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Title: The best live TV streaming services to cut cable in 2025

Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:36 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...

We still think getting a live TV streaming service is a better deal than
paying for cable ΓÇö but the gulf between the two options is narrowing. Now
that many of the major providers go for more than $80 per month, itΓÇÖs not
the amazing deal it once was. Still, live TV streaming plans have no
contract, offer relatively simpler pricing and need no special equipment
beyond a smart TV and an internet connection.

There are a handful of major players and, after testing them all, we found
YouTube TV to be the most well-rounded. But there are a lot of changes
happening in the world of live TV streaming, with new services coming from
ESPN and Fox, as well as a consolidation of Hulu into Disney. WeΓÇÖll test
out the new service once they arrive and let you know how other changes
affect your options. For now these are the best live TV streaming services we
tested, along with our breakdowns of how to stream and what you get.

Table of contents

Best live TV streaming services for 2025

How to stream live NFL games

Best free live TV streaming services for 2025

What to look for in a live TV streaming service

How we tested

Live TV Streaming FAQs

Recent updates

Best live TV streaming services for 2025

Back to top

How to stream live NFL games

The rights to air regular-season NFL games belong to a number of networks.
Around 200 games are scheduled to appear Sundays on CBS/Paramount+ and
Fox/Fox One. NBC/Peacock will host one Sunday night competition each week
while Prime Video will air Thursday night contests (except for Thanksgiving
week) and ABC/ESPN will show Monday night matchups. A few games will be
exclusive to the NFL Network and Christmas-day games will air live on
Netflix. YouTube is airing a single week-one game. You can see the complete
2025 NFL schedule here (the airing network appears just below the game time
on the list).

On many Sundays, multiple games are scheduled to air at the same time by the
same broadcaster. That means Fox and CBS will broadcast regional games
through the associated local affiliate station. Select national games will
air through Fox One and Paramount+. To see all Sunday (daytime) matchups,
youΓÇÖll need the NFL Sunday Ticket thatΓÇÖs now exclusive to YouTube TV and
costs between $35 and $115 per month depending on the type of subscription
you choose (YouTube recently announced monthly options for the Sunday
Ticket). Note that the subscription doesnΓÇÖt include Sunday night games ΓÇö
for that, youΓÇÖll need Peacock and/or local NBC station access through
YouTube TV or elsewhere.

Most of the paid live TV streaming services we recommend here include the
stations youΓÇÖll need to see most of the games. YouTube TV, Fubo TV
(including the new, cheaper Fubo Sports package), Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV
(Signature packages and MySports Genre packs) offer local Fox, CBS, ABC and
NBC stations in most (but not all areas). They also carry sports-focused
channels from those networks, like Fox Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN. SlingΓÇÖs
Orange plan includes access to a few local channels (varying by area), and
also carries ESPN, but youΓÇÖll need the combined Orange and Blue plan to
also get the Fox Sports channel ΓÇö but neither plan carries CBS Sports.

How can I stream NFL games for free?

If you have a digital antenna hooked up to your TV, you can grab games that
are broadcast over the airways for your region by tuning into your local CBS,
Fox, NBC and ABC stations. You can buy a digital antenna for between $20 and
$60. Of course, that wonΓÇÖt get you the games that are exclusive to the NFL
Network, Prime Video or Netflix, and you wonΓÇÖt be able to watch games
broadcast outside your area.

Nearly all paid live TV streaming services are currently offering free trials
ranging from a few days to a week. You could hop from service to service,
catching a few games before cancelling and not pay anything, but with 18
weeks in the regular season, youΓÇÖll obviously not be able to watch all
games for free.

Alternatively, you can check out your local sports bar and watch a game for
the price of a soda and maybe some nachos. As it turns out, bars and
restaurants that provide those games to customers have to pay a ton of cash
to do so, so you may as well take advantage of the opportunity.

Does Paramount Plus stream live NFL games?

Yes. Paramount owns CBS, which has historically held the rights to air many
NFL games each season. This year, NFL on CBS includes more than 100 regular-
season games, most of them Sunday matchups. You can see which NFL games will
air on CBS/Paramount + here. Note that to watch your local CBS station you
need Paramount+ Premium (formerly Paramount+ with Showtime) for $13 per
month.

Can you stream live football on YouTube?

September 5, 2025 will mark the first time YouTube will officially be a live
NFL broadcaster when it airs a Friday night, week-one game of the 2025 NFL
season from São Paulo, Brazil. It pits the Los Angeles Chargers against the
Kansas City Chiefs and it will air worldwide on YouTube for free as well as
for subscribers to YouTube TV.

There are no other plans for YouTube to air live NFL games for the 2025
season for free, but YouTube TV customers will be able to watch many live
matchups on their local CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC stations as part of their
subscription. Both YouTube TV subscribers and anyone with the YouTube app can
subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on for $35 to $60 monthly, depending
on promotions. Through the YouTube app, you can also purchase access to other
Primetime Channels including Paramount+, but it costs the same as paying for
those accounts directly.

Best free live TV streaming services for 2025

There are loads of ways to get free TV these days. To start, many standard
streaming apps have added live components to their lineups ΓÇö even Netflix.
Peacock Premium Plus subscriptions include regional NBC stations. Paramount+
Premium subscribers can watch on-air CBS programming. Max now includes a live
CNN outlet with its service, and the new Fox One service includes multiple
live Fox stations. True, if youΓÇÖre already paying for a service itΓÇÖs not
technically ΓÇ£freeΓÇ¥ but at least the live content isnΓÇÖt extra.

The smart TV operating system (OS) you use likely provides free live content
too: AmazonΓÇÖs Fire TV, Google/Android TV, RokuΓÇÖs built-in Roku Channel
and SamsungΓÇÖs TV Plus all have hundreds of live channels and original
programming. Some of the paid services we recommend above have a free version
ΓÇö namely Sling Freestream, Fubo Free (available after you cancel) and
DirecTVΓÇÖs MyFree. But if youΓÇÖre looking for more, here are the best free
ad-supported TV (FAST) apps with live TV that we tried:

Back to top

What to look for in a live TV streaming service How to stream live TV

Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on
your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over
the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better
experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web
browser. After that, you can activate the app on all of your devices.

Monthly Price

When I started testing these cord-cutting alternatives, I was struck by the
price difference between live TV and a standard video streaming app. Where
the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, most live TV services hit the
$80 mark and can go higher than $200 with additional perks, channel packages
and premium extras. The higher starting price is mostly due to the cost of
providing multiple networks ΓÇö particularly sports and local stations. And,
in the past year or so, every service has raised base plan prices.

Local channels

Only two of the services I tried donΓÇÖt include full local channel coverage
for subscribers and one of those makes no effort to carry sports at all. That
would be Philo and, as you might guess, itΓÇÖs the cheapest. The next most
affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations ΓÇö and only in
larger markets ΓÇö but it still manages to include some of the top sports
channels.

When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, youΓÇÖll enter your
zip code, ensuring you get your areaΓÇÖs broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS,
FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all
modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known
as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna, youΓÇÖll receive
locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, PBS, FOX and NBC. And since the
signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears
era.

But local channel access is another area where traditional streaming
services, like Netflix, are bleeding into broadcast territory. For example,
you can watch your local NBC station with a Peacock subscription and you can
tune into your areaΓÇÖs CBS station through your Paramount+ subscription.
Netflix is even getting into the mix with a recently announced deal with one
of FranceΓÇÖs broadcast companies, TF1. The streaming service will now air
TF1's live TV channels and on-demand content inside the Netflix app. No word
if the concept will expand to other regions, but itΓÇÖs an interesting move
to anyone interested in the future of streaming.

Live sports coverage

One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports
networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the
match-up you want to see can be tricky. I found that Google makes it a little
easier for sports fans by listing out upcoming games (just swap in NBA, NFL,
MLB, NHL and so on in the search bar). When you click an event, the ΓÇ£TV &
streamingΓÇ¥ button will tell you which network is covering it.

That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries the RSNs
(regional sports networks) you want. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and
extra packages, some providers simply donΓÇÖt have certain channels in their
lineups. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming
rights negotiations, and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all
the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by
ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates.

I should also point out that traditional streaming services have started
adding live sports to their lineups. Peacock carries live Premier League
matches, Sunday Night Football games and aired the 2024 Olympic Games from
Paris. Thursday Night Football as well as NBA and WNBA games are on Amazon
Prime and Christmas Day Football airs on Netflix. HBO Max (formerly, er, HBO
Max) now airs select, regular season games from the NHL, MLB, NCAA and NBA
with a $10-per-month add-on.

You can watch MLS games with an add-on through the Apple TV app, and Apple
TV+ includes some MLB games. Roku users can watch the just-added free sports
channel and those who subscribe to Paramount Plus can see many of the matches
aired on CBS Sports, including live NFL games. This year, January's Super
Bowl was live-streamed for free on Tubi. While all of these alternatives may
not cover as much ground as live TV streamers, they could end up being
cheaper avenues to the sports you want.

And if sports is all youΓÇÖre after, there are sports-only plans that are a
touch cheaper, too. The promised sports streaming service from ESPN, Fox and
Warner Bros. called Venu was cancelled early this year. But on August 21,
ESPN launched its own streaming service that includes all ESPN channels and
costs $30 per month. Fubo Sports is $56 monthly and includes local broadcast
stations from ABC, CBS and FOX plus a slew of sports networks (CBS Sport and
FS1 among them) as well as all networks included with ESPN Unlimited.

Fox launched its own standalone service in August as well and it includes Fox
Sports and all other Fox properties (News, Business, Weather) for $20
monthly. DirecTV also has a $70-per-month, sports-only streaming package
called MySports and Comcast has a sports and news bundle for that same price
(as long as you're an Xfinity customer with auto-pay, otherwise it's more
expensive).

Traditional cable networks

Dozens of linear programming networks were once only available with cable TV,
like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only
subscribe to, say, Netflix or Apple TV+, you wonΓÇÖt have access to those.
But as with sports, standard streamers are starting to incorporate this
content into their offerings. After the Warner Bros. merger, Max incorporated
some content from HGTV, Discovery and TLC. Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark
shows, and Paramount+ has material from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

Other entertainment channels like AMC+ have stand-alone apps. The Discovery+
app gives you 15 channels ad-free for $10 per month (or with ads for $6
monthly). And a service called Frndly TV starts at a mere $7 per month and
streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Outdoor Channel and about 35
others. Of course, most live TV streaming options will deliver more sizable
lists of cable networks, but just note that you may already be paying for
some of them ΓÇö and if all you need is a certain channel, you could get it
cheaper by subscribing directly.

On-demand streaming

Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of video-on-demand
(VOD) content, like you would get with a traditional streaming service. Much
of this content is made up of the movies and TV series that have recently
aired on your subscribed networks. This typically doesnΓÇÖt cover live events
and news programming, but I was able to watch specific episodes of ongoing
shows like Top Chef or BETΓÇÖs Diarra from Detroit. Just search the on-demand
library for the program, pick an episode and hit play.

Partnerships, like HuluΓÇÖs relationship with Disney, and add-ons, such as
bundling Max with your YouTube TV subscription or Starz with your Sling plan,
will let you watch even larger libraries of on-demand content. But again, if
VOD is all youΓÇÖre after, paying for those networks directly instead of
through a live TV plan will be far cheaper.

Digital video recordings (DVR) limits

Every option I tried offers some cloud DVR storage without needing a separate
physical device. YouΓÇÖll either get unlimited storage for recordings that
expires after nine months or a year, or youΓÇÖll get a set number of hours
(between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you
need to do is designate what ongoing TV series you want to record and the DVR
component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to
watch later. You can do the same thing with sports events.

Aside from being able to watch whenever itΓÇÖs most convenient, you can also
fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you
canΓÇÖt skip them on live TV or VOD.

Simultaneous streams and profiles per account

Each plan gives you a certain number of simultaneous streams, aka how many
screens can play content at the same time. And while most providers will let
you travel with your subscription, there are usually location restrictions
that require you to sign in from your home IP address periodically. Stream
allowances range from one at a time to unlimited screens (or as many as your
ISPΓÇÖs bandwidth can handle). Some plans require add-ons to get more
screens.

Most services also let you set up a few profiles so I was able to give
different people in my family the ability to build their own watch histories
and libraries, set their favorite channels and get individual
recommendations.

Picture-in-picture mode and multiview

Picture-in-picture (PiP) usually refers to shrinking a video window on a
mobile device or computer browser so you can watch it while using other apps.
Sling, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV all have
PiP modes on computers and mobile devices.

Another feature, multiview, lets you view multiple (usually four) sports
matches or other live content at once on your TV screen. YouTube TV, FuboTV
and now DirecTV all let you do this. With YouTube TV, you can select up to
four views from a few preset selection of streams. FuboTV offers the same
feature, but only if you're using an Apple TV or Roku streaming device.
DirecTV lets you do so through ΓÇ£mixesΓÇ¥ which include sports, news,
business and kids variants with a set four channels in each mix.

4K live streams

Right now, just FuboTV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream offer 4K live streams
ΓÇö but with caveats. YouTube TV requires a $20-per-month add-on, after which
youΓÇÖll only be able to watch certain live content in 4K. DirecTV Stream has
three channels that show live 4K content ΓÇö one with shows and original
series, and two with occasional sporting events. You donΓÇÖt have to pay
extra for these but you do need to have either DirecTVΓÇÖs Gemini receiver,
or a device from Fire TV, Apple TV or Roku. YouΓÇÖll need those same
streaming devices to watch the select 4K programming on Sling as well. FuboTV
shows certain live events in 4K but access is limited to the Elite and
Premier packages, not the base-level Pro plan.

Of course, watching any 4K content also requires equipment that can handle
it: a 4K smart TV or 4K streaming device paired with a cord and screen that
can handle 4K resolution.

Tiers, packages and add-ons

Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I… made
three. The base plans range from $28 to $85 per month. From there, you can
add packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes
like news, sports, entertainment or international content. Premium VOD extras
like Max, AMC+ and Starz are also available. Add-ons cost an extra $5 to $20
each per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of
your live TV. This is where streaming can quickly get expensive, pushing an
$80 subscription to $200 monthly, depending on what you choose.

How to stream live TV for free

I also downloaded and tried out a few apps that offer free ad-supported TV
(FAST) including Freevee, Tubi, PlutoTV and Sling Freestream. These let you
drop in and watch a more limited selection of live networks at zero cost.
Most donΓÇÖt even require an email address, let alone a credit card. And if
you have a Roku device, an Amazon Fire TV or Stick, a Samsung TV, a
Chromecast device or a Google TV, you already have access to hundreds of live
channels via the Roku Channel, the live tab in Fire TV, through the Samsung
TV Plus app or through Google TV.

Back to top

How we tested live TV streaming services

When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-
reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For
the paid plans, just six services dominate so I tried them all. There are
considerably more free live TV contenders so I tested the four most popular.
After getting accounts set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a
Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local
stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of the top cable
networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and
available add-ons.

I then looked at how the programming was organized in each appΓÇÖs UI and
judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the
settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few TV shows
on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry
those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they
got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town.

I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows,
making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with
sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA
basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them
back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating
quirks.

All live TV streaming services weΓÇÖve tested:

Philo

Sling

YouTube TV

Hulu + Live TV

DirecTV Stream

FuboTV

Freevee

Tubi

PlutoTV

Sling Freestream

Plex

Back to top

Live TV Streaming FAQs What is live streaming?

Streaming simply refers to video content that is delivered to your screen
over the internet. Live streaming can be split into two categories: linear
programming and simultaneous transmission. That first one is similar to what
you get with cable or broadcast TV, with channels that play a constant flow
of movies and shows (sort of what TV looked like before Netflix).
Simultaneous streaming lets you watch live events (like a basketball game) or
a program (like the evening news) as they happen.

What is the difference between streaming and live streaming?

Standard streaming, the most popular example being Netflix, lets you pick
what you want to watch from a menu of choices. ItΓÇÖs also referred to as
ΓÇ£video on demand.ΓÇ¥ Live streaming refers to sports and news events that
you can stream as they happen in real time. It also refers to channels that
show a continuous, linear flow of programming.

What streaming service is best for live TV?

FuboTV does the best job of letting you organize live channels to help you
find just what you want to watch. The interface is uncluttered and when you
search for something, the UI clearly tells you whether something is live now
or on-demand. YouTube TV also does a good job making that info clear. Both
have just over 100 live channels on offer.

What is the most cost effective TV streaming service?

Free TV streaming services like PlutoTV, Plex, Tubi and FreeVee show plenty
of ad-supported TV shows and movies without charging you anything. Of course,
they wonΓÇÖt have the same channels or content that more premium
subscriptions have. Ultimately it depends on what you want to watch and
finding the service that can supply that to you in the most streamlined form
so youΓÇÖre not paying for stuff you donΓÇÖt need.

Is it cheaper to have cable or streaming?

A basic cable package used to be more expensive than the base-level live TV
streaming service. But now that nearly all major providers have raised their
prices to over $75 per month, thatΓÇÖs no longer the case. And with add-ons
and other premiums, you can easily pay over $200 a month for either cable or
a live TV streaming service. But those who want to cut the cord will
appreciate that streaming services don't have contracts.

What streaming service has all the TV channels?

No service that we tested had every available channel. Hulu + Live TV and
DirecTV Stream carry the the highest number of the top rated channels,
according to Neilsen. HuluΓÇÖs service also gets you Disney+ fare, which you
canΓÇÖt get elsewhere. FuboTV has the most sports channels and YouTube TV
gives you the widest selection of add-ons.

What is the most popular live TV streaming platform?

YouTube TV has the most paying customers. According to 2024's letter from the
CEO, the service has over eight million subscribers. DisneyΓÇÖs 2024 third
quarter earnings put the Hulu + Live TV viewer count at 4.6 million.
SlingΓÇÖs customer count dipped from two million to about 1.9 million in 2024
and FuboTV grew its subscriber list to 1.6 million.

How safe are free streaming services and websites?

You may have heard certain sites that provide free content can be dangerous,
leading to stolen info and/or exposing you to malware. ThatΓÇÖs likely in
reference to certain peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and file-sharing sites that
let people download free movies and series ΓÇö which can come bundled with
malicious code.

But if youΓÇÖre talking about the free ad-supported streaming television
(FAST) services listed here, from providers like PlutoTV, Tubi and Plex, they
are just as safe as any other streaming service. Since you sometimes donΓÇÖt
even have to provide your email address or credit card info, they can even be
more anonymous for cord cutters than apps that require login credentials.

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Recent updates

August 2025: Added section about streaming live NFL games. Updated our specs.
Streamlined and revised our recommendations for free live TV streaming
services.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...
service-133000410.html?src=rss

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