Best YouTube TV Alternatives (2026)

• Price: the Base Plan's recurring rate is the most common complaint; the promo lasts two months, and the 2026 genre plans lower the entry price but drop channels.
• Regional sports and league channels: NBC Sports RSNs only, no FanDuel; MLB Network dropped January 2023; NHL Network not carried.
• 4K: an add-on covering select live events only.
• Carriage risk: ESPN and ABC vanished for two weeks in late 2025 during a Disney dispute.
• If none applies, the YouTube TV guide explains why it ranks first among live TV services.

• Only Sling and Fubo's sports entry plan start meaningfully lower, and both deliver less: Sling splits ESPN and FS1 and omits CBS; Fubo's entry plan is a narrower lineup.
• Fubo Pro plus the regional sports fee costs more than YouTube TV. Hulu + Live TV costs more but includes three libraries.
• DIRECTV STREAM's MySports pack is priced below the Base Plan; Entertainment and Choice are above it, and Choice adds a fee.
• YouTube TV's own genre plans answer the price objection; check them before switching. See the household cost guide and comparison table.

• Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM match the core of four locals plus ESPN and TNT in most markets.
• DIRECTV STREAM answers the RSN gap on Choice, with MLB Network and NHL Network on higher tiers.
• Fubo has the most RSNs plus MLB Network and NHL Network but drops TNT, TBS, truTV: no NBA playoffs on TNT, NHL games including the 2027 Stanley Cup Final, MLB on TBS, or the French Open.
• Hulu + Live TV adds the 47 streaming-exclusive NHL games; its NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network carriage is unconfirmed. Sling keeps ESPN and TNT on Orange, FS1 and NFL Network on Blue, locals select markets, no CBS. See the channel guides and sports pages.

• No contracts. YouTube TV's six-month pause has no match among the alternatives; off-season leavers may prefer to pause.
• DIRECTV STREAM's five-day trial and Fubo's trial need a card and convert automatically. Hulu + Live TV's trial, if offered, is short and managed via the Disney account page. Sling uses a discounted first month.
• Every service here raised prices within the past two years. See the cancellation and billing guide.

• Hulu + Live TV. Pros: live TV plus Hulu originals, Disney+, ESPN Select; unlimited DVR; four locals plus ESPN and TNT; next-day episodes. Cons: two streams; $99.99/mo; app merging into Disney+. Review
• Sling TV. Pros: lowest price of any major live TV service; Orange for ESPN and TNT or Blue for FS1, NFL Network, locals; cheap add-ons, Day Pass, free Freestream. Cons: one stream on Orange; no CBS, locals select markets; 50 hours DVR. Review
• Fubo. Pros: most RSNs; up to ten home streams, unlimited DVR; select 4K; strong soccer; trial usually available. Cons: no TNT, TBS, truTV; regional sports fee; repeated plan and price changes. Review
• DIRECTV STREAM. Pros: most RSNs plus ESPN and TNT; unlimited home streams and DVR; cable-level depth; five-day trial. Cons: most expensive with the fee; June 2026 increase and ZIP variation; limited 4K. Review

Picks follow the weighted criteria in How We Rank.

• Cheapest: Sling TV at $45.99/mo, accepting the CBS and locals gaps. See cheapest live TV.
• Most channels: DIRECTV STREAM's Ultimate and Premier tiers.
• Best for sports: DIRECTV STREAM for RSNs and TNT together, the most common reason to leave; Fubo if RSNs and soccer outweigh TNT. See the sports ranking.
• Best bundle: Hulu + Live TV, the only live TV service with Disney+ and Hulu.

Plan, price, stream, DVR, and trial facts come from our evidence store, verified Oct 12, 2026; channel facts from docs/research/channel-sports-availability.md.