Everything you need to know about Pluto TV, DirecTV Stream, Philo TV and more.
The golden age of streaming is here, but there's still so much great TV content worth watching live. To get the best of both worlds, we recommend opting for streaming services with live TV packages.
From sporting events like March Madness to awards shows you'll definitely want to watch live, like the 2022 Academy Awards, you can cut the cable cord and sign up for a streaming service that lets you watch events as they happen.
To help you find a live TV streaming service that's right for you, ET has curated a list of the best options below, whether you're a huge sports fan or want as many channels as you can get.
Looking for what to stream next? Be sure to check out our guides for everything new coming to Prime Video, Peacock, Disney+ and more, plus our recommendations for what to watch this week!
Best Overall Live TV Streaming Services
If you're looking for a little bit of everything when it comes to live TV, here are the best streaming platforms to consider signing up for:
Hulu + Live TV
A standard Hulu + Live TV subscription gets you more than 75 channels including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN 2, The CW, A&E, FX, Pop TV, TBS, TNT, USA and more. The streamer's live TV tier grants you access to a wide range of news, live sports and events like the 2022 Academy Awards — all available live or on-demand. With a Hulu + Live TV subscription, you can watch on two screens at the same time, plus record live TV with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage. Hulu + Live TV also includes access to regular ad-supported Hulu, which has shows such as The Dropout, Only Murders in the Building and more great Hulu original programming.
Hulu + Live TV starts at $70 monthly. New subscribers can try Hulu + Live TV free for seven days.
Philo TV
Philo is a great budget-friendly option for the TV watcher looking for a little bit of everything. The platform has over 60 channels available to watch live or record on unlimited DVR space, including HGTV, History, Discovery, AMC, BBC America, World News, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime Movie Channel, plus kids channels like Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Nicktoons. Philo also has a substantial library of on-demand titles and the option of add-ons including Epix and Starz.
Philo is available for $25 monthly. New subscribers can try Philo free for one week.
DirecTV Stream
The rebranded live TV streaming service (formerly known as AT&T TV) follows a no-contract, no-hassle, loads-of-channels script that cable vets will likely find refreshing — but still utilizes the familiar tiered packages and pricing. No matter what your viewing needs are, from keeping up with the 2022 MLB season to watching the evening news, DirecTV Stream should have a monthly package that will fit your streaming needs.
Prices on DirecTV Stream services start at $70 a month. Right now, new subscribers get the service for $60 per month for the first three months.
Best Live TV Streaming Services for Watching Sports
Whether you love March Madness, baseball, soccer, WWE or just are a sports fanatic in general, these are the best live TV streaming platforms for catching all of your favorite team's games:
Fubo TV
Though FuboTV offers a wide range of 100+ channels, its main focus is on sports. The streaming platform's most popular subscription plan provides access to NBA and NHL games, plus Fox (based on your locally available channels), the NFL Network and optional RedZone.
FuboTV plans start at $65 per month. FuboTV currently offers new subscribers a seven-day free trial.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a great budget-friendly streaming option for sports fans. The service offers access to more than 40 channels, including ESPN, Disney, BBC America, Comedy Central, Discovery, MSNBC, NBC Sports, SYFY, FS1, TBS and Fox (based on your local available channels).
Sling TV plans start at $35 monthly, with their most expensive base plan starting at $50 monthly. You have the option to add-on special packages for an extra fee. New subscribers to Sling TV can try any plan free for three days.
Peacock
Premium Peacock subscribers enjoy access to live Premier League, WWE Network, motorsports, tennis, track and field, golf games and more. Peacock has three tiers: a free, ad-supported tier that grants you limited access to titles in Peacock's library, an ad-supported premium tier for $5 monthly or $50 annually, or an ad-free premium tier for $10 monthly or $100 annually.
Paramount+
Get access to everything CBS Sports has to offer, including NFL on CBS, PGA Tour, the Masters and NCAA Division 1 men's basketball. Soccer fans will be especially happy with tons of soccer action available on the platform including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
Paramount+ currently has two subscription tiers available: The Essential plan is ad-supported and costs $5 per month, granting access to the platform's entire library. The Premium plan is ad-free and includes access to your local live CBS station for $10 monthly. You can also try Paramount+ free for one week.
Best Free Live TV Streaming Service
Pluto TV
The fully free streaming service offers over 200 channels to stream, including content from MTV Pluto TV, Comedy Central Pluto TV, Fuse, Paramount Movie Channel, Food TV and even kid's channels like Nick Jr. and Pluto TV Kids. There are channels devoted entirely to popular shows as well, so you can always catch an episode of CSI, Survivor, Star Trek, Dr. Phil and more.
The platform boasts an ever-changing (and growing) selection of channels, shows and movies to stream live or on-demand, so if you're one of the few who truly miss the opportunity to endlessly scroll, Pluto TV might be right for you.
Pluto, Paramount+ and ET are all subsidiaries of Paramount.
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