YouTube TV Review

YouTube TV is one of the most complete live TV streaming services on the market

YouTubeTV
YouTube TV with Frontier Internet
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
  • pro
    New home to NFL Sunday Ticket
  • pro
    Unlimited DVR storage
  • pro
    100+ channels
  • con
    Doesn't have MLB Network or HISTORY channel
Chantel Buchi
Sep 14, 2023
Icon Time To Read5 min read

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If you’re looking to cut the cord, YouTube TV is a solid choice.

YouTube TV combines the best of all things TV and streaming has to offer with access to live TV, on-demand movies, full seasons of popular TV shows, unlimited DVR storage space, YouTube videos, and the latest news clips.

So basically, everyone from your die-hard Seattle Seahawks fan dad to your princess-loving younger sister will have something to watch.

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How much does YouTube TV cost?

Provider
Monthly price
Available channels
Learn more
YouTubeTVYouTube TV with Frontier Internet
$72.99100
Fubo TVfuboTV
$79.99–$99.99183–259
HuluHulu + Live TV
$69.99-$89.9985
SlingSling TV
$40-$5532-46
DirectvDIRECTV
$69.99-$159.99*183–259
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
* Plus taxes. Req's purchase of Device. New customers only.

Youtube TV costs $73 per month. If you’re a fan of sports, lifestyle, and broadcast channels, 100 channels at that price is a huge win for everyone in the family—especially if you’re the one paying the bill.

YouTube TV was named our second favorite live TV streaming service (behind fuboTV) because it's a service you'll find yourself sticking with for many years.

It has an unlimited cloud DVR storage space and won’t erase your recordings until nine months have passed.

YouTube TV was an excellent pick for sports entertainment with NFL Network and NBA TV; however, YouTube TV's MLB Network deal ended in January 2023. But, YouTube TV is now the only service to offer NFL Sunday Ticket.

YouTube TV gives you on-demand content and live TV channels. You also get a vast amount of choices for whatever mood you happen to be in. You’ll find drama, comedy, reality, action, mystery, and documentaries all in one place.

Does YouTube TV have fees?

There are no hidden fees or penalties for canceling your subscription (high five, YouTube TV!).

And if you want to take a break without losing all of your Family Feud recordings, then you can pause your membership for up to six months and come back to watch Steve Harvey's priceless facial expressions.

Which channels does YouTube TV have?

One of the main reasons YouTube TV is one of the best all-around services is because of its channel lineup. Most families could live happily with the channels this live TV streaming service provides.

If you want to know why we chose YouTube TV as one of the best live TV streaming services for sports, scroll down a little to the sports channels section.

YouTube TV news, lifestyle, and kids channels include the following:

  • ABC
  • BBC America
  • BET
  • Cartoon Network
  • CNN
  • The CW
  • Disney Channel
  • ESPN, ESPN 2
  • Food Network
  • FOX
  • FX
  • Hallmark Channel
  • HGTV
  • MSNBC
  • Nickelodeon
  • Paramount Network
  • PBS Kids
  • TBS
  • Telemundo
  • TNT
  • Universal Kids
  • Univision

Also, a bonus feature lets you hide channels you’re not interested in.

You and your family will be able to record or watch your Chopped, Sunday NFL Countdown, favorite Hallmark movies, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse simultaneously.

But you won’t be able to watch Ancient Aliens, The Open, or some baseball games because YouTube TV doesn’t have the HISTORY Channel, the Tennis Channel, or MLB Network. If you need these channels, fuboTV's got them. 

Which local channels does YouTube TV have?

Now for the local channels. YouTube TV offers ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC for your local news and sports needs. But it could still vary depending on your location, so go ahead and check availability to make sure you get Let's Make a Deal on your device.

Which premium channels and add-ons does YouTube TV have?

YouTube TV offers monthly subscriptions to premium channels on top of the base monthly price of $72.99. You’ll be able to watch White Lotus during your break at work and Billions while your spouse shops.

You'll also get a 5 to 14-day trial before you commit to the monthly cost.

And the best part is YouTube TV offers all of the premium channels so you can have all of your channels in one place.

How much are YouTube TV's premium channels and add-ons?
Channel
Add-on monthly price
Max $14.99/mo.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME$11.99/mo.
CINEMAX $9.99/mo.
STARZ $8.99/mo.
MGM+ $5.99/mo.
STARZ + MGM+$11.99/mo.
AMC+$8.99/mo.
Sports Plus

$10.99/mo. or $79.99 yr/

NBA League Pass

$14.99/mo. or $69.99/season

Spanish Plus

$9.99/mo.

Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Which sports channels does YouTube TV have?

YouTube TV offers 14 sports channels, and it also has a Sports Plus add-on package that includes the NFL RedZone Channel, beIN Sports, GolTV, Fox Soccer Plus, Fight Network, and Stadium for $11 per month or $80 a year.

So for all you NFL and soccer fans, you can get a more complete sports lineup with YouTube TV's new channels and its Sports Plus add-on for about $83 per month.

After the season is over, you can simply cancel the add-on if you'd like.

YouTube TV includes the following sports channels in its lineup:

  • ACC Network (ACCN)
  • Big Ten Network (BTN)
  • CBS Sports Network
  • ESPN, ESPN2
  • ESPNews
  • ESPNU
  • FOX Sports (FS1), FS2
  • Golf Channel
  • NBA TV
  • NBC Sports Network
  • NFL Network
  • SEC Network
  • T2

If Roger Federer is your tennis idol or you simply like watching Rafael Nadal's backhand, you won't be able to watch replays of either of them with YouTube TV as it doesn't have the Tennis Channel.

You won't find the PAC-12 Network either. And even more recently, YouTube TV's agreement with MLB Network ended in January 2023, so you won't be able to watch some Spring Training or regular season games.

But if you're a committed one-team fan, YouTube TV's NFL Sunday Ticket might be the move for your team. You'll get all out-of-market games straight to your smartphone, tablet, or TV. 

Most NFL fans will benefit from the NFL RedZone Channel for the Sunday games, so take a look at our comparison of NFL RedZone Channel vs. NFL Sunday Ticket before the 2023 NFL season. 

Bonus for sports fans

When you click the information button on your game, you’ll get details of the current score and the lineup. If you’re watching a recording, you’ll be able to see the final score and stats. How awesome is that?

How much DVR storage space does YouTube TV have?

YouTube TV has one of the best DVR's in the TV industry. (It used to have thee best, but Hulu + Live TV decided to up its game and now has an unlimited DVR storage space too.)

Unlimited space for no extra cost and recordings will stay in your Library for up to nine months? We'll take it.

But your device must be connected to the internet to view your recordings. This isn’t a huge problem unless you travel a lot on a restrictive data plan and must be connected to Wi-Fi.

You can record all of the 2023 NBA games, your roommate can record all of The Office episodes, and you both can record all of the movies your hearts desire.

Which devices is YouTube TV compatible with?

In case you want to watch First Take on the train to work or your kids want to watch Paw Patrol while you're grocery shopping, you're going to need to know if your device is compatible with the YouTube TV app.

But there shouldn't be any issues, because YouTube TV is compatible with most devices. Here are a few to choose from:

  • iPhone, iPad
  • Android smartphone, Android tablet
  • Apple TV
  • Android TV
  • Roku TVs, Roku smart soundbar
  • Roku Ultra, Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Express, Roku Premiere
  • Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cubes
  • Vizio SmartCast TVs
  • Samsung & LG smart TVs
  • HiSense TVs
  • Chrome, Safari

You can also watch YouTube TV on multiple devices with up to six accounts and three simultaneous streams.

We should also mention that YouTube TV suggests you have at least a 3 Mbps internet connection to stream and a 7+ Mbps for HD quality while using the app.

Recap: Is YouTube TV worth it?

For the price of $73 per month? You betcha

YouTube TV is a solid option for cord-cutters because you get all of these things for $73 per month:

  • More than 100 channels
  • NFL Network, NBA TV, Big 10 Network, and SEC Network
  • Disney Channel, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, and  Nickelodeon
  • An unlimited DVR storage space that saves for nine months
  • Access to all of the premium channels
  • NFL Sunday Ticket plus NFL RedZone bundles
  • A Sports Plus add-on to get the NFL RedZone Channel

Compared to some of the other live TV streaming services, they're not as well-rounded as YouTube TV because they either don't offer as many channels for this price, don't have all of the major sports channels in their lineup, or don't have an unlimited DVR storage space.

If you like live sports, movies, a DVR with no limits, and a variety of channels that makes everyone in the house happy ... you’ll like YouTube TV.

But if you need to get your college football fix with the PAC-12 Network or you just can’t live without the HISTORY channel, then YouTube TV might not be for you.

If you're not sure if YouTube TV is for you, we suggest checking out our review on fuboTV, our number one pick for live TV streaming services. 


FAQs

How much is YouTube TV per month?

YouTube TV is $73 per month for 100+ channels, including Disney Channel, ESPN, HGTV, Nickelodeon, and MSNBC.

YouTube TV also has a Spanish plan for $35 per month with 30+ Spanish-language channels, like Univision, Unimás, y Estrella TV.


Chantel Buchi
Written by
Chantel Buchi
Chantel is all about finding the best tv or streaming service to watch as many football games as possible to keep her Fantasy Football team in check. Prior to being a TV and Streaming Tech Reporter for Reviews.org, she worked for NFL Network and The Alliance of American Football. Before that, she received a B.A. of Communication at the University of Utah and an M.S. in Sports Journalism at USC. Go Utes and Fight On. Contact her at chantel@reviews.org

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