Technologies
Live TV Streaming Apps: We Compare the Top 100 Channels
Here’s how live services such as YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV and Sling stack up.
In some cases, there’s a really thin line between the price of cable and streaming TV. However, for many of us, dropping cable for a live TV streaming service may still be less expensive each month. Such streaming platforms offer a much wider selection of channels than an antenna, and you can stream on your phone or computer, too.
DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, FuboTV and Philo are the six primary services available today. Our live-TV streaming guide has all the details about prices and features of the various services, but really, it’s all about the channels. That’s why we combed through these services to bring you this list.
Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2023
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared, updated March 2023
The main difference between the services is their channel lineups. All of them offer different slates of channels for various prices.
Below you’ll find a chart that shows the top 100 channels across all six services, but note that not each service has a worthy 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two different «base» tiers, Orange and Blue. And if you’re wondering, I chose which «top» channels made the cut. Sorry, AXS TV, Discovery Life, GSN and Universal HD.
Plenty of live TV streaming choices are available to anyone who wants to cut the cable cord. Sling TV’s basic packages are $40 in most cities. DirecTV Stream expanded its PBS channel availability, and YouTube TV and Hulu added the Hallmark network. But costs have increased everywhere. YouTube TV is now $73 per month. Hulu Plus Live TV offers three price plans for service: $70 per month with ads, $83 without ads and $69 a month for live TV only (no on-demand videos). FuboTV upped the price of its base bundle to $75, and DirecTV Stream increased its plan subscriptions as well. Those changes are reflected in the chart below where applicable.
Some more stuff to know about the chart:
- Yes = The channel is available on the cheapest pricing tier. That price is listed next to the service’s name.
- No = The channel isn’t available at all on that service.
- $ = The channel is available for an extra fee, either a la carte or as part of a more expensive package or add-on.
- Regional sports networks — local channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball and hockey teams — are not listed. DirecTV Stream’s $100 tier has the most RSNs by far, but a few are available on other services. See our NBA and NHL streaming guides for details.
- Local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MyNetworkTV and The CW networks are not available in every city. Since availability of these channels varies, you’ll want to check the service’s website to make sure it carries your local network.
- Local PBS stations are only currently available on YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. Again you’ll want to check local availability.
- Sling Blue subscribers in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco must now pay $45 per month, but have access to local ABC, Fox and NBC channels. Customers in Fresno, Houston and Raleigh now have both ABC and Fox on their Blue or Orange-and-Blue subscriptions at no extra charge. This is not reflected in the chart.
- Fubo subscribers may find that the ACC Network and SEC Network are included with their package at no extra cost. Check availability for your state.
- The chart columns are arranged in order of price, so if you can’t see everything you want, try scrolling right.
- Overwhelmed? An easier-to-understand Google Spreadsheet is here.
Philo vs. Sling TV vs. Fubo vs. YouTube TV vs. Hulu vs. DirecTV Stream: Top 100 channels compared
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total channels: | 43 | 24 | 35 | 73 | 77 | 56 | 62 |
| ABC | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PBS | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| CW | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MyNetworkTV | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| A&E | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| ACC Network | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Accuweather | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| AMC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Animal Planet | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BBC America | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| BBC World News | Yes | $ | $ | No | Yes | No | $ |
| BET | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Big Ten Network | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Bloomberg TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Boomerang | No | $ | $ | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bravo | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| Cartoon Network | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CBS Sports Network | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Cheddar | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Cinemax | No | No | No | $ | $ | No | $ |
| CMT | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CNBC | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CNN | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cooking Channel | Yes | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | $ |
| Destination America | Yes | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | $ |
| Discovery Channel | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Channel | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Junior | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disney XD | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| E! | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EPIX | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | No | $ |
| ESPN | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN 2 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNEWS | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | $ | $ |
| ESPNU | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | $ | $ |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| Food Network | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Business | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FS1 | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FS2 | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Freeform | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FX | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FX Movies | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | $ |
| FXX | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FYI | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | No | $ |
| Golf Channel | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Hallmark | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HBO/HBO Max | No | No | No | $ | $ | No | $ |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| History | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| HLN | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| IFC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Investigation Discovery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lifetime | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Lifetime Movie Network | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | No | No | $ |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| Magnolia Network | Yes | $ | $ | $ | No | Yes | $ |
| MLB Network | No | $ | $ | No | No | $ | $ |
| Motor Trend | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MSNBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MTV | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MTV2 | Yes | $ | $ | $ | Yes | $ | Yes |
| National Geographic | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nat Geo Wild | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | $ | $ |
| NBA TV | No | $ | $ | No | Yes | $ | $ |
| NFL Network | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| NFL Red Zone | No | No | $ | $ | $ | $ | No |
| NHL Network | No | $ | $ | No | No | $ | $ |
| Nickelodeon | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Nicktoons | Yes | $ | $ | $ | Yes | $ | $ |
| OWN | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Oxygen | No | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Paramount Network | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Science | Yes | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | $ |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| SEC Network | No | $ | No | Yes | Yes | $ | $ |
| Showtime | No | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Smithsonian | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Starz | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| Sundance TV | Yes | $ | $ | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Syfy | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tastemade | Yes | $ | $ | No | Yes | Yes | $ |
| TBS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| TCM | No | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| TeenNick | Yes | $ | $ | $ | Yes | $ | Yes |
| Telemundo | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| Tennis Channel | No | $ | $ | No | No | $ | $ |
| TLC | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TNT | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Travel Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $ |
| TruTV | No | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| TV Land | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USA Network | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VH1 | Yes | $ | $ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vice | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| WE tv | Yes | $ | $ | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | FuboTV ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
Sarah Tew/CNET
A series of price hikes has brought a number of additional channels, including access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus in the $70 price. Its channel selection isn’t as robust as YouTube TV and Fubo, yet it’s Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content which sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale, The Orville and Only Murders in the Building give it a content advantage no other service can match.
Live TV subscribers also receive unlimited DVR that includes fast-forwarding and on-demand playback — at no additional cost. It’s a move that has aligned Hulu with its competitors in terms of features, but the channel lineup may still be a deciding factor. Hulu Live TV is a better value as it’s $3 less than YouTube TV. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
With an excellent channel selection, easy-to-use interface and best-in-class cloud DVR, the $73 per month YouTube TV is one of the best cable TV replacements. It offers a $20 4K upgrade, but the downside is there isn’t much to watch at present unless you watch select channels. If you don’t mind paying a bit more than the Sling TVs of the world, or want to watch live NBA games, YouTube TV offers a high standard of live TV streaming. Read our YouTube TV review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you want to save a little money, and don’t mind missing out on local channels, Sling TV is the best of the budget services. Its Orange and Blue packages go for $40 per month, and you can combine them for a monthly rate of $55. The Orange option nets you one stream, while Blue gives you three. Rather than run a free trial, Sling offers a 50% discount for your first month. It’s not as comprehensive or as easy to navigate as YouTube but with a bit of work, including adding an antenna or an AirTV 2 DVR, it’s an unbeatable value. Read our Sling TV review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
DirecTV Stream is tied for the most expensive at $75, beating Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV. The service does have its pluses, though — for example, it includes the flipper-friendly ability to swipe left and right to change channels. Additionally, it includes some channels the other services can’t, including nearly 250 PBS stations nationwide. The $75 Entertainment package may suit your needs with its 75-plus channels. But for cord-cutters who want to follow their local NBA or MLB team, DirecTV Stream’s $100 Choice package is our live TV streaming pick because it has access to more regional sports networks than the competition. Nonetheless, you’ll want to make sure your channel is included here, and not available on one of our preferred picks, before you pony up. Read our DirecTV Stream review.
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
There’s a lot to like about FuboTV — it offers a wide selection of channels and its sports focus makes it especially attractive to soccer fans or NBA, NHL and MLB fans who live in an area served by one of FuboTV’s RSNs. It’s also a great choice for NFL fans since it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, with NFL Network and optional RedZone. In 2023, Fubo will offer 19 Bally Sports RSNs with a new package that includes the lineup. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Turner networks, including CNN, TNT and TBS — especially since the latter two carry a lot of sports content, in particular NBA, NHL and MLB. Those missing channels, and the same $75 price tag, makes it less attractive than YouTube TV for most viewers. Read our FuboTV review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
At $25 Philo is still a cheap live TV streaming service with a variety of channels, but it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks — although Cheddar and BBC news are available. Philo offers bread-and-butter cable staples like AMC, Comedy Channel, Nickelodeon and Magnolia Network, and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It’s also one of the cheapest live services that streams Paramount, home of Yellowstone, and it includes a cloud DVR and optional add-ons from Epix and Starz. We think most people are better off paying another $15 for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.
Technologies
Facebook Brings Back Local Job Listings: How to Apply
One of Facebook’s most practical features from 2022 is being revived by Meta.
On the hunt for work? A Local Jobs search is being rolled out by Meta to make it easier for people in the US to discover and apply for nearby work directly on Facebook. The feature is inside Facebook Marketplace, Groups and Pages, Meta said last week, letting employers post openings and job seekers filter roles by distance, category or employment type.
You can apply or message employers directly through Facebook Messenger, while employers can publish job listings with just a few taps — similar to how you would post items for sale on Marketplace.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Facebook offered a Jobs feature before discontinuing it in 2022, pushing business hiring toward its other platforms. Its return suggests Meta is attempting to expand Facebook’s usefulness beyond social networking and to position it once again as a hub for community-driven opportunities.
Read more: Meta’s All In on AI Creating the Ads You See on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp
«We’ve always been about connecting with people, whether through shared interests or key life events,» the press release states. «Now, if you’re looking for entry-level, trade and service industry employment in your community, Facebook can help you connect with local people and small businesses who are hiring.»
Read more: What Is Meta AI? Everything to Know About These AI Tools
How to get started with Local Jobs on Facebook
According to Meta, Local Jobs will appear as a dedicated section in Facebook Marketplace starting this week. If you’re 18 or older, you can:
- Tap the Marketplace tab on the Facebook app or website.
- Select Jobs to browse available positions nearby.
- Use filters for job type, category and distance.
- Tap Apply or message the employer directly via Messenger.
Businesses and page admins can post jobs by creating a new listing in Marketplace or from their Facebook Page. Listings can include job details, pay range, and scheduling information and will appear in local searches automatically.
The Local Jobs feature is rolling out across the US now, with Meta saying it plans to expand it in the months ahead.
Technologies
Tesla Has a New Range of Affordable Electric Cars: How Much They Cost
The new, stripped-back versions of the Model Y and Model 3 have a more affordable starting price.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 22 #598
Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 22, No. 598.
Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a fun one — I definitely have at least two of these in my house. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Catch all.
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: A mess of items.
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
- BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, BARE, THEN, SLAM, SAMBA, BACK
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
- TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, THUMBTACK
Today’s Strands spangram
Today’s Strands spangram is JUNKDRAWER. To find it, look for the J that’s five letters down on the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.
Quick tips for Strands
#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.
#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.
#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.
-
Technologies3 года agoTech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies3 года agoBest Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies3 года agoTighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года agoVerum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года agoBlack Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies4 года agoGoogle to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies4 года agoOlivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies4 года agoiPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow
