But here is what nobody tells you about cutting cable. You will save money. But you will also spend a lot of time figuring out which live TV streaming service actually works. Some have terrible DVRs. Others buffer during football games. A few have channel lineups that make no sense.
I have tested YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream. I have watched NFL games, NBA playoffs, local news, and random cable shows on all of them. This guide tells you which one to pick based on what you actually watch.
Part of our guide to best streaming services in 2026
The Short Answer
If you want the closest thing to cable with no headaches, get YouTube TV. It costs seventy three dollars per month. It has over one hundred channels. The DVR is unlimited and keeps recordings for nine months. And it works on every device without glitches.
If you want to save money, get Sling TV for forty dollars per month. You get fewer channels, but you keep fifty hours of DVR and you can add sports or news packages as needed.
If you are already paying for Hulu and Disney Plus, get Hulu Live. It costs seventy seven dollars per month but includes the entire Disney Bundle. That is a good deal if you want everything in one app.
If you only care about sports, get FuboTV. It has more sports channels than anyone else. But it costs eighty dollars per month and missing some Warner channels like TNT and TBS.
Here is the full breakdown.
YouTube TV – The Best Overall Live TV Streaming Service
YouTube TV is not the cheapest. It is not the most feature packed. But it is the most reliable, and that matters more than anything else when you are trying to watch live television.
Channel lineup: Over one hundred channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and local affiliates in most markets.
DVR: Unlimited. You can record as much as you want. Recordings expire after nine months, which is longer than any competitor.
Simultaneous streams: Three at the same time. You can upgrade to unlimited for an extra ten dollars per month.
What makes YouTube TV special: The interface is simple. The streaming quality is stable. The mobile app works. And you can add NFL Sunday Ticket for an extra three hundred and forty nine dollars per season, which is the only way to watch every out of market NFL game without DirecTV.
The downsides: Seventy three dollars is expensive. There is no cheaper tier with fewer channels. You either pay the full price or you do not use it.
Who should get YouTube TV: Anyone who wants a straightforward cable replacement without weird channel gaps or technical problems.
Sling TV – The Best Budget Live TV Service
Sling TV is the cheapest live TV streaming service that actually works. It starts at forty dollars per month, which is thirty three dollars cheaper than YouTube TV.
But there is a catch. Sling splits its channels into two different plans. Sling Orange has ESPN and Disney channels. Sling Blue has Fox, NBC, and local channels in certain cities. Most people need both plans, which costs fifty five dollars per month.
Channel lineup: About thirty to fifty channels depending on your plan. You do not get CBS on either plan, which is a problem for football fans.
DVR: Fifty hours included. You can upgrade to two hundred hours for an extra five dollars per month.
Simultaneous streams: One stream on Sling Orange. Three streams on Sling Blue.
What makes Sling TV special: The price. Even with both Orange and Blue, you pay fifty five dollars per month, which is still cheaper than YouTube TV. You can also add sports packages, news packages, and comedy packages for five to fifteen dollars extra.
The downsides: No CBS. No local channels in many markets. The interface feels clunky. And the DVR is limited unless you pay more.
Who should get Sling TV: People who want to save money and do not care about CBS or local news.
Hulu Live – Best for People Already in the Disney Ecosystem
Hulu Live costs seventy seven dollars per month. That is four dollars more than YouTube TV. So why would anyone choose it?
Because Hulu Live includes the entire Disney Bundle. That means you get Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus all included in that seventy seven dollar price. If you were already paying for those services separately, Hulu Live saves you money.
Channel lineup: About ninety channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS, and local channels. It is similar to YouTube TV but with fewer sports channels.
DVR: Unlimited. Recordings expire after nine months.
Simultaneous streams: Unlimited at home. Three streams outside your home.
What makes Hulu Live special: The integration with Hulu on demand. You get access to Hulu entire library of TV shows and movies in the same app. And the Disney Bundle is included.
The downsides: The interface is confusing. Hulu tries to mix live TV with on demand content, and it does not always work well. The live stream sometimes buffers during high traffic events like the Super Bowl.
Who should get Hulu Live: Families who already pay for Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. The bundle makes the math work.
Read our full Hulu review →
FuboTV – Best for Sports Fans
FuboTV started as a soccer streaming service. It has since grown into a full cable replacement with more sports channels than anyone else.
The base plan costs eighty dollars per month. That is expensive. But you get over one hundred and fifty channels, many of which are sports networks that YouTube TV and Hulu Live do not carry.
Channel lineup: Over one hundred and fifty channels including all the major sports networks, regional sports networks, and niche channels like beIN Sports and Fox Soccer Plus. But FuboTV does not have TNT, TBS, or CNN. That is a problem during the NBA playoffs.
DVR: One thousand hours included. That is more than anyone else.
Simultaneous streams: Ten streams at the same time. That is also more than anyone else.
What makes FuboTV special: The sports coverage. If you want every possible sports channel, this is your only option. FuboTV also has a multi view feature that lets you watch four games at once on one screen.
The downsides: No Warner channels. No TNT means no NBA games. No TBS means no baseball playoffs. That is a dealbreaker for many sports fans.
Who should get FuboTV: Soccer fans and people who want regional sports networks that other services dropped.
Comparison Table
| Service | Monthly Price | Channels | DVR Hours | Screens | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $72.99 | 100+ | Unlimited | 3 | Overall best |
| Sling TV | $40 to $55 | 30 to 50 | 50 | 1 to 3 | Budget |
| Hulu Live | $76.99 | 90+ | Unlimited | Unlimited at home | Disney bundle |
| FuboTV | $79.99 | 150+ | 1000 | 10 | Sports |
How to Choose the Right Live TV Service
Ask yourself these three questions.
Do you want the simplest option? Get YouTube TV. It costs more but it works every time.
Do you want to save money? Get Sling TV. Just accept that you will not have CBS.
Do you already pay for Disney Plus and Hulu? Get Hulu Live. The bundle saves you money.
Do not get FuboTV unless you are a hardcore sports fan who cannot live without regional sports networks. The missing Warner channels are too big of a problem for most people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which live TV streaming service has local channels?
YouTube TV and Hulu Live have the best local channel coverage. Sling TV has almost none. Check each service website with your zip code before subscribing.
Can I watch NFL games on streaming?
Yes. YouTube TV has Sunday Ticket. Hulu Live and FuboTV have local games. Sling TV has ESPN for Monday night football.
What is the cheapest live TV streaming service?
Sling TV at forty dollars per month. But you need to add the other plan for fifty five dollars to get most channels.
Do live TV streaming services have contracts?
No. You can cancel any time. That is the whole point of cutting cable.
Related guides:
← Best Streaming Services in 2026 (Full Comparison)
Best Streaming Services for Sports →
Best Cheap Streaming Services →
But here is what nobody tells you about cutting cable. You will save money. But you will also spend a lot of time figuring out which live TV streaming service actually works. Some have terrible DVRs. Others buffer during football games. A few have channel lineups that make no sense.
I have tested YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream. I have watched NFL games, NBA playoffs, local news, and random cable shows on all of them. This guide tells you which one to pick based on what you actually watch.
Part of our guide to best streaming services in 2026
The Short Answer
If you want the closest thing to cable with no headaches, get YouTube TV. It costs seventy three dollars per month. It has over one hundred channels. The DVR is unlimited and keeps recordings for nine months. And it works on every device without glitches.
If you want to save money, get Sling TV for forty dollars per month. You get fewer channels, but you keep fifty hours of DVR and you can add sports or news packages as needed.
If you are already paying for Hulu and Disney Plus, get Hulu Live. It costs seventy seven dollars per month but includes the entire Disney Bundle. That is a good deal if you want everything in one app.
If you only care about sports, get FuboTV. It has more sports channels than anyone else. But it costs eighty dollars per month and missing some Warner channels like TNT and TBS.
Here is the full breakdown.
YouTube TV – The Best Overall Live TV Streaming Service
YouTube TV is not the cheapest. It is not the most feature packed. But it is the most reliable, and that matters more than anything else when you are trying to watch live television.
Channel lineup: Over one hundred channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and local affiliates in most markets.
DVR: Unlimited. You can record as much as you want. Recordings expire after nine months, which is longer than any competitor.
Simultaneous streams: Three at the same time. You can upgrade to unlimited for an extra ten dollars per month.
What makes YouTube TV special: The interface is simple. The streaming quality is stable. The mobile app works. And you can add NFL Sunday Ticket for an extra three hundred and forty nine dollars per season, which is the only way to watch every out of market NFL game without DirecTV.
The downsides: Seventy three dollars is expensive. There is no cheaper tier with fewer channels. You either pay the full price or you do not use it.
Who should get YouTube TV: Anyone who wants a straightforward cable replacement without weird channel gaps or technical problems.
Sling TV – The Best Budget Live TV Service
Sling TV is the cheapest live TV streaming service that actually works. It starts at forty dollars per month, which is thirty three dollars cheaper than YouTube TV.
But there is a catch. Sling splits its channels into two different plans. Sling Orange has ESPN and Disney channels. Sling Blue has Fox, NBC, and local channels in certain cities. Most people need both plans, which costs fifty five dollars per month.
Channel lineup: About thirty to fifty channels depending on your plan. You do not get CBS on either plan, which is a problem for football fans.
DVR: Fifty hours included. You can upgrade to two hundred hours for an extra five dollars per month.
Simultaneous streams: One stream on Sling Orange. Three streams on Sling Blue.
What makes Sling TV special: The price. Even with both Orange and Blue, you pay fifty five dollars per month, which is still cheaper than YouTube TV. You can also add sports packages, news packages, and comedy packages for five to fifteen dollars extra.
The downsides: No CBS. No local channels in many markets. The interface feels clunky. And the DVR is limited unless you pay more.
Who should get Sling TV: People who want to save money and do not care about CBS or local news.
Hulu Live – Best for People Already in the Disney Ecosystem
Hulu Live costs seventy seven dollars per month. That is four dollars more than YouTube TV. So why would anyone choose it?
Because Hulu Live includes the entire Disney Bundle. That means you get Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus all included in that seventy seven dollar price. If you were already paying for those services separately, Hulu Live saves you money.
Channel lineup: About ninety channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, TBS, and local channels. It is similar to YouTube TV but with fewer sports channels.
DVR: Unlimited. Recordings expire after nine months.
Simultaneous streams: Unlimited at home. Three streams outside your home.
What makes Hulu Live special: The integration with Hulu on demand. You get access to Hulu entire library of TV shows and movies in the same app. And the Disney Bundle is included.
The downsides: The interface is confusing. Hulu tries to mix live TV with on demand content, and it does not always work well. The live stream sometimes buffers during high traffic events like the Super Bowl.
Who should get Hulu Live: Families who already pay for Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. The bundle makes the math work.
Read our full Hulu review →
FuboTV – Best for Sports Fans
FuboTV started as a soccer streaming service. It has since grown into a full cable replacement with more sports channels than anyone else.
The base plan costs eighty dollars per month. That is expensive. But you get over one hundred and fifty channels, many of which are sports networks that YouTube TV and Hulu Live do not carry.
Channel lineup: Over one hundred and fifty channels including all the major sports networks, regional sports networks, and niche channels like beIN Sports and Fox Soccer Plus. But FuboTV does not have TNT, TBS, or CNN. That is a problem during the NBA playoffs.
DVR: One thousand hours included. That is more than anyone else.
Simultaneous streams: Ten streams at the same time. That is also more than anyone else.
What makes FuboTV special: The sports coverage. If you want every possible sports channel, this is your only option. FuboTV also has a multi view feature that lets you watch four games at once on one screen.
The downsides: No Warner channels. No TNT means no NBA games. No TBS means no baseball playoffs. That is a dealbreaker for many sports fans.
Who should get FuboTV: Soccer fans and people who want regional sports networks that other services dropped.
Comparison Table
| Service | Monthly Price | Channels | DVR Hours | Screens | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $72.99 | 100+ | Unlimited | 3 | Overall best |
| Sling TV | $40 to $55 | 30 to 50 | 50 | 1 to 3 | Budget |
| Hulu Live | $76.99 | 90+ | Unlimited | Unlimited at home | Disney bundle |
| FuboTV | $79.99 | 150+ | 1000 | 10 | Sports |
How to Choose the Right Live TV Service
Ask yourself these three questions.
Do you want the simplest option? Get YouTube TV. It costs more but it works every time.
Do you want to save money? Get Sling TV. Just accept that you will not have CBS.
Do you already pay for Disney Plus and Hulu? Get Hulu Live. The bundle saves you money.
Do not get FuboTV unless you are a hardcore sports fan who cannot live without regional sports networks. The missing Warner channels are too big of a problem for most people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which live TV streaming service has local channels?
YouTube TV and Hulu Live have the best local channel coverage. Sling TV has almost none. Check each service website with your zip code before subscribing.
Can I watch NFL games on streaming?
Yes. YouTube TV has Sunday Ticket. Hulu Live and FuboTV have local games. Sling TV has ESPN for Monday night football.
What is the cheapest live TV streaming service?
Sling TV at forty dollars per month. But you need to add the other plan for fifty five dollars to get most channels.
Do live TV streaming services have contracts?
No. You can cancel any time. That is the whole point of cutting cable.
Related guides:
← Best Streaming Services in 2026 (Full Comparison)