Survey results show a new era for premium cord-cutters
For the last decade, the story of cord-cutting was simple: People left cable to save money. Price was the driving force behind the great TV migration, enticing millions of households to trade their rigid cable contracts for the freedom and affordability of streaming.
But heading into 2026, our data shows a massive shift in cord-cutting intent. While price is still the main reason people sign up for streaming, it’s no longer the reason they stay.
In fact, our latest customer satisfaction survey revealed that the happiest cord-cutters are now the ones paying the most. Stream with DIRECTV, the most expensive service on the market, has dethroned YouTube TV for the top spot, proving that for modern TV fans, quality, reliability, and channel selection have finally overtaken cost as the ultimate measure of satisfaction.
In this report, I examine the unfiltered feedback from CableTV.com’s 2026 Live TV Streaming Customer Satisfaction Survey, which featured 8,040 respondents. Below, I break down the biggest takeaways and provide industry insight into why the results turned out the way they did.
DIRECTV has dethroned YouTube TV in customer satisfaction
Let’s address the shocker first. DIRECTV is the new champion of comprehensive live TV streaming. To be clear, I’m referring to the satellite giant’s over-the-internet streaming TV service here. Despite its confusing plans and legacy cable vibes, it scored an 82% approval rating in our satisfaction survey—the highest of any major provider.
Why the sudden love for the market’s priciest service? The data points to a “flight to quality.” As competitors like YouTube TV (72% satisfaction) raised prices beyond the $80 mark, their main advantage of affordability evaporated. Without that price shield, users started comparing feature for feature, and DIRECTV’s massive channel lineup (including a wide range of regional sports networks) finally justified the premium cost.
The modern cord-cutter prioritizes quality over cost
It seems the modern cord-cutter has evolved. They’re no longer just looking for the cheapest way to watch TV. They’re looking for the easiest way to watch everything. For sports fans tired of blackouts and missing channels, DIRECTV has become the reliable, premium solution worth paying for.
Meanwhile, YouTube TV’s drop out of the top three signals a potential turning point. Once the undisputed leader of value, Google’s service now finds itself in a dangerous middle ground. It’s no longer cheap enough to be a budget pick, yet it lacks the hard-to-get channels required to be a true premium solution.
While YouTube TV’s channel lineup is nearly identical to Hulu + Live TV, Hulu scored a slightly higher 74% satisfaction rating. The difference likely comes down to the massive value-add of its bundled Disney+ and Hulu originals library, which resonates with users who want more than just live channels.
“[Hulu + Live TV is] everything I wanted in a streaming service. I have live TV and a lot of shows I want to watch.” – Jenn J., Pennsylvania
A rebound for YouTube TV could be on the horizon, though. The service recently announced that 10 new genre-specific packages will arrive in early 2026. By diversifying its plans, YouTube TV finally has a strategy to retain users who find the base plan too expensive. This mirrors the successful Genre Pack model DIRECTV launched back in January 2025.
Football rules live TV streaming (even for Fubo)
This year marks a milestone for our annual survey. For the first time, we asked respondents specifically about their sports viewing habits.
As CableTV.com’s sports editor, I was thrilled to finally dig into this data. After all, live sports are the primary engine keeping the pay-TV model alive. Without the need for traditional TV channels to watch live games, most viewers would be perfectly content with on-demand services like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max.
The results confirmed one universal truth: American football is king. Across all providers, the NFL and college football were the top reasons subscribers signed up for live TV, far outpacing every other sport.
This trend was most shocking when looking at Fubo. Historically branded as a “soccer-first” service, Fubo has since pivoted to general sports and entertainment in the U.S. According to our survey, 67% of Fubo subscribers signed up specifically to watch football, nearly double the number who joined for soccer (34%).
This identity shift explains why Fubo has been aggressive about adding regional sports networks and bundling NFL content. They realized that while soccer brings fans in the door, gridiron football keeps them tuned in.
Interestingly, the highest density of soccer fans in our survey wasn’t on Fubo at all. They were actually found on DIRECTV (49%), likely drawn to the platform’s ability to deliver a top-tier experience across all entertainment verticals.
Streaming beats cable on value despite rising subscription costs
Perhaps the most telling takeaway from 2026 is that cord-cutters remain significantly happier with their bills than cable subscribers. This sentiment holds firm even as live TV streaming prices creep closer to triple digits.
Our data shows that 78% of subscribers across the wider streaming ecosystem (including both live TV and on-demand apps) are satisfied with the price they pay relative to expectations. By comparison, only 66% of traditional cable TV customers feel the same way. That 12-point gap is massive in the world of customer satisfaction, signaling a fundamental preference for streaming.
The primary driver of this gap is flexibility. Once households cut the cord, they rarely look back because they finally have the power to cancel at any time without facing termination fees or equipment returns. Streaming customers can pause or swap services instantly if the experience dips, transforming the monthly bill from a forced obligation into an active choice.
Traditional cable subscribers don’t have that luxury. They’re often stuck with their dissatisfaction due to restrictive contracts and a lack of local competition. But as cable providers begin to pivot toward hybrid packages that bundle internet and streaming apps, that satisfaction gap may start to close.
The 2026 Customer Satisfaction Award winners
Our 2026 survey put seven major services to the test: DIRECTV, Frndly TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. Yet, across that diverse lineup, one service clearly dominated the field.
The results highlight a distinct trend. While budget-friendly options like Frndly TV and Philo held their own in specific categories, the data shows that subscribers are increasingly willing to pay for a premium experience. As a result, DIRECTV nearly swept the board this year, taking home four of our five top honors.
Here are the official winners of our 2026 Customer Satisfaction Awards in live TV streaming.
Highest Overall Satisfaction: DIRECTV
This wasn’t a close race. DIRECTV took the top spot with an 82% overall satisfaction rating, outranking popular mainstays like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.
By combining a massive channel lineup with a more traditional-looking guide that feels instantly familiar, it has become the premier choice for cord-cutters who refuse to compromise on quality.
Best Bang for Your Buck: Frndly TV
While the premium services fought for the crown, Frndly TV quietly secured the highest score for price satisfaction (88%).
This result mirrors the high marks Frndly TV earned in our last two surveys, cementing its status as the reigning value champion. In an era of shrinking budgets, its $8.99/mo. starting price remains unbeatable. For viewers who just want feel-good TV without the bloat of sports or local news, no other service delivers better bang for your buck.
Best User Experience: DIRECTV
With an 88% satisfaction score for user experience, DIRECTV proves that simplicity wins. I mentioned those “legacy cable vibes” earlier as a quirk, but the data proves that familiarity is actually a feature, not a bug.
Subscribers consistently praised the interface for mimicking the best parts of a traditional cable TV interface (like channel numbers and a grid guide) while finally ditching the clunky hardware.
Best Channel Lineup: DIRECTV
DIRECTV is the undisputed leader in channel selection. It dominated the survey’s content categories with an 86% satisfaction rating for local channels.
This score was likely driven by its massive channel lineups and regional sports network access. The service also proved its versatility by topping the charts for add-on channels and packs with an 82% rating.
Best Live Sports Experience: DIRECTV
This was the biggest blowout of the survey. A staggering 97% of DIRECTV subscribers reported satisfaction with their live sports experience. It aligns with a lot of the other categories, as channels, reliability, and experience play a large role in streaming live sports.
Expectedly, we didn’t have enough respondents in this category for Frndly TV and Philo, where live sports are nearly nonexistent. But Sling TV also missed that threshold, while Fubo (87%), Hulu + Live TV (88%), and YouTube TV (85%) still nabbed respectable scores.
Methodology
In mid-2025, we at CableTV.com surveyed 8,040 people across the U.S. to measure satisfaction with their TV services. Our sample was weighted to reflect broader U.S. demographics (including gender, race, and age) and was analyzed by our data experts using prevailing industry standards. For statistical significance, we included only data points that met a threshold of at least 125 respondents.
About CableTV.com: While our name is rooted in cable, our expertise has evolved alongside the industry. We cover the entire TV landscape, from traditional providers to the latest streaming platforms. This marks our sixth annual customer satisfaction survey explicitly dedicated to live TV streaming services.
Media inquiries: If you’re a member of the media and have questions about this data, please contact us at pr@cabletv.com.
