When it comes to browsing live TV streaming services, you’ll probably pay attention to two big names: Fubo and YouTube TV. Both services are hugely popular. Fubo is renowned for its sports coverage and ability to stream live events in 4K, while YouTube TV comes with an unlimited amount of DVR storage to suit all your binge-watching needs. Dying to find out more? We’ve rounded up all there is to know about each service’s plans, content, and overall user experience. Check out our full fuboTV review for more information. Don’t forget to read our in-depth YouTube TV review, too. Read on to find out everything you need to know about Fubo vs. YouTube TV.
Plans and pricing for YouTube TV vs. Fubo
| Fubo | YouTube TV | |
| Monthly price | From $72.99/mo. | $72.99/mo. |
| Free trial length | 7 days | Varies |
| Number of channels | 170+ | 100+ |
| Original content available? | Yes | Yes |
| Live streaming available? | Yes | Yes |
Let’s start with YouTube TV because it’s by far the simplest. The streaming service only has one plan, with all users receiving the same 100+ channels for $72.99 per month. Granted, it’s not cheap due to the platform’s recent price jump, but it may be the closest you’ll get to a cable experience without paying upwards of $100 per month. Head here for more detail on YouTube TV’s subscription plan.
Fubo’s packages come in a very different format. The prices have also recently increased due to new channel additions, but the overall plans remain largely the same. The popular Pro package costs $74.99 per month for more than 170 networks, up to 10 simultaneous streams, and a cloud DVR of 1000 hours. For more of everything, look to the Premier package. For $94.99 per month, it gives you over 250 channels, 1000 hours of DVR storage, and up to 10 simultaneous streams. The channel list includes some of Fubo’s most coveted add-ons, such as Showtime and 25 extra sports networks. The platform also offers a Spanish-language package: the Latino. It’s $32.99 per month and has 60 channels with 250 hours of cloud DVR.
If that wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, Fubo offers the Elite plan which includes 240+ channels, 1000 hours of cloud DVR, and the ability to watch up to scenes at once, and like the Premier package, 4K is included for only $84.99 per month. Check out Fubo’s packages and pricing.
Comparing the YouTube TV vs. Fubo experience
User experience
Fubo’s app looks pretty similar across all of its TV, web, and mobile apps. But when accessing the service via your TV, you may notice slight differences, depending on the device you’re using. For example, some devices hide the navigation menu. This menu is where you’ll be able to quickly head to sports, shows, movies, and recordings, as well as search for content and access settings. The service uses a black and orange color scheme and a grid-type home screen that groups content by category. Scroll to the right to see schedules up to 10 days in advance and go up to 72 hours back to view content from the past. Recording content is easy — just hover over the chosen title or game.
YouTube TV also gives all of its apps — whether TV, desktop, or mobile — an identical look that’s reminiscent of the standard YouTube site. (If you don’t like the lighter color palette, you can change everything to dark mode.) The main menu is short and sweet. It has three options: Home, Library, and Live. But the most impressive function has to be the search bar. It can understand sequences of keywords to return high-quality results, meaning you can search for a genre and year to find super-specific titles. YouTube TV’s Now Playing screen is also highly intuitive, giving you extra information about the content you’re watching and allowing you to change everything from streaming quality to audio track.
If you want to see how the interface works for yourself, you can access both streamers on a variety of devices. From Amazon Fire TV Sticks to Xbox One consoles, here’s each service’s full list of compatible devices:
Fubo’s compatible devices
- Amazon Fire TV devices
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- iOS phones and tablets
- Roku
- Samsung smart TVs
- Web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari)
- Xbox One
YouTube TV compatible devices
- Amazon Fire TV devices
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- Hisense smart TVs
- iOS phones and tablets
- LG smart TVs
- PlayStation 4
- Roku
- Samsung smart TVs
- Sharp smart TVs
- Vizio smart TVs
- Xbox One
Personalization
Both Fubo and YouTube TV offer the same number of user profiles. Up to six people can create their own profile under one account. Use fuboTV profiles to save favorite channels and recordings. YouTube TV’s profiles also allow personalized recommendations for a truly unique experience.
fuboTV has several other personalization opportunities. You can customize your fuboTV package with a selection of 14 add-ons. There are premium networks like AMC Premiere and Showtime — subscribe to them for live TV and bonus on-demand content. And if you’re a sports fan, you can enjoy more than 40 additional networks, including MLB Network and NHL Network, with Fubo Extra. Add-ons range from an extra $4.99/mo. for the likes of AMC Premiere to $19.99/mo. for Latino Plus’ lifestyle and sports networks.
YouTube TV also offers premium networks like Epix, HBO Max, SHOWTIME, and STARZ. There are also extra sports in the form of the NBA League Pass, plus general entertainment additions such as Curiosity Stream. Looking for even more sporting goodness? YouTube TV’s new Sports Plus add-on features seven networks for $10.99/mo., including NFL RedZone, FOX Soccer Plus, and Stadium.
YouTube TV even lets you customize settings. Parental controls can protect young viewers from watching or searching for mature content. You can also hide team and league scores to avoid game spoilers. Unfortunately, Fubo doesn’t offer parental settings, but you can restart live broadcasts if you miss the beginning.
Features
It’s hard to compete with YouTube TV’s cloud DVR feature. The service offers an unlimited amount of storage space for all your recordings. And you can keep each one for up to nine months, so you can take your sweet, sweet time when catching up. fuboTV’s cloud DVR limits differ, depending on the plan you pick. Family subscribers get 250 hours, Ultra users get 500 hours, and those who pay for the Elite bundle get a whopping 1,000 hours. If you want to upgrade the lower limit to 500 hours, you can pay for Cloud DVR Plus — it costs an extra $9.99/mo. Recordings can be kept for an indefinite amount of time.
All YouTube TV users receive three simultaneous streams. This limit used to differ for fuboTV users. But, thanks to a package shake-up, Family, Ultra, and Elite subscribers all receive three simultaneous streams. Only Latino users have to deal with the standard two streams. But Latino subscribers do have the option to invest in Family Share, which gives an extra stream for $5.99/mo.
YouTube TV vs. Fubo content
Fubo started off entirely dedicated to sports. Although you’ll still find thousands of sporting events on the service, you’ll also find all the other genres you’re used to with cable. National networks include CBS, FOX, and NBC. And while ESPN was one of the big names missing from the list, it was recently added to fuboTV’s line-up along with Disney Channel, FX, and National Geographic. Other entertainment channels include AMC and Comedy Central. And sports broadcasts come from the likes of FS1, NBA TV, and NFL RedZone. (Note that you may have to opt for a more expensive package to get hold of some of these sports networks.)
What does that mean when it comes to the specific content that’s available? Well, fuboTV subscribers can access all the goings-on in football, basketball, hockey, and more. Plus, they can stay on top of new Family Guy episodes, hide behind the sofa for the latest American Horror Story series, and let the kids kick back to Peppa Pig. Some titles are even available to watch on-demand, though this varies by network.
Fubo channel list is impressive, but YouTube TV does rival it. YouTube TV may have fewer channels overall (although there are still 100+), but it includes sports networks like NBA TV that you may have to pay extra for with Fubo . All the major networks — ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC — are featured along with news from CNN, entertainment from AMC, and documentaries from the Discovery Channel.
You’ll get local PBS channels too — a rarity in the streaming world — and ViacomCBS’ line-up, which includes BET, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. Plus, YouTube TV offers YouTube Originals like the next installment in the Karate Kid story, Cobra Kai, and basketball documentary series, Best Shot. As with fuboTV, on-demand content is available with select YouTube TV networks.
The final cut
Fubo or YouTube TV? They’re similar in so many ways that it’s difficult to determine which service comes out on top. Both have the same starting price and feature a similar number of networks. The big differences, of course, come with features like DVR.
So who wins in the Fubo vs. YouTube TV competition? Thanks to free trials, you don’t have to splash out to find out. Fubo offers a seven-day trial and YouTube TV’s trial period will vary. Check out our YouTube TV free trial explainer for more information.