Directv Stream Best For Hbo Max Users
What makes it the best
- DirecTV Stream offers free access to the HBO Max streaming service with its Premier plans.
- It also supports up to 20 devices on one account and you can get unlimited DVR storage.
DirecTV Stream has four main plans. The Entertainment plan includes over 65 channels for $70 a month . The Choice plan has over 90 channels, plus HBO/HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, and Epix included for the first three months, for $85 a month .
The Ultimate plan, with 130 channels, costs $95 a month and HBO/HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, and Epix are also included for the first three months. Finally, the Premier plan has over 140 channels, including full access to HBO/HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz included for $140 a month . Epix is available as an add-on.
Plus plan subscribers, and Choice and Ultimate subscribers after three months can also sign up for HBO/HBO Max for an extra fee. There are also other pay cable channels you can add for extra fees. Choice, Ultimate and, Premier plans all include regional sports channels.
All plans offer 20 hours of cloud DVR storage, but you can upgrade to unlimited storage for an extra fee of $10 a month. You can also access your local channels .
Why you should buy
- The basic Plus plan has a high price for what you are getting
- Some local channels in some markets are not included
Q: What Is The Cheapest Live TV Streaming Service
The cheapest live TV streaming service we considered was Philo, at just $25 per month. Another service, Frndly TV, offers a $7-per-month plan with 35 channels, but the robustness of the offerings isnt quite strong enough yet to make our list. Keep in mind that some smart TVs and streaming devices come with their own live TV components at no extra charge.
At& t TV Plans And Pricing
If Cinemax and HBO are your go-to networks, youll love AT& T TV. Its the only streaming service to include the channels for free others charge an additional monthly fee on top of the regular subscription price. To pay nothing extra for these two premium networks, youll have to choose AT& T TVs Choice plan. It costs $85/mo. and boasts 90+ channels.
Outside of the Choice package, AT& T TV has three other packages to choose from. The Entertainment plan is the cheapest. Costing $70/mo., it comes with more than 65 TV channels. Theres also the Ultimate package, which will set you back $95/mo. for over 125 channels and the Premiere package for $139.99/mo for 140+ channels. Each comes with a mixture of news, sports, entertainment, and kid channels. Plus, you can personalize each package with add-ons, ranging from movie packs to Spanish-language specials.
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Directv Stream Best TV Streaming Service For Sports Fans
Pros
- DVR has no ad-skipping restrictions
- HBO is included
- Limited channel selection for the price
- DVR limits both recording space and storage time
- No personalized viewing recommendations
At $90 per month for its Choice package, DirecTV Stream is not a particularly great deal for cord-cutters, but as of this writing, its the only way to regional Bally Sports networks or the YES Network without cable or satellite TV service. That service tier also includes NBA TV and MLB Network for good measure.
The Best Live TV Streaming Services: Reviews & Recommendations
Switching to live TV streaming can feel daunting, but ditching your cable box isnt as hard as you think. Whether you watch a lot of sports or only occasionally tune into specific events, theres something for everyone.
Cons
- No PBS
Hulu + Live TV has the most robust channel lineup of any streaming service with live channels right now. You can get more than 75 channels of news, sports, and entertainment, including ABC, CBS, and NBC. It also comes with digital DVR functionality, so you can record shows when you arent around.
Of course, you also get access to Hulus streaming library, including on-demand access to many network shows and original content like The Handmaids Tale and Nomadland. The service also bundles in subscriptions to Disney+ and ESPN+, rounding out the best package of live TV and on-demand content.
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What Are The Best Live TV Streaming Services
Streaming services run the gamut of super affordable platforms with limited channels to more expensive options with line-ups that have hundreds of channels. On some services, like Hulu for example, you can even upgrade your existing account to add live TV so you dont have to sign up for a brand new service. What were saying is, in the world of live TV streaming, there is something for everyone.
Today theres a long list of services to choose from, but here are the best live TV streaming services of the bunch:
- AT& T TV
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Free Live TV Streaming Services Compared
Peacock
Though owned by Comcast, Peacock is NBCs foray into the streaming TV landscape, and the ad-supported free tier offers tons of NBC TV shows and an excellent library of moviesmost in full stream high definition. Here you can find NBC faves like Friday Night Lights, the first few seasons of The Office and Saturday Night Live but you can also stream newer shows like This Is Us. But other examples of content that didnt premiere on NBC include Battlestar Galactica and CharmedU, and its the single destination for all the Summer Tokyo Olympics. Unfortunately, only Premium subscribers can get access to most of Peacocks live sports including all the Premium League soccer matches. The completely ad-free Peacock Premium Plus will run you $9.99/month.
Pluto TV
Owned by Viacom, Pluto TV is a basic, fully free streaming service with can help you supplement cutting those cords with over 200 different streaming channelsthough many are not the traditional channels you may expect. But its the entertainment area that shines with Pluto TV, including Comedy Central, MTV, Fuse and the Paramount Movie Channel. You can also tune into lifestyle channels like Food TV and This Old House and kids channels like Nick Jr. Pluto TV Kids and Anime All Ages. CNN also recently joined Plutos ranks, which is good news for news junkies. On-demand is available, but the smaller selection of movies and TV shows are constantly changing.
Xumo
Youtube TV Best TV Streaming Service For Local Channels
What makes it the best
- YouTube TV has over 85 channels for the price of $65 a month.
- It also has a 14-day free trial and unlimited DVR storage.
Googles YouTubeTV costs $64.99 a month. For that price, this live TV streaming service includes access to over 85 live TV channels. It also includes local ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox stations. You can add additional pay cable channels for additional monthly fees. You can have up to six people access your single YouTube TV account.
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This service has unlimited cloud DVR storage, with the only limitation being that your recordings will disappear nine months after their creation. The service recently added a new sports tier add-on with several sports channels. It also recently added support for 4K video streaming and mobile downloads, but for an extra fee.
Why you should buy
- You cant keep your DVR recordings forever
- 4K streams require an extra fee
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Hulu Plus Live TV Most Complete Service With Disney Plus And Espn Plus Included
What makes it the best
- Hulu has lots of on-demand current movies and shows with a solid amount of live TV channels and most local stations.
- Its Cloud DVR features have 50 hours of space at no extra charge.
Hulu Plus Live TV is one of the best live streaming TV services you can get, either by itself or combined with a Hulu subscription. The basic package, with Hulu, currently costs $69.99 a month, or $75.99 a month with no ads on Hulu. It offers access to over 65 channels and live channels from your local ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox stations. You can also add on major pay cable movie channels like HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and Epix for an extra fee.
Hulu Plus Live TV includes 50 hours of cloud DVR service, which can be boosted to 200 hours for an extra $15 a month. You can also get an unlimited amount of screens in your home streaming the service for an extra $15 a month or get both the boosted DVR and unlimited screens features for $20 a month.
Recently, subscribers got a price hike, but added two more streaming services, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, at no additional cost.
Why you should buy
- Its on the high side of price ranges
If You Like Sports: Fubotv And Espn+
There are a couple of solid options for sports fans, and both offer different pros and cons. Things to consider: what sports you actually follow and when you like to watch . Its good to consider just how invested you are in the games too, namely whether or not you want the postgame analysis and specialty programs dedicated to your favorite team or sport.
fuboTV
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Does The Service Carry Local Channels
You may not think about local channels much, but they carry the shows you love live from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and The CW . If a streaming TV service doesnt 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 youre interested in. If theyre not available, a digital antenna can make up the difference.
Q: What Streaming Service Has The Most Live Channels
The streaming service with the most live channels in our reviews was fuboTV. Their Elite plan offers more than 148 channels at $80 per month, though a large portion of those channels are sports-related. The runner up is DirecTV Stream with more than 140 channels offered in their top-tier Premier package .
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What Is The Cheapest Streaming Service
The cheapest on-demand streaming services are Peacock and Apple TV+ . And Apple TV gives you an option for a free seven-day trial.
isn’t the cheapest streaming service, but it has a range of payment options. And you might already have free access without knowing it since Prime Video is included with any Amazon Prime membership. Without an Amazon Prime membership, Amazon Prime Video is $8.99 a month.
Is Streaming Cheaper Than Cable
Not really. Back in 2009, when I first cut the cable cord, I saved over $100 per month and still got to watch all my shows. Just over 10 years later, my internet video streaming bills are closing in on cable TV-level bills. Why? Internet streaming is copying the tired, old cable business models.
Sure, the delivery technology is different. Instead of a set-top box, you use a streaming device, such as my own favorite, the Roku Express 4K Plus. Or you can just buy high-end TVs with full-featured streaming built-in. But the bills are increasingly getting higher. That said, you can still save money.
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Just Wanna Watch Your Favorite TV Show We’ve Got You Covered
- University of Massachusetts, Boston
- J. Everette Light Career Center
Not sure which streaming service to try? No worries. We’ve tried all of them so you don’t have to. These recommended services are available in a browser and on many devices, from TVs to phones to game consoles and more. Many have multiple subscription tiers, some of which are free, and most also have free trials you can use to check out their libraries for yourself before committing. If you don’t like one, don’t be afraid to cancel it and move to the next on the list.
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Awesome variety of acclaimed original shows across genres that often run for multiple seasons.
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Large collection of TV and movies.
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4K HDR support for Netflix Originals.
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Increasing focus on producing original content at the expense of maintaining a back catalog of shows people want to watch.
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No currently airing TV support.
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No optional packages/add-ons.
Plans
Basic: SD quality for $8.99 a month. Standard: HD quality for $13.99 a month. Premium: Ultra HD quality for $17.99 a month.
Add-ons
How many shows can you watch at once?
Basic: 1. Standard: 2. Premium: 4.
Where does it work?
Streaming media players, smart TVs, game consoles, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Many models of each are supported, but be sure to check Netflix’s compatibility list.
What’s the takeaway?
Plans
Hulu: 30-days free then $5.99 a month. Hulu : 30 days free then $11.99 a month.
Add-ons
The Best Live TV Streaming Services For 2022
These top live TV streaming services let you ditch your cable provider and still watch prime-time network shows, sports, breaking news, and other entertaining and informative programs.
As a PCMag security analyst, I report on security solutions such as password managers and parental control software, as well as privacy tools such as VPNs. Each week I send out the SecurityWatch newsletter filled with online security news and tips for keeping you and your family safe on the internet.
In 2013, I started my Ziff Davis career as an intern on PCMag’s Software team. Now, Im an Analyst on the Apps and Gaming team, and I really just want to use my fancy Northwestern University journalism degree to write about video games. I host The Pop-Off, PCMag‘s video game show. I was previously the Senior Editor for Geek.com. Ive also written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. Im currently working on a book about the history of video games, and Im the reason everything you think you know about Street Sharks is a lie.
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How We Test Streaming Services
Testing streaming services is both serious work and good fun. When we test the quality of these platforms, we use them on multiple devices, including game consoles, web browsers and mobile devices. You’d be surprised at how differently Sling TV can look between a Roku, the Apple TV box and Chrome. But there are a lot of other devices, so check out our Nvidia Shield TV vs. Nvidia Shield TV Pro face-off to see the difference between them.
We then compare the services based around the number of simultaneous streams they allow, if they throw in 4K streaming for free , and what other special features they allow. We also keep a strong eye on the new channels coming to each service, with articles such as our Sling Orange vs Blue face-off.
And as pricing constantly changes , we have to rethink how each competitor sits in the landscape. Sling, for example, has stayed near the low-end of the field, even though it too has gone up over time.
We also spend a fair amount of time keeping up with the latest entrants into the streaming wars. A newer live TV streaming service is Philo TV, which costs just $25 a month for 59 channels.
HBO Max arrived with the WarnerMedia library , after that, though, it earned a lot of attention for its “day-and-date” releases that brought huge blockbuster movies on the same day they arrive in theaters. This started with Wonder Woman 1984, but ended when 2022 began. Still, HBO Max is the service we love the most, as it keeps delivering great TV shows.
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The Best Streaming Services Now
HBO Max has everything HBO had, and then some. Both HBO and HBO Max pack current-run shows including Euphoria, as well as completed seasons of Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Veep. But for $14.99 per month , HBO Max adds a lot more to be a compelling competitor to Netflix.
Recently, HBO Max finally upgraded Game of Thones to 4K with HDR 10 and Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, so it’s a good time to go revisit the very dark The Long Night episode. We love HBO Max so much, we awarded it the 2022 Tom’s Guide Award for best streaming service. Recently added pieces of TV excellence include The Rehearsal and Harley Quinn season 2. Check out our guide to the best HBO Max shows and movies to see what it’s offering.
Check our our full HBO Max review.
Hulu’s one of the most interesting options on this list, and its unique nature makes sure it’s one of the best streaming services. While it doesn’t deliver as many new originals as say Netflix, its quality to quantity ratio is better. But more importantly, its next-day airings of cable and broadcast TV shows make it a must-have for many cord-cutters who don’t want to spend $35 or more on the likes of Sling. And while it’s still our value pick, a new Hulu price hike is raising entry to $7.99 per month, though that’s still cheaper than the $9.99 basic Netflix plan.
Check out our full Hulu with Live TV review.
Read our full Netflix review.
Read our full Disney Plus review.
Read our full Sling TV review.
Read our full Peacock review.