5 Best Live TV Streaming Services With Unlimited DVR in 2026
Every live TV service with unlimited cloud DVR, ranked by our score out of 10, with how long each one keeps your recordings and whether you can skip the ads.
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Table of contents▼
At first glance, every live TV service now offers unlimited DVR, and on storage alone, that's true. But unlimited stops meaning much once you look at the details: how long recordings survive, whether you can skip the ads in them, and what happens to everything you've saved the day you cancel. Those details differ more than the marketing suggests.
So we went through each service's own help pages and ranked the eight with unlimited cloud DVR by our score out of 10. Philo keeps recordings for a full year, while most stop at nine months; Frndly can record shows after they've aired; and on Hulu or YouTube TV, cancelling means saying goodbye to your library.
Our picks
For YouTube TV fans who don't need sports
$54.99/mo at YouTube TV Entertainment Plan
5 Best Live TV Streaming Services With Unlimited DVR in 2026
For families who want everything
Hulu with Live TV
Pros
- Unlimited recordings, kept for up to nine months
- You can fast-forward through ads in recordings
- Pausing your account keeps your recordings
Cons
- Cancel, or hit a billing hold, and your recordings are deleted
- No skipping ads in on-demand videos
- Two streams unless you pay for Unlimited Screens
3-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
Hulu + Live TV's Cloud DVR records as much as you like, and everything lands in the Recordings section of My Stuff, sorted by air date so the newest shows sit on top. Recordings stay for up to nine months while your subscription is active, and you can fast-forward through the ads in them, though not on live TV or in Hulu's on-demand videos.
The catch is what happens when you leave. Cancel, or end up on a billing hold, and your recordings disappear; pausing the account keeps them safe. And with two streams included, a busy household may end up paying extra for the Unlimited Screens add-on. For the most part, though, it's as close to a cable DVR as streaming gets.
Read our full Hulu with Live TV review →
For live TV and sports fans
YouTube TV
Pros
- No storage limit, nine months per recording
- Six family members, six separate DVR libraries
- A rerun replaces a partial recording and resets the clock
Cons
- On-demand versions in your library usually have unskippable ads
- Cancel and your recordings expire after 21 days
- Recordings expire nine months after air, watched or not
21-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
YouTube TV keeps it simple: add a show, team or movie to your library and every airing gets recorded, reruns included, with no storage limit. Each recording lasts nine months from its air date, and if a rerun airs, it replaces a partial recording and resets the clock. Up to six people in the household get their own library, so nobody's recordings crowd anyone else's.
It's not perfect by any means. Some episodes in your library show up as on-demand versions instead of recordings, and their ads (marked by a yellow progress bar) usually can't be skipped. Cancel, and your recordings expire after 21 days; pausing for four weeks to six months keeps them, within the usual nine months.
Read our full YouTube TV review →
For movie and premium-channel fans
YouTube TV Entertainment Plus
Pros
- The same unlimited DVR as YouTube TV
- HBO Max, Paramount+ with Showtime and Starz in one add-on
- Six separate DVR libraries
Cons
- Only HBO Max works in its own app
- The priciest way into YouTube TV's DVR
- Same 21-day cutoff for recordings if you cancel
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
This is YouTube TV's main plan with the Entertainment Plus add-on, which bundles HBO Max, Paramount+ with Showtime and Starz for $29.99 a month on top. The DVR is identical to the main plan: no storage limit, nine months per recording and separate libraries for up to six people. Except for HBO Max, though, it doesn't let you sign in to those services' own apps.
Read our full YouTube TV Entertainment Plus review →
For cable switchers
DIRECTV
Pros
- Unlimited storage and unlimited episodes per series
- Sports recordings extend automatically for overtime
- A warning seven days before a recording expires
Cons
- Recordings still expire after nine months
- On-demand versions don't let you skip ads
- One of the priciest plans on this page
5-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
DIRECTV now includes unlimited cloud DVR with every streaming plan, and there's no cap on how many episodes of a series it keeps. You can schedule a recording on one device and watch it on another, recordings last up to nine months, and DIRECTV warns you seven days before one expires.
Where it really stands apart is sports. Recordings of NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA games, plus college football and basketball, soccer and PGA Tour golf, extend automatically when the game runs past its scheduled time, so overtime doesn't get cut off. It's the kind of detail you only notice the one time it saves a finish.
Read our full DIRECTV review →
For YouTube TV fans who don't need sports
YouTube TV Entertainment Plan
Pros
- The same unlimited DVR as the main plan
- Six separate DVR libraries
- Much cheaper than the full YouTube TV plan
Cons
- No sports networks to record
- Switching plans changes your recordings too
- On-demand versions usually have unskippable ads
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
YouTube TV's Entertainment plan drops ESPN and the other sports networks for $54.99 a month, but the DVR comes along untouched: no storage limit, nine months per recording and separate libraries for up to six people. Just know that switching between YouTube TV plans updates your DVR recordings along with your channels, according to YouTube TV, so plan any switch around what you've saved.
Read our full YouTube TV Entertainment Plan review →
For entertainment lovers on a budget
Philo
Pros
- Recordings kept for a full year
- Unlimited storage on the cheapest plan
- Skip every ad in your recordings
Cons
- No sports or local channels to record
- On-demand versions keep their ads
- Free channels only keep recordings for 30 days
7-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
Philo's DVR is the most generous on this page, and it's built into its $25 Essential plan. Storage is unlimited and recordings stay for a full year, three months longer than the nine that YouTube TV, Hulu and Fubo allow. You can fast-forward through every ad in a recording, though the on-demand versions of the same shows keep their ads.
Of course, the lineup is the trade-off: Philo is all entertainment, with no sports or local channels, so the DVR is only as useful as the channels it can record. If HGTV, Food Network and A&E are what you watch anyway, a year of recordings for this price is hard to argue with.
Read our full Philo review →
For sports fans
Fubo
Pros
- Unlimited storage and unlimited simultaneous recordings
- Lookback keeps most programs for 72 hours
- Ten streams at home, three away
Cons
- Some networks block fast-forwarding in recordings
- A few channels and programs can't be recorded
- Recordings are tied to the profile that made them
7-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
Every US Fubo plan includes unlimited Cloud DVR, and you can record as many programs at the same time as you like, which matters on a Saturday with six games on at once. Recordings stay for nine months, each profile keeps its own, and most programs are also available for 72 hours through Fubo's Lookback if you forget to hit record.
There are some restrictions. A few channels and programs can't be recorded, any device limits on the original broadcast carry over to the recording, and while you can fast-forward through ads in most recordings, some networks turn that off. Since the NBCUniversal channels returned, Fubo also costs $88.99 a month.
Read our full Fubo review →
Cheapest option
Frndly TV
Pros
- Record programs up to 72 hours after they aired
- Unlimited storage on Classic and Premium
- Skip commercials once a recording finishes
Cons
- No DVR on the Basic plan
- Classic only keeps recordings for three months
- No sports, news or local channels
7-day free trial
Expert take▼
By Renee Cuisia
Frndly is the cheapest way into unlimited DVR, with one condition: the $8.99 Basic plan has no DVR at all. Classic, at $10.99 a month, adds unlimited recordings kept for three months, HD and two screens, while Premium, at $12.99, keeps recordings for nine months and allows four screens. Once a recording finishes, you can fast-forward through its commercials.
Its cleverest trick is the 72-hour Look Back window: on most channels, you can still record a program after it has aired, which rescues every movie you remembered a day too late. It's a thoughtful touch from a service that, for the most part, sticks to Hallmark, A&E and comfort TV.
Read our full Frndly TV review →Unlimited DVR compared
All eight services side by side. Prices come straight from each service's sign-up page, and the DVR details from its own help center.
| Feature | Hulu with Live TV | YouTube TV | YouTube TV Entertainment Plus | DIRECTV | Philo | YouTube TV Entertainment Plan |  Frndly TV |  Fubo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $88.99/mo | $82.99/mo | $112.98/mo | $89.99/mo | $25/mo | $54.99/mo | $8.99/mo | $88.99/mo |
| DVR storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited on Classic and Premium, none on Basic | Unlimited |
| Recordings kept | Up to 9 months | 9 months from air date | 9 months from air date | Up to 9 months | 1 year | 9 months from air date | 3 months (Classic), 9 months (Premium) | 9 months |
| Skip ads in recordings | Yes | Yes, not in on-demand versions | Yes, not in on-demand versions | Yes, not in on-demand versions | Yes, not in on-demand versions | Yes, not in on-demand versions | Yes, once the recording finishes | Mostly, some networks block it |
| If you cancel | Recordings deleted (pausing keeps them) | Deleted after 21 days (pausing keeps them) | Deleted after 21 days (pausing keeps them) | – | – | Deleted after 21 days (pausing keeps them) | – | – |
| Simultaneous streams | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3, unlimited at home | 3 | 3 | 1 to 4, by plan | 10 at home, 3 away |
| Free trial | 3-day | 21-day | Start YouTube TV's trial, then switch plans | 5-day | 7-day | Start YouTube TV's trial, then switch plans | 7-day | 7-day |
What to check before you rely on a streaming DVR
Unlimited storage is the headline, but it's rarely the thing that decides whether a DVR actually works for you. These are.
How long recordings last
Unlimited storage doesn't mean forever. YouTube TV, Hulu, DIRECTV and Fubo keep recordings for nine months, Frndly's Classic plan for three, and Philo for a full year. On YouTube TV, the clock starts at the air date, so a show you saved and forgot about will quietly expire whether you've watched it or not.
Recordings versus on-demand versions
The easiest trap to miss: when a show is also available on demand, some services show you that version instead of your recording, and on-demand ads usually can't be skipped. YouTube TV marks those ads with a yellow progress bar. If skipping commercials is the reason you record, check which version you're actually playing.
What happens when you cancel
Your recordings live on the service's servers, not yours. Cancel Hulu + Live TV and they're deleted; cancel YouTube TV and they expire after 21 days. Both let you pause instead, which keeps your library intact, so if you're stepping away for the summer, pausing is the smarter move.
Sports that run long
A cloud DVR records the scheduled time slot, and games rarely respect it. DIRECTV automatically extends recordings for the major leagues, college football and basketball, soccer and PGA Tour golf, so overtime doesn't get cut off. Fubo, for its part, lets you record as many games at once as you like.
Who else uses the account
On YouTube TV, up to six people each get their own DVR library, and on Fubo, recordings belong to the profile that made them. That keeps a teenager's anime from burying your news, but it also means checking the right profile before you assume a recording failed.
The DVR isn't always included
Unlimited DVR now comes free with most live TV services, but not all of them. Frndly's cheapest plan has no DVR, and Sling includes 50 hours, with unlimited recordings costing $5 a month more. Check that the plan you pick is the one with the DVR you're expecting.
How we test streaming services
Every service on this page carries an AGMTW score out of 10. We built it from four things that can actually be measured, so the number doesn't change depending on who on our team happens to be looking:
- Content (50%). For live TV, how many of the 20 most-watched US cable channels a service carries, checked against the lineup we keep for every service. Carry all 20 and it scores 10; carry none and it scores zero, free or not. The first channels count for more than the last few. On-demand services are scored on their catalog instead, measured against the titles we've recommended.
- Value for money (20%). The price, compared on a gentle curve with the cheapest service in the same price band (a $9 service goes up against other $9 services, not an $83 bundle), then weighed against the content score. Cheap only counts in full if there's something worth watching, so a free service carrying none of the 20 keeps half its value score.
- Apps and devices (20%). The average of its App Store and Google Play ratings, along with how many TVs, sticks and consoles it runs on.
- Picture quality (10%). The best picture you get on the base plan: 4K scores 10, 1080p with surround sound 8.5, plain 1080p 7.5 and 720p 5.
Prices come from each service's own sign-up page, and we recheck them every month. Some links on this page do earn us a commission, but that never touches the score.
Frequently asked questions
Which live TV streaming services have unlimited DVR?
YouTube TV (every plan), Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo and Philo all include unlimited cloud DVR. Frndly includes it on its Classic and Premium plans, and Sling offers it as a $5-a-month add-on to its 50 hours of free storage.
Which streaming DVR keeps recordings the longest?
Philo, which keeps recordings for a full year on its paid plans. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Sling's Unlimited DVR and Frndly Premium all stop at nine months, and Frndly Classic at three.
Can you skip commercials on a streaming DVR?
In recordings, usually yes. Hulu, YouTube TV, Philo, Frndly and DIRECTV let you fast-forward through ads in recorded shows, and Fubo does unless a network blocks it. On-demand versions of the same shows typically don't allow it, and no service lets you skip ads on live TV.
What happens to my recordings if I cancel?
On Hulu + Live TV, your recordings are deleted when you cancel or land on a billing hold. On YouTube TV, they expire 21 days after you cancel. Both services let you pause instead, which keeps your recordings for the length of the pause.
Does YouTube TV's cheaper Entertainment plan still have unlimited DVR?
Yes. YouTube TV says every plan gets the same features as its main plan, DVR included, so the $54.99 Entertainment plan has the same unlimited storage and nine-month recordings.
Can I record a show after it already aired?
On Frndly, often yes: most channels let you record programs that are still within its 72-hour Look Back window. Fubo and Philo also keep most programs available for 72 hours after they air, so a forgotten recording isn't always lost.
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.