7 Best Live TV Services with Parental Control

cord-cutting • May 11, 2023 • Staff

Live TV streaming services pride themselves on their wealth of content; on top of on-demand and even original titles, they allow access to multiple channels. But by virtue of being live, these channels are even harder to moderate if you're a parent with kids using the service. Thankfully, for the most part, parental controls on these platforms are available, and they offer a layer of protection against inappropriate content children might encounter if left unmoderated.

With these controls, you can create dedicated kids' profiles, adjust maturity settings, and set passwords, among others. You can rest easy knowing that your young ones can access their favorite shows without going off-limits, so if you're looking for the best live TV services with parental controls, check out our curated list below.

Sling Orange

Sling Orange is for all cord-cutters who wish to save money, but it's especially for sports fans who watch ESPN channels as well as households that watch the Disney Channel.

Go to Sling Orange

Price: $40/month

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, iOS, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Xbox One

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, Bloomberg Television, Cartoon Network, Cheddar, Cheddar Big News, CNN, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, Freeform, Fuse, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Newsy, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, Tribeca Shortlist, Viceland

Sling Blue

Sling Blue has one of the best price-quality ratios for cord-cutters. For only $40, you get access to big networks like AMC, Bravo, TBS, National Geographic, and NBC. This package from sling makes the most sense for cord-cutters who don't watch ESPN or the Disney Channel, which are included in the "Sling Orange" offer.

Go to Sling Blue

Price: $40/month

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, Android, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Cheddar, Cheddar Big News, CNN, Comedy Central, Cox, Discovery Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, Food Network, Fox News, Fox Sports 1, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Lifetime, Mi Box, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC Sports Network, Newsy, NFL Network, Nick Jr., SYFY, TBS, TiVo, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tribeca Shortlist, truTV, USA

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is the level-up Live TV streaming platform designed to substitute traditional cable and satellite services. With $69.99 a month, you can access live feeds of the most popular channels and with $120 a month, you get a box along with a custom remote for the service. Access at least 65 channels from its robust lineup that allows you to stream up to 20 devices from your home and up to 3 devices when you’re on the go. Plus, you get unlimited cloud DVR so you can watch your favorite shows whenever you want.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Price: $69.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, Animal Planet, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN en Espanol, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, E! Entertainment, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FX, FXX, Galavision, Gem Shopping Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, HLN, Home Shopping Network, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, One America News, Ovation, Paramount Network, QVC, QVC2, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, SundanceTV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, TLC, TNT, truTV, TV Land, Univision East, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WE tv

YouTube TV

If you enjoy using the DVR option, Youtube TV is arguably the best option in the market for you: it gives you unlimited DVR storage on the Cloud (accessible from any of your devices), and it saves each of your recordings for 9 months. Also, you can share Youtube TV with up to six accounts, so if you have a big family, this is a much better option than getting a bunch of cheaper Live TV subscriptions. Youtube TV allows up to three accounts of the six to watch at the same time.

Go to YouTube TV

Price: $72.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Sharp, Vizio, Xbox

Channel lineup: ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery, Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN2, ESPNews, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Weather, Freeform, FS 1, FS 2, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount, PBS, PBS Kids, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, Teen Nick, TeleHit, The CW, The Great Courses, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Universal Kids, Univision, USA, VH1, WE tv, YouTube Originals

Tubi

Dubbed "The Free Netflix," Tubi is one of the best options for streaming quality movies and TV shows online. The completely free, ad-supported service has one of the most extensive title lineups, plus it's compatible with most devices, making it an extremely popular option for cord-cutters. Though it has been noted to have a less than stellar resolution, most viewers don't mind due to its easy interface, constantly updated library, and of course free titles. Parents will also be glad to know that the service has parental control features.

Go to Tubi

Price: free for 78 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sony, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox One

Channel lineup: 21 Jump Street, ABC Localish, ABC News, ACC Digital Network, AFV Family, All Real, Baywatch, Bein Sports XTRA, bein Sports Xtra en Espanol, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Quicktake, Brat TV, BUZZR, Caught in Providence, CBC News, Cheddar, CINEVAULT: 80's, CINEVAULT: Classics, CINEVAULT: Westerns, Circle, Comedy Dynamics, Cosmos, Deal or No Deal, Dove Channel, El Rey, Estrella News, EuroNews English, Fear Factor, FilmRise Classic TV, FilmRise Westerns, Forensic Files, FOX, Fox Deportes, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, fubo Sports Network, Game Show Central, Gordon Ramsay, Heartland, Johnny Carson TV, live now from Fox, Lone Star, Masked Singer Channel, MLB, Moviesphere Free, My Time Movie Network, Mystery Science Theater 3000, NBC News Now, Newsy, NFL Channel, NHRA TV, Nosey, Pac-12 Insider, Pattrn, People TV, Real Madrid TV, REELZ, So Real, Sports Wire, Stadium, Supermarket Sweep, The Biggest Loser, The Bob Ross Channel, The Carol Burnett Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Grio, the NFL Channel, The Only Way is Essex, TMZ, TODAY All Day, Tubi Originals, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, Vice, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Weather Nation, Wipeout Xtra

The Roku Channel

The Roku Channel can't replace Netflix or a cord-cutting service like Sling, but it's a nice added bonus if you already have a Roku device. The selection of live channels is limited, but there's something for everyone, including news, sports, and entertainment.

Go to The Roku Channel

Price: free for 1 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV, Website

Channel lineup: ABC News Live

Sling TV Freestream

In response to the growing popularity of free streaming services like Tubi, Xumo, and Pluto, Sling TV has come up with Sling TV Freestream, an ad-supported version of its live TV and on-demand streaming service. Compared to its paid tier, Freestream has fewer channels and premium titles, but with more than 200 live channels and on-demand content to boot, it's certainly worth giving a try—you don't even need to sign up for an account to start watching.

Notable channels in Freestream include AMC+, Comedy Central, Discovery, TBS, Cartoon Network & Adult Swim, and major news broadcasters like CBS and ABC.

Sling TV has been at the forefront of live TV for years, but it breaks new ground with Freestream, a platform designed to both entertain and entice users to upgrade to their meatier packages.

Go to Sling TV Freestream

Price: free for 84 channels available

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung Smart TV, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox, Xfinity Flex

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC News Live, Adult Swim, AMC, AMC Presents, AMC Rush, Barstool Sports, beIN Sports Extra, BET, Big World, Bloomberg Quicktake, Bon Appétit, BUZZR, Cartoon Network, CBSN, Choppertown, CMT, Comedy Central, CONtv, Country Network Plus, Curiosity Stream, Danger TV, Discovery, DogTV, Dove Channel, Draft Kings Basketball, ducktv, DUST, ESPN OnDemand, eSports Network, ESTV, Favesome, Filmrise, FlixFling, FlixFling Now, FS TV, Glewed TV, Gravitas Movies, Grokker, Grvty, GustoTV, Hallmark Movies Now, HereTV, Hi-yah!, History, Hollywire, Hopster, IFC, IFC Films Picks, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kabillion, Kartoon Channel, Latido Music, Law & Crime Rewind, Lifetime, Lion Mountain TV, Live X Live, Lone Star, Magnolia Pictures, Maverick Black Cinema, NBA OnDemand, Outside TV Features, Outside TV+, Pac Films, Players TV, Pocket Watc, Ryan & Friends, Shout! Factory TV, Sling Central, Sneakpeak TNT, So Yummy!, Sports Grid, Stingray Karaoke, Tastemade, TBS, TD Ameritrade Network, The Archive, The Design Network, The Film Detective, Tru TV, True Royalty, UP Faith & Family, WEtv, Zone TV