Sling TV is the third-most in style reside streaming service within the United States, with about 2.4 million subscribers as of October 2022. That quantity hasn’t fluctuated a lot for quite a lot of years. But we do see hundreds come and go as numbers are introduced ever three months.

So it’s value asking what else is on the market. What are the perfect options to Sling TV?

We’ll get to all that. But only one factor — not one of the different providers do issues the identical was as Sling. Most have only a single plan with a single slate of channels, and none does the type of “skinny bundle” that you just’ll discover on Sling. That’s one thing execs depend on, in fact, at the same time as Sling TV will increase costs. It’s nonetheless a service that has plenty of the channels you’ll need for much less cash, even when the full variety of channels isn’t as large as different choices.

Let’s check out what else is obtainable, then.

YouTube TV

• The Good: More than 100 channels with a easy interface, free recording, and as much as six profiles on a single account. Available on each platform. Lots of elective add-ons.
• The Less-Good: If you need something in 4K, you’ll must pony up extra each month.
• The Plans: Currently $65 a month (plus tax), and that’s it.

YouTube TV is the largest reside service within the United States with greater than 5 million subscribers, and there’s good purpose for that. Several, actually. First and most essential is that its single plan has greater than 100 channels, they usually’re aggressive with each different service on the market. Then there’s the truth that it’s simply simple to make use of. The channel information is straightforward, suggestions are usually related (as you’d count on from Google), and the limitless recording is a breeze. You’ll additionally get your native broadcast associates.

If you arrange a household group with Google, you’re capable of have as many as six profiles connected to a single YouTube TV subscription. That’s good so that everybody has their very own recordings and suggestions — and it’s a life-saver when you’ve got youngsters.

Then there’s the flexibility to observe issues in 4K. And by “things,” we imply some reside sports activities — together with the whole 2022 World Cup — in addition to some on-demand exhibits and networks. It’ll value you, although. The YouTube TV 4K Plus add-on is free for the primary month, $10 a month after that, after which $20 a month after the primary 12 months. We’d actually like to see that value come down, and it’s actually solely value it if you happen to actually wish to watch some reside sports activities in the highest quality potential. (But when you see a sport in 4K, there could also be no going again.)

There’s an argument to be made that YouTube TV is the perfect reside streaming service. There’s additionally an argument for our subsequent entry.

Hulu With Live TV

• The Good: A aggressive slate of channels by itself, and even higher contemplating you get ESPN+, Disney+ and the complete Hulu on-demand together with it, free of charge.
• The Less-Good: The person interface is simply OK.
• The Plans: $70 a month. (Remember that you just get the complete Disney Bundle for that worth.) You can eliminate advertisements on the on-demand Hulu content material if you happen to pay $76 a month.

Hulu With Live TV is the second-most in style streaming service at 4 million subscribers. That’s due to a extremely good slate of channels — but in addition as a result of a subscription really will get you the complete Disney Bundle. That’s Hulu With Live TV, Hulu’s on-demand library, ESPN+, and Disney+, all for near the identical worth as some other reside streaming service. That’s robust to beat.

What may provide you with pause is the checklist of channels. Check out our full have a look at Hulu With Live TV versus YouTube TV for extra, however there’s some disparity between the 2 providers in that regard. But in any other case you’re plenty of linear channels, together with your native broadcast associates.

Hulu With Live TV isn’t fairly as simple to make use of as YouTube TV, nevertheless. And that’s unlucky, as a result of it’s nonetheless actually good.

FuboTV

• The Good: A aggressive slate of channels at a aggressive worth, with a number of add-ons, notably for sports activities. Plus some reside sports activities in 4K, at no further cost.
• The Less-Good: Also not as simple to make use of as different choices, and recordings are capped at 1,000 hours. (Which remains to be quite a bit.)
• The Plans: Start at $70 a month for 134 channels. $100 a month will get you 231 channels, plus Showtime and extra.

FuboTV is fourth in line by way of reside streaming providers, with 1.22 million subscribers as of mid-2022. It’s scrappy, although, leaning closely on reside sports activities. So a lot in order that it additionally was attempting to get into the sports activities betting enterprise, launching Fubo Gaming in two states. That enterprise was shut down in October 2022, nevertheless.

FuboTV additionally has a sturdy channel itemizing, beginning at 134 channels for $70 a month. You can practically double that at $100 a month — and that’s all earlier than you check out the assorted elective add-ons, which incorporates some worldwide sports activities that in any other case could also be onerous to search out.

And FuboTV additionally nonetheless exhibits some reside occasions in 4K decision — from Fox, principally. And whereas it’s now not the one solution to get reside sports activities in 4K (it was, for some time, the only supply), it’s an important choice to have, particularly on condition that FuboTV doesn’t cost further for the privilege.

The solely actual downsides listed below are the costs on the higher finish. But it stays a powerful possibility and one you must check out.

DirecTV Stream

• The Good: Several plans with a number of channels from which to decide on.
• The Less-Good: Having modified arms (and names) a number of occasions didn’t assist its subscriber numbers any, and also you get fewer channels in your cash.
• The Plans: $70 for 75+ channels; $90 for 105+ channels; $105 for 140+ channels; $150 for 150+ channels. (With reductions on the primary 5 months.)

DirecTV Stream has had a bizarre historical past. We as soon as knew it as DirecTV Now, and later as AT&T TV. Now it’s a standalone firm and lives as DirecTV Stream. The new firm doesn’t give subscription numbers, however AT&T final reported about 656,000 subs as of the top of 2020 — and that was a part of a downward pattern.

It’s not that there’s something inherently incorrect with DirecTV Stream. It has an excellent slate of channels, and 4 plans from which to decide on. It has the choices and add-ons you’d count on.

But it’s additionally dearer on a per-channel foundation. You’ll get a small worth break on the primary 5 months for all however the least expensive plan, however after that you just’re paying greater than any of the opposite choices, and that’s going to make it much less palatable for a lot of. At least there’s a free trial, so you may take issues for a check drive.

Philo

• The Good: The least-expensive possibility. Unlimited recording.
• The Less-Good: No native broadcast associates.
• The Plans: One single plan at $25 a month.

If you’re the type who doesn’t are likely to channel-hop and has some particular stuff you like to observe on particular channels, positively check out Philo. Because it solely prices $25 a month. And if all you watch is part of its 60-plus-channel lineup, it can save you your self an excellent bit of money right here.

The greatest down aspect is that the channel lineup is pretty restricted. No ESPN, for instance. Or cable information. (That’s perhaps not a nasty factor.) Also no native broadcast associates — so that you’ll virtually definitely wish to rig up an over-the-air antenna to deal with it.

But, once more, if what you watch is on one among its channels? You can’t beat $25 a month.

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