Best Live TV Streaming Services of 2026
If you want a cable-like experience at home and for devices on the go, without the dead weight that a cable subscription brings, a streaming service is worth a look. There is no contract to sign and if you don’t like the service you’re on, you can easily change services. Whether you’re looking for a basic package like Sling TV or want to pay more for a luxury experience like Hulu Plus Live TV, there should be a live TV streaming service that’s right for you. Here are some questions to get you started:
Channels: Each of the TV streaming services above offers a different combination of channels, so your first step should be to choose the one that carries your “must-see” cable channels and shows. Some of the biggest live channels are local, namely ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Not every service offers them all across the board, but the best streaming service for you will include the majority of what you like to watch, so it’s worth shopping around.
Live TV streaming service offerings are constantly evolving as networks scramble to secure access to popular channels (those with highly-watched original shows and regional sports networks are in particular demand). It’s also possible that a certain cable channel could disappear from a certain service after a network contract expires.
These negotiations also lead to other changes. In recent years, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu (several times), Philo and DirecTV have all raised their prices. Google and Roku resolved a contractual dispute which blocked their users from downloading the YouTube TV app, but they lost Disney channels for two days due to another dispute. Added to this volatility is the fact that sometimes the less popular services are simply removed — AT&T TV Watch TV, TVVision And PlayStation View are just three examples.
Price: Broadly speaking, each of these streaming services can be divided into two main groups: budget, with prices between $30 and $50 and few or no local channels; and premium, with prices starting at $80, plus local channels and supercharged cloud DVRs.That’s right, all services let you record and playback shows, just like a traditional cable or satellite DVR, but they often have restrictions.
Number of concurrent users: If you want to watch multiple programs at the same time – for example, on your living room TV and your bedroom TV, or on the main TV and a tablet or other devices – you need 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 concurrent stream limits.
Keep in mind that, especially if multiple people are watching simultaneously on supported devices, you should make sure you haveFast and reliable high-speed internet. A 100 Mbps download service will cost between $50 and $60 per month, and unfortunately this is where the savings from cutting the cable can be eaten up.
