If you want to cut the cord or just want to keep your regular TV plan, you've got a lot of choices, but live TV streaming services don't require you to lock in to a pesky contract. 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.
YouTube TV and Disney worked things out, but Fubo lost a suite of channels from NBCUniversal, including USA, Bravo, MS NOW and NBC. 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 December 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. With channel losses and price hikes, some of services may seem 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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