GoKawiilWhether you're into cable, satellite or streaming, there are tons of TV packages out there. But a live TV streaming service might just persuade you to ditch traditional cable. Why? No contracts, hidden fees or equipment to deal with, plus these platforms offer a variety of channels, DVR and the ability to stream sports and other content. Most of these services let you watch on your laptop or phone, too.
Monthly pricing and regional sports networks can make it a challenge when choosing a live TV streaming platform, but the six main services to consider (we're not including smaller ones) are Fubo, Philo, Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV.
Ultimately, it comes down to the channels, doesn't it? We looked into which services carry the top 100 channels on their rosters to help you decide which one is best for you.
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated July 2026)
The main difference between the services lies in their channel selection: All of them offer different channel lineups at 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.
Fubo and NBCUniversal have reached a new agreement, and those channels are being slowly restored to customers across the country. With that, however, the streamer has raised the monthly cost of its subscriptions, so the Pro plan now costs $89. DirecTV offers signature streaming packages, and its basic plan starts at $90 per month, plus fees (excluding promotional rates). But both DirecTV and YouTube TV have introduced genre packages (not listed here) with fewer channels that are cheaper than their regular plans.
Sling TV has made some changes to its Blue package in 2026. The price is $46 a month if you don't have any local stations but the price has increased by $4 for those who do. If you have one or two local networks, such as NBC or Fox, the monthly rate is $50. Customers with three or more local stations in their Sling Blue package now pay $55 per month.
Philo is now offering an Essential subscription at $25 a month, and its former Core plan has been rebranded as the $33-a-month Bundle plan that packages HBO Max, Discovery Plus and AMC Plus access at no extra charge. But costs continue to go up, and those changes are reflected in the chart below, where applicable.
With channel losses and price hikes, some of the services may seem less appealing. But if you want to save even more money, you can go beyond this list and explore skinny packages offered by Fubo, DirecTV and YouTube TV.
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