YouTube TV vs. Fubo vs. Hulu Live vs. Sling and More: Comparing the Top Live 100 Channels

YouTube TV vs. Fubo vs. Hulu Live vs. Sling and More: Comparing the Top Live 100 Channels

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Watching live TV without a cable or satellite subscription is totally possible, even if it feels like a hassle just to figure out sports streaming. With cable and satellite costs going up, cord-cutters (and cord-nevers) have plenty of options.

Live TV streaming services or skinny bundles come with perks like a broad mix of channels, DVR and no long-term commitments. You can stream sports and more, and many also let you watch on your laptop or phone. 

Choosing a service can be tricky because of pricing and regional sports networks, but there are six main platforms to consider (we’re not including smaller ones): Fubo, Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV.  

It really boils down to the channels, right? We’ve looked at which platforms carry the most top 100 channels in their main lineups to help you decide which one is best for your household.

The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated Sept. 2025)

The main difference between the services is their channel selection. All of them offer different lineups of channels for various prices. 

Below, you’ll find a chart that shows the top 100 channels across all six services. Note that not every service has a worthy 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two “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.

DirecTV offers signature streaming packages and its basic plan starts at $90 a month with fees (without the promo rates). YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo and Hulu Plus Live TV’s plans all cost more now, affecting the value of these services based on their channel lineups. Don’t forget Fubo’s big loss of Warner Bros. Discovery channels such as Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Magnolia Network OWN and TLC, which may make it less appealing.

However, there are numerous live TV streaming choices available. Sling TV’s basic monthly packages are $46 in most cities and Philo offers a small roster but packages AMC Plus access with it. But costs continue to go up and those changes are reflected in the chart below where applicable. 

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 add-on.
  • Regional sports networks — local channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball and hockey teams — are not listed. DirecTV’s $130 tier has the most RSNs by far but a few are available on other services. You can also check out its MySports package for $70 and Xfinity’s sports and news offering.
  • Local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MyNetworkTV and The CW networks are not available in every city. Because the availability of these channels varies, you’ll want to check the service’s website to verify that it carries your local network.
  • Local PBS stations are only currently available on DirecTV, Hulu Live and YouTube TV. Again, you’ll want to check local availability.
  • Sling Blue subscribers in cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City must now pay $51 per month, but have access to local ABC, Fox and NBC channels. Customers in Houston, Fresno, California, and Raleigh, North Carolina, now have ABC and Fox on their Blue or Orange-and-Blue subscriptions at no extra charge. This is not reflected in the chart. Check Sling’s site to see which local channels are available in your area.
  • Fubo subscribers may find that the ACC Network and SEC Network are included with their package at no extra cost. Check availability for your state.
  • 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-understand Google Spreadsheet is here.

Philo vs. Sling TV vs. Fubo vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV vs. Hulu: Top 100 channels compared

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Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) Fubo ($85) DirecTV ($90)
Total channels: 42 24 35 78 75 46 55
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 Yes Yes No Yes
CW No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes (limited)
MyNetworkTV No No No Yes Yes No Yes
Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) Fubo ($85) DirecTV ($90)
A&E Yes Yes Yes No Yes No $
ACC Network No $ No Yes Yes Yes $
Accuweather Yes No No No No Yes Yes
AMC Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Animal Planet Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes
BBC America Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
BBC World News Yes $ $ Yes No No $
BET Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Big Ten Network No No $ Yes Yes Yes $
Bloomberg TV No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Boomerang No $ $ No $ No Yes
Bravo No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) Fubo ($85) DirecTV ($90)
Cartoon Network No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
CBS Sports Network No No No Yes Yes Yes $
Cheddar Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cinemax No No No $ $ No $
CMT Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
CNBC No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
CNN No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Comedy Central Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cooking Channel Yes $ $ No $ $ $
Destination America Yes $ $ No $ $ $
Discovery Channel Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 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
E! No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
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 ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) Fubo ($85) DirecTV ($90)
Food Network Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Fox Business No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
Fox News No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
FS1 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
FS2 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 $ $
FXX No No $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
FYI Yes $ $ No Yes No $
Golf Channel No No $ Yes Yes Yes $
Hallmark Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
HBO/Max No No No $ $ No $
HGTV Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
History Yes Yes Yes No Yes No $
HLN No $ Yes Yes Yes No Yes
IFC Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Investigation Discovery Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Lifetime Yes Yes Yes No Yes No $
Lifetime Movie Network Yes $ $ No Yes No $
Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) FuboTV ($85) DirecTV ($90)
Magnolia Network Yes $ $ Yes Yes No $
MGM+ $ $ $ $ No No $
MLB Network No $ $ No Yes $ $
Motor Trend Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes
MSNBC No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MTV Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
MTV2 Yes $ $ Yes $ $ Yes
National Geographic No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Nat Geo Wild No No $ Yes Yes $ $
NBA TV No $ $ Yes No $ $
NFL Network No No Yes Yes Yes Yes $
NFL Red Zone No No $ $ $ $ No
NHL Network No $ $ No No $ $
Nickelodeon Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Nick Jr. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $
Nicktoons Yes $ $ Yes $ $ $
OWN Yes No No Yes Yes No $
Oxygen No No $ Yes Yes Yes $
Paramount Network Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
Science Yes $ $ No $ $ $
Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) FuboTV ($85) DirecTV ($90)
SEC Network No $ No Yes Yes $ $
Showtime No $ $ $ $ $ $
Smithsonian Yes No No Yes Yes Yes $
Starz $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Sundance TV Yes $ $ Yes No No Yes
Syfy No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Tastemade Yes $ $ Yes No Yes $
TBS No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
TCM No $ $ Yes Yes No $
TeenNick Yes $ $ Yes $ $ Yes
Telemundo No No No Yes Yes Yes $
Tennis Channel No $ $ No No $ $
TLC Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
TNT No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Travel Channel Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No $
TruTV No $ Yes Yes Yes No $
TV Land Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
USA Network No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
VH1 Yes $ $ Yes Yes Yes Yes
Vice Yes Yes Yes No Yes No $
WE tv Yes $ $ Yes No No Yes
Channel Philo ($28) Sling Orange ($46) Sling Blue ($46) YouTube TV ($83) Hulu with Live TV ($83) FuboTV ($85) DirecTV ($90)

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James Martin/CNET

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Hulu Plus Live TV, which includes access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, now costs $83 a month for its base package. Its channel selection isn’t as robust as YouTube TV, yet Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as Shōgun, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building give it a content advantage no other service can match. 

Live TV subscribers also receive unlimited DVR that includes fast-forwarding and on-demand playback — at no additional cost. It’s a move that has aligned Hulu with its competitors in terms of features, but the channel lineup may still be a deciding factor. It’s the same price as YouTube TV, which has more channels, but the access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus may make it a more appealing choice for you. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.

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James Martin/CNET
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With an excellent channel selection, easy-to-use interface and best-in-class cloud DVR, the $83 per month YouTube TV is one of the best cable TV replacements. It offers a 4K upgrade add-on for an additional price, but the downside is there isn’t much to watch at present unless you watch select channels. If you don’t mind paying a bit more than the Sling TVs of the world, or want to watch live NBA games, YouTube TV offers a high standard of live TV streaming. Read our YouTube TV review.

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Sarah Tew/CNET
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If you want to save a little money and don’t mind missing out on local channels, Sling TV is the best of the budget services. Its Orange and Blue packages start at $46 per month, and you can combine them for a monthly rate of $61 ($66 in some regions). The Orange option nets you one stream, while Blue gives you three. It’s not as comprehensive or as easy to navigate as YouTube, but with a bit of work, including adding an antenna or an AirTV 2 DVR, it’s an unbeatable value. We’ll also add that the service offers local channels such as ABC and CBS in some regions where the monthly rate is $51. Read our Sling TV review.

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Zooey Liao/ CNET
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DirecTV’s base signature streaming package costs more than all the other platforms on this list and its stiffest competition is still Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV. With its channel selection, it’s ideal for sports fans who want to watch local or national games. 

The service does have its benefits, though — for example, it includes the flipper-friendly ability to swipe left and right to change channels. Additionally, it includes some channels that some other services can’t, including nearly 250 PBS stations nationwide. The $90 Entertainment with sports package may suit your needs with its 90-plus channels. But for cord-cutters who want to follow their local NBA or MLB team, DirecTV’s pricier Choice package is a more robust live TV streaming pick because it has access to more regional sports networks than the competition. Nonetheless, you’ll want to make sure your channel is included here and not available on one of our preferred picks before you pony up. Read our DirecTV streaming service review.

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Ty Pendlebury/CNET
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There’s a lot to like about Fubo – it offers a wide selection of channels and its sports focus makes it especially attractive to soccer fans or NBA, NHL and MLB fans who live in an area served by one of Fubo’s RSNs. It’s also a great choice for NFL fans because it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, that offer NFL Network and optional RedZone. As of February 2025, Fubo is charging more for its service and access to Bally Sports RSNs. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Warner Bros. Discovery networks, including Cartoon Network, CNN, Food Network, HGTV, TBS and TNT – especially as the latter two carry a lot of sports content, in particular MLB, NBA and NHL. Those missing channels, and the $85 price tag for the base plan, make it less attractive than YouTube TV for most viewers. Read our Fubo review.

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Sarah Tew/CNET
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Philo costs $28 for new subscribers and now includes the AMC Plus bundle, and it’s still a cheap live TV streaming service with a variety of channels. But it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks – although BBC news and Cheddar are available. Philo offers bread-and-butter cable staples like Comedy Central, Hallmark Channel and Nickelodeon, and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It’s also one of the cheapest live services that streams Paramount, home of Yellowstone, and it includes a cloud DVR and optional add-ons from Epix and Starz. We think most people are better off paying a few bucks more for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.

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