Best Live TV Streaming Services 2025: YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, and More
In our 2025 Best of the Best Awards, our editors ranked dozens of live TV streaming services across the U.S. using insights and data from real customers.
✦ At CableTV.com, we’ve been helping folks find the best live TV streaming services since 2007. Get an in-depth look at how we evaluate TV services on our Why You Can Trust CableTV.com page.
What is the best live TV streaming service?
Which live TV streaming services truly are a better alternative to cable? Does one rise above the others based on value, features, channels, user experience, and customer satisfaction?
In this guide, I research, test, and rank seven top live TV streaming services, seeking those that dominate in key areas—and which one is the best of the best.
YouTube TV is our Best of the Best pick for the fourth year running. I love that the service gives you a lot for your money: a fat channel lineup, an unlimited Cloud DVR, and a generous stream allotment. Plus, it’s a breeze to use.
I’ve made Hulu + Live TV our Editor’s Choice pick because it matches YouTube TV on almost everything and has a ridiculously robust on-demand library.
I’ve also found that DIRECTV STREAM is again the Best of the Best for Sports, and Philo offers the Best Bang for Your Buck and is the Best of the Best for Customer Satisfaction. Read on for details.
Compare top live TV streaming services at a glance
Before I go in-depth, let’s see how every major live TV streaming service stacks up side by side. Click the expandable menu below to reveal comparisons based on pricing, channel count, Cloud DVR storage, and simultaneous streams.
| Streaming service | Price | Live channels | Streams | Cloud DVR | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DIRECTV STREAM Best of the Best for Sports |
$74.99–$154.99/mo. | 90–185+ | 3–Unlimited | Unlimited (9 mos.) |
View plans Read DIRECTV STREAM review |
| Frndly TV | $6.99–$10.99/mo. | 50+ | 1–4 | Unlimited (3–9 mos.) |
View plan Read Frndly TV review |
| Fubo | $14.99–$94.99/mo. | 50–291+ | 3–10 | Unlimited (9 mos.) |
View plans Read Fubo review |
|
Hulu + Live TV Editor’s Choice |
$81.99–$95.99/mo. | 95+ | 2–Unlimited | Unlimited (9 mos.) |
View plans Read Hulu + Live TV review |
|
Philo Best Bang for Your Buck |
$28.00/mo. | 70+ | 3 | Unlimited (1 yr.) |
View plans Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | $45.99–$60.99/mo. | 30–45+ | 1–4 | 50 hrs. (unlimited upgrade $5.00/mo.). |
View plans Read Sling TV review |
|
YouTube TV Best of the Best |
$82.99/mo. | 100+ | 3 | Unlimited (9 mos.) |
View plans Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Pro tip: According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study,SM live TV streamers are more satisfied than traditional cable and satellite TV customers.
Best of the Best winners for live TV streaming services in-depth
I’ve given you a quick overview of the best live TV streaming services. Now, let’s dig deeper into the details of our Best of the Best Awards.
Best of the Best: YouTube TV
Price: $82.99/mo. | Live channels: 100+ | DVR storage: Unlimited (9 mos.) | Free trial: Varies
Pros: Unlimited DVR, sleek interface and search, NFL Sunday Ticket
Cons: Higher price tag; no A&E, Lifetime, or VICE
YouTube TV is our Best of the Best live TV streaming service for the fourth year in a row.
Several CableTV.com staffers have used YouTube TV since its 2017 launch. The service debuted with one affordable plan, tons of popular channels, unlimited Cloud DVR storage, three-stream allotment, six user profiles, many affordable premium add-ons, and an easy, familiar user interface.
Over the years, most live TV streaming services covered here fiddled with plans, pricing, channel lineups, Cloud DVR storage, and more. YouTube TV stayed consistent (that’s something I value in a service provider), changing only its (always-in-flux) free trial duration, adding more channels, and (unfortunately) raising its price.
Speaking of price hikes, YouTube TV pumped up its monthly price by $10.00 last month. It’s the service’s first rate hike since June 2023 and only its fifth overall. That’s good compared to DIRECTV STREAM, with its countless plan changes and price hikes since 2018, and Hulu + Live TV (seven increases since 2019).
I feel like the new $82.99 monthly price is still reasonable for 100+ popular channels (see below for more on the “+” part), unlimited Cloud DVR, three streams, and six profiles. Our annual customer satisfaction survey shows that 80% of surveyed YouTube TV users felt the previous price ($72.99 monthly) was fair. We’ll see if that changes next year.
Pro tip: When YouTube TV says it has 100+ channels, it’s being modest. My YouTube TV guide has 136 channels. You could have fewer or more, depending on your location.
And how do customers feel about YouTube TV overall? Somewhere between like and love.
In our annual customer satisfaction survey, YouTube TV had the third-highest overall satisfaction score (79%) behind Philo (88%) and Frndly TV (87%).
In the aforementioned J.D. Power study, YouTube TV rated highest (651), edging out Hulu + Live TV (625). And on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), YouTube TV’s 76 rating is third-highest behind Sling TV (80) and Hulu Live (77).
Hear from a real YouTube TV customer:
“YouTube TV has provided us the best options versus the other streaming services. It's a tad expensive, but the quality is worth it.”
Editor’s Choice: Hulu + Live TV
Price: $81.99–$95.99/mo. | Live channels: 95+ | DVR storage: Unlimited | Free trial: Varies
Pros: Full Hulu on-demand experience (most plans), Disney+ and ESPN+ included
Cons: Annual price increases, no NHL Network
Hulu + Live TV has its fans at CableTV.com, too, and they make a convincing case for Hulu Live to be our Best of the Best pick.
It’s like this: Hulu has almost as many channels (95+) as YouTube TV and also offers an unlimited Cloud DVR, but it features fewer streams and profiles, and its crowded and disorganized user interface (UI) makes for a terrible user experience (UX) in my tests. That said, what kicks Hulu Live up a notch is its on-demand experience, which catapults it far beyond its competitors.
Every Hulu Live plan (except the Hulu + Live TV only option) includes Hulu on-demand (40,000 hrs. of movies and shows), Disney+ (2,000+ titles), and ESPN+ (32,000 live sports events annually, and thousands of hours of on-demand content). That’s a massive library with something for everyone—kids, adults, sports fans, movie lovers, binge-watchers, and more.
Library size isn’t everything, but it’s one of my favorite things about Hulu Live. You get a heap of live TV channels, plus a rich on-demand experience the other live TV streaming services can’t beat. This would put Hulu Live top-of-mind if I were shopping for a live TV streaming service.
Pro tip: Hulu + Live TV (like YouTube TV) gives you more channels than advertised. I get 122 live channels in my area—27 more than the official count (95+). Note: Channel counts vary by location.
Let’s compare Hulu Live with its chief rival (and our Best of the Best pick), YouTube TV. YouTube TV has more channels and streams and a much more attractive and intuitive user experience than Hulu Live. The two services boast unlimited cloud DVR storage.
Price-wise, if you’re willing to watch ads, Hulu Live costs the same as YouTube TV ($82.99 monthly). The ad-free Hulu Live plan is $13 more per month than YouTube TV, which is where the on-demand content matters—to me, it justifies the higher price.
Buyer beware: Hulu + Live TV frequently raises its prices, usually in October.
Hulu + Live TV’s customers are pretty happy with the service. In our annual survey, Hulu (78%) is just one point behind YouTube TV in overall satisfaction. At the same time, J.D. Power has Hulu Live at 625 (again, a close second to YouTube TV), and the service’s ACSI satisfaction rating is 77 (a point above YouTube TV).
Hear from a real Hulu + Live TV customer
“I've had Hulu for about five years now, and the only complaint I've had is the price increase.”
Best Bang for Your Buck: Philo
Price: $28.00/mo. | Live channels: 70+ | DVR storage: Unlimited | Free trial: 7 days
Pros: Inexpensive pricing, channels unavailable elsewhere, includes AMC+
Cons: No sports or local channels, few add-ons or upgrades
Philo topped our annual survey with 88% overall satisfaction. Interestingly, like Frndly TV, Philo is a skinny service focused only on certain channels.
Philo’s fatter than Frndly TV, with 20 more channels (70+ total), and it includes AMC+, unlimited cloud DVR, and three streams for $28 a month.
Philo doesn’t observe a family-friendly ethos like Frndly TV, so mature content is available. Both services lack local and sports channels, but Philo has one news channel (BBC World News). Like Frndly TV, Philo carries those hard-to-find A&E channels.
With AMC+ included, you get full access to the live channels and on-demand libraries of AMC, BBC America, IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder, Sundance Now, and the Walking Dead Universe. All of this amounts to a hefty on-demand library, which makes Philo kind of like Hulu Live Lite (if there were such a thing) and well worth $28 monthly.
That’s a strong value. I’d be remiss if I didn’t note Philo’s slick, intuitive user experience and high customer experience scores, too.
Something else Philo customers like: The service rarely raises prices. Since launching in 2017 at $20 monthly, Philo raised prices only twice. For context, only Frndly TV had fewer hikes.
If you’re looking for a stripped-down, affordable source of live TV entertainment, give Philo a try. I highly recommend pairing it with an over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna so you’ll have your local channels.
Hear from a real Philo customer:
“Philo has all the channels I watch, and you can't beat the price. Anytime I've ever had the slightest problem, customer support was incredibly helpful.”
Best of the Best for Sports: DIRECTV STREAM
Price: $74.99–$154.99/mo. | Live channels: 90–185+ | DVR storage: Unlimited | Free trial: 5 days
Pros: Wide RSN availability; large channel counts; user-friendly interface
Cons: Expensive plans; confusing branding
In sports, you want to be the best of the best. On that note, congratulations, DIRECTV STREAM, for having so many sports channels, including more regional sports networks (RSNs) than your competitors. That said, it’s too bad customers pay a steep price for all that.
DIRECTV STREAM’s best sports experience lies in its CHOICE™ plan. It’s regularly $89.99 monthly for 125+ channels, unlimited Cloud DVR, and three streams. That’s hella expensive—and it gets worse.
CHOICE has 30+ channels covering NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB action, plus all those RSNs. That gives customers access to many national and in-market broadcasts, which is sweet. However, the RSNs have an extra fee (up to $15.99), which makes CHOICE’s total monthly cost $105.98.
Live TV streaming services are meant to be more straightforward, more affordable, and more flexible than traditional TV providers. That means no contracts, simple plans, no hidden fees (like RSN charges), and consistency.
DIRECTV STREAM is terrible on the latter count, always tinkering with its branding, plans, pricing, and channel lineups. That’s why I don’t subscribe. I could see being happy with the service. It works great, has the features and channels I want, and I love that it’s the only live TV streaming service that includes channel numbers on its onscreen guide. But I can’t stomach the high prices and constant changes.
DIRECTV STREAM customers feel similarly. The service had the second-lowest overall satisfaction score (74%) on our 2025 survey (and last year, too) and ranked last in the J.D. Power (558) and ACSI (72) reports. Yet, in our survey, 85% of DIRECTV STREAM customers said they love the user experience, and 81% are happy with the channel offerings.
What’s more, 79% of customers say they plan to continue subscribing to DIRECTV STREAM, 77% said they’d recommend the service, and 66% said they’d pay even more for it. So DIRECTV STREAM’s high cost and hassle might be worth it if you want the most well-rounded streaming sports lineup.
Pro tip: YouTube TV is our Best of the Best pick for live TV streaming and our Editor’s Choice for sports (it’s the one we personally use most), and it’s $50 cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM. YouTube TV is also the only place to get NFL Sunday Ticket.
Hear from a real DIRECTV STREAM customer:
“To me, DIRECTV is the ideal streaming platform [because it has a] wide variety of channels, movies, and sports.”
Best of the Best Awards: Honorable mention
Sling TV
Price: $45.99–$60.99/mo. | Live channels: 30–45+ | DVR storage: 50 hrs. included (unlimited upgrade available) | Free trial: N/A
Pros: Budget-friendly plans; diverse sign-up deals; several add-on options
Cons: Weak local channel coverage; limited DVR storage
Sling TV lands somewhere between skinny live TV streaming services (Frndly TV, Philo) and bigger ones (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo).
With three plans offering 30–45+ channels for $45.99–$60.99/mo., Sling costs more, has fewer channels, and less cloud DVR storage (50 hours without the new unlimited upgrade add-on) than both skinny services. Unlike Frndly TV and Philo, Sling TV has news, sports, and (some) local channels. So think of Sling TV as a “lite” version of the bigger live TV streamers or an improvement on the smaller ones.
If only Sling TV weren’t such a mess. Since launching in 2015, the service’s prices have risen 152–223%, and its channel count has dropped 15%. Sling TV lacks local channels in most markets, only offering FOX and NBC in select metros.
Also, the packages don’t make sense: Sling Blue has 30+ entertainment and news networks; Sling Orange has 40+ sports and family channels. What market research led to this decision?
I planned to sign my mom up for Sling TV, but we couldn’t pick a package. Ultimately, we gave up and went with Philo.
Pro tip: If you really wanna give Sling TV a shot, the service usually has some solid deals. Check out our Sling Deals guide to save some money.
Sling Blue’s entertainment and news emphasis might compete with Philo, but Sling Blue has less than half the channels for $16 more per month. And Sling Orange feels like an overpriced sports add-on package. Sure, you can customize the plans with Sling TV’s broad selection of affordable add-ons, but the value doesn’t improve.
I figure Sling TV wants to push customers toward its Sling Orange + Blue package ($60.99 monthly), with 45+ entertainment, family, news, and sports channels. It’s not the greatest, but it’ll work if your budget won’t fit YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. That is until Sling TV raises prices again.
Unsurprisingly, Sling TV customers are perturbed. Sling TV had the worst or second-worst ratings on 15 questions in our customer satisfaction survey. These covered app interface, channel guide, channel offerings, Cloud DVR, customer experience, customer loyalty, reliability, price, streaming quality, and user experience—so pretty much everything.
In other words, Sling TV doesn’t offer a cohesive service or improve its product; it only raises prices. Even the famously troubled Fubo tries harder than that.
Hear from a real Sling TV customer:
“Sling really, really sucks and I only use it because it is cheap.”
Fubo
Price: $14.99–$94.99/mo. | Live channels: 50–291+ | DVR storage: Unlimited | Free trial: 7 days
Pros: Excellent international sports coverage; large channel counts
Cons: Expensive plans; no TNT Sports channels
Once upon a time, we loved Fubo. It had affordable, channel-packed packages with tons of sports channels and a generous DVR storage and stream allotment.
Then the problems started. Similar to, but worse than, DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo got wrapped up in tweaking its branding and plans. And then came the price hikes, regional sports network (RSN) fee, and the Venu Sports lawsuit versus Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The suit saw Fubo lose key channels like Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, TBS, and TNT.
Consequently, Fubo lost esteem in the eyes of its customers. Fubo crashed out in our 2025 survey, with the lowest overall satisfaction rating (68%) and the worst or second-worst scores on 19 of 21 questions. Let’s consider why.
Fubo has three plans—Essential (205+ channels), Pro (210+ channels), and Elite (290+ channels)—for $84.99–$94.99 monthly. All plans include unlimited Cloud DVR storage and up to 10 streams. That would be amazing except for a few things.
Those missing Warner Bros. Discovery channels still aren’t back on the service, and TBS and TNT are glaring omissions for a sports-centric streaming service. Worse, though, is that 55–90 of the channels in these packages are free FAST channels available without Fubo. And Fubo raises prices annually, including another $5-a-month hike this month. The service also added RSN fees in 2023, which they raised by $1 in 2024 to $12–$16 monthly.
In our survey, Fubo user Grant B. of Washington wrote, “They are way too expensive for the content that they provide. If local sports were available elsewhere, I would stop subscribing.” Kinda sounds like cable, amirite? A classic case of the snake eating its own tail.
Hopefully, Fubo will improve now that Disney owns 70% of Fubo and plans to offer it alongside Hulu + Live TV. We’ll wait and see. In the meantime, we must consider its current merits (or lack thereof). In short, I’d go with YouTube TV before Fubo.
Hear from a real Fubo customer:
“They are way too expensive for the content that they provide. If local sports were available elsewhere, I would stop subscribing.”
Frndly TV
Price: $6.99–$10.99/mo. | Live channels: 50+ | DVR storage: Unlimited (3–9 mos.) | Free trial: 7 days
Pros: Low pricing, unlimited Cloud DVR
Cons: Small channel lineup, no local or sports channels, might be too clean for some
We all have limited dollars, and in this inflated economy, we have to make ‘em stretch. That’s where a service like Frndly TV might work for you.
For only $7–$11 monthly, Frndly TV gives you 50+ live TV channels, unlimited Cloud DVR, and up to 4 streams. That’s a screamin’ deal. Your enthusiasm might wane, however, once you learn two things: Frndly TV lacks local, news, and sports channels, and its channels are all family friendly.
Depending on your tastes, the squeaky-clean thing can be a bug or a feature. If you’re wholesome, you’re gonna love Frndly TV’s channel lineup. I’m wholesome enough, but also spicy, so I find Frndly TV unsatisfying. If you’re like me, you should look at other live TV streaming services (Philo is affordable, channel-rich, and has high customer satisfaction). The same goes if you need local, news, or sports channels.
Looking closer at the channel lineup, Frndly TV has A&E and associated channels like FYI, HISTORY, Lifetime, LMN, and VICE, which many live TV streaming services lack. Frndly TV also has all three Hallmark channels, three outdoor sports channels (Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network), and several faith-and-family channels (Dove, FETV, GAC Family, GAC Living, UPtv).
Pro tip: Since Frndly TV is so affordable, you can use it to supplement live TV streaming services that don’t have A&E channels, like YouTube TV.
Popular channels Frndly TV doesn’t include AMC, Comedy Central, Disney, ESPN, FX, Nickelodeon, TBS, and TNT (we could go on, but you get the idea). And again, Frndly TV doesn’t have local channels, but you can fix that by buying an over-the-air (OTA) antenna for only $30–$75.
Frndly TV’s focus, pricing, and smooth user experience are a hit with customers. The service scored 87% overall satisfaction score in our survey. (Frndly TV does not appear on the J.D. Power and ACSI studies.) Only Philo fared better.
Hear from a real Frndly TV customer:
“It's extremely cheap and I get the channels I want with an unlimited DVR.”
What to look for in a live TV streaming service
A live TV streaming service should be simple and flexible: affordable plans, popular channels (including locals), generous Cloud DVR and simultaneous stream allotments, no contracts, and no hidden fees. Ideally, it should also offer a free trial, have a solid menu of add-ons, and be compatible with your streaming devices.
Let’s go over some of these in more detail.
Free trial
One of the ever-so-wonderful perks of streaming TV services is the free trial period. Unlike cable or satellite, streaming TV services don’t have installation appointments or contracts, so taking a service for a spin is simple and costs nothing. The trial windows are brief (usually seven days) but adequate.
I’m lucky. My job pays for the streaming services I cover—but we don’t subscribe to everything. Whenever I’m interested in a service we don’t have, I always do the free trial. It’s saved me from subscribing to several streaming services. Just remember to cancel before the trial period ends.
Price
This one’s easy: Is the plan price justifiable, given the included channels and features? Can you afford it? If you answered “yes” to both questions, move along to the next section. Otherwise, here are tips to help you decide:
- Live TV streaming service prices cost $7–$155 monthly.
- Average live TV streaming plan prices are $65–$87 monthly.*
- The best plans cost $75–$96 monthly. Budget-conscious folks can still find good plans for ($7–$60 a month).
Channels—including local channels and add-ons
Does the channel lineup include all the networks you and other household members want? Are there any missing channels (such as the A&E channels mentioned earlier in this piece)?
What about your local channels, like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and The CW? If a streaming TV service doesn’t carry local affiliate channels, you could miss out on those shows, as well as area sports, news, and weather.
If these are important to you, check the availability of local affiliates on streaming TV services you’re interested in. A digital antenna can make up the difference if they’re unavailable (like with Frndly TV, Philo, and most Sling TV markets).
Finally, a good live TV streaming service should have a robust roster of affordable premium add-ons and channel packs. You can use these to customize your streaming package with extra movies, shows, and sports.
DVR specs
Most streaming TV services that offer live TV also include Cloud DVR storage with the package. Like a physical DVR, though, they do have limits on space and time.
Most of the services covered here have unlimited Cloud DVR space. Note that “unlimited” applies only to an extent (or “limit”). You might be able to fit your entire Hoarders episodes backlog, but it could get auto-deleted if you don’t watch it within 9–12 months. Ironic.
App compatibility
As I mentioned above, setting up and trying out a streaming TV service is as easy as downloading an app, but is that app available on your preferred set-top box and mobile devices?
Most services reviewed here are available as smart TV apps, though we recommend streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Roku for better reliability and performance. I’ve used all of these and more, and I prefer the Roku Ultra’s user interface and broad app support. (I also appreciate the remote-locator button for obvious reasons.)
Best live TV streaming services FAQ
What is streaming TV?
Live TV streaming (and on-demand TV streaming) is television programming delivered over the internet instead of through traditional cable TV lines or satellite TV signals. In most cases, live streaming TV looks and functions the same as cable or satellite TV, minus numbered channels.
What’s the difference between live TV streaming and on-demand streaming TV?
With live TV streaming, the operative word is “live”—it’s programming that’s being broadcast right now on TV networks. It’s the same as cable or satellite TV service, just streamed through the internet.
“On-demand” streaming means shows and movies can be called up whenever you want to watch them. Think of Netflix, the biggest on-demand platform around (well, that and YouTube).
Do I need a fast internet connection for live TV streaming?
Whether it’s on-demand or live TV streaming, most services recommend a bare minimum of 7 Mbps of internet speed for streaming. But that speed is adequate only for a single stream and assumes that no one else is using the network at the same time—an unlikely scenario.
We recommend at least 25 Mbps of internet speed for smooth, non-buffered streaming and at least double that for 4K resolution or a household of multiple users (especially gamers).
Which streaming service is best for live TV?
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo., 100+ channels, unlimited cloud DVR, three streams) is our the Best of the Best pick for best overall live TV streaming service, and it has been for four years running.
YouTube TV also excels in live sports with a solid lineup of included and add-on sports channels, including NFL Sunday Ticket which carries every live, out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL game. And, when you can’t watch live, YouTube TV has unlimited Cloud DVR storage with a 9-month keep time.
What is the #1 best streaming service?
YouTube TV has been our Best of the Best Award pick for the best overall live TV streaming service for four years running. It has 100+ channels, unlimited Cloud DVR storage (9-month keep time), and a familiar, intuitive user interface.
YouTube TV also carries many affordable premium add-ons including Max and NFL Sunday Ticket. At $82.99/mo., the live TV streaming service is a bit expensive, but it’s worth it because it has something for everyone in your household.
What streaming service is best for local channels?
YouTube TV (100+ channels for ($82.99/mo.) is the best streaming service for local channels. It carries every local channel in most markets, even PBS and The CW.
Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and DIRECTV STREAM carry local channels in most areas (coverage varies by location). Sling TV has local channels in select markets only. Philo and Frndly TV carry no local channels.
What is the cheapest live TV streaming service with local channels?
The least expensive streaming service with live TV and local channels is Sling TV’s Sling Blue plan, which carries local FOX and NBC channels in most markets. To stream more local channels, you’d have to subscribe to a more expensive service (like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV) or purchase an over-the-air antenna to receive area broadcasts for free.
What is the cheapest live TV streaming service?
If you don’t need local, news, or sports channels, Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo., 50+ channels) and Philo ($28.00/mo., 70+ channels) are good choices.
Need something more affordable? Some free ad-supported TV (FAST) streaming services like Pluto TV, Tubi, Sling Freestream, and The Roku Channel feature a limited amount of live TV content, plus 24/7 looping channels of syndicated and B-list content.
What live TV streaming service is the most cost-effective?
The most cost-effective TV service is Frndly TV, which charges $6.99–$10.99/mo. for 50+ channels. But all its channels are family friendly, which might not be your thing. Also, Frndly TV has no local channels. (You can add local channels easily with an affordable over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna.)
How can you watch live TV without cable?
There are three ways to watch TV without cable:
Streaming TV delivers your channels via the internet—no cables required—and offers a simple, more flexible TV experience with no contracts, fewer plans, smaller—but better—channel lineups, and no hidden fees. Learn more about the Best Live TV Streaming Services.
Satellite TV (DIRECTV, DISH Network) delivers your channels via a satellite dish on your roof and, generally, has many of the same headaches as cable TV, including contracts, hidden fees, poor pricing transparency, etc. See our guide to the Best Satellite TV Providers.
An over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna picks up every live local channel and subchannel within a certain distance from your home for a one-time cost of $30–$75. Learn more about OTA antennas in our comprehensive guide.
Why you should trust us
Our streaming TV experts employed thousands of hours of personal hands-on testing and crunched all the numbers, rating these live TV streaming services on bang for your buck, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction. We then matched up the live TV streamers head-to-head to give our readers a clearer picture of each service’s strengths and weaknesses. For more on our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
