fuboTV has gained yardage as an all-inclusive livestreaming TV service, but it’s still mostly about sports.
Pros
- Soccer coverage
- International sports coverage
- 30-hr. cloud DVR
Cons
- No ESPN channels
- Limited entertainment channels
- Limited local channels
The bottom line: fuboTV isn’t just a soccer streamer
fuboTV offers over 85 channels, a cloud DVR, and a slick interface that neatly mirrors what you’re used to with cable or satellite service. It’s also just fun to say “fubo.”
fuboTV launched in 2015 as “Netflix for soccer,” but has since set its sights on becoming a full-service TV streaming destination. Don’t worry, soccer fans, it still covers the world’s sport ridiculously well—fuboTV has far from abandoned its original goooaaalll!
In fact, the majority of fuboTV’s livestreaming lineup is still made up of sports channels. So if you compare it to other streaming services that offer more balanced entertainment-to-sports programming ratios, fubo is still a few yards short.
But, as a streaming TV service with a base package under 60 bucks a month, fuboTV is another enticing option for cable quitters to kick around.
fuboTV promotions and deals
fuboTV is currently offering a 40% off “Summer Sale,” dropping its monthly rate to just $19.99 for the first two months (not including the initial seven-day trial). That’s a savings of 70 bucks.
fuboTV plans
| Price | Live channels | Cloud DVR | Streams | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fuboTVView Plan | $54.99/mo. | 85+ | 30 hrs. | 2 |
Data effective as of 07/26/2019. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
There’s only one fuboTV plan, but there are plenty of channel add-on options—don’t be put off by the singular package choice.
Most of fuboTV’s channels are sports-centric, but there are also entertainment and lifestyle networks like Comedy Central, FX, AMC, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Bravo, Syfy, HGTV, TNT, and Boomerang, among others.
Live local channels are a bit harder to come by on fuboTV, if you care about watching area stations that carry ABC, NBC, FOX, etc. There’s also the little matter of no ESPN, which could be a deal breaker for fans who prefer good ole American football to fuboTV’s core fútbol.
fuboTV channels and shows
Live and on-demand shows and movies
Cable entertainment staples like TNT, TBS, Syfy, HGTV, FX, AMC, Comedy Central, BBC America, IFC, and USA all livestream on fuboTV, with previously aired programming available on-demand.
If you like news, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, HLN, and Cheddar Business are also available.
But wait, to paraphrase late-night infomercials, there’s less: besides Disney-owned ESPN and ABC, fuboTV is also missing a few entertainment channels that prospective cord-cutters might overlook at first glance. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone from your channel lineup
Channels fuboTV doesn’t carry:
- Freeform
- Disney Channel
- Disney XD
- Science Channel
- Velocity
- Destination America
fuboTV covers its bases on the sports end by offering a busload of non-ESPN alternatives, but the absence of Disney is a little harder to make up for. There are few substitutes for Andi Mack, just ask any tween.
Original shows and movies
Nothing to see here: while it’s grown exponentially in just under five years, fuboTV hasn’t yet branched out into producing its own original content.
If or when it does, we’d recommend an on-brand reboot of 2014 El Rey Network action series Matador, about a pro soccer star who moonlights as a CIA spy. Yes, it was a real show—and we’re still not over its cancellation.
Live sports
fuboTV carries sports, sports, and more sports—but no ESPN channels.
Hear us out; what fubo lacks in domestic Monday Night Football coverage and SportsCenter banter, it more than makes up for with international sports action and a whole lotta soccer.
fuboTV live sports channels:
- beIN Sports
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports
- ELEVEN SPORTS
- FOX Sports 1
- FOX Sports 2
- FOX College Sports
- FOX Deportes
- Golf Channel
- NBA TV
- NBC Sports
- NFL Network
- NFL RedZone
- Pac-12 Network
- Olympic Channel
- Regional sports networks
Obviously, fuboTV’s jam is sports—and the above list doesn’t even include the optional sports-package add-ons available. If your sports tastes lean more varied and international (is there such a thing as a “sports hipster”?), fuboTV probably has it.
fuboTV specs and features
Cloud DVR
fuboTV packages come with 30 hours of cloud DVR space included—which is, at best, adequate if you’re diligent about making time for your recorded shows and clearing the cloud. But who is? Exactly.
If you’re someone who likes to let those House Hunters episodes and Swiss Super League soccer matches accumulate, however, fubo’s cloud DVR can be upgraded to 500 storage hours. For an additional $9.99 a month, it might be worth it for heavy recorders.
Multiple streams
fuboTV allows for only two simultaneous streams—it’s better than one, but you’d expect more for 55 bucks a month.
For an extra $5.99 a month, you can add a third “Family Share” stream, which still seems a little skimpy compared to similarly priced upgrades of other livestreaming TV services like PlayStation Vue.
Compatible streaming devices
Despite being an excellent service for watching games, fuboTV doesn’t play well—or at all—with gaming devices: PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox aren’t fubo-compatible.
fuboTV is supported on these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Roku
- Google Chromecast
- Android TV
- Android phone, tablet
- iPhone, iPad
- PC, Mac web browsers
Video and audio quality
fuboTV streams at 720p/60 fps, which is currently the standard across all livestreaming TV services, making its HD quality comparable to that of other services like Netflix and Sling TV.
One thing that fuboTV offers that the others don’t? It has 4K sports streaming, even though it’s limited to select events on NBC, FOX, FOX Sports 1, and NBCSN.
Local channels
If you want local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and Univision, you may have to get yourself an over-the-air antenna. fuboTV lags behind other streaming TV services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which feature better broadcast network coverage.
Admit it: You don’t want to miss the new season of The Voice any more than we do, but it’s a possibility if NBC is missing from your fuboTV feed.
Channel add-ons
The lone $54.99 fuboTV package gives you 85+ channels—but, if you need even more sports or some extended entertainment, you can drop a few more bucks to get them.
fuboTV add-ons:
- fubo Extra (30 channels; $5.99/mo.)
- fubo Cycling (6 channels; $11.99/mo.)
- International Sports Plus (5 channels; $5.99/mo.)
- Sports Plus (23 channels; $8.99/mo.)
- Adventure Plus (5 channels; $4.99/mo.)
- NBA League Pass ($28.99/mo.)
- FOX Soccer Plus ($6/mo.)
- Tennis Channel ($9/mo.)
- SHOWTIME ($10.99/mo.)
- AMC Premiere ($4.99/mo.)
- FX Plus ($5.99/mo.)
- RAI Italia ($7.99/mo.)
- Portuguese Plus (3 channels; $14.99/mo.)
- Latino Plus (11 channels; $7.99/mo.)
All of fuboTV’s add-ons offer a free seven-day trial period, with no subscription contracts and the option to cancel at any time.
Combine fuboTV with another streaming service
If fuboTV doesn’t give you everything you want, try pairing it with another streaming service to fill in the blanks—you’ll probably still save money over a cable or satellite subscription.
fuboTV’s sound feed is standard 2.0 stereo audio; Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound isn’t yet available. You’re not missing out on much, though: streaming services often advertise Dolby 5.1 sound, but that claim applies to only a small amount of select programming.
Our final take: fuboTV isn’t (yet) your cable replacement
For fans of soccer and international sports, fuboTV is a dream platform with a dreamier price tag.
For cord-cutters looking to replace cable or satellite service, however, dream on: fubo has a few too many holes in its entertainment channel lineup for us to fully recommend it as a stand-alone cable substitute.
But if your regular live TV viewing needs are minimal and you’ve been meaning to get into Australian women’s cricket (who hasn’t?), fuboTV could open up a whole new world for you.
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Pacific Northwest Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Salt Lake City Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications. In addition to his CableTV.com work, Bill is a senior writer and streaming TV columnist at SLUGMag.com. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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