YouTube TV and fuboTV are the two live TV streaming services that most closely resemble a traditional cable package, but is one better than the other?
After recent changes, these competing services have more in common than ever before.
YouTube TV vs. fuboTV: What You Need to Know
Both have added new channels and increased their monthly prices, but YouTube TV’s price hike was steep at $15 per month. It’s now more expensive than fuboTV’s base plan.
In the past, many cord-cutters overlooked sports-centric fuboTV because it didn’t carry ESPN. But now it does.
This article will compare the key features of YouTube TV and fuboTV. I’ll review plans and pricing, channels, cloud DVR, supported devices and limits on multiple streams.
Table of Contents:
Price
After price hikes in the summer of 2020, YouTube TV and fuboTV are two of the more expensive streaming TV services.
YouTube TV’s streaming plan is $64.99 per month, while fubo Standard is $5 cheaper at $59.99 per month. However, fuboTV has a family package with improved features that’s the same price as YouTube TV.
With the fubo Family bundle, users get an upgraded DVR and an additional stream. More on that later on.
Unlike cable and satellite TV providers, these streaming services don’t add fees to your bill for things like installation, equipment, regional sports or cancellation.
YouTube TV and fuboTV both offer free trial periods, typically for a week. You don’t get that with cable!
Channels
If your cable TV package offers 150 to 200 channels, you can expect roughly half of that with either YouTube TV or fuboTV.
These two live TV streaming services made big changes to their channel lineups in the summer of 2020. Here’s what you need to know:
- YouTube TV added NFL Network to its base plan on September 3.
- YouTube TV added ViacomCBS networks to its lineup on June 30. They include BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and more.
- fuboTV added Disney networks to its lineup on August 1. They include ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, SEC Network, ACC Network, FX and more.
- fuboTV dropped TNT, TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network and other Turner channels in July 2020.
Both of these services are geared toward sports fans, but they offer a good mix of news and entertainment channels as well. To verify local and regional sports channels, enter your ZIP code on YouTube TV and fuboTV’s websites.
Use the comparison chart below to search for your must-have channels:
YouTube TV:
$64.99/month fuboTV Standard:
$59.99/month
A&E
ABC ABC (select markets)
ABC News Live ABC News Live
ACC Network ACC Network (in-market)
AMC AMC
Animal Planet Animal Planet
BBC America BBC America
BBC World News
beIN Sports (multiple channels)
BET BET
Big Ten Network (BTN) Big Ten Network (BTN)
Bravo Bravo
Cartoon Network
CBS CBS
CBSN
CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network
Cheddar Cheddar
CMT CMT
CNBC CNBC
CNBC World
CNN
Comedy Central Comedy Central
Comet Comet
Court TV
Cozi TV Cozi TV
CW CW
Discovery Channel Discovery Channel
Disney Channel Disney Channel
Disney Junior Disney Junior
Disney XD Disney XD
E! E!
ESPN ESPN
ESPN2 ESPN2
ESPN3
ESPNews
ESPNU
Food Network Food Network
FOX FOX
Fox Business Network Fox Business Network
Fox News Channel Fox News Channel
Fox Sports 1 (FS1) Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
Fox Sports 2 (FS2) Fox Sports 2 (FS2)
Freeform Freeform
fubo Sports Network
FX FX
FXM
FXX FXX
FYI
Galavision
GetTV
Golf Channel Golf Channel
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Drama
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
HGTV HGTV
History Channel
HLN
IFC IFC
Investigation Discovery (ID) Investigation Discovery (ID)
Lifetime
Lifetime Movies (LMN)
Local Now Local Now
MLB Network
MotorTrend MotorTrend
MSNBC MSNBC
MTV MTV
National Geographic National Geographic
Nat Geo Wild
NBA TV
NBC NBC
NBC LX
NBCSN NBCSN
Newsy
Newsmax
NFL Network NFL Network
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon
Nick Jr.
Olympic Channel Olympic Channel
OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network)
Oxygen Oxygen
Pac-12 Network
Paramount Network Paramount Network
PBS
PBS Kids
Pop Pop
SEC Network SEC Network (in-market)
Smithsonian Channel Smithsonian Channel
Start TV
Sundance TV Sundance TV
SYFY SYFY
Tastemade Tastemade
TBS
Telemundo Telemundo
Tennis Channel
The Weather Channel
TLC TLC
TNT
Travel Channel Travel Channel
truTV
TUDN
TUDNxtra (multiple channels)
Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
TV Land TV Land
TVG
Unimas
Universal Kids Universal Kids
Universo Universo
YouTube TV has only one streaming TV plan, which is shown in the chart above. However, fuboTV has multiple add-ons bundles for an additional monthly fee.
If a few of your favorite channels are missing from fuboTV’s list, the add-ons may be worth the price.
Cloud DVR
YouTube TV’s cloud DVR is the best in the streaming TV industry and far better than what you get with fuboTV’s base plan — fubo Standard.
But for an additional monthly fee, fuboTV provides 250 hours of storage space.
YouTube TV vs. fuboTV: Cloud DVR |
|
| YouTube TV | fuboTV |
| Unlimited storage space | 30 hours of storage space; 250 hours for an additional fee |
| Recordings kept for up to 9 months | Recordings kept indefinitely |
| Can skip ads on most recorded programs | Can skip ads on most recorded programs |
TIP: fuboTV’s Cloud DVR Plus costs $9.99 per month, but the fubo Family bundle includes the upgraded DVR and an additional stream for only $5 more per month than fubo Standard.
Supported Devices
YouTube TV and fuboTV allow you to stream on your phone, computer or to a TV set. They’re both compatible with popular streaming media players like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Google Chromecast.
The chart below features an alphabetized list of supported devices for YouTube TV and fuboTV:
YouTube TV vs. fuboTV: Is My Device Supported? |
||
| Device | YouTube TV | fuboTV |
| Amazon Fire TV | Yes | Yes |
| Android Phones & Tablets | Yes | Yes |
| Android TV | Yes | Yes |
| Apple TV | Yes | Yes |
| Browsers – Mac & PC | Yes | Yes |
| Chromecast | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone/iPad/iPod | Yes | Yes |
| PlayStation 4 | Yes | No |
| Roku | Yes | Yes |
| Select Smart TVs (See lists) | Yes | Yes |
| Xbox One | Yes | Yes |
If you don’t have a streaming media player, consider buying a Roku Express. From my experience, Roku provided an excellent user experience when I tested the YouTube TV and fuboTV apps.
Roku Express is an entry-level streaming media player that’s available for a one-time cost of less than $30.
Multiple Streams
YouTube TV allows customers to stream on up to three devices at the same time, while fuboTV will make you pay more for a third stream. It only includes two in its base plan.
To add a third stream to fuboTV, you can purchase the Family Share add-on for $5.99 per month.
However, if you’re leaning toward fuboTV, I recommend that you consider upgrading from the fubo Standard plan to the fubo Family bundle for a better overall value.
As I mentioned earlier, you get a third stream and 250 hours of DVR storage space for an extra $5 per month.
Final Thoughts
YouTube TV and fuboTV are two solid cable TV alternatives. I’ve tested these services extensively and think they both provide a good user experience — including live guides that are easy to navigate.
However, the recent price hikes are frustrating and may limit the savings from cutting the cable TV cord.
For most people, it will come down to the channel lineups. The addition of ABC, ESPN and other Disney-owned networks could make fuboTV more appealing to those who previously dismissed it.
Meanwhile, the ViacomCBS networks that launched on YouTube TV add to its already well-rounded list of channels.
YouTube TV and fuboTV have expanded access to channels and increased prices at a time when many cord-cutters tell me they’re cutting back on spending and would prefer skinny TV bundles that are cheaper.
If these services feel too cable-like for you, check out Sling TV. You get fewer channels, but it’s half the price.
