Sports lovers have several options in the cord-cutting world. But three names offer some of the most expansive channel lists for competitive monthly prices: fuboTV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
One of the most popular services for the sports-obsessed, fuboTV initially focused on soccer. Now, it shows more than 30,000 live sporting events a year, including some pretty niche activities. And you can even watch some games in 4K.
Sling TV also boasts a wide range of sports networks, including ESPN and NFL Network. Football fans will be pleased to hear there is the option to invest in the exclusive NFL RedZone channel. But, for those who would like to keep things simple, there is plenty to watch in the service’s base package.
Last but certainly not least is YouTube TV: an option that provides more than 70 news, sports, and entertainment channels. Again, you will find CBS, ESPN, NBC sports networks along with NBA.TV. Fox’s regional sports networks were part of the package until very recently, but keep your fingers crossed for a re-introduction.
Plans and pricing for fuboTV vs. Sling TV vs. YouTube TV
All of these services feature monthly plans with plenty of live sports. So whether you are looking for a budget-friendly option or want to splash out on some premium networks, here is the lowdown on what you can expect to pay.
| fuboTV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| Monthly price | $64.99 – $79.99 | $30 – $45 | $64.99 |
| Free trial length | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| Number of channels | 100+ | 50+ | 70+ |
| DVR | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live sports streaming available? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Comparing the Sling TV vs. fuboTV vs. YouTube TV experience
Sling TV
Sling TV’s Orange subscribers can pay $5/mo. for the Sports Extra add-on, which gives access to several football, basketball, and baseball games. Blue users can enjoy everything NBA.TV, NFL RedZone, and NHL network have to offer for an additional $10/mo. YouTube TV also provides the option to pay for premium extras, including NBA League Pass for $40/mo.
FuboTV
fuboTV has a range of add-on packages for sports fans. NFL RedZone and 23 other channels can be added on for an extra $10.99/mo. via the Sports Plus package. More soccer channels cost just $5.99/mo. with the International Sports Plus plan. Plus, you can catch almost every NBA game with NBA League Pass for $28.99/mo.
With all those channels to flick through, fuboTV’s Favorites option will certainly come in handy. Simply select a channel as a favorite, and it will appear at the top of your program guide. Sling TV goes one step further to personalize your experience. Its Recommendations feature takes viewing histories into account, so you will not have to waste time scrolling for games and more. (Right now, it is only available for Apple TV users.)
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is the only one of the three to allow multiple user profiles. Up to five people can create their own profile. Both YouTube TV and Sling TV allow for parental controls as well.
Here is every device you can use to watch the three services:
| fuboTV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| Roku | X | X | X |
| Fire TV | X | X | X |
| Apple TV | X | X | X |
| Chromecast | X | X | X |
| iOS | X | X | X |
| Android Phones/Tablet | X | X | X |
| Android TV | X | X | X |
| Xbox One | X | X | |
| PlayStation 4 | X |
YouTube TV is rare in that it provides subscribers with unlimited cloud DVR storage for free. You can keep recordings for nine months. (You can also turn off automatic scoring on recordings to avoid having a game ruined before you have had a chance to watch it.) fuboTV gives 30 hours of cloud DVR to all users, but you can increase this to 500 hours for $9.99/mo. Sling TV offers the least amount of DVR storage for free at just 10 hours. However, you can increase this to 50 hours for an extra $5/mo.
YouTube TV also has the highest number of simultaneous streams, allowing three people to watch at once. fuboTV allows two simultaneous streams for free, with a third costing another $5.99/mo. Sling Blue plan subscribers can also enjoy three streams at once, but Sling Orange users can only view a single stream.
fuboTV vs. YouTube TV vs. Sling TV channels
| fuboTV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
| ACC Network | X | X | |
| AXS TV | X | ||
| BeIN Sports | X | ||
| BeIN Sports en Espanol | X | X | |
| Big Ten Network | X | X | |
| CBS Sports Net | X | X | |
| CNN | X | X | X |
| CNN International | X | X | X |
| Eleven Sports | X | ||
| ESPN | X | ||
| ESPN Bases Loaded | X | X | |
| ESPN Deportes | X | ||
| ESPN Goal Line | X | X | |
| ESPN News | X | ||
| ESPN U | X | X | |
| Fox College Sports | X | X | |
| Fox Deportes | X | ||
| Fox Regional Sports Networks | X | ||
| Fox Soccer Plus | X | X | |
| FS1 | X | X | |
| FS2 | X | X | |
| FuboTV Network | X | ||
| Golf Channel | X | X | X |
| MLB Network | X | X | X |
| MSG/MSG+ | X | ||
| NBA TV | X | X | X |
| NBC Sports Network | X | X | |
| NBC Sportsnet | X | ||
| NESN | X | X | |
| NFL Network | X | X | |
| NHL Network | X | X | X |
| Olympic Channel | X | X | X |
| Outdoor Channel | X | X | X |
| Outside TV | X | ||
| Pac-12 | X | X | X |
| SEC Network | X | X | |
| SNY | X | X | X |
| Sportsman | X | X | |
| Stadium | X | X | |
| Tennis Channel | X | X | X |
| Univision Deportes | X | X | |
| MotorTrend | X | X | X |
| YES | X |
The final cut
While all three services house similar sports channels, some offer more enticing add-on packages and storage solutions for diehard fans of basketball, football, and the like. If you still cannot figure out whether to opt for fuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV, why not try a free trial of each? After all, it is the only risk-free way to find out which one is right for you and your sporting needs.