All the live TV streaming services compared: Which has the best channel lineup?
id=”article-body” class=”row” section=”article-body”>
David Katzmaier/CNET
Deciding to cut the cable TV cord doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite channels. You can stream them live, including the return of sports like the NFL, NBA, MLB and PGA, as well as live news from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC or your local TV station. One way to watch live shows without cable is to connect an antenna, but your channel selection will be relatively small. If you want more options you should check out a live TV streaming service. They start at $20 per month, deliver numerous familiar live channels, features like cloud DVRs and the ability to watch not only on TVs but also on phones, tablets and computers.
Six major services are available today: Google’s YouTube TV, Disney’s Hulu Plus Live TV, Dish Network’s Sling TV, AT&T’s TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now, not to be confused with AT&T TV), Philo and FuboTV. Our full live-TV streaming guide has all the details about prices and features, but really, it’s all about the channels.
Read more: NFL streaming: Best ways to watch the 2020 football season live without cable
The big chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated for September 2020)
The main difference between the services is their channel lineups. All of them offer different slates of channels for various prices.
Below you’ll find a chart that shows the top 100 channels across all six services. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two different “base” tiers, Orange and Blue. And if you’re wondering, I chose which “top” channels made the cut. Sorry, AXS TV, Discovery Life, GSN and Universal HD.
This article is updated periodically as channel packages, prices and other information changes. For example, YouTube TV’s price hike to $65 took effect July 31 and most of its new channels are available now, while Fubo TV increased its base price to $60 on Aug. 1 and added ABC, Disney and ESPN channels. Those changes, as well as other recent updates like YouTube TV and Sling TV adding NFL Network and RedZone in time for the 2020 NFL season, are reflected here.
Some more stuff to know about the chart:
- Yes = The channel is available on the cheapest pricing tier. That price is listed next to the service’s name.
- No = The channel isn’t available at all on that service.
- $ = The channel is available for an extra fee, either a la carte or as part of a more expensive package or 우리카지노사이트 add-on.
- Regional sports networks — channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball and 인터넷카지노추천 hockey teams (once games resume) — are not listed.
- ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, 바카라사이트 MyNetworkTV and The CW networks are not available in every city and availability of these local channels varies per service. (Editors’ note: CNET is owned by ViacomCBS.)
- PBS is only currently available on YouTube TV.
- The chart columns are arranged in order of price, so if you can’t see everything you want, try scrolling right.
- Overwhelmed? An easier-to-grok Google Spreadsheet is here.
Philo vs. Sling TV vs. YouTube TV vs. Hulu vs. AT&T TV Now vs. FuboTV: Top 100 channels compared
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total channels: |
39 |
26 |
38 |
60 |
45 |
65 |
76 |
ABC |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
CBS |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Fox |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
NBC |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
PBS |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
CW |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
MyNetworkTV |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
A&E |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
No |
ACC Network |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
No |
$ |
Yes |
AMC |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Animal Planet |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
BBC America |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
BBC World News |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
BET |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Big Ten Network |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Bloomberg TV |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
No |
No |
Boomerang |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Bravo |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
Cartoon Network |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
CBS Sports Network |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Cheddar |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Cinemax |
No |
No |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
CMT |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
CNBC |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
CNN |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Comedy Central |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Cooking Channel |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
No |
Destination America |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
No |
Discovery Channel |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Disney Channel |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Disney Junior |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Disney XD |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
DIY |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
No |
E! |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
EPIX |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
No |
$ |
ESPN |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
ESPN 2 |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
ESPNEWS |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
ESPNU |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
Food Network |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Fox Business |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Fox News |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Fox Sports 1 |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Fox Sports 2 |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Freeform |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
FX |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
FX Movies |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
FXX |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
FYI |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
No |
Golf Channel |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Hallmark |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
HBO/HBO Max |
No |
No |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
HGTV |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
History |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
No |
HLN |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
IFC |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Investigation Discovery |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Lifetime |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
No |
Lifetime Movie Network |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
No |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
|
MLB Network |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
Motor Trend |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
MSNBC |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
MTV |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
MTV2 |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
National Geographic |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Nat Geo Wild |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
NBA TV |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
NBC Sports Network |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Newsy |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
NFL Network |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
NFL Red Zone |
No |
No |
$ |
No |
No |
$ |
$ |
NHL Network |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
Nickelodeon |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Nick Jr. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Nicktoons |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
OWN |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Oxygen |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Paramount Network |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
Science |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
No |
SEC Network |
No |
$ |
No |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
Showtime |
No |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
Smithsonian |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Starz |
No |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Sundance TV |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Syfy |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Tastemade |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
TBS |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
TCM |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Telemundo |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Tennis Channel |
No |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
$ |
Yes |
TLC |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
TNT |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Travel Channel |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
TruTV |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
TV Land |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
USA Network |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
VH1 |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Viceland |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
$ |
Yes |
No |
Weather Channel |
No |
No |
No |
No |
$ |
Yes |
No |
WE tv |
Yes |
$ |
$ |
No |
$ |
Yes |
Yes |
Channel |
Philo ($20) |
Sling Orange ($30) |
Sling Blue ($30) |
Hulu with Live TV ($55) |
AT&T TV Now ($55) |
Fubo TV ($60) |
YouTube TV ($65) |
You must be logged in to post a comment Login