TV?

• No Hallmark or HISTORY Channel

We’re torn up about the Hallmark Channel

Remember how we said you could record a Christmas movie to watch in June? Well, discount any Hallmark movie.

And hopefully, you can do without watching Ancient Aliens or America: Our Defining Hours on the HISTORY channel.

What are the pros and cons of YouTube TV?

• Good: YouTube TV has an excellent channel lineup and DVR.
• Bad: YouTube TV is missing two key channels, but it doesn’t necessarily break the service.
• Full review: Check out YouTube TV’s full channel lineup and find more info about the interface on our YouTube TV Review.

Hulu + Live TV is best for families

Hulu Live offers the best entertainment bundle

What do we like about Hulu + Live TV?

• You can bundle Hulu Live with ESPN+ and Disney+.
• Hulu Live has a great channel lineup.

Everyone in the family will love the ultimate entertainment bundle

Who wouldn’t love the live TV channels and on-demand library from Hulu, live sporting events from ESPN+, and all the Disney+ movies you’ve ever dreamed of?

And guess what’s the best part? The bundle is only $6 extra on top of your Hulu Live package. That’s the cost of that overpriced coffee you love!

So enjoy The Mandalorian or the Dodgers and Giants game with the family, then watch one of the great Hulu originals afterward.

Hulu has most of the channels you want and need

Hulu Live has more than 65 popular channels you can turn on in the background while you work from home:

What don’t we like about Hulu + Live TV?

• Hulu Live has some extra fees for perks you’ll likely want
• You can’t watch NBA TV, MLB Network, or Nickelodeon with Hulu Live

Expect to add fees to your monthly bill

Hulu Live barely came in at No. 2 to YouTube TV, but the fees gave Hulu Live a big setback.

You’ll have to pay an extra $10 if you want 200 hours of cloud DVR storage, making your service more than YouTube TV ($75–$80 per month) which has an unlimited DVR storage space.

And if you want more than two simultaneous streams for the family, you’ll have to pay an extra $15 per month.

^{Data effective 1/14/2021.} 

Watching NBA TV, MLB Network, and Nickelodeon won’t be happening

Hulu Live has about 20 channels less than YouTube TV and it’s the same price as YouTube TV. Another comparison to YouTube TV … Now we feel like we’re comparing the middle child to the oldest.

Here are a few popular channels you’ll be missing out on:

• BBC America
• Comedy Central
• Hallmark Channel
• PBS
• PBS Kids
• Paramount Network

What are the pros and cons of Hulu + Live TV?

• Good: We like that you can bundle Hulu Live with two other great services: Disney+ and ESPN+.
• Bad: You’ll have to pay a fee for extra DVR storage, and you’ll miss out on a few popular channels.
• Full review: Find more information about Hulu’s on-demand library and the channel lineup in our Hulu + Live TV Review.

Sling TV is best for money savers

Get some of your favorite cable channels for $30 per month

What do we like about Sling TV?

• You get live TV at a reasonable price.
• Sling TV has three inexpensive packages to choose from.

Sling TV has a great price tag for lots of popular channels

There aren’t many decent live TV streaming services out there that offer a good chunk of popular channels for $30, making it perfect for those who want to cut the cord because of that expensive cable bill.

You won’t have to give up on TV altogether. Thanks to Sling, you won’t have to break the bank.

Just try not to spend that extra money you’ll be saving on online shopping (or maybe that’s why you’re making cuts elsewhere in your life).

Which Sling TV package is best for you and the fam?

Both Sling Orange and Sling Blue are the same price, but both plans have almost a completely different channel lineup. And the Sling Orange + Blue package is basically a combination of both.

If you have kids, you’ll want Sling Orange. You’ll get Cartoon Network and Disney Channel for the little ones, and ESPN and Food Network for you.

If you love news channels, get Sling Blue. You can watch Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC. But if you want them all, Sling Orange + Blue is for you.

If you want to know more about the difference between Sling Orange and Sling Blue, check out our comparison.

What don’t we like about Sling TV?

• Don’t expect all of your favorite channels.
• Sling TV has the worst DVR in the industry.

You get what you pay for

Yes, Sling TV is on the cheaper side, but that also means you might not get all of your favorite channels.

You’ll absolutely find a lot of popular channels in their packages (the reason it makes the low price so great), but you won’t get your ABC, The CW, Nickelodeon, or Telemundo.

As for the sports channels … Let’s just say Sling tends to the average sports fan. Sling offers the following sports channels:

• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPN3
• NFL Network
• NBCSN
• NBC Sports
• FS1
• Stadium

Who can live off of 10 hours of DVR storage?

Sling TV includes 10 hours of DVR storage in your service … oh, thank you so much, Sling.

No. Just no. You’re probably going to want 50 hours of DVR storage instead, so you’ll have to add $5 per month to your bill.

Oh, and just a heads up: when your DVR storage is full, and you happen to record another show, your old or already watched recordings will erase in your library (without warning).

What are the pros and cons of Sling TV?

• Good: Sling TV offers great channels for its low price.
• Bad: The DVR needs an upgrade, to say the least.
• Full review: If you want to know more about the channel lineups and add-ons, check out our Sling TV Review.

fuboTV is best for sports fans

Expect about 60 sports channels

What do we like about fuboTV?

• fuboTV has the most sports channels in the industry.
• fuboTV also has a decent number of news, lifestyle, and kids channels.

How big of a sports fan are you?

If you get one of the Family plans, you’ll have close to 35 sports channels in your lineup. If you get the Ultra plan, you’ll have about 50 (that’s what we like to see).

You’ll find your well-known sports channels in the Family plan, such as ESPN, Big Ten Network, FS1, and NFL Network.

You could say the Ultra plan is for the sports megafans, including niche and international sports. Some sports channels in this package include the following:

Your family can watch something else besides sports

While you watch your Chicago Bulls play, your spouse can watch Flip or Flop, and your kids can watch Spongebob Squarepants.

fuboTV’s channel lineup includes the following channels:

What don’t we like about fuboTV?

• fuboTV no longer has TNT, TBS and CNN

fuboTV is missing some key channels

You’ll have to miss out on some basketball games on TNT (but that’s ok if you get the Ultra package with NBA TV), you won’t be able to watch New Girl on TBS, and you can’t get political news through CNN.

If you’re fine with the other news and entertainment channels fuboTV offers, then you’ll be golden.

What are the pros and cons of fuboTV?

• Good: fuboTV has lots of sports channels. Oh, and other channels for the family too.
• Bad: fuboTV doesn’t have Turner channels such as TNT, TBS, and CNN anymore.
• Full review: If you want to know more about all the sports channels (and family channels) you’ll get with fuboTV, check out our fuboTV Review.

AT&T TV NOW is best for premium channel fans

AT&T TV NOW includes premium channels in the some of its packages

What do we like about AT&T TV NOW?

• Premium channels are included in three packages.
• AT&T TV NOW has seven packages to choose from for the family.

If you like premium channels, you’ll want the MAX, ULTIMATE, or PREMIER plan

Huge fans of The Outsider or Succession will benefit from AT&T TV NOW’s MAX package with HBO Max included.

But if you’re more of an Outlander or Hightown fanatic, the ULTIMATE plan will help you get your fix. Enjoy STARZ Encore Action, STARZ Encore Family, and STARZ Encore Classic.

And lastly, with the big $183 per month plan, you’ll get it all in the 140-channel lineup. Watch HBO, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, HBO Family, and more for the fam.

Which AT&T TV NOW package is best for you?

The PLUS package is going to have your basic, popular channels like Disney Channel and ESPN. The MAX package comes with HBO channels and 16 sports channels.

The ENTERTAINMENT package is going to have more of your lifestyle and news channels. If you upgrade to CHOICE, you’re going to get MLB Network and the Tennis Channel.

You’ll want the XTRA package if you want the Lifetime Movie Network or NBA TV. And the most expensive package, ULTIMATE, will give you all of the STARZ channels and 15 sports channels. And the new PREMIER package will give you the most channels AT&T TV NOW offers, including all of the premium channels.

What don’t we like about AT&T TV NOW?

• It’s the most expensive live TV streaming service in the industry.

You’ll have to budget with AT&T TV NOW

It’s obvious AT&T TV NOW is the most expensive of the bunch, so this service might only be for those who love premium channels or want a traditional TV experience.

To put it in perspective, AT&T TV NOW averages a little over $1 per channel. Hulu Live is a little less than $1 per channel, and fuboTV is about 50 cents per channel.

We hope AT&T TV NOW will decide to lower its prices one day.

What are the pros and cons of AT&T TV NOW?

• Good: AT&T TV NOW has seven plans to fit your family’s wants and needs, and three of those include premium channels.
• Bad: The price is a bit high in comparison to the other live TV streaming services.
• Full review: If you want to find out more about Spanish-language packages and channel lineups, check out our AT&T TV NOW review.

Recap: Which is the best live TV streaming service?

We considered pricing, channel lineups, DVR storage, and user experience when choosing our top five live TV streaming services.

Overall, we can say this about each:

• YouTube TV: YouTube TV is the best valued live TV streaming service because you get a solid channel lineup of more than 85 channels with the best DVR in the industry. YouTube TV is not for those who absolutely need their Hallmark and HISTORY channels.
• Hulu + Live TV: Hulu Live offers three streaming services for one decent price. The bundle of Hulu Live, Disney+, and ESPN+ will make all members of the family happy. But if you want more than 50 hours of DVR storage and unlimited simultaneous streaming, you’ll have to tack on $15 to your monthly bill.
• Sling TV: If you’re trying to save money but want live TV without the expensive cable or satellite TV bill, Sling is for you. Just keep in mind with that low price, you may not get everything YouTube TV or Hulu Live can offer you.
• fuboTV: Perfect for sports-watching families, you can get about 50 sports channels with fuboTV. The rest of the 100 channels or so in the lineup are news, lifestyle, and kids channels for when you need a break from sports.
• AT&T TV NOW: Although AT&T TV NOW is probably the most expensive live TV streaming service in the industry at the moment, you do get premium channels included in three of the plans. And you get seven plans to choose from to best fit your family.

What do you think?

Which live TV streaming service do you think is the best? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Is your house ready for a live TV streaming service?

Most streaming services require a minimum download speed of 18 Mbps to stream in HD. And if you and three other members of your family want to stream at the same time, that means you’ll be using 72 Mbps total.

So do you have the bandwidth to support your family’s streaming needs?

Which internet plan should I get?

Here are the internet plans our internet expert, Catherine McNally, recommends to get the most out of your live TV streaming services without clogging up your family’s whole network.

Which cell phone plan should I get?

Not only do you need a good internet connection, but you’ll also need enough data to support your streaming needs if you’re a cell phone streamer.

And who isn’t a mobile streamer when it comes to passing the time during your lunch break, sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, or distracting your little ones while you’re grocery shopping?

We recommend an unlimited data plan for the family, so you never have to worry about limiting your live TV streaming time. And we all know it could lead to a family crisis if someone uses more data than they were allowed.

What are the best unlimited cell phone plans?