What’s The Best Live TV Streaming Service?

These days, cutting the cord is easier than ever – even if you still want that traditional live TV experience like you’d get with an old-school cable subscription.

If you’re looking for access to broadcasts from the kinsd of channels you might watch on cable or broadcast TV – things like Cartoon Network, ESPN, news, and sports networks – you can spend less and get better flexibility and selection by going for an online live TV streaming service instead.

There are a number of different providers out there for live streaming television. They’re positioned across a range of price points, and each will include different selections of specific channels.

Here’s how to find the best streaming TV for you.

How fast does my internet need to be for live TV streaming? What’s the best type of internet connection for it?

Generally speaking, most official minimum speed recommendations from streaming services – including for live TV – tend to be surprisingly modest.

Realistically, a reasonable bottom-level minimum would probably be around 25 Mbps. That said, you’ll have an easier time with speeds higher than this – especially if you live in a household with other people who are also connected to your internet service at the same time. 

To ensure that you have enough speed to handle live TV streaming, fiber is your best option, as it offers speeds quite a bit higher than comparable cable offerings. If fiber isn’t available in your area, opt for a cable package with at least 100 Mbps.

Comparing Live TV Streaming Services: What Are My Options?

As streaming continues to overtake broadcast TV and cable as most people’s primary means of watching movies, TV shows, sports, and other content, a number of live TV streaming services have popped up that you can choose from.

These services run across a pretty wide range of price points, as well as different degrees of variety and options when it comes to content. 

Generally speaking, any one live TV service will only be able to offer a certain set of TV channels. So if you’re looking for specific channels, that will be a major factor in which service makes the most sense for you.

So what are the top options these days for live TV streaming?

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is a live television streaming service offered by venerable satellite company DirecTV. They offer a relatively large selection of different packages, at different price points with different selections of TV channels.

With prices ranging from $74.99 a month for the basic Entertainment package, to $154.99/month for the Premier option that includes several premium networks, the cost is more or less in line with what you’d expect from traditional cable. You’ll get access to anywhere from 75 to 150 channels, depending on which option you choose.

Keep in mind that if you’re a sports fan, you’ll want to make sure you choose a package that has what you’re looking for. With any DirecTV Stream plan, you’ll be able to use cloud-based DVR storage, and stream from an unlimited number of devices in your home.

If you’re looking for a good modern equivalent of cable TV, DirecTV Stream is a great choice.

Hulu Plus Live TV

One of the big first movers in the streaming industry, Hulu was also one of the first to start offering a live TV streaming service. Offering both live and on-demand TV streaming from over 90 different channels, Hulu Plus Live TV is a great alternative to cable.

Starting at $69.99/month, Hulu Plus Live TV’s pricing is quite competitive, and can be a very good deal if they have the content you’re looking for.

If you check out their offerings, you’ll notice that they offer quite a few channels. Hulu itself is owned jointly by several broadcast TV networks, so you’ll have access to the basics like ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. You’ll also get a selection of cable channels, including FX, several news networks, educational channels like The History Channel, and channels like Disney for kids’ programming.

While Hulu Plus Live TV does include the NFL Network, that’s about the extent of what you’ll get as far as sports-centric programming. For sports fans, it isn’t always necessarily the best choice for online TV.

Youtube TV

Youtube TV is another solid option for online TV streaming. At $73/month, it’s quite reasonably priced, but provides a good selection of channels and programming.

You’ll find that their channel selection overlaps with Hulu’s to some extent, but with a better selection of sports networks – including the NFL Network, NBA TV, the Golf Channel, and more. 

If you’re into sports, it also makes sense to spring for the Sports Plus add-on, which gives you access to some additional sports-centric channels.

SlingTV

SlingTV is one of the more budget-friendly options for streaming live television. At just $40/month, it offers a lower price point than many of its competitors, though that does come with a more limited overall selection of content.

SlingTV has two main packages: Sling Blue, and Sling Orange. The major difference is that Orange includes ESPN and The Disney Channel, whereas Blue instead offers a selection of Fox and Discovery owned channels. 

Philo

Like SlingTV, Philo is another budget-friendly option for live TV. Starting at just $25/month, it’s one of the most affordable live TV services out there.

With its lower price point, however, comes a smaller selection than you might find with other, pricier services. Philo doesn’t really have much in the way of sports, news networks, or access to local broadcast stations. So if you’re looking for any of those things in particular, it might not be the best fit for you.

Fubo

Fubo is a live internet TV service with a focus on sports programming. If sports is your thing, it’s a solid option. While channel availability can differ by region, you’ll have access through Fubo to quite a few cable channels, including Nickelodeon, ESPN, the NFL Network, and more. 

The best live TV service for you depends on what you want to watch, but there are a lot of great options out there.

There isn’t really a one size fits all answer as to which live TV streaming service is “best” overall. Each one offers different package options, selections of channels, and a different focus as far as what kind of programming they feature. 

Finding the perfect TV service for yourself often comes down to a combination of price point, and channel selection. If you’re into sports, you’ll want a service that offers a good selection of sports programming, and that includes the specific sports that you’re interested in. (Some services may have certain sports, but not others.) 

Other services might focus more on local broadcast access, on news, or on kids’ channels. Look for a service that fits your budget, and that also has the best selection of channels that you’d actually want to watch.

Whichever service you go with, having a fast internet connection will make a huge difference in the quality of your streaming experience. With lightning-fast fiber internet from Fidium, you’ll never have to worry about lag or buffering again. Click here to find out whether Fidium is available near you.