Best YouTube TV Alternatives
By Staff, Davan Hamilton, Deja Harris• Edited by Lisa Holden • Updated Nov 20, 2023
YouTube TV has emerged as one of the most popular online streaming services of the modern age, offering dozens of channels and endless hours of content for viewers to enjoy across a range of devices.
However, YouTube TV isn’t the only live TV streaming service out there. There are plenty of YouTube TV alternatives to consider. In this guide, we’ll take a look at several options you might like to consider instead of a subscription to YouTube TV, including Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Philo, and Hulu + Live TV.
DirecTV Stream is the best YouTube TV alternative for a large channel selection.
Our next option for YouTube TV alternatives is DirecTV Stream. DirecTV Stream’s packages offer a huge range of channels, getting up to 150+. You’ll get all of the sports, news, and entertainment channels in one, plus access to many RSNs and premium channels and streamers.
What is DirecTV Stream’s pricing?
DirecTV Stream has four plans to choose from, Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier, with channel counts ranging from 75+ to 150+. Features differ depending on the plan, but all of them come with unlimited DVR space and unlimited simultaneous streams in the household.
What content does DirecTV Stream have?
One of DirecTV Stream’s greatest draws is its 30+ RSN (regional sports network) catalog. The RSNs included in your plan (for Choice and Ultimate subscribers only) will depend on your location. DirecTV Stream also carries local channels like ABC, and FOX, as well as tens of entertainment channels to choose from, like ESPN, Cartoon Network, FX, CNN, HGTV, Univision, and plenty more. DirecTV Stream also offers tens of thousands of hours of on-demand content for you to watch whenever you want.
What are DirecTV Stream’s features?
With every DirecTV Stream plan, users get unlimited DVR space and up to 20 simultaneous streams within the household. DirecTV Stream’s device support also includes all major devices including Apple products, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Roku, and Android devices.
Fubo is the best YouTube TV alternative for sports content.
We'll kick off our list of the best YouTube TV alternatives with Fubo. Fubo is a hugely popular online streaming service, well-known for its sports-centric content. It offers more than 100 channels in total, including dozens of sporting networks for subscribers to watch live sporting events from around the US and beyond.
What is Fubo’s pricing?
Fubo’s Pro package comes with over 170 channels and a whopping 1,000 hours of DVR space. You can also get up to 10 simultaneous streams with Fubo, no matter which plan you choose, and you can upgrade to the Elite plan at any time for extra channels and content.
What content does Fubo have?
In terms of content and channels, Fubo covers all the major sports networks like ESPN, the NFL Network, NBA TV, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports. It also offers several dozen entertainment and news channels, including everything from HGTV for home living shows to CBS News for the latest headlines.
What are Fubo’s features?
With a Fubo subscription, you can stream on up to 10 different devices at the same time on your own home network. The supported device list includes almost all major devices, like Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, smart TVs, Android and iOS mobile devices, and Xbox game consoles. You also get the aforementioned 1,000 hours of DVR storage.
Sling TV is the best YouTube TV alternative for value for your money.
Next up on our list of YouTube TV alternatives, we have Sling TV. Arguably one of the best value-for-your-money options on the cable alternative market right now, Sling TV offers a good amount of channels with a nice mixture of sports, news, and entertainment content, all for a much lower price than YouTube TV.
What is Sling TV’s pricing?
With Sling TV, you can pick between the Orange and Blue plans, or you can bundle them together and get everything with the Orange + Blue package. The Orange plan is more sports-focused and includes ESPN, while the Blue plan is more of a mixture of news and family content.
What content does Sling TV have?
In terms of channels, Sling TV can offer over 50 channels with the full Orange + Blue package. Otherwise, you'll get about 30+ channels with Orange or 45+ with Blue. Top channels include ESPN, Fox, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, as well as entertainment channels like Cartoon Network and Comedy Central.
What are Sling TV’s features?
In terms of features and devices, Sling TV works on a wide range of devices like Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android, iOS, LG smart TVs, and Xbox One game consoles. It can support up to three simultaneous streams but struggles in DVR, with just 50 hours by default. Sling TV does also have an on-demand library with over 10,000 hours of shows and movies.
Philo is the best YouTube TV alternative for budget subscribers.
If you'd prefer a budget-friendly alternative to YouTube TV, look no further than Philo. This is one of the cheapest options for cord-cutters, with monthly fees less than half that of competitors. Philo comes with an impressive array of channels and some useful features, too.
What is Philo’s pricing?
The best thing about Philo is its pricing, making it one of the cheapest YouTube TV alternatives out there. There's only one payment plan, too, so you don't need to pick between different plans or worry about upgrades and add-ons when signing up for this service.
What content does Philo have?
In terms of content, Philo is a little lacking compared to YouTube TV in some areas. In order to keep its monthly cost low, Philo doesn't include any sports or local news networks. However, it still offers more than 70 channels, including A&E, AMC, Paramount Network, Comedy Central, Discovery, and History Channel, so you can enjoy a nice mix of drama, comedy, and documentaries.
What are Philo’s features?
Philo runs on a small but ever-growing range of devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. It'll run on some smart TVs, too, as well as the latest Android and iOS devices. You can run up to three simultaneous streams on Philo, which is the same as YouTube TV, and it offers "unlimited" DVR with recordings that last for 30 days.
Hulu + Live TV is the best YouTube TV alternative for variety and on-demand content.
If you're looking for something similar to YouTube TV in terms of channels and content, but want more versatility in terms of how you consume that content, consider Hulu + Live TV. This service includes both Hulu's on-demand streaming service with tens of thousands of hours of programming, as well as dozens of live TV channels.
What is Hulu + Live TV’s pricing?
Hulu + Live TV is one of the most similar streaming services to YouTube TV, and it has a similar price point, too. There are only two tiers: ad-supported and ad-free, and both include access to 90+ live channels, Hulu's on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+. There are also a few optional add-ons you can consider for even more entertainment.
What content does Hulu + Live TV have?
Hulu + Live TV offers a very similar selection of channels compared to what you can get with YouTube TV. So, if you're switching from YouTube TV to Hulu + Live TV, you'll be able to continue watching the same shows and broadcasts from networks like NBC, Fox, and CBS, along with sports networks like Fox and ESPN. It also comes with all of the Disney+ and Hulu on-demand content, with countless shows and movies to watch whenever you want.
What are Hulu + Live TV’s features?
Hulu + Live TV runs on almost all modern devices, including everything from Android and iOS phones and tablets to modern game consoles from PlayStation and Xbox, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and living room devices like Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. It supports up to two simultaneous streams, or you can pay an extra fee for unlimited streams on your home network. It also has an unlimited amount of DVR time.
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Khadija Bilal • Author
Khadija Bilal is an accomplished writer with over a decade of experience under her belt. Having developed a versatile writing style that allows her to tackle a wide range of topics, Khadija has several publications to her name. Khadija’s expertise includes in-depth guides and how-to articles.
Lisa Holden • Editor
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.