Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2025

We have ordered these services based on the score each streaming service received in their individual review, and based on a number of criteria including the number of platforms, ease of use, features, cost and channels. We test each service’s apps on multiple platforms including Android, iOS, Apple TV, Google TV and internet browsers, and note whenever features aren’t available on some of them.

Design: We take into account the design of the service including its ease of use, and the layout of the program guide — for example, how easy it it to find the content you want, or to record a show?

Content: A live TV streaming service is only as good as the channels it offers, and we take into account the number of popular channels it supports. We also note any sports offerings, add-on packages, plus the quality of originals and back catalog content.

Value: In terms of price, there are three tiers of live TV streaming services: free, budget and premium. While we cover free services here, the budget tier includes services like Philo and Sling TV, while the premium services like YouTube TV cost from $80 and up. We try to balance the other factors such as content and features, and how much they correlate to your “bang for buck.”

Features: We pay special attention to features like 4K HDR, DVR and number of multiple streams, as well as unique features such as DirecTV’s “channel flipping” mechanic which helps the service feel more cable like.

• Philo: This $28 live TV streaming service offers a variety of channels, but it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks — although Cheddar and BBC news are available. Philo offers bread-and-butter cable staples like AMC, Comedy Channel, Nickelodeon and Magnolia Network (formerly DIY), and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It now includes an unlimited cloud DVR and optional add-ons from Epix and Starz. We think most people are better off paying extra for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.

• Fubo: There’s a lot to like about Fubo — it offers a wide selection of channels, and its sports focus makes it especially attractive to football fans of all kinds. For NFL in particular, it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, with NFL Network and optional RedZone. In addition, it’s also suited to NBA, NHL and MLB fans who live in an area served by one of Fubo’s RSNs. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Turner networks, including CNN, TNT and TBS — especially since the latter two carry a lot of sports content. Those missing channels and the 2024 price bump that increased plans by $5 (plus additional RSN fees) make it less attractive than YouTube TV or Hulu for most viewers. Read our Fubo review here, and catch up on Fubo’s merger with Hulu here.

While you are most likely familiar with the services on this list, it’s not fully reflective of every live TV platform available. If you’re looking for free TV there are a number of services, while OTA (over the air) is also available if you hang an antenna.

If you want a cable-like experience at home and for on-the-go devices, without the dead weight that a cable subscription brings, 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. 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 Hulu Plus Live TV, there should be a live TV streaming service to suit you. Here’s some questions to help you get started:

• 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? 
• 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.

Channels: Each of the TV streaming 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. Some of the most important live channels are local, namely ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Not every service offers all of them in every area, but the best streaming service for you will include the majority of what you love to watch, so it’s worth shopping around. 

The live TV streaming service lineups are in constant flux as networks scramble to secure access to popular channels (ones with highly watched original shows and regional sports networks are especially in demand). There’s also the chance that a certain cable channel could disappear from a certain service after a network contract expires, which is what happened in 2020 with the regional sports networks. 

These negotiations lead to other changes, too. Over the past few years, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu (multiple times), Philo and DirecTV have all raised their prices. Google and Roku resolved a contract dispute that prevented their users from downloading the YouTube TV app, but they lost Disney channels for two days due to a different dispute. Adding to this volatility is the fact that sometimes less popular services are simply phased out — AT&T TV Watch TV, TVision and PlayStation Vue are just three examples. 

Price: Broadly, each of these streaming services can be broken down into two main groups: budget, with prices ranging between $25 and $50 and few or no local channels; and premium, with prices from $80 and up, and local channels and supercharged cloud DVRs.That’s right, all of the services allow you to record and playback shows, just like a traditional cable or satellite DVR, but they often come with restrictions. 

Number of simultaneous users: 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 or other devices — you’ll want to make sure the video streaming service you’re watching has enough simultaneous streams. Sling Orange only allows one stream at a time, and if you try to watch a second, it’s blocked. Other services have higher simultaneous stream limits.

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

Streaming TV services are great, but there are some things they can’t do compared with a traditional cable box. First, it’s worth looking at the channels that you can’t get with any of these live TV streaming services. For example, only three of the services are currently offer PBS: YouTube TV and DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV.

With sports, fans want to make sure they can find the sports channels to follow their teams. Most services carry ESPN and local channels for NFL football, but if you follow a professional baseball or basketball team, you might need its specific channel — called a regional sports network or RSN — to watch regular season games. RSN coverage varies widely for each service. Sometimes, even if you live in the right area, you may be mistakenly blacked out due to an IP address error. If this is the case, you can fix this by signing up for a sports-friendly VPN.

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 TV or satellite provider. That means you could get a preview of scores or big plays from Twitter, phone alerts or calls from friends slightly before you see the action on screen.

If you’re used to 5.1-channel surround offered by cable or even OTA, then you may be disappointed that YouTube is the only service to offer surround sound on live broadcasts. The other services include stereo sound only on live channels, though 5.1 audio is available on some on-demand material.