Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2021

Live TV streaming services replicate the traditional cable TV experience, though generally at a lower price. These offer packages of cable channels and broadcast networks and often feature an interface that looks similar to those used by major cable companies. Like cable, live TV streaming services come with digital video recorder (DVR) services, so you can record live programs and watch them later. These DVRs store shows in the cloud so you don’t need an extra piece of equipment, which you often need for recording shows from cable TV.

When it comes to starting prices, number of channels, cloud DVR storage, and more, live TV streaming services are all over the map. Our guide will explain which factors to consider and includes our unbiased rating of the Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2021.

Our Best Live TV Streaming Services Rating

#1 YouTube TV
#2 fuboTV
#2 Hulu + Live TV
#4 Sling TV
#5 Philo
#6 AT&T TV Now

The Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2021

Live TV streaming services give you the ability to watch your favorite TV networks in real time at a price that's far below most cable TV plans. You also have the choice between many more services than the normally limited selection of cable providers available in your neighborhood. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to find the right one for you. We did the work for you, comparing about a dozen services currently available using our unbiased approach to create our rating of the six Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2021.

YouTube TV: Google’s cable-replacement service YouTube TV is one of the most robust live TV streaming platforms, and it takes the No. 1 spot in our rating of the Best Live TV Streaming Services. It comes with more than 85 channels, which is one of the largest collections among the base packages in our comparison. The channel lineup typically includes major local channels (including the recently added PBS) as well as major networks such as CNN, ESPN, Comedy Central, and MTV.

YouTube TV also has one of the best cloud DVR features. It comes with unlimited storage, records three concurrent streams at a time, and keeps your recordings for nine months. Its monthly fee of about $65 is certainly cheaper than most cable TV packages, but in comparison to other live TV streaming services, it's one of the priciest. For many, though, its robust set of features and channels makes YouTube TV worth it.

Learn more in our YouTube TV review.

fuboTV: The No. 2 live TV streaming service in our rating is fuboTV. Originally created so soccer fans could watch live games, it has expanded to include a variety of other networks. Its base package of about 100 channels includes popular networks such as AMC, TLC, USA Network, and Food Network, as well as several local channels. Its different packages present a well-rounded collection of TV channels that will please every member of your household. Even with this diverse selection, fuboTV remains sports-focused, with more than three dozen sports networks in its catalog. However, ESPN channels are notably missing, as is the ability to set parental controls.

Learn more in our fuboTV review or check out the top fuboTV promo codes.

Hulu + Live TV: Also placing No. 2 is Hulu + Live TV. This combines the on-demand content from the regular Hulu service with more than 65 live and on-demand channels. Hulu stands out for its sizable collection of high-quality on-demand TV shows. It collects these from networks such as HBO ("Westworld"), Starz ("Outlander"), Fox ("Empire"), Showtime ("Penny Dreadful: City of Angels"), and its own original programs ("The Handmaid's Tale"). Its count of 65 channels is in the middle of our comparison and includes Disney Channel, ESPN channels, and USA Network. You also get most local channels and several sports channels. Hulu may not work as well for some families, though. You have to upgrade if you want to watch more than two simultaneous streams, and its parental controls can easily be thwarted.

Learn more in our Hulu review or check out the top Hulu promo codes.

Sling TV: Placing fourth in our ratings is Sling TV. It takes an a la carte approach to live TV streaming, with multiple plans, premium channel add-ons, and international packages in 20 different languages. Its $30 a month base packages are among the least expensive in our comparison, with Sling Orange offering 30-plus channels with a focus on sports and families, and Sling Blue featuring 50-plus channels that emphasize news and entertainment. Among Sling TV's channels are ESPN, CNN, Comedy Central, and Nick Jr. Premium upgrades include MTV, Disney Junior, Showtime, and Starz. Its Sports Extra package gets you NBA TV, MLB Network, and NHL Network among the 11 included channels. You won't find Disney Channel, HBO, or most local channels in its packages, however. Other drawbacks include its 10 hours of DVR storage (boosting this to 50 hours costs another $5 a month), and its user limitations: You can't create different profiles to keep everyone's viewing preferences separate.

Learn more in our Sling TV review or check out the top Sling TV coupons.

Philo: Philo places No. 5 in our ratings. It stands out among the live TV streaming services we compared for having the lowest monthly cost. In fact, you'll pay almost twice as much when subscribing to some of its rivals. You can record an unlimited amount of content on its DVR, though the recordings only stay for 30 days. You also get 10 separate profiles on each account, though there are no parental controls to keep youngsters away from inappropriate shows. The biggest tradeoff is channel selection. Its 58-channel offering is on the low side in our comparison. While you do get some top networks such as HGTV and TLC, you miss out on USA Network, TBS, and TNT, to name a few. Other notable omissions are sports channels (including ESPN) and local channels. That said, if you like its lineup of channels, or you're looking to supplement your on-demand streaming service with some live TV, Philo is a very affordable choice.

Learn more in our Philo review or check out the top Philo coupons.

AT&T TV Now: AT&T TV Now, formerly DirecTV Now, places No. 6 in our ratings. It comes with a variety of different package choices and up to 125 channels. Even the starting plan includes an agreeable mix of popular channels such as ESPN, CNN, and Nickelodeon, along with the four major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox). Upgrade to a higher plan to get more sports networks or for premium movie channels such as HBO and Cinemax. Its Óptimo Más package comes with 40-plus English channels and 50-plus Spanish channels, and three international packages offer Korean, Vietnamese, or Brazilian channels. However, with its above-average starting price and smaller collection of channels, AT&T TV Now isn't a very good value. Its plans do include lots of cloud DVR storage, but its list of compatible streaming devices doesn't include game consoles or most smart TVs.

Learn more in our AT&T TV Now review or check out the top AT&T TV promo codes.

What Is Streaming TV?

Live TV streaming services offer a hassle-free experience compared to cable TV. You don't need the additional equipment or special installation that cable and satellite TV services require. Many live TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can test them out before committing. Canceling later is also easy, as live streaming services usually bill you month to month and don't require commitment contracts like cable TV does. Lastly, streaming services don’t charge the hidden fees that increase the final cost of a cable TV bill.

You will need the following to watch a TV streaming service:

Many live streaming services also give you access to on-demand videos. Similar to how you watch Netflix, you can watch these on-demand films and TV shows whenever you choose without first recording the title. This is a helpful antidote to the "there's nothing to watch on TV" complaint. Some households get the best of both worlds by subscribing to a live TV streaming service as well as a separate on-demand streaming service. Other streaming services combine live TV with the ability to stream content on demand. Learn more about on-demand streaming in our Best On-Demand Streaming Services guide.

Before you pick a service, consider features such as the number of user profiles or the amount of cloud DVR storage. We explain these features and more in our Compare Live TV Streaming Services section below.

Compare Live TV Streaming Services

Live streaming TV services vary widely when it comes to network channels, local channels, the ability to watch live sports, and the amount of cloud DVR storage. We compare how the companies from our rating of the Best Live TV Streaming Services do in each category below.

What Is the Cheapest Live TV Streaming Service?

A monthly subscription to one of the live TV streaming services in our comparison will cost you between $20 and $65. Premium channels, international packages, and other upgrades are commonly available. One advantage of these packages is you can add on a specific group of channels (such as a set of sports networks or Spanish-language channels) and still keep your monthly costs under the price of the average cable TV bill. We recommend taking advantage of the free trial period to make sure the platform is user-friendly and its plan includes the channels and features that are important to you.

Comparing Live TV Streaming Features

Every service in our comparison comes with a cloud-based DVR, which lets you prerecord videos to watch later. Make sure you read the fine print, as some (such as YouTube TV) will store your show for months, while others (such as Philo) will delete your recording after 30 days.

Parental controls are a welcome feature for parents who want to limit the channels and types of content their kids can access. Make sure you can lock your selections with a PIN. Otherwise, tech-savvy kids can easily circumvent these settings.

User profiles create separate zones for the members of your household. They can track the last episode you watched so you can pick up where you left off or make suggestions based on your viewing preferences. If you always watch as a group, it might not be important to have more than one profile, but for families that have people with different tastes, user profiles can be very convenient.

It's common to be able to watch your live TV service from different devices at the same time, giving you the freedom to stream a football game in one room and Food Network in another. Note that some services include a limited number of streams in the base package, requiring you to upgrade if you need more.

The Best Streaming Services for Sports

For sports fans, not all live streaming services can be a direct replacement for your cable or satellite TV plan, as not all of them broadcast live sports events. The good news is that while this once used to be a major drawback to streaming live TV, many services have been able to resolve the problem so that you can keep up with your favorite team.

The best streaming service for sports is fuboTV. It's the only one in our comparison that comes with NFL Network. It also gives you access to a wide variety of other sports events as well as special events such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl.

You can watch live sports on almost every other service in our rating. However, the selection of channels differs. Similar to how some cable networks blackout certain games depending on where you live, there may still be some sports events that are unavailable.

Which Streaming Services Have Local Channels?

You can always watch your local channels by connecting an HD antenna to your TV. That said, it's much more convenient when you can watch your local channel from your streaming service, without having to exit the app. If getting access to your local networks is important to you, first check to see which channels are available in your region. Most streaming services will quickly tell you after you enter your ZIP code on their website.

Learn More

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Our 360 Methodology for Evaluating Streaming Services

The following describes our 360 approach to researching and analyzing streaming services to guide prospective customers.

1. We researched the brands and products people care most about.

U.S. News analyzed and compared publicly available internet search data to determine which streaming services consumers are most interested in. We looked at streaming services in two different subcategories: Live TV Streaming Services and On-Demand Streaming Services. We found 11 live TV streaming services and 18 on-demand streaming services that stood out in terms of volume of searches among consumers.

We then collected professional reviews from industry sources to narrow down our initial list of live-TV and on-demand streaming services to the services included in our final ratings.

2. We created objective 360 Overall Ratings based on our analysis of third-party reviews.

Our scoring methodology is based on a composite analysis of the ratings and reviews published by credible third-party professional and consumer review sources. The ratings are not based on the personal opinions, tests, or experiences of U.S. News. To calculate the ratings:

(a) We compiled two types of third-party reviews and ratings:

Professional Ratings and Reviews. Many independent industry sources have published their assessments of streaming services online. We consider several of these third-party reviews to be reputable and well-researched. However, professional reviewers often make recommendations that contradict one another. Rather than relying on a single source, U.S. News believes consumers benefit most when these opinions and recommendations are all considered and analyzed with an objective, consensus-based methodology.

Consumer Ratings and Reviews. U.S. News also reviewed published consumer ratings and reviews of streaming services. Sources with a sufficient number of quality consumer reviews ratings were included in our scoring model.

***Please note that not all professional and consumer rating sources met our criteria for objectivity. Therefore, some sources were excluded from our model.

(b) We standardized the inputs to create a common scale.

The third-party review source data was collected in a variety of forms, including ratings, recommendations, and accolades. Before including each third-party data point into our scoring equation, we had to standardize it so that it could be compared on an apples-to-apples basis with data points from other review sources. We used the scoring methodology described below to convert these systems to a comparable scale.

The 360 scoring process first converted each third-party rating into a common 0 to 5 scale. To balance the distribution of scores within each source’s scale, we used a standard deviation (or Z-Score) calculation to determine how each streaming service that a source rated was scored in comparison to the source’s mean score. We then used the Z-Score to create a standardized U.S. News score using the method outlined below:

(c) We calculated the 360 Overall Score based on a weighted-average model.

We assigned “source weights” to each source used in the consensus scoring model based on our assessment of how much the source is trusted and recognized by consumers and how much its published review process indicates that it is both comprehensive and editorially independent. The source weights are assigned on a 1-5 scale. Any source with an assigned weight less than 2 was excluded from the consensus scoring model.

Finally, we combined the converted third-party data points using a weighted average formula based on source weight. This formula calculated the consensus score for each streaming service, which we call the 360 Overall Rating.

All of the data used in our streaming service ratings were accurate as of April 9, 2020.

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