It’s a new year and you’re probably looking to cut costs. If you think about cut the cord or you prefer a traditional TV package, there are plenty of options to choose from. However, live TV streaming services allow you to avoid these annoying contracts. They also offer a variety of channels, a DVR, and the ability to stream sports and other content. Plus, most services let you watch on your laptop or phone.
Monthly pricing and regional sports networks can make choosing a live TV stream difficult, but here are six main services to consider (we’re not including the smaller ones): Fubo, Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV, and Hulu Plus Live TV.
It really depends on the channels, right? We looked at which platforms have the most Top 100 channels in their core lineups to help you determine which one is best for your household.
The Big Chart: comparison of the top 100 channels (updated January 2026)
The main difference between the services is the channel selection. All offer different ranges of channels at different prices.
Below is a chart showing the top 100 channels across all six services. Note that not all services have a value of 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two “basic” tiers, Orange and Blue. And if you’re wondering, I chose which “best” channels made the cut. Sorry, AXS TV, Discovery Life, GSN and Universal HD.
Fubo and NBCUniversal still have not resolved their carriage dispute, leading to a channel programming gap on Fubo. DirecTV offers signature streaming packages and its basic plan starts at $90 per month, plus fees (excluding promotional rates). YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo, and Hulu Plus Live TV plans all cost more, which affects the value of these services based on their channel lineups. With channel losses and price increases, some services may seem less attractive.
However, there are plenty of live TV streaming choices. Sling TV’s basic monthly plans cost $46 in most cities and Philo offers a small list but includes access to HBO Max and AMC Plus. But costs continue to increase and these changes are reflected in the table below where applicable.
A few additional things to know about the chart:
- Yes = The channel is available at the cheapest price level. This price is indicated next to the name of the service.
- No = The channel is not available at all on this service.
- $ = The channel is available for an additional fee, either a la carte or as part of a more expensive package or add-on.
- Regional sports networks – local channels devoted to broadcasting regular season games of particular professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams – are not listed. DirecTV $130 Tier has by far the most RSNs, but a few are available on other services. You can also consult his MySports package for $70 and Xfinity’s sports and news offering.
- Local networks ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MyNetworkTV and The CW are not available in all cities. Since the availability of these channels varies, you’ll want to check the service’s website to verify that it’s broadcasting to your local network.
- Local PBS stations are currently only available on DirecTV, Hulu Live and YouTube TV. Again, you’ll want to check local availability.
- Sling Blue Subscribers in cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York now have to pay $51 per month, but have access to local ABC, Fox and NBC channels. Customers in Houston, Fresno, California and Raleigh, North Carolina now have ABC and Fox on their Blue or Orange-and-Blue subscriptions at no additional cost. This is not reflected in the graph. Check the Sling site to see which local channels are available in your area.
- Fubo subscribers may find that the ACC Network and SEC Network are included in their plan at no additional cost. Check availability for your state.
- The chart columns are listed in order of price, so if you don’t see everything you want, try scrolling to the right.
- Overwhelmed? An easier to understand Google Spreadsheet is here.
Philo vs. Sling TV vs. Fubo vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV vs. Hulu: Top 100 Channels Comparison
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | Fubo ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of channels: | 43 | 24 | 34 | 78 | 39 | 56 | 75 |
| ABC | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox | No | No | Yes (some markets) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BNC | No | No | Yes (some markets) | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| PBS | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| C.W. | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (limited) | Yes |
| MyNetworkTV | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | Fubo ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
| A&E | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | $ | Yes |
| ACC Network | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Accuweather | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| AMC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Animal planet | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| BBC America | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| BBC World News | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | $ | No |
| BET | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Big Ten Network | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Bloomberg Television | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Boomerang | No | $ | $ | No | No | Yes | $ |
| Well done | No | No | Yes | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | Fubo ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
| Cartoon Network | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| CBS Sports Network | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Cheddar | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cinemax | No | No | No | $ | No | $ | $ |
| CMT | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CNBC | No | No | $ | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| CNN | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cooking Channel | Yes | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | $ |
| Destination America | Yes | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | $ |
| Discovery channel | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Channel | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Junior | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DisneyXD | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| E! | No | No | Yes | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN2 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNEWS | No | $ | No | Yes | $ | $ | Yes |
| ESPNU | No | $ | No | Yes | $ | $ | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | Fubo ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
| Food Network | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Business | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FS1 | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FS2 | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Free form | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Effects | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FX Movies | No | No | $ | Yes | $ | $ | Yes |
| FXX | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FOR YOUR INFORMATION | Yes | $ | $ | No | No | $ | Yes |
| Golf Channel | No | No | $ | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | $ | Yes |
| Punch | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HBO/Max | No | No | No | $ | No | $ | $ |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| History | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | $ | Yes |
| HLN | No | $ | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| IFC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Investigative discovery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lifetime | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | $ | Yes |
| Lifetime Movie Network | Yes | $ | $ | No | No | $ | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | FuboTV ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with phone live viewing ($90) |
| Magnolia Network | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | $ | Yes |
| MeTV | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| MGM+ | $ | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | No |
| MLB Network | No | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | Yes |
| Automotive trend | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| MS NOW | No | No | Yes | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| MTV | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MTV2 | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | $ | Yes | $ |
| National geographic | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Nat Géo Sauvage | No | No | $ | Yes | $ | $ | Yes |
| NBA Television | No | $ | $ | Yes | $ | $ | No |
| NFL Network | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| NFL Red Zone | No | No | $ | $ | $ | No | $ |
| NHL Network | No | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | No |
| Nickelodeon | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Nicktoons | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | $ | $ | $ |
| OWN | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | $ | Yes |
| Oxygen | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Primordial Network | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Science | Yes | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | $ |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | FuboTV ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
| SEC Network | No | $ | No | Yes | $ | $ | Yes |
| Show time | No | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Smithsonian | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Starz | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Sundance Television | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Syfy | No | No | Yes | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| Taste made | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | No |
| TBS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| TCM | No | $ | $ | Yes | No | $ | Yes |
| TeenNick | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | $ | Yes | $ |
| Teleworld | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Tennis chain | No | $ | $ | No | $ | $ | No |
| CCM | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| TNT | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Travel Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | $ | Yes |
| TruTV | No | $ | Yes | Yes | No | $ | Yes |
| television land | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| American Network | No | No | Yes | Yes | No (due to transportation dispute) | Yes | Yes |
| VH1 | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vice | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | $ | Yes |
| US TV | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Channel | Philo ($33) | Orange Slingshot ($46) | Slingshot Blue ($46) | YouTube TV ($83) | FuboTV ($85) | DirecTV ($90) | Hulu with Live TV ($90) |
Hulu Plus Live TV, which includes access to Disney Plus, Hulu On Demand, and ESPN Plus, is one of the most expensive platforms, now at $90 per month for its base plan. Its channel selection isn’t as robust as YouTube TV, but Hulu’s large catalog of on-demand content sets it apart. ABC shows like High Potential and exclusive titles like Shōgun, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building give it an advantage in terms of content.
Live TV subscribers also receive unlimited DVR including fast-forwarding and on-demand playback at no additional cost. It’s a move that brought Hulu in line with its competitors in terms of features, but channel lineup may still be a deciding factor. It’s more expensive than YouTube TV, which offers more channels, but access to Disney Plus and ESPN may make it a more attractive choice for you. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
Aside from its current distribution dispute with Disney, YouTube has an excellent channel selection, an easy-to-use interface, and the best-in-class cloud DVR. Generally, the $83 per month service is one of the best cable TV replacements. It offers a 4K upgrade add-on for an additional price, but the downside is that there isn’t much to watch at the moment unless you watch certain channels. If you don’t mind paying a little more than the Sling TVs of the world, or want to watch live NBA games, YouTube TV offers a high level of live TV streaming. Read our YouTube TV review.
If you want to save a little money and don’t worry about missing local channels, Sling TV is the best budget service. Its Orange and Blue plans start at $46 per month, and you can combine them for a monthly rate of $61 ($66 in some areas). The Orange option gives you one stream, while Blue gives you three. It’s not as comprehensive or as easy to navigate as YouTube, but with a little work, including adding an antenna or AirTV 2 DVR, it’s an unbeatable value. We’ll also add that the service offers local channels like ABC and CBS in some areas where the monthly rate is $51. Read our Sling TV review.
DirecTV’s basic streaming plan costs more than every other platform on this list except Hulu Plus Live TV, and its stiffest competition remains Hulu and YouTube TV. With its selection of channels, it is ideal for sports fans who want to watch local or national matches.
The service has its advantages, however: for example, it includes the ability to swipe left and right to change channels. Plus, it includes some channels that some other services can’t offer, including nearly 250 PBS stations nationwide. The $90 Entertainment package can meet your needs with over 90 channels and the inclusion of ESPN Unlimited. But for cord cutters who want to follow their local NBA or MLB team, DirecTV’s more expensive Choice package is a more robust live TV streaming choice because it has access to more regional sports networks than the competition. Still, you should make sure your channel is included here and not available on one of our favorite picks before you take the plunge. Read our DirecTV streaming service review.
There’s a lot to like about Fubo: It offers a wide selection of channels, and its sports focus makes it particularly appealing to soccer fans or fans of the NBA, NHL, and MLB who live in an area served by one of Fubo’s RSNs. It’s also a great choice for NFL fans, as it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, that offer NFL Network and RedZone as options. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Warner Bros. networks. Discovery, including Cartoon Network, CNN, Food Network, HGTV, TBS and TNT – especially since the latter two broadcast a lot of sports content, particularly MLB, NBA and NHL. Its current dispute with NBCU is leading to more channel losses (no ABC, Bravo, etc.). These missing channels and the base package’s $85 price tag make it less appealing than YouTube TV for most viewers. Read our Fubo review.
Philo’s Core plan now costs $33 and includes the AMC Plus and HBO Max package at no extra cost, and it’s still a cheap live TV streaming service with a variety of channels. But it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks – although BBC News and Cheddar are available. Philo offers basic TV channels like Comedy Central, Hallmark Channel and Nickelodeon, and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It’s also one of the most affordable live services that streams Paramount, Yellowstone Headquarters, and includes a cloud DVR, as well as optional add-ons from Hallmark Plus and Starz. We think most people would be better off paying a few dollars more for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo offers all the channels you want, it’s a good deal. Read our Philo review.
