The Best Live TV Streaming Services in 2024
Our Top Live TV Streaming Service Picks
Best for Live TV Streaming Quality
Hulu + Live TV
Review Rating
Price Range: $75.99- $89.99 per month
Best for Live Regional Sports
DIRECTV
Review Rating
Price Range: $84.99 – $190.98 per month
Best for Simple Live TV Packages
Sling TV
Review Rating
Price Range: $40 – $45 per month
While many of us cord-cutters have decided to cut cable from our lives, we still need live TV to watch sports or network shows in real time. Live TV streaming services fill that gap, providing all the benefits of cable without any of the headaches. A majority of these services allow you to sign up and cancel at any time. You also don’t need special equipment — any smart TV or streaming box will do. While traditional streamers like Netflix and Hulu have thousands of hours of on-demand content, certain live TV streaming services don’t. Most, however, have DVR storage, allowing you to record your favorite shows to watch whenever you want.
Although the number of live TV streaming services doesn’t stack up to on-demand streaming services, navigating all the options can be tricky. That’s why we’ve picked the best of the best, so you can spend more time watching.
The Best Live TV Streaming Services in 2024
- Hulu + Live TV
- DIRECTV
- fuboTV
- Sling TV
- Philo
- YouTube TV
1. Hulu + Live TV
Best for Live TV Streaming Quality
Overview
Price Range: $75.99 – $89.99 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: 2
Free Trial: None
Pros
- Unlimited DVR included
- Access to original and licensed content on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+
- Upgrade to ad-free plan available
- Premium add-ons such as NFL RedZone
Cons
- Pricer than most competitors
- Only two simultaneous streams
No matter how you look at it, Hulu + Live TV is the best of the bunch. Not only do you have access to over 90 live channels right at your fingertips, but you can bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+. In other words, on top of watching live TV, you can browse through the on-demand libraries on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. Whether you want to watch the best FX has to offer on Hulu, catch up on Star Wars shows on Disney+, or watch your favorite team play on ESPN+, you can do it all under one subscription. What’s more, you can add premium services like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, unlimited screens, and channel bundles.
2. DIRECTV
Best for Live Regional Sports
Overview
Price Range: $84.99 – $190.98 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: 2-3
Free Trial: 5 days
Pros
- Over 30 regional sports networks
- 4K streaming quality for live sports
- Unlimited simultaneous DVR
- Unlimited devices at home
Cons
- Pricy packages
- Slow loading times
DIRECTV is made for avid sports fans. You don’t need to install a dish on your rooftop like in the old days. Instead, you just need internet service to watch your favorite live TV programming. Across its various packages, DIRECTV bundles different sports channels, with the most expensive one offering over 140 channels. The cheapest bundle is more expensive — or as expensive — as other live streaming services, but the sheer amount of sports channels is unmatched.
3. fuboTV
Best for Spanish Programming
Overview
Price Range: $32.99 – $99.99 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: Up to 10 screens
Free Trial: 7 days
Pros
- Access to most major sports leagues, like NFL, NBA, and MLB
- Up to 10 simultaneous streams at home
- Separate plan for Spanish-language programming
- Access to most major soccer leagues and tournaments
Cons
- Limited DVR
- 4K not included in cheapest plan
fuboTV is home to soccer fans. With access to the Premier League, Champions League, Ligue 1, Liga MX, MLS, and others, you’ll never be without a soccer game — or any sports game, for that matter — to watch. The Latino plan includes many of the soccer channels you need (soccer is better in Spanish, after all), plus other Spanish-language programming. While DVR storage isn’t unlimited, fuboTV is generous with simultaneous streams. If you aren’t convinced, fuboTV offers a seven-day free trial.
4. Sling TV
Best for Simple Live TV Packages
Overview
Price Range: $40 – $45 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: 1-4
Free Trial: None
Pros
- Affordable and customizable plans
- Straightforward plans
- Local networks
Cons
- Local networks available only in select markets
- Limited DVR storage
Sling TV doesn’t offer the most channels, but it does offer plans with a curated selection of channels. If there’s one thing you can count on with Sling TV, it’s that its plans don’t change frequently. You’re presented with the same plans with some overlap if you choose to bundle both. Sling TV is a sweet middle ground if you don’t want extensive packages with expensive pricing or cheap plans with hardly any essential features. If you just want access to essential channels, this is the service for you.
Read our Sling TV review.
5. Philo
Best for Those on a Budget
Overview
Price Range: $25 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: 3
Free Trial: 7 days
Pros
- Most affordable live TV streaming service
- Over 70 live channels
- Free unlimited DVR storage for 12 months
- Additional free channels included
Cons
- Live sports channels are almost nonexistent
- No major networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX
For those on a budget who don’t care much about watching live sports, Philo is the ideal option. At only $25 per month (this hasn’t changed for years), the service offers the best deal in the industry, with a selection of over 70 live channels and more than 70,000 on-demand titles. New subscribers also get 12 months of free unlimited DVR storage. The downside is the gaps in content available. There are no networks on the service, so you’ll need to find another way to watch local sports, your favorite sitcoms, or police procedurals. The other ding against this service is the lack of sports channels, with the only live sports channel being beIN Sports Xtra.
Read our Philo review.
6. YouTube TV
Best for NFL Sports Fans
Overview
Price Range: $34.99 – $72.99 per month
Simultaneous Device Streams: 3
Free Trial: 7 days
Pros
- NFL Sunday Ticket
- Robust channel lineup
- Unlimited DVR
- User-friendly interface on all devices
Cons
- Can’t bundle with YouTube Premium
- 4K streaming quality costs extra
YouTube TV keeps it simple and customizable for the user with a ton of add-ons. Whether you want access to premium channels, Spanish-language channels, or sports channels, you can customize your plan. Putting all 4K streaming behind a paywall isn’t great, but it’s nice to have the option at least. The crown jewel of YouTube TV, however, is the NFL Sunday Ticket. With the base plan and a subscription to the NFL Sunday Ticket, you can watch every out-of-market NFL game — meaning NFL games not in your regional market. If you want to catch all the action on the gridiron any given Sunday, YouTube TV makes it possible.
Live TV Streaming Service Comparison
Need a top-down view of the best live TV streaming services? Check out the chart below.
| Service | Price range | Simultaneous streams | Channels** | Major networks | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV | $75.99 – $89.99 per month | 2 | 95+ | Yes | None |
| DIRECTV | $84.99 – $190.98 per month | 2-3 | 140+ | Yes | 5 days |
| fuboTV | $32.99 – $99.99 per month | Up to 10 | 250+ | Yes | 7 days |
| Sling TV | $40 – $45 per month | 1-4 | 40+ | No | No |
| Philo | $25 per month | 3 | 70+ | No | 7 days |
| YouTube TV | $34.99 – $72.99 per month | 3 | 100+ | Yes | 7 days |
Live TV Streaming Service Honorable Mentions
While on-demand streamers’ bread and butter is original and licensed content, some do provide access to live TV streaming. For example, Peacock and Paramount+ offer live TV, allowing viewers to watch local NBC and CBS channels live, respectively.
When it comes to sports, Amazon Prime Video exclusively airs Thursday Night Football live, Apple TV airs MLS games through the MLS season pass, and F1 TV airs live Formula 1 races.
Our Review Process
In order to provide a definitive guide on the best live TV streaming services, our team spent over 100 hours testing out these services. The CordCutting.com team has also spent countless hours watching, critiquing, and writing about the best TV series and films to offer readers insight into what is worth watching. The top live TV streaming services chosen above were ordered based on price, channel availability, included features, free trials, and simultaneous streams.
For reviews on the live TV streaming services mentioned, watch our videos.
Frequently Asked Questions About Live TV Streaming Services
What is the cheapest way to watch live TV?
The cheapest way to watch live TV is to use an over-the-air antenna. However, channel availability and stability will vary depending on your location, and you’ll have access to local channels only. Among the live TV streaming services available, the most affordable is Philo, which costs $25 per month for access to over 70 channels.
Is live streaming better than cable?
Yes, because you can cancel a live TV streaming service at any time through an app or online portal — no customer service representatives to give you the runaround. You also don’t have to pay a monthly fee for a box or remote. Live TV streaming services work on most internet-connected devices.
What are the disadvantages of streaming TV?
Because live TV streaming services rely on the internet, you won’t be able to watch it if the internet goes out. You might also run into a situation in which a certain service has networks that another one doesn’t, leaving you with a hard decision if you need these networks but can’t afford more than one live TV streaming service.
Is there a way to stream live TV for free?
You can stream live TV for free on services such as Plex, Roku, and Sling Freestream, though the channel selection may be very limited.
What is the best live TV streaming service for sports?
The best live TV streaming service for sports is Hulu + Live TV since it offers live sports channels in addition to ESPN+ access, where you can watch exclusive games available only to live TV subscribers. YouTube TV is the best for watching NFL games, while fuboTV is recommended for soccer fans.