Streaming
Pick the streaming stack that fits what you watch.
How this page helps you
- 1
Figure out what you watch
Live sports and news, on-demand series, or casual background TV, each type maps to a stack.
- 2
Pick by service
The big names on top; we also cover niche services like Shudder and Crunchyroll.
- 3
Trim without losing shows
Most households overpay for overlapping services. We show the tight, non-redundant stack.
Three ways to stream
Match the streaming type to what you actually watch.
Live for news and sports. On-demand for series and movies. Free ad-supported if you're content-flexible and cost-sensitive. Most households blend all three.
- Like cable
Live TV streaming
- Most catalog
On-demand apps
- Free
Free with ads
Top streaming services we cover
The services most US households actually weigh.
Honest compare
The top 4 live streamers, plain-English.
Every live TV streamer says they have "the most channels." Here's what actually differs, DVR behavior, pricing floor, RSN coverage, and the catches nobody posts.
| YouTube TV | Hulu + Live | Fubo | Our take | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $82.99 | $82.99 | $84.99 | They've converged, pick on features, not dollars. |
| Channel count | 100+ | 95+ | 200+ | Fubo pads the count with sports-heavy and international channels. |
| Recording (DVR) | Unlimited, 9 months | Unlimited, 9 months | 1,000 hours | YouTube TV's DVR is the best in category. |
| Screens at the same time | 3 (unlimited at home) | 2 (Unlimited $10 add-on) | 10 | Fubo wins big families; YouTube TV covers most. |
| Live sports coverage | Strong regional + ESPN | Strong, mixed regional | Sports-first product | Sports diehards skip to Fubo; everyone else stays with YouTube TV. |
| 4K streaming | $9.99 add-on | Not offered | Included in top tier | 4K matters less than DVR and regional sports for most households. |
Stack advisor
What's the right streaming stack for you?
Most people spend $120+/mo on overlapping services. Here's what a tight, non-overlapping stack looks like for three common households.
Series binger
Netflix + Max, prestige TV and movies
$26/moFamily household
Disney bundle + Paramount+ + YouTube Premium
$48/moSports fan
Live TV streamer with RSNs + ESPN+
$95/mo
Keep reading
Guides we'd send a friend.
Best streaming services
Our on-demand picks across every genre.
Read the guideBest live TV streaming
YouTube TV vs Hulu Live vs Fubo vs Sling.
Read the guideCord-cutting guide
Replace cable without losing what you care about.
Read the guideCable alternatives
Live TV streaming services, compared.
Read the guideHow to find what to watch
Search for a show and find which service has it.
Read the guideChannel finder
Which streaming service carries your channel.
Read the guide