6 Best Services to Get a MotorTrend Free Trial

DirecTV Stream is a live TV streaming service that offers four different subscription plans, all of which gives you access to unlimited simultaneous streams and DVR storage, as well as a free 5-day trial. Compared to other live TV services, DirecTV Stream’s free trial is on the shorter side (Fubo offers a 7-day free trial while YouTube TV has one that lasts up to 14 days), but it’s considerable that DirecTV has one at all, given the sheer heft of its package plans. They range from $74.99 to $154.99 per month, with the cheapest plan carrying more than 75 channels covering basic news, sports, and entertainment and the most expensive plan carrying more than 150 channels. The former includes channels like CNN, ESPN, and AMC, while the latter has everything you could ever hope for in TV: local and national live sports coverage, prestige channels like HBO and Showtime, and all of the major news networks.

Youtube TV is one of the best live TV packages out there. For $73/month, you’ll have access to more than a hundred channels, unlimited DVR space, and, for an additional fee, the option to stack on extras like an HBO subscription or an NFL Sunday Ticket to your base plan. Like most streaming services, Youtube TV’s standard free trial period last seven days, and it allows you to try all its features—including DVR and simultaneous viewing. But unlike most services, Youtube TV occasionally extends the trial period to 14 or even 21 days, and it allows you to try their add-ons in addition to their base plan for free too. You should note, however, that the base plan and the add-ons are billed separately, which makes sense considering their trial lengths are likely to vary. Another unique perk of Youtube TV’s free trial is that in the event you forget to cancel it on time, you can actually request a refund. It’s a case-to-case basis, but it’s worth noting since it’s not something most services will even allow. Although, like most services, once you’ve canceled the trial, you won’t be able to regain access to it.

DirecTV Stream Ultimate is one of the meatier live TV packages offered by DirecTV Stream. It includes unlimited streams, cloud DVR, and over 140 channels, many of which are entertainment and regional sports networks, making it quite the bundle for families with a variety of needs. Its $109.99/month subscription is no joke, however, so it’s great that the platform offers a handy 5-day free trial. You can see for yourself if the features all work, if the package is worth the price, and if it’s an overall good fit for your household. Just remember to cancel the trial before it ends if you don’t want DirecTV to automatically charge your card and renew the subscription monthly.

Fubo Elite costs $10 more than Fubo’s basic $75/month plan, but this additional charge gives you access to 245 channels (that’s 77 more than the basic plan) and 4K viewing. Like all of Fubo’s plans, you can try Fubo Elite for up to seven days free. In those standard (and quite reasonable) seven days, you can try all of the plan’s features, including its 1,000-hour DVR storage, 10 simultaneous streams, and of course the aforementioned 4K viewing. If you don’t cancel the trial after seven days, Fubo will assume you’ll want to push through with the subscription and charge you $85/month.

The most cable-like live TV package to date, DirecTV Stream Premier carries every possible channel you can think of. The sports department has ESPN and Fox Sports, to name a few, plus all the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB specialty channels. Meanwhile, the entertainment department has premium networks like HBO, Starz, Cinemax, and Showtime. It even has RSNs and local channels, all of which total more than 150 channels, so if you want your subscription to cover multiple bases, this is as comprehensive as it gets. All this comes to a hefty $160/month, which seems like a lot for a cord-cutting service, but with features like unlimited screens and DVR, it's worth considering if you have the budget to spare.

There's a reason why DirecTV Stream Choice is the provider's most popular package to date: it carries over 105 channels, many of which are specialty sports channels like Big Ten Network, MLB Network, and NBA TV; it has local channels and RSNs where available; it offers premium add-ons like Starz and HBO; and maybe most important of all, it's still under a hundred bucks, which is not something you can say about most live TV packages these days. In other words, Stream Choice is for those looking for extra sports coverage while wanting to enjoy the usual benefits of DirecTV, like unlimited screens and DVR, and keeping it all under a reasonable budget.