Finding the right live TV streaming service is increasingly confusing as more and more services hit the market. Even in just the month since we last updated we posted there have been several major changes and Hulu’s new live TV service came out. So we wanted to break them down once again and help you make the decision between DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV, Hulu’s live TV beta, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue more easily.
Because things keep changing here is your updated look at the DIRECTV NOW, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu, and PlayStation Vue as of May 3rd 2017.
First you should look at which of these services works on the devices you own?
Streaming Player | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV NOW | YouTube TV | Hulu Beta |
Roku | X | X | |||
Fire TV | X | X | X | ||
Apple TV | X | X | X | X | |
Chromecast | X | X | X | X | X |
iOS | X | X | X | X | X |
Android Phones/Tablet | X | X | X | X | X |
Android TV | X | X | |||
Xbox One | X | X | |||
PlayStation 4 | X |
All of the services services offer local channels in different markets. You can find a full list of Sling TV local channels and markets HERE. You can find a full list of PlayStation Vue local channels and markets HERE. You can find the local channels for DIRECTV NOW here. (All 5 markets YouTube TV is i in offers local channels.)*Note Chromecast will work on any Chromecast supported device like Android TV. We did not include YouTube TV on Android TV as there is no Android TV app for YouTube TV.
Next, you should check to see which service has the channels you want?
Are you on a mobile device? Struggling to see the chart? Here is a PDF you can download for easier viewing.
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV NOW | YouTube TV | Hulu Beta |
A&E | X | X | X | ||
AMC | X | X | X | X | |
American Heroes Channel | X | X | |||
Animal Planet | X | X | |||
Audience | X | ||||
Baby TV | X | ||||
BBC America | X | X | X | X | |
BBC World News | X | X | X | ||
Blaze TV | X | ||||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
BET | X | X | |||
Big Ten Network | X | X | X | X | |
Bloomberg Television | X | ||||
Boomerang | X | X | X | ||
Bravo | X | X | X | X | X |
Campus Insider | X | ||||
Cartoon Network/Adult Swim | X | X | X | X | |
BeIN Sports | X | X | |||
Chiller | X | X | X | X | |
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
Cinemax | X | X | X | ||
Cheddar | X | ||||
CBS Sports Net | X | X | |||
CMT | X | X | |||
Comedy TV | X | ||||
CNBC | X | X | X | X | X |
CNBC World | X | X | |||
CNN | X | X | X | X | |
CNN International | X | ||||
AXS TV | X | X | |||
Comcast Sportsnet | X | X | X | X | |
Comedy Central | X | X | |||
Crime & Investigatin | X | ||||
Cooking Channel | X | X | X | ||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
Destination America | X | X | |||
Discovery | X | X | |||
Discovery Family | X | X | |||
Discovery Life | X | X | |||
Disney Channel | X | X | X | X | X |
Disney Junior | X | X | X | X | X |
Disney XD | X | X | X | X | X |
DIY Network | X | X | X | ||
Duck TV | X | ||||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
E! | X | X | X | X | X |
EPIX | X | ||||
EPIX Drive-In | X | ||||
EPIX Hits | X | X | |||
EPIX2 | X | ||||
ESPN | X | X | X | X | X |
ESPN 2 | X | X | X | X | X |
ESPN Bases Loaded | X | ||||
ESPN Buzzer Beater | X | ||||
ESPN Deportes | X | X | |||
ESPN Goal Line | X | X | |||
ESPN U | X | X | X | X | X |
ESPN News | X | X | X | X | X |
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
El Rey | X | X | |||
Esquire | X | ||||
Euronews | X | ||||
FM | X | ||||
Fla Ma | X | ||||
Food Network | X | X | X | X | |
Fox Business | X | X | X | X | |
Fox College Sports | X | ||||
Fox News Channel | X | X | X | X | |
Fox Regional Sports Networks | X | X | X | X | X |
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
France 24 | X | ||||
FreeForm | X | X | X | X | X |
FS1 | X | X | X | X | X |
FS2 | X | X | X | X | X |
FX | X | X | X | X | X |
FXM | X | X | X | X | |
FXX | X | X | X | X | X |
FYI | X | X | X | ||
Golf Channel | X | X | X | X | X |
Great America | X | ||||
Hallmark Channel | X | X | |||
HBO | X | X | X | ||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
HDNet Movies | X | ||||
HGTV | X | X | X | X | |
History | X | X | X | ||
Hi-Yah! | X | ||||
HLN | X | X | X | X | |
GSN | X | X | |||
IFC | X | X | X | X | |
Investigation Discovery | X | X | |||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DirecTV | YouTube | Hulu |
NOW | TV | ||||
Lifetime | X | X | X | ||
Lifetime Movies | X | X | X | ||
Local Now | X | X | |||
Logo | X | X | |||
Machinima | X | ||||
Maker | X | ||||
MGM | X | ||||
MSNBC | X | X | X | X | X |
MTV | X | X | |||
MTV 2 | X | X | |||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
Nat Geo Wild | X | X | X | X | X |
Nat Geo | X | X | X | X | X |
MLB TV | X | X | |||
NBC Sports Network | X | X | X | X | X |
NBA TV | X | X | X | ||
NFL Network | X | X | |||
NDTV | X | ||||
NHL Network | X | X | |||
News18 | X | ||||
Newsy | X | X | |||
Nickelodeon | X | ||||
Nick Jr. | X | X | |||
Nicktoons | X | X | |||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
One World Sports | X | ||||
Outside TV | X | X | |||
OWN | X | X | |||
Oxygen | X | X | X | X | X |
Pursuit Channel | X | ||||
Pac-12 | X | ||||
Poker | X | ||||
Polaris+ | X | X | |||
Pop | X | X | |||
RT Network | X | ||||
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
Science Channel | X | X | |||
SEC Network | X | X | X | X | X |
Showtime | X | X | X | X | |
Sony Movie Channel | X | ||||
Spike | X | X | |||
Sprout | X | X | X | X | |
Sundance TV | X | X | X | ||
SyFy | X | X | X | X | X |
TBS | X | X | X | X | |
TeenNick | X | X | |||
TLC | X | X | |||
TNT | X | X | X | X | |
Channel | Sling TV | PS Vue | DIRECTV | YouTube | Hulu Beta |
NOW | TV | ||||
Travel Channel | X | X | X | X | |
Tru TV | X | X | X | X | |
Turner Classic Movies | X | X | X | X | |
TV Land | X | X | |||
Universal | X | X | |||
Unimas | X | X | |||
Univision | X | X | |||
USA | X | X | X | X | X |
Velocity | X | X | |||
VH1 | X | X | |||
Tennis Channel | X | ||||
Vibrant | X | ||||
Viceland | X | X | X | ||
WE tv | X | X | X | ||
Fox Deportes | X | X | |||
Weather Channel | X | ||||
WeatherNation | X |
*AMC owned channels are coming soon to YouTube TV.
*YouTube TV also includes access to YouTube Red.
*Hulu also includes access to Hulu’s on demand service.
*CSN in some markets is now NBC Sports [region] all CSN channels will be changing over in the next few months.
*Found a error? Please email us and we will fix it.
Regional Sports Networks:
All 5 major streaming services offer regional sports networks. Including CSN (being renamed NBC Sports Networks) and Fox Sports Networks. Check each one of their serveries to find out what is offered in your area.
DVR
DIRECTV NOW has no DVR, but many channels offer limited on-demand. Yet many of them miss random episodes.
PlayStation Vue offers a 30-day DVR and after 28 days the recording is removed.
Sling TV has a DVR and most of their channels have on-demand versions of the aired shows. Sling TV is offering 50 hours of DVR space with no time limit on how long you can keep a recording for $5 a month.
YouTube TV will keep shows for 9 months.
Hulu live TV beta starts with 50 hours of storage. If you want more storage or the ability to fast forward you can pay $14.99 a month to get that ability.
Number of Streams
DIRECTV NOW offers two streams.
Sling TV will allow you to stream one or three streams at once depending on what package you sign up for. You can also use your Sling TV login for some apps such as WatchESPN.
PlayStation Vue will work on five devices at once but some channels will not work outside of your home network. You can use your PlayStation Vue login on different apps such as WatchESPN.
YouTube TV allows for 3 streams at once both inside and outside of your home.
Hulu live TV beta starts with 2 streams but you can add more for $14.99 a month.
Access Outside of Your House
PlayStation Vue limits access outside of your home network. Mobile apps work if you had at one point used them inside your home networks for many channels. You will not be able to use streaming players like Roku outside of your home netowrk. You can use the PlayStation Vue login on many networks apps, such as Fox Sports GO and WatchESPN, for access outside of your home network.
Sling TV allows subscribers to login from anywhere in the United States. Sling also works with WatchESPN and has announced that FOX apps will soon also be supported.
DIRECTV NOW offers streaming outside of your house but some local channels and sports channels are limited to your home area.
YouTube TV allows for access outside of your home network.
Hulu will work both at home and away.
So what service should you pick?
Hopefully this guide has helped you find the right service. If you are still wondering which is the best for you and your family the best thing to do is to try the free trial for DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu, and PlayStation Vue offer. Our suggestion is to give them a try and see if you like them. Check each service’s site for current prices because they keep changing. (Note: The PlayStation Vue charges an extra $10 a month for some markets.)
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