5 Best Services to Get a TLC Free Trial

If you want the feel of cable with the ease of cord-cutting, your best bet is DirecTV Stream. The live TV streaming service has hundreds of channels (including RSNs and local networks), unlimited cloud DVR, and simultaneous streams, and it's all formatted in a way that makes it look almost exactly like traditional TV. The prices of its plans range, but if you want to give a subscription a think, then you can try any of its plans free for 5 days. Simply go to their website, pick a plan you’re interested in, and input your payment details. You’ll have to do the last step because if you don’t cancel before the trial period ends, you’ll automatically be charged the full price of the monthly plan. The free trial lets you test all features of the plan, including the simultaneous screams and DVR, so make sure you test the platform thoroughly before the trial is up.

If you already have other streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, Philo is the perfect option to get access to Live TV without spending too much money. At $28, it has an offer that beats much more expensive services. Plus, in terms of the channel lineup, it has a little bit for everyone, from news channels like BBC World News to the Discovery Channel, to Nickelodeon and Vice.

Hulu with Live TV offers 95 live channels, as well as countless on-demand content from Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, from $83/month. It does have a free trial, but it might be the shortest offer yet with a duration of just 3 days. It’s shorter than YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, but it might be enough for you to decide whether the channel lineup, which includes local, sports, and entertainment networks like Bravo, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Discovery, FS1, NFL Network, and ABC News are to your liking. To be eligible for the free trial, you have to either be new to Hulu or a returning customer who canceled a Hulu subscription over a year ago. You can test all of the streaming service’s features, like cloud DVR and device compatibility, during the free trial. Just remember to cancel before the period ends, otherwise, you’ll be charged the regular monthly fee.

YouTube TV is one of the few comprehensive, all-in-one live TV packages that still offers a weeklong free trial. In the past, it’s even offered a 60-day free trial during special occasions. The streaming service has everything you could want: local channels, live sports (including the coveted NFL Sunday Ticket), and cable networks, though you’d still have to pay extra for premium channels like HBO and Starz. It has other add-ons, too, if you’re more into Spanish-language channels for instance or even more sports coverage. Additionally, it has unlimited DVR storage. The only potential downside is picture quality, a common problem among users more used to satellite-grade crispness. You can discover for yourself whether the picture quality, channel lineup, and DVR storage, among others, are worth its $73/month price tag when you sign up for the 7-da7 free trial.

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.