Technologies
Hulu Live vs. Sling TV vs. YouTube TV and More: Top Channels Compared
A look at which live TV streaming service offers the best channel lineup.
Live TV streaming services may prove to be a more economical option when compared to monthly cable bills, despite the close competition between the two. These streaming apps not only offer a larger variety of channels than antennas but also the convenience of streaming on mobile phones and computers.
There are six primary services available currently: YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Philo. Our comprehensive live-TV streaming guide provides details about prices and features, but the channels they offer is what it’s all about. That’s why we’ve sifted through these services to compile a list of which ones offer the top lineups.
Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2023
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared, updated May 2023
The main difference between the services is their channel selection. All of them offer different lineups 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 its service: $70 per month with ads, $83 without ads and $69 a month for live TV only (no on-demand videos). Fubo 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. Hulu vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Stream: Top 100 channels compared
| Channel | Philo ($25) | Sling Orange ($40) | Sling Blue ($40) | Hulu with Live TV ($70) | YouTube TV ($73) | Fubo ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total channels: | 42 | 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) | Fubo ($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 | No | 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) | Fubo ($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 |
| 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) | Fubo ($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) | Fubo ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
| Magnolia Network | Yes | $ | $ | $ | No | Yes | $ |
| MGM+ (formerly EPIX) | $ | $ | $ | No | $ | No | $ |
| 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) | Fubo ($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) | Fubo ($75) | DirecTV Stream ($75) |
A series of price hikes has brought a number of additional channels to Hulu, including PBS and access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, at a $70 price tag. 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. For example, the platform recently lost Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate channels. But, Hulu Live TV is a better value as it’s $3 less than YouTube TV and is our top choice for live TV streaming. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
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.
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.
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.
There’s a lot to like about Fubo — 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 Fubo’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 Fubo review.
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
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 5
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 5.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? 14-Across was a real doozy. I hadn’t ever heard anyone use that word to mean what the NYT says it means, even though I do recognize it as part of a related word. Whether this clue or another one has stumped you today, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Blasts with unwanted messages
Answer: SPAMS
6A clue: Orderly assortment
Answer: ARRAY
7A clue: Its state mammal is the bison, and its state sport is rodeo
Answer: WYOMING
9A clue: «Let me think …»
Answer: HMM
10A clue: Hawaii’s Mauna ___
Answer: LOA
11A clue: Shanghai-born N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer who stood at 7’6″
Answer: YAOMING
13A clue: Emotionless, as a gaze
Answer: STONY
14A clue: Another name for an earthquake
Answer: SEISM
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Lead a Catholic ceremony
Answer: SAYMASS
2D clue: Hype up
Answer: PROMOTE
3D clue: Place for Popeye’s anchor tattoo
Answer: ARM
4D clue: Ballots cast from home
Answer: MAILINS
5D clue: Thesaurus listing
Answer: SYNONYM
7D clue: Alphabetically last of the «five W’s»
Answer: WHY
8D clue: Silly joke
Answer: GAG
12D clue: «Excusez-___!»
Answer: MOI
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 5, #285
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 5, No. 285.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition raised my confidence with a very easy yellow category. Then my guesses kind of fell apart. Need some help? Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: First question?
Green group hint: You win it.
Blue group hint: They call it football.
Purple group hint: Baseball accessories.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Setting for a news conference.
Green group: Starts of trophy names.
Blue group: England women’s soccer players.
Purple group: ____ base.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is setting for a news conference. The four answers are dais, lectern, podium and stage.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is starts of trophy names. The four answers are Ballon, Cy, Heisman and Stanley.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is England women’s soccer players. The four answers are Bronze, Mead, Stanway and Williamson.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ base. The four answers are fan, first, stolen and third.
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for July 5, #1477
Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for July 5, No. 1,477.
Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle is a pretty tough one. I grew up on a farm, so I know the word, but I didn’t put it together right away, even though the letters are common ones. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
There is are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter B.
Wordle hint No. 4: Down on the farm
Today’s Wordle answer describes a piece of farm equipment.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer refers to a machine for making paper, hay, or cotton into bales.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is BALER.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, July 4, No. 1476 was CURVE.
Recent Wordle answers
June 30, No. 1472: BLINK
July 1, No. 1473: MOLDY
July 2, No. 1474: INCUR
July 3, No. 1475: POPPY
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