In recent years, more and more Americans are cutting the cord to save money in these high inflation times. However, cutting the cord to switch to a streaming service comes at the cost of missing cable-exclusive content like live news and sports events. But the good news is you can replace your cable TV cord with live TV streaming services. All you need is a reliable internet service to fulfill all your entertainment needs.
Some services offer the best streaming for sports events whereas others offer the best streaming for live TV with great entertainment and news options. Whatever you need, we are confident there is a streaming service out there for you. We have curated a list of the best live TV streaming services 2023, which we’re sure you will find interesting. So, let’s get started!
People often get confused between live streaming and on-demand streaming. As the word live streaming suggests, the program you are watching is live, or being aired on TV right now; the way it is when you would watch cable or satellite TV, except you are streaming it over an internet connection.
On-demand shows and movies, on the other hand, are present in the platform’s library. So Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and all examples of on-demand streaming platforms. You can watch on-demand content anytime you want whether or not it is currently being aired.
From free to paid ones, there are plenty of live TV streaming services to choose from. Here are some of the best ones:
If you are considering cutting the cord, and want the best of live TV streaming services without saying goodbye to all the channels you love, YouTube TV is what you need. YouTube TV offers two plans—Base Plan and Spanish Plan.
With the Base Plan, you get access to more than 100 live TV channels for just $50.99/mo. for the first 3 months. The regular price after that is $72.99/mo. The base plan offers an impressive range of news, sports, and entertainment channels including Fox, CNN, NBC, ESPN, ABC, CBS, Food Network, Discovery, CNN, AMC, and more.
On the other hand, the Spanish Plan offers 30+ Spanish networks, including Antena3, NTN24, TyC sports, TUDN, UNIMAS, tlnovelas, and more for $34.99/mo. Both plans offer unlimited DVR storage so you can record your favorite shows and movies to enjoy them later whenever you like.
Now, coming to the best part—if you only want to pay for a few networks, YouTube TV gives you the freedom to do exactly that. The third, rather customizable, option YouTube gives is a standalone network option. With this plan, you can pick and choose what you pay for from a select list of networks, including SHOWTIME®, NBA League Pass, and more. And of course, this plan also comes with the same appealing YouTube TV features.
Plans | Key Features | Price |
---|---|---|
Base Plan |
100+ live channels 6 household accounts and 3 streams |
$50.99/mo. For the first 3 months |
Spanish Plan |
30+ Spanish networks 6 household accounts and 3 streams |
$34.99/mo. |
If you enjoy streaming premium channels like STARZ, SHOWTIME, Max, Cinemax, and more, DIRECTV via internet is the perfect streaming service for you. DIRECTV via Internet offers four different plans starting from $69.99/mo. and going up to $159.99/mo. The plans vary by their lineup, so you can pick a plan with the channels you enjoy the most.
DIRECTV via internet offers the best channel lineup on our list with the most premium channels included. Whether you are an entertainment buff or a sports lover, you are surely going to find a DIRECTV plan that can meet your streaming needs.
Plans | Key Features | Price |
---|---|---|
ENTERTAINMENT |
75+ channels including AMC, CNN, Disney Channel, ESPN & ESPN2, Nickelodeon & more DVR service to record your movies & shows |
$69.99/mo. For 24 months plus taxes and fees. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. is extra and applies. |
CHOICE |
105+ channels including ACC Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, & more DVR service to record your movies & shows |
$84.99/mo. For 24 months plus taxes and fees. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. and Regional Sports Fee up to $13.99/mo. is extra and applies. |
ULTIMATE |
140+ channels including Discovery Family, CBS Sports Network, STARZ ENCORE, & more DVR service to record your movies & shows |
$114.99/mo. For 24 months plus taxes and fees. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. and Regional Sports Fee up to $13.99/mo. is extra and applies. |
PREMIER |
150+ channels HBO Max, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, & more DVR service to record your movies & shows |
$159.99/mo. For 24 months plus taxes and fees. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. and Regional Sports Fee up to $13.99/mo. is extra and applies. |
Hulu + Live TV offers the perfect mix of live TV and on-demand content so you can stream exciting movies, and seasons of your favorite shows, along with live news, and sports even after cutting the cord. For just $76.99/mo., you can get access to Hulu + Live TV, which brings you 85+ channels, including ABC, Fox, NBC, CNN, ESPN, TNT, TLC, HLN, & more.
What further sweetens the deal is the Hulu + Live TV package also includes ad-supported Disney Plus and ESPN Plus—a $15 value. This means you can enjoy Hulu + Disney+ + ESPN+ altogether!
Moreover, the convenience Hulu + Live TV offers is unparalleled. There are no hidden fees, equipment rental charges, or service installation appointments that will cost you money. You can even cancel the service whenever you please without any additional charges.
Plans | Key Features | Price |
---|---|---|
Hulu (with ads) + Live TV with Disney+ (With Ads) and ESPN+ (With Ads) |
85+ Live and On Demand channels Watch Hulu simultaneously on 2 screens Unlimited DVR |
$76.99/mo. |
If you are on a budget and looking for live TV streaming service options that can recreate the value cable TV offers without the high costs, Sling TV is your best bet. At $40/mo., the Sling Orange plan gives you access to 32 channels including ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT, TBS, & more. The Sling Blue plan, priced at $45/mo., brings you 42 live TV channels including Fox, SYFY, NBC, TBS, TNT, & more. If you’re a casual viewer that needs to keep up with the news and just wants to kill a little time, these packages are perfect.
However, if you want a little more, you can subscribe to Sling Orange & Blue, which gives you 46 channels at $60/mo. What further sweetens the deal is that you can enjoy each plan for half less than the regular price for your first month.
Plan | What You Get | Promo Price (for the first month) | Regular Price |
---|---|---|---|
Orange |
32 channels including ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT, TBS, & more 50 hrs. of DVR storage |
$20/mo. |
$40/mo. |
Blue |
42 channels including FOX, NBC, & ABC 50 hrs. of DVR storage |
$22.5/mo. |
$45/mo. |
Orange + Blue |
46 channels including FOX, Freeform, AMC, Bravo, E!, & more 50 hrs. of DVR storage |
$30/mo. |
$60/mo. |
fubo TV offers the best value for money when it comes to live TV streaming. If you're a soccer fan, fuboTV may be your best option because no other player in the market offers a more extensive list of games.
fuboTV gives you the choice to pick between three plans—Pro, Elite, and Premier—depending upon your streaming needs. For its Spanish audience, fuboTV also offers a Latino package. fuboTV’s most basic streaming plan offers 150+ channels with 1000 hrs. cloud DVR storage for $74.99/mo. whereas their Premier plan offers 220+ channels for $94.99/mo. If you consider the number of channels you’re getting for the price, you’ll find that Fubo TV plans offer excellent value.
Plan | What You Get | Price |
---|---|---|
Pro |
150+ channels 1000 hrs. DVR storage |
$74.99/mo. |
Elite |
210+ channels 1000 hrs. DVR storage |
$84.99/mo. |
Premier |
220+ channels 1000 hrs. DVR storage |
$94.99/mo. |
Latino |
45+ channels 250 hours DVR storage |
$24.99/mo. for first 1 month $32.99/mo. afterwards |
Free is always good, right? Pluto TV costs nothing and if you are adamant about watching live TV without paying, Pluto TV is your best legal alternative.
The programming is very limited, which may be difficult to believe—given that the platform offers more than 250 channels to stream from. The content on the service is at least five years old, but then again, having access to channels like CBSN, CNN, and NBC News more than makes up for it. Its entertainment channel lineup includes favorites like Comedy Central and MTV giving you a great cable experience.
Pluto TV also does not offer DVR capabilities and the content is not available in HD, but for no cost at all, it is not bad at all.
Live streaming TV services offer a combination of entertainment, news, and sports channels, which are perfect for cord-cutters who want to save on their cable bill without missing live TV. If you add up the contract fee, hidden charges, and price hikes, cable TV is more expensive than live TV streaming— depending on the specific service and plan you choose.
We suggest you take some time to analyze the channels you watch live regularly, so you can search for a live TV service that offers them in its packages. No matter what your budget is, you can find a live TV streaming service for your needs. From free services like Pluto TV to paid ones like Sling TV, you can choose from an assorted variety of options. Happy streaming!
fuboTV and YouTube TV have the best channel lineup out of all the live TV streaming services. However, fuboTV stands out for offering a greater number of channels and DVR cloud storage.
Pluto TV offers the most channels out of all the live-streaming services. You can access more than 250+ channels with the service being completely free of cost. Amongst the paid live TV streaming services, Fubo TV takes pride in offering the highest number of channels.