Live TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV and Sling TV, routinely change the price and launch deals for new and existing customers. However, it is not only the cost that often changes, but the channel lineups as well. With the price and channels constantly changing, it is always worth consider switching to a new service.
Below is a summary of the cheapest plans in September 2021 for all of the live TV streaming services, along with the minimum number of channels and any free trials that are currently available.
Live TV cheapest plans and prices: September 2021
| Service | Channels | Cheapest p/m | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| DirecTV Stream | 65+ | $70 | 7 days |
| fuboTV | 107 | $65 | 7 days |
| Hulu Live TV | 75+ | $65 | 7 days |
| Philo | 60+ | $25 | 7 days |
| Sling TV | 30+ | $35 | None |
| Vidgo | 95 | $10 | None |
| YouTube TV | 85+ | $65 | 14 days |
A major benefit of streaming live TV is that there are no long term contracts or fees for canceling. Whether new to live TV streaming, looking to switch to save money, or to gain channels, changing from one service to another is as easy as hitting the cancel button and signing up to a new one.
Besides straight discounts on the monthly cost of a subscription, some services will often offer longer free trials than usual or even gift devices to new customers when signing up. Therefore, keeping track of the current costs and deals is a good way to make sure you are getting the best deal on live TV streaming.
Current deals and promotions
In addition to any current deals or promotions, the sections below also include some extra details that consumers might want to know before signing up, such as limits on cloud DVR or the number of simultaneous streams. Both of which can affect how suitable a live TV service is for an individual or household.
For reference, the services below are listed in alphabetical order and not in order of the cheapest price.
DirecTV Stream
Formerly AT&T TV, DirecTV Stream offers no-contract live TV plans. While DirecTV Stream is not the cheapest live TV streaming service around, the channel lineups may suit some consumers better than other services, as they tend to come with a greater number of channels overall. This is particularly true for those already paying for premium networks, as some are also included with DirecTV Stream’s plans at no additional cost.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | $69.99 | 65+ | None |
| Choice | $84.99 | 90+ | HBO Max (for 3 months) |
| Ultimate | $94.99 | 130+ | HBO Max (for 3 months) |
| Premier | $139.99 | 140+ | HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz |
Additional information:
- DVR: 20 hours (unlimited for $10 p/m).
- Number of streams: 20 (at home), 3 (outside)
- Premium networks: Yes
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: 7 days
fuboTV
fuboTV has always been more of a sports-focused live TV streaming service. Due to this, the channel lineup is likely to appeal to sports fans and those looking for sports content not available through other services. For everyone else, fuboTV still offers plenty of entertainment channels as well.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $64.99 | 108 | None |
| Pro | $69.99 | 108 | None |
| Elite | $79.99 | 156 | None |
| Latino Quarterly | $33 | 36 | None |
Additional information:
- DVR: 250 hours (Starter), 1000 (Elite)
- Number of streams: 3 (Starter), 10 (at home with Elite)
- Premium networks: yes
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: 7 days
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV has quickly climbed the ranks and is now understood to be the live TV streaming service with the most subscribers in the US. One of the reasons for Hulu Live TV‘s quick rise is that it offers access to live TV plus the basic Hulu subscription. The latter of which normally costs a minimum of $5.99 per month. If you’re already paying for basic Hulu, then that’s an automatic saving.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live TV only | $63.99 | 75+ | None |
| With ads | $64.99 | 75+ | Basic Hulu |
| No Ads | $71.99 | 75+ | Basic Hulu |
Additional information:
- DVR: 50 hours (200 hours for $9.99 p/m)
- Number of streams: 2 (upgrade to third $9.99 p/m)
- Premium networks: yes
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: 7 days
Deal #1: Hulu Live TV (with Ads) can be bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $72.99 per month. Considering these two additional services typically cost $7.99 and $5.99 ($13.98 in total), the combined cost without the bundle discount would normally be $78.97. In other words, the bundle results in almost $6 in monthly savings.
Deal #2: Hulu Live TV is currently offering new and existing subscribers the option to sign up with a $10 on the monthly cost, bringing the total down to $54.99 per month. This discounted rate is only available for the first three months after which the price of the subscription will increase to $64.99 per month unless canceled.
Philo
Philo has always positioned itself as an affordable live TV streaming service. While the upside is the price, the downside is you might not get all of the main channels and networks you are used to. In spite of the fewer channels, Philo offers good value for money overall and comes with some additional features, such as an unlimited cloud DVR at no additional cost.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $25 | 60+ | None |
Additional information:
- DVR: unlimited
- Number of streams: 3
- Premium networks: yes
- Local channels and RSNs: none
- Free trial: 7 days
Sling TV
Sling TV is one of the original live TV streaming services. Due to this, many will already be familiar with what it has to offer and the channel lineup, but for those new to Slinging, the service has always been a price-conscious solution. Sling TV does what it can to keep prices as low as possible and while this has resulted in the occasional blackout or dropping of channels, Sling TV continues to offer good value for money.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | $35 | 30+ | None |
| Blue | $35 | 40+ | None |
| Orange & Blue | $50 | 50+ | None |
Additional information:
- DVR: 50 hours (200 for $5 p/m)
- Number of streams: 1 (Orange), 3 (Blue)
- Premium networks: yes
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: no
Deal #1: Those signing up to the service for the first time and save $25 on the first month. The $10 for the first month promotion also includes the DVR Plus add-on which upgrades the cloud DVR from 50 hours to 250 hours, resulting in an additional $5 in savings for the first month.
Deal #2: Instead of the $10 for the first month, new customers can opt to prepay for the first two months of Sling TV and get a free AirTV mini streaming player. The AirTV mini typically retails for $79.99 and is designed with Sling TV in mind. The deal also includes the DVR Plus add-on which upgrades the cloud DVR from 50 to 250 hours. DVR Plus usually costs $5 per month resulting in an additional $10 in savings over the course of the two prepaid months.
Vidgo
Vidgo is a fairly new addition to the live TV streaming market and is designed to cater to both English and Spanish-speaking viewers. In addition to the channels, the service looks to differentiate itself by offering a social-based experience that you won’t find with other services. For example, the mobile apps come with the option to chat in groups while watching live shows and events remotely with others.
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | $55 | 95+ | None |
| Spanish | $30 | 30+ | None |
Additional information:
- DVR: no
- Number of streams: 3
- Premium networks: no
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: no
Deal: Vidgo is currently offering new customers the option to sign up and only pay $10 for the first month. This results in a $45 discount compared to the usual monthly cost of a Vidgo live TV subscription.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is another popular live TV service and one of the reasons for this is its focus on features. The base plan not only comes with a good selection of channels, but also an unlimited cloud DVR. YouTube TV also offers some additional sports-related perks, including in-game stats and key plays, making it a good option for sports fans.
Plans and prices:
| Plan | Price (p/m) | Channels | Premium Networks (included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $64.99 | 85+ | None |
Additional information:
- DVR: unlimited
- Number of streams: 3 (unlimited at home for $20 p/m)
- Premium networks: yes
- Local channels and RSNs: select areas
- Free trial: 14 days
Deal: YouTube TV is currently offering new customers the option to sign up and only pay $54.99 per month for the first three months. This results in a $10 saving each month and $30 over the course of the three-month promotional period. Following the three months, the YouTube TV subscription will automatically be charged at the usual $64.99 per month rate unless canceled.
Updated: September 4
