Whether you want to cut the cord or stick with a traditional TV plan, you have plenty of options, but live TV streaming services don't hit you with long-term contracts. They offer an assortment of channels, include DVR capabilities and offer the ability to stream sports and more. Most services also allow you to watch on your laptop or phone.
Picking the right platform can be tricky due to pricing and regional sports networks, but there are six main platforms to think about (we're not including smaller ones): Fubo, Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV.
We'd be remiss if we didn't mention YouTube's current standoff with Disney, which has resulted in the loss of 21 channels. You should also be aware that Philo's monthly price went up, and Hulu's live TV platform now costs more. But it really boils down to the channels, right? We've examined which platforms feature the most top 100 channels in their main lineups to help you determine which one is best for your household.
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated Nov. 2025)
The main difference between the services lies in 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. Note that not every service has a worthy 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two "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.
DirecTV offers signature streaming packages, and its basic plan starts at $90 a month with fees (without the promo rates). YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo and Hulu Plus Live TV's plans all cost more, affecting the value of these services based on their channel lineups. Don't forget Fubo's big loss of Warner Bros. Discovery channels such as Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Magnolia Network OWN and TLC, which may make it less appealing.
However, there are numerous live TV streaming choices available. Sling TV's basic monthly packages are $46 in most cities and Philo offers a small roster but packages HBO Max and AMC Plus access with it. But costs continue to go up and 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.
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