Best Live TV Streaming Services For Cord Cutters

id="article-body" class="row" section="article-body"> Cable TV can seem a lot like a landline phone these days: an unnecessary expense that's shackled to outdated hardware. All the cool kids and a lot of the cool grownups are cutting the cable TV cord.

kohls.comIf you want to join them but still want to keep live TV, you've come to the right place. Live TV streaming services like Sling TV and YouTube TV let you watch most if not all of your favorite TV channels -- from ABC to NBC to CNN to ESPN to Fox News to Nickelodeon -- streamed live over the internet. And they probably cost far less than you're paying the cable company for TV.

Prices start at $15 per month with no extra fees or contracts. In place of a cable box, and the monthly fee to rent it, you'll use an app on your smart TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV or game console. And you can watch at home or on the go via a phone or tablet, or even a PC browser.

Now playing: Watch this: Live TV streaming services for cord cutters: How to choose... 2:44 These services have plenty of benefits -- no more cable fees, no more contracts, yay! -- but the savings can be outweighed by other downsides such as internet fees, DVR restrictions, buffering and a lack of things to watch, especially live sports. And just like cable TV, the costs of these services just keep going up.

Read: Best TV antennas for cord-cutters, starting at just $10

With all that in mind, here's a guide to brave the new world of live TV streaming over the internet, as well as other cord-cutting options available today, starting with our favorite recommendations.

CNET may earn commissions from the services featured on this page.

Best overall
YouTube TV
Sarah Tew/CNET YouTube TV has more top channels for the base price than any competitor, including all four local channels (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC -- note that CBS is the parent company of CNET) in most areas of the country. It also has the best cloud DVR of the bunch, including unlimited storage and softest teddy bear a generous nine months to watch recordings (most are 30 days). YouTube TV's interface is no-nonsense, if a little drab, and yet it offers most of the features a cable service can give you. And unlike Sling and others, it's dead simple: one package, one price, done.

With its best-in-class channel selection and cloud DVR, YouTube TV is our favorite option for cord-cutters who want the perks of cable without the hassle. Like all premium-priced ($50-ish) services, however, its relatively high monthly fee makes it more difficult to save money over a traditional cable subscription.

Top channels not available: A&E, Comedy Central, History, Lifetime, NFL Network, Nickelodeon.

$50 at YouTube TV Read the YouTube TV review Best budget service
Sling TV
Sarah Tew/CNET Sling TV costs more than AT&T Watch TV ($15) and Philo ($20) but has better channels, more options and a better interface, so it's worth the extra money in our opinion. And it's still dirt-cheap compared to the other services, let alone cable.

Sling is cheaper than premium services like YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV because it has very few local stations. Confusingly, it also has two $25-per-month channel packages, Sling Orange and Sling Blue. While some channels are available on both, the two differ significantly with other channel offerings: Orange is basically the ESPN/Disney package, while Blue is the Fox/NBC package.

Sling's interface isn't much to look at, but it offers all of the options you need without cluttering the screen. The only real letdown is its arcane live pause and DVR exceptions (you can't record Disney-owned channels like ABC, for example). Its options are myriad, so check out Sling TV: Everything you need to know for all the details.

Top channels not available on Sling Blue: ABC, CBS, Animal Planet, Disney Channel, ESPN, Fox News, Nickelodeon. Fox and NBC only available in select major cities.

Top channels not available on Sling Orange: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Animal Planet, Bravo, CNBC, Discovery Channel, Bravo, Fox News, Fox Sports 1, FX, MSNBC, USA Network

$25 at Sling TV Read the Sling TV review Read more: YouTube TV vs. Sling TV: Which live TV streaming service is best for you?

Best for NFL fans
PlayStation Vue
PlayStation After YouTube TV the best premium option is PlayStation Vue. And if you're an NFL fan, Vue's $55/month Core package is the best choice, period. That's because it includes all of the numerous channels with live football: locals for Sunday games, ESPN for Monday Night Football and NFL Network (which isn't on YouTube TV at all) for Thursday night games. And if you stream with a PS4 or Apple TV you can get Vue's multi-view feature, which lets you watch up to 4 live channels at once. 

Despite the name you don't need a PlayStation to watch it: there's a Vue app for every major streaming device except Xbox. The service has an excellent interface, a DVR with unlimited storage and the ability to skip commercials on any show. The biggest knock is that has fewer channels than any of the Big Five, aside from Sling TV (which is much cheaper) and AT&T TV Now (which includes HBO).

Top channels not available in base package: A&E, Comedy Central, History, Lifetime, MLB Network, NFL Network, Nickelodeon

$50 at PlayStation Read the PlayStation Vue review Best ultracheap alternative
AT&T Watch TV
Sarah Tew/CNET Why is Watch TV so cheap? It lacks locals, much like Sling TV, doesn't have any dedicated sports channels and, with the exception of CNN, is missing news channels, too. And many of the shows on the channels it does have can be watched on-demand with a Hulu subscription for less. 

On the other hand, it's solid for the price. Its lineup of include 30 channels, some of which -- like AMC, HGTV, and BBC America -- are no longer available on the more expensive AT&T TV Now. The interface is fun and easy to navigate. It's available on most other major streaming platforms, except for Roku, and some AT&T wireless plan customers get it for free.

Top channels not available: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Bravo, CNBC, Disney Channel, ESPN, Fox News, Fox Sports 1, FX, MLB Network, MSNBC, NFL Network, Travel Channel, USA Network

$15 at AT&T Read the AT&T Watch TV review Best for Hulu subscribers
Hulu With Live TV
Sarah Tew/CNET With the least cable-like interface of its competitors, Hulu's greatest asset is the integration of live TV with its significant catalog of on-demand content for one price. Unfortunately, the interface frustrations apparent with the standard service are amplified once you add live TV. Another issue is that you'll have to pay another $10 per month to get the ability to skip commercials on Hulu's cloud DVR (the base cloud DVR, included, doesn't permit skipping ads). Its channel count is solid, however, and with Hulu's catalog included it's a top competitor, especially since it costs at least $5 per month less than other premium services.

Top channels not available: AMC, BBC America, Comedy Central, MLB Network, MTV, NBA TV, NFL Network, NFL Red Zone, Nickelodeon.

$45 at Hulu Read the Hulu with Live TV review Best live TV + HBO combo
AT&T TV Now
Sarah Tew/CNET Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TV Now has one major extra the other premium services lack: HBO included in the price. That means you don't have to pay another $15 per month to get it. If HBO is a must-have for you, AT&T TV Now is a very solid choice and can definitely save you money over competitors.

On the other hand, if you don't care about HBO it's not a good deal. First off, it's missing more of the top channels from its base $50 package than any competitor (although you can pay extra to get most of those channels if you want). Its DVR is also a step behind those of our top choices. The traditional-style interface is good, however, including the flipper-friendly ability to swipe left and right to change channels.

Top channels not available in base package: A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MLB Network, NFL Network, Travel Channel

$50 at AT&T Read the AT&T TV Now review Live TV streaming services compared


YouTube TV Sling TV PlayStation Vue Hulu with Live TV AT&T TV Now

Base price $50/month for 70-plus channels $25/month for 30-plus channels $50/month for 55-plus channels $45/month for 60-plus channels $50/month for 40-plus channels

Free trial Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC channels Yes, in many markets Fox and NBC only in select cities Yes, in many markets Yes, in many markets Yes, in many markets

Simultaneous streams per account 3 1 or 3 5 2 ($15 option for unlimited) 2 ($5 option for 3)

Family member/user profiles Yes No Yes Yes No

Cloud DVR Yes (keep for 9 months) Yes ($5 per month, can't record Disney or ESPN channels) Yes (keep for 28 days) Yes Yes (20GB, keep for 30 days)

Fast-forward through or skip commercials with cloud DVR Yes Yes Yes No (Yes with $15 option) Yes
How to shop for cord-cutting live TV services

Each of the services above offers a different mix of channels, so your first step should be choosing one that carries your "can't miss" cable channels and shows. And some of the most important channels are locals, namely ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. Not every service offers all of them in every area.

The services can be broken down into two main groups: budget, with prices starting at $15 but without local channels; and premium, with prices from $45 which include locals as and often other extras like a superior cloud DVR. Yes, most of the services (barring AT&T Watch TV) allow you to record and play back shows, just like a traditional cable or satellite DVR, but they often come with restrictions. 

Then there's the multistream issue. If you want to watch more than one program at the same time -- for example, on your living room TV and on a bedroom TV, or the main TV and a tablet -- you'll want to make sure the service you're watching has enough simultaneous streams. Some of the least expensive services only allow one stream at a time, and if you try to watch a second, it's blocked.

Keep in mind that, especially if you do have more than one person watching at once, you need to make sure you have fast, reliable broadband internet. A 100Mbps download service will cost around $50 to $60 a month, and here's where the savings of cutting cable can get swallowed up. 

Here's a live TV streaming shopping list to consider: 


Does the service offer your "must-have" channels? See CNET's comparison of the top 100 channels here.

Does it offer local channels in your area? See CNET's comparison of local channel access here.

How good is the cloud DVR?

Does the interface make it easy to browse for shows?

Are there enough simultaneous streams for you and your family?

Is your internet connection up to snuff? See CNET's guide to improving streaming quality here.
Hulu with Live TV

Sarah Tew/CNET Read more

Which live TV service has the best channel lineup?

Cord cutter curious? 10 considerations before you cancel cable TV

The cord-cutter's guide to the best indoor antennas

Recap: Diary of a cable TV cord cutter
What streaming TV services won't give you
Streaming TV services are great, but there are some things they can't do compared to a traditional cable box. 

First, it's worth looking at the channels that you can't get with any of these services. A big one has been PBS, as the broadcaster reportedly hadn't acquired the streaming rights to all of the shows that it airs. However, the good news is that YouTube TV will be the first to include PBS "later this year".

Another biggie is sports. Sure, most services carry ESPN and local channels for NFL football, but if you follow a professional baseball or basketball team, chances are you'll need their specific channel -- called an RSN, or regional sports network -- to watch regular season games. RSN coverage varies widely for each service.

And fans of live sports beware: every live TV service's video streaming is a few seconds to a minute or more behind the "live" stream you'll get from your local cable or satellite provider. That means you could get a preview of scores or big plays from Twitter, phone alerts or phone calls from friends slightly before you see the action on-screen.

Read more: NFL streaming: Best ways to watch football live without cable

While AT&T TV Now offers HBO as part of its base subscription, most other services either sell it as an add-on or require you to sign up separately for HBO Now. In addition, NFL Red Zone and NHL Network are either not available or only as part of a package. 

If you're used to the 5.1 surrounds offered by cable or even OTA, then you'll probably be disappointed that all of the services only include stereo sound on live broadcasts. AT&T TV Now and PlayStation Vue do include 5.1 audio on some on-demand material, though.

(Note that CNET is owned by CBS, which is a compensated programming provider on all cable, satellite and online TV services that offer CBS channels, which include Showtime, Pop, CBS Sports, and The CW, among others. CBS also owns and operates its own online service, CBS All Access, which is mentioned below.)

Other options
Philo

Price: Starts at $20 per month

Another cheap service with no sports or local channels, Philo offers bread-and-butter cable channels like AMC, Comedy Channel, Nickelodeon and BBC America. Unlike Watch AT&T, it includes a cloud DVR, but it lacks a big-name 24-hour news channel like CNN. 

Read more: This is the best cheap live-TV streaming service for cord cutters

See it at PhiloCBS All Access

Price: Starts at $6 per month

CBS All Access stands out from all of the other services as it offers live (in some cities) and on-demand from just one channel. In addition to broadcast video-on-demand it offers exclusive online content such as Star Trek: Discovery. The on-demand stuff has ads, but you can get an ad-free option for $10 a month.

See it at CBS Now playing: Watch this: How to cut the cord for $10: installing an indoor antenna 2:03 Fubo TV

Price: Starts at $55 per month

Fubo TV is a sports-centric service that also offers a number of other channels including local OTA stations (except ABC) -- and more RSNs (regional sports networks) than any other service. Especially for fans of professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams, Fubo might be the only way to watch regular-season games without cable. There's no ESPN, however, and a convoluted user interface and high price mean it's not the first service we'd choose.

See it at Fubo Don't care about live TV? More cord-cutter staples
Netflix: One of the first streaming TV services and it's so popular that it's become a catch-all term in the same way as "Magic Marker" or "Coke" in the South. Plans start at $13 a month, and it covers thousands of TV shows and movies, including original content like Daredevil and Orange Is the New Black.

See it at NetflixAmazon Prime Video: The "other" major streaming service, which is included as part of a $99 annual Prime Membership or $9 a month. The interface isn't as user-friendly as Netflix, but the service also offers shows not on its rival, including original content like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Amazon Prime also has the ability to add premium channels (HBO and Showtime and more), making it a potential one-stop shop.

See it at AmazonVudu/Movies Anywhere: A digital library (or locker) that incorporates both UltraViolet content and streaming movies and TV that are only available for purchase, like new releases.

See it at VuduIt's also worth investigating free, ad-supported services such as Roku Channel, IMDB Freedive, TuBi TV, Pluto, and Sony Crackle, which offer a wealth of content.

Sarah Tew/CNET Is an indoor or outdoor antenna a viable option?
If you have a TV in your house -- that is, a screen that incorporates a tuner -- you're part-way to cutting the cord already. An affordable indoor antenna hooked up to your TV will let you watch free TV over the air from any channel you receive in your local broadcast area. Antennas cost as little as $10. See our comparison of indoor antennas here.

You can also add a DVR such as the Amazon Fire TV Recast or TiVo Bolt OTA if you want. Then you can record those live TV antenna channels, play them back and skip commercials, just like on a standard cable TV DVR. Here's CNET's roundup of the best OTA DVRs for cord-cutters.

A solid, lower-cost alternative to live TV streaming services is the combination of an antenna for live local channels and an on-demand service such as Netflix or Hulu (which is now only $5.99 a month). That way you'll still be able to watch live programming and also have a choice of on-demand content.   

Amazon's Fire TV Recast DVR is a cord-cutting antenna user's friend.

Sarah Tew/CNET Conclusion: Try it yourself
Streaming live TV services are still in their infancy, and the industry is still in flux. Since launch, every service has increased prices by at least $5 a month, channel selections and cities with local channel access are changing all the time, and reports persist about some services losing money. While streaming is undoubtedly the future, it will be some time before both prices and the services offered settle in.

That said, if you want a cable-like experience both at home and on the go without the dead weight that a cable subscription brings, then a streaming service is worth a look. There's no contract to sign, and if you don't like the service you're on, you can easily switch. So whether you're looking for a basic package such as Sling TV or want to pay more for a deluxe experience from the likes of PlayStation Vue, there should be a streaming TV service to suit you.

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