The 5 Best Live TV Streaming Services You Need for 2024 (2024)

Overview

• Number of channels: 95+
• Simultaneous screens: Two
• Offline viewing: Yes

Pros

Hulu + Live TV boasts an impressive catalog of live programming and on-demand content. Sports, local news, and most of today's top networks are all available, and there's a surprisingly deep roster of award-winning exclusive shows, including The Handmaid's Tale, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, and more. You'll also find exclusive movies, like Prey and Fire Island available on-demand. Plus, you'll have full access to the complete Disney+ library and an array of sports programming on ESPN+.

Cons

Several sought-after features are only accessible as premium add-ons, such as more than two simultaneous streams or premium channels like SHOWTIME and STARZ. As of 2024, Hulu also has a subscription option that includes Max. Once you add up all the extras, you may find out you're spending as much as you did on cable.

What to watch on Hulu + Live TV

Live sports are a big draw of Hulu + Live TV, and you can watch most of your favorite teams across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. Aside from that, we'd recommend checking out originals such as Palm Springs, Shōgun, A Murder at the End of the World, Nine Perfect Strangers,A Teacher, and more. You'll also be able to watch many TV shows from major networks like ABC and FX when they stream the next day after airing live. That's right, that includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise.

• Number of channels:190+
• Simultaneous screens: Unlimited (10 at home)
• Offline viewing:No

Pros

Fubo was designed for sports lovers. This streaming platform reserves a hefty chunk of its 190+ channels for professional and collegiate leagues. If you're a cord-cutter who doesn't want to give up live sports, this is your answer. Fubo has essential channels like ESPN and ESPN2, but that's just the beginning. You'll also find NBCGolf, FS1, Big 10 Network, and even Fubo's own sports network. It also is one of the only streaming services to have Bally Sports networks.

You'll enjoy your other cable standards, like HGTV, MSNBC, Disney Channel, FX, and more. Fubo also offers a seven-day free trial and streaming on up to 10 screens on the same home network.

Fubo also has a number of different tiers depending on how many channels you're looking to have in addition to local channels. Users can have upwards of 300 channels total.

Cons

With Fubo, there's no offline viewing, so if you're on the go with no internet, you won't be able to watch anything. There also might be restrictions on your local access channels. The live TV streaming service notes that regional restrictions apply to broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, and Fox.

What to Watch on Fubo

Fire up this live TV app so you can watch sports, sports, and more sports. You'll get ESPN, ESPN2, The Golf Channel, FS1, NFL Network, and more. Fubo offers access to just about any sport you want to watch, including NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, along with major sports events like the Super Bowl and the Triple Crown.

• Number of channels: 45+
• Simultaneous screens: One to three
• Offline viewing: No

Pros

Sling TV's Orange and Blue plans make it possible to narrow down your channel selection to better fit your interests and budget. You can also purchase both plans for just $30/month right now. Sling TV offers 50 hours of DVR storage to hold all your recorded episodes and it's compatible with a number of popular devices, like Roku, Apple TV, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, and Google Chromecast.

One particularly unique feature that Sling has is Watch Party. Even if your friends or family members don't have Sling, you can invite up to three guests to a Watch Party and view your favorite shows together online. Sling also features numerous add-ons that allow you to further customize your service with sports, news, family, and other programming.

Sling also frequently offers a promotion of sorts, drastically lowering the price of Orange, Blue, and the combined Orange + Blue plan. The price seems to change week after week, but typically, the best plans we've seen at Sling is when they're half off.

Cons

Channel selection is Sling's biggest weakness, with Sling Blue at 46 channels and Sling Orange at 34 channels. Even when you get the combined Sling Orange & Blue plan for 53 channels, you still aren't getting nearly as many channels you would with other streaming platforms like Hulu or DIRECTV STREAM. It's also hard to come by local programming, as not all local channels are available in all markets. Sling TV also doesn't offer offline viewing.

What to watch on Sling TV

There are plenty of popular channels on Sling Blue like FX, FS1, and USA Network. Sling Orange carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, and Disney. Both plans offer staple networks like CNN, Comedy Central, HGTV, and more.

• Number of channels:90+
• Simultaneous screens: Up to 20
• Offline viewing: No

Pros

If you're strictly looking to replace cable, DIRECTV STREAM is a great choice. You'll get many of the channels you had with your cable plan — including sports networks to watch NFL, MLB, and NBA games — plus unlimited DVR space. The DVR function also allows you to fast-forward, pause, and rewind. The price clocks in around what most cable packages might cost, though it is now one of the most expensive options. There are also three more tiers after the bottom tier, offering up to 185+ channels total.

Cons

DIRECTV STREAM is a great option, but it does get pricy if you want more channels. The Choice package goes for $99/month, the Ultimate package for $110/month, and the Premier for $155/month. Prices this high might make it seem like paying for cable is the better option.

What to Watch on DIRECTV STREAM

Most anything you'd watch on cable is also available on DIRECTV STREAM. You have access to local programming on channels like ABC, NBC, and Fox, as well as cable faves like Disney, Discovery, and Food Network. You can also enter your zip code to determine what local channels you get for sports and news. You can even add on premium services like Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ, MGM+, and Cinemax. These channels are all completely free for the first three months.

• Number of channels: 70+
• Simultaneous screens: Three
• Offline viewing:No

Pros

Philo is one of the most budget-friendly streaming services with live TV. For just $28/month, you get more than 70 channels and a massive on-demand library. You can create up to 10 profiles on your Philo account, which makes it very easy to share with family and friends. You even have access to unlimited DVR, and add-ons start at just $3/month. Philo also offers a free seven-day trial, so you can explore the service before you pay anything.

Cons

Philo doesn't include local channels or sports programming. That means Philo isn't the best replacement for viewers who want to watch their favorite teams or their local news. It won't serve as a complete cable replacement like DIRECTV STREAM. Plus, despite the large catalog of on-demand content, Philo hasn't invested in original programming as Hulu has.

What to Watch on Philo

Philo offers plenty of popular channels like Discovery, Food Network, A&E, and more. Though you aren't getting local channels and sports, there's still a lot to watch among these more than 70 channels, especially for this low monthly price. The on-demand library includes more than 75,000 titles, so you won't soon run out of options for entertainment. You can also add STARZ for $10/month, MGM+ for $7/month, AMC+ for $4/month, or Philo's Movies Plus add-on for $3/month.