Fortunately, there are a lot of alternatives, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more. Still, these services, while great, don't give you the same thing as a cable TV subscription, such as access to local channels, network programming, and, perhaps most significantly, live sports.
Because of these shortcomings, a popular alternative is to sign up for a live TV streaming service. These give you the best of both worlds in that you can still enjoy many of the benefits of streaming while also accessing live TV. But, as is always the case, there are many options to choose from, and each service offers something slightly different at a different price point. This can make it tough to know which is right for you.
To help clear this up, we've put together this guide that includes all the relevant information about streaming live TV, as well as a review of the top options available in 2023.
If you've made it onto this page, there's a good chance you know some of the benefits of live TV streaming. Still, some of you may be wondering why you would even need to bother switching if you're going to get similar or perhaps even downgraded service (downgraded in the sense that there are fewer channels). If that's you, then take a look at the top reasons why streaming live TV is a good idea:
· Clear-cut pricing – One thing that frustrates cable subscribers is the hidden fees; promotional prices last just a short while, and then your bill goes up. Plus, there are all sorts of equipment and rental fees that can sometimes change, putting you in a perpetual state of fear that you may all of a sudden struggle to pay your cable bill. With streaming, you pay a set monthly fee, and that's it. No surprises. No shocks.
· No contracts – Most cable companies require two-year contracts that are expensive to break. But when you stream, you just pay monthly and can cancel your subscription any time you want.
· Watch wherever, whenever – So long as you have an internet connection and a device you can use to access your account, you can stream live TV wherever you are, not just in your home where the boxes are connected.
· Customize – Depending on which service you choose to sign up for, you can customize your plan so that you get only the channels you're really interested in watching. With cable, you pretty much get what you get, and there isn't too much you can do to change that.
· Streaming is cheaper - for now – At the moment, live TV streaming subscriptions are less expensive than most cable packages offering similar value. This is one of their main draws, but only time will tell if streaming companies follow in the path of cable companies and use their popularity to increase their profits.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to relying purely on a streaming service for your live TV, such as:
· Limited local channel lineups – Depending on which service you use, it could be difficult to access local channels, which is important for many. This is changing, but it's something to consider if you're considering the switch.
· Device needed to watch on a TV – Since your live TV comes over the internet, you need a way for your TV to get the signal. Newer smart TVs should be able to do this automatically. Otherwise, you will need something such as an Amazon Firestick, Roku, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, etc. to make sure you can watch TV on your actual TV.
· Typically fewer sports – Big-time sports fans may find that streaming services provide them with fewer options or charge them far too much to access important channels. Again, this is changing. But if you're someone who needs live sports around the clock, then you may find yourself happier sticking with traditional cable.
· Clunkier interfaces – Many people are used to the user experience provided by cable, but things are a bit different with live TV streaming. Your phone (or another device) becomes the remote, and then you will need to adapt to a new digital ecosystem to watch TV.
In a moment, we're going to review the best live TV streaming services on the market in 2021, so we wanted you to know what we looked at and what you should consider while you're making a decision.
Here are the most important things to keep in mind when you're looking at a live TV streaming service:
Most live TV streaming services offer you around 50 or so channels. This is a lot less than what you get with most cable packages, which usually offer several hundred channels.
However, when you dig a bit deeper into your cable habits, you will probably see that you don't watch anything but a small fraction of the channels available to you, so a shorter list of channels likely won't be that big of a deal.
However, each live TV service offers a slightly different set of channels, and this is where you need to pay attention. Take stock of your TV watching habits and decide which channels you simply must have and which you can live without. This will probably be a huge factor in helping you decide which service is the best for you.
Many of us rely on local channels for the news and watch network shows – think CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox – and live sports. But with streaming services, licensing agreements with local stations can at times be tricky. Some platforms are better than others. For example, you can get local channels with YouTube TV almost anywhere you are, but this is not the case for Sling TV.
You should be able to find out which local channels are offered by each service by going to their websites and entering your ZIP code. Another option is to simply sign up for the free trial to see if the channels you want are available.
Again, this will be more important to some people than others, but it's certainly worth keeping in mind as you consider the different options and make a choice.
Some people love movies, others are huge sports fans, and some are news junkies. With cable, one subscription usually covers the needs of everyone. But with streaming, where options are sometimes more limited, some people might get left out.
Again, each provider is different, but as you start to compare options, you'll see that some are catered more towards one audience over another. So, take some time to decide what the most important aspects of a live TV subscription are and then go after services that offer the channels you want.
Another thing to look at and keep in mind are add on packages. Almost all live TV streaming services offer them, and they are a great way to make sure you're getting all the channels you want. But what's available and how much they cost vary from provider to provider, and if you're not careful, adding too much on to your base service can cause you to spend more money than if you just stuck with cable.
One of the major benefits of any streaming service is that you can share your account with other people, which could help defray some of the costs. But even if you're just sharing within your family, the number of simultaneous streams you can have on one account will have a significant impact on how much you enjoy your service. In most cases, we like to see the option of streaming on three devices at once as the bare minimum. Anything less, and it could become difficult to truly enjoy the service you're paying for.
One of the nice things about cable is recording shows and watching them later while fast-forwarding through the commercials. Luckily, if you decide to switch to a streaming service, you will still get to do this, but keep an eye out for restrictions and limitations. Because all your recordings are stored on the cloud, some platforms limit how much you can record while others stop you from being able to fast-forward. How important this issue is will depend considerably on your needs, but don't assume all DVR services are the same when it comes to streaming platforms.
Lastly, when looking at live TV streaming options, price is an important thing to consider. Expect to pay around $50 per month or more for one of these services. If you wind up adding on specialty channels or packages, you could end up spending more than $80 per month, which starts to make this not much cheaper than cable. Of course, the perks of live TV streaming often outweigh this, but not for everyone.
One thing to consider when thinking about price is the cost of your internet connection. Streaming live TV in high-definition will require a high-speed connection of at least 25 Mbps (many say 12 Mbps is enough, but we don't think it's practical for anyone sharing a connection with other people in the house).
If you don't have this, you will likely need to upgrade, causing your costs to balloon. However, most people, especially those looking to make this switch, already have a broadband connection, so this shouldn't be an issue but is something to keep in mind.
With the factors we looked at to compare streaming services, here is our list of the best live TV streaming options in 2021:
As one of the first big names in live TV streaming, YouTube TV has become a household name in the few short years this industry has existed, and for a good reason. With 85+ channels in its lineup, including ESPN, FS1, FSN, TBS, TNT, USA, Paramount, Ion, CNN, MSNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News, and many, many more – YouTube TV offers more content than any other live TV streaming option.
Also, YouTube TV has a lot to offer sports fans. FS1, FS2, MLB Network, NBA TV, and many more specialty sports channels all come as part of the subscription. And for fans of the Boston Red Sox, the New England Sports Network (NESN) also comes standard.
Local channels are also easy to access; you should be able to get the full gamut of stations in your area, though we recommend double-checking before purchasing a subscription.
Also, for those looking for a bit more, there is the option to add HBO (which gives you access to HBO Max), Showtime, Starz, and more, though doing this will raise your monthly bill by at least $6 to as much as $14.
YouTube TV comes with an unlimited cloud DVR, and it's the only live TV streaming service to do this. It also allows you to have three simultaneous streams, which is enough to make sure everyone is happy.
On the other side of things, YouTube TV isn't exactly cheap. In June 2021, they raised the price from $50/month to $64.99/month, making it less of a deal than it once was. But it's still cheaper than cable and provides you with an excellent selection of TV. However, since YouTube TV has become popular, prices have been rising, and there is reason to believe this will continue to happen.
Another thing to consider is that FOX Regional Sports Networks, once a part of the YouTube TV family, are no longer available, which may be a big issue for some viewers.
Coming in a close second behind YouTube TV is Hulu's live TV option, which has been given the ever-creative name of "Hulu + Live TV."
The base subscription starts at $54.99 and gives you access to more than 60 channels, including the same favorites you get with YouTube TV save for a few differences. Local channels are also available in almost every market, and you can add on all sorts of channel packages that will help you get access to all the content you want from your live TV service.
Another nice thing about Hulu + Live TV is that it also comes with a subscription to Hulu's library, which means you will have access to a massive library of content, some of which is original and unique to Hulu, such as The Handmaid's Tale. This helps make Hulu + Live TV a great value.
However, the Hulu DVR is not unlimited, though it allows for up to 50 hours of recordings, a pretty sizable amount. But the real issue with Hulu's DVR is that it does not allow you to skip through the commercials on recorded TV, which sort of defeats the primary purpose of a DVR. It's also worth noting you need to record an entire series; you can't save just one episode of something, which is bound to eat into your overall storage space.
To be able to record individual programs and skip commercials, as well as to unlock unlimited storage space, you need to spend an extra $14.99 per month. Not cool, Hulu.
Another thing to look out for is that Hulu + Live TV only allows for two streams at once. This shouldn't cause any major problems, but with competitors offering three, this is a bit of a knock on Hulu. Of course, you can unlock unlimited streams by spending more money (around $15), but you can also get more simultaneous streams by choosing a different service.
We mentioned earlier that one of the good things about a live TV streaming service is the ability to customize your subscription. If this is what you desire, then Sling TV is the choice for you. In fact, for some, there may even be too many choices.
To start, you will need to decide between Sling Orange and Sling Blue. They are both $30 per month and offer slightly different channel lineups, though with Blue, you do get more channels. Orange, while offering fewer channels overall, has many more sports channels. Blue also offers more simultaneous streams (three as compared to one).
From there, you can choose to add on whichever packages you want, which are organized based on familiar categories, news, movies, sports, etc. but that also include things such as "kids" and "lifestyle." We are particularly fond of the sports package as it gives you more sports channels than any other service on this list for less money. As a result, this is the best option for those who really want their sports.
However, there are some downsides. For example, local channel coverage is more spotty, and a few key channels are missing from the core lineup that might be a deal-breaker for some. In addition, the standard DVR allows for just 10 hours of recorded content, which isn't that much. But if sports are what you're after, then Sling is going to be a solid choice.
Want to stream live TV to break ties with cable companies and save money? Don't want to spend $50 or more on a live TV streaming service? If this is you, then Philo is probably going to be the best service for you. It costs just $20 per month and includes around 60 channels, including big names such as A&E, BET, Discovery, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, Nickelodeon, and more.
However, the savings do come with a sacrifice: there are no sports nor local channels. However, if you really want to save but still want some of these channels, you may be able to supplement your lineup with an antenna that will give you free access to local channels. Antennas usually cost no more than $50.
Another thing to consider is using Philo as an add-on to other streaming services. Many of the major media companies that do not offer their content on other platforms are behind Philo, which means you can get a lot of additional content for just $20, which is likely to be cheaper than adding on specific channels and packages to other services.
It's hard to imagine Philo being a genuine alternative to cable, but it's an excellent budget option that will meet many people's needs without breaking the bank.
Hopefully, you now have all the information you need to decide which streaming service will be best for you. However, if you're still not quite sure, know that all of the services we've reviewed on this list allow for free trials, usually for one week. So, if you're deciding between two, consider signing up for a trial for both and then seeing which one best fits your needs.
Overall, though, we think that if you take some time to consider your habits and spend some time digging further into the options presented here, you'll soon find a live TV streaming service that gets you the entertainment you want at a price you can afford.
