Thinking about transitioning away from cable? It doesn't have to be a daunting undertaking, but a little homework is involved. As TV costs increase, there are plenty of alternatives you can consider, like live TV streaming services and or skinny bundles. Cord-free live services come with perks like a broad mix of channels, DVR and no long-term commitments. You can stream sports and more, and these services offer wider channel options than antennas but also let you watch on your laptop or phone.
Choosing a service can be tricky because of pricing and regional sports networks, but there are six main platforms to consider (we're not including smaller ones): Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Fubo and Philo.
It really boils down to the channels, right? We've looked at who carries the top 100 channels in their main lineups to help you decide which one could be the best for your household.
Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2025
The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated July 2025)
The main difference between the services is 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 cut "Stream" from its name, but its streaming offerings remain. Its basic plan starts at $87 a month, while YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo and Hulu Plus Live TV's plans all cost more now, 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 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:
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