A few years ago, I did a side-by-side comparison of streaming TV services; since then, a lot has changed. So, it's time for an update. One of the biggest changes from my previous video is price. That's what I will start with.
One thing I have included is the price per channel. This is a rough estimate because most of these services don't provide the exact number of channels. For example, Youtube TV has 100+ as its channel count, while Philo has 60+. So, I use those numbers for my calculation.
The cheapest option is Philo. However, it's cheap because it doesn't have any local channels or sports channels. It has some news channels but not the big three: CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Philo charges roughly 42 cents per channel. The next cheapest is Sling. Sling does come with the big three news channels. However, offerings vary by plan.
The cheapest option is Philo. However, it's cheap because it doesn't have any local channels or sports channels. It has some news channels but not the big three: CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Philo charges roughly 42 cents per channel. The next cheapest is Sling. Sling does come with the big three news channels. However, offerings vary by plan.
Sling has two plans: Blue and Orange. You can pay extra to get both. The Blue plan is the most generous, with 41 channels, while Orange has only 31. Blue and Orange combined offer 47 channels, so obviously, there is a lot of channel overlap. Sling Orange has ESPN, while Blue doesn't. It's actually very easy to switch between plans. For example, if you signed up for Blue but want to watch ESPN, you can switch back and forth. I've done it a bunch of times. Sling Orange is the second most expensive option based on per-channel cost. Sling also has a bunch of add-ons like a news add-on, kids add-on, and sports add-on. Sling does offer local channels, but only NBC and Fox. However, they don't offer them in all markets, so check if they are offered in your area before signing up.
Hulu with Live TV is the most expensive, but it does come with ad-supported Hulu. It's also stingy with channels, offering only 60+ for $70 a month. Fubo TV is considered the best option for sports. It also has the second lowest per-channel cost. It's on par with Hulu and DirecTV Stream in terms of cost but offers a lot more channels. FuboTV and DirecTV Stream have multiple plans. I only included their cheapest plans here. Check the description for links to their plans.
Next is DVR space. Four of these plans offer unlimited DVR space. However, Philo offers unlimited for a year, meaning content expires when it hits the one-year point. Sling has the stingiest DVR offering with just 50 hours of space. However, you can upgrade to 200 hours for $5 a month. When the DVR fills up, the oldest content is deleted to make room for new recordings. This could be a problem if several family members are sharing the DVR. If you record a movie or show and put off watching it for a while, it may not be there when you are ready to sit down and watch. The only other limited DVR offering is from Fubo, but that is a more generous 1000 hours. Hulu with Live TV and Sling are the only services that don't offer a free trial.
Last up is simultaneous streams and the number of accounts or profiles. DirecTV Stream doesn't have profiles. However, it does offer unlimited screens at home and 3 on the go. Fubo TV is kind of confusing. If I understand correctly, all of their plans come with the Unlimited option, but that unlimited option allows viewing on up to 10 screens at home and 2 on the go. If you sign up for their Family Share add-on, you get an extra screen on the go. You can also purchase an Unlimited add-on. I don't know if that means you get an extra 10 screens for up to 20. They don't explain it very well. Fubo TV allows up to 6 profiles. With YouTube TV, you can have up to 6 accounts, each of which comes with a DVR. However, only 3 accounts can be used at the same time.
Hulu with Live TV is the most expensive, but it does come with ad-supported Hulu. It's also stingy with channels, offering only 60+ for $70 a month. Fubo TV is considered the best option for sports. It also has the second lowest per-channel cost. It's on par with Hulu and DirecTV Stream in terms of cost but offers a lot more channels. FuboTV and DirecTV Stream have multiple plans. I only included their cheapest plans here. Check the description for links to their plans.
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| Streaming TV Price Comparison |
Next is DVR space. Four of these plans offer unlimited DVR space. However, Philo offers unlimited for a year, meaning content expires when it hits the one-year point. Sling has the stingiest DVR offering with just 50 hours of space. However, you can upgrade to 200 hours for $5 a month. When the DVR fills up, the oldest content is deleted to make room for new recordings. This could be a problem if several family members are sharing the DVR. If you record a movie or show and put off watching it for a while, it may not be there when you are ready to sit down and watch. The only other limited DVR offering is from Fubo, but that is a more generous 1000 hours. Hulu with Live TV and Sling are the only services that don't offer a free trial.
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| Streaming TV DVR and Free Trial |
Last up is simultaneous streams and the number of accounts or profiles. DirecTV Stream doesn't have profiles. However, it does offer unlimited screens at home and 3 on the go. Fubo TV is kind of confusing. If I understand correctly, all of their plans come with the Unlimited option, but that unlimited option allows viewing on up to 10 screens at home and 2 on the go. If you sign up for their Family Share add-on, you get an extra screen on the go. You can also purchase an Unlimited add-on. I don't know if that means you get an extra 10 screens for up to 20. They don't explain it very well. Fubo TV allows up to 6 profiles. With YouTube TV, you can have up to 6 accounts, each of which comes with a DVR. However, only 3 accounts can be used at the same time.
When I made my video three years ago, a few of these providers had a two-screen limit. Hulu with Live TV is the only holdout. They still only allow viewing on 2 screens. You can pay $9.99 to get Unlimited screens and 3 on the go. Hulu allows up to 6 profiles. Sling TV doesn't have profiles. The Orange plan allows viewing on only one screen. The Blue Plan is more generous, allowing 3 simultaneous streams. If you pay for both, you can stream on up to 4 devices at the same time. Philo offers up to 10 profiles and allows streaming on up to 3 devices at the same time.
In my opinion, YouTube TV and Fubo TV are the two best options out of these six. They have the largest number of channels and some of the lowest per-channel costs. YouTube has the best DVR of the two, while Fubo is better for simultaneous streams. Hulu with Live TV is the most overpriced based on what you get. It's $70 for only 60+ channels and 2 simultaneous streams. Of the two cheapest options, I think Sling has broader appeal because it offers two local channels in many areas, the major news channels, and some sports options. I hope this side-by-side comparison gives you some idea of which streaming service is best for you.
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| Streaming TV Simultaneous Streams & Accounts |
In my opinion, YouTube TV and Fubo TV are the two best options out of these six. They have the largest number of channels and some of the lowest per-channel costs. YouTube has the best DVR of the two, while Fubo is better for simultaneous streams. Hulu with Live TV is the most overpriced based on what you get. It's $70 for only 60+ channels and 2 simultaneous streams. Of the two cheapest options, I think Sling has broader appeal because it offers two local channels in many areas, the major news channels, and some sports options. I hope this side-by-side comparison gives you some idea of which streaming service is best for you.
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