YouTube TV Review: Features, Pricing, & Channels
Curious about YouTube TV in 2024? Check out the details on pricing, channels, and features to find out if it’s the right fit for you.
Lately, live TV streaming services have become increasingly common among cord-cutters. And if you plan to become one, chances are YouTube TV has already crossed your mind more than once—and rightly so.
YouTube TV is one of the most popular live TV streaming services, and I recently subscribed to it. But what makes it so popular? More importantly, is it enough to suit your specific needs?
Questions like these are important to consider before you make a decision. And with this YouTube TV review, I have answered many of them. So, read on to learn if YouTube TV is the best live TV streaming platform for you.
Quick Verdict: Is YouTube TV Really Worth It?
I find YouTube TV a better option than almost every live TV streaming platform, along with its expansive YouTube channel lineup. But I also love features like unlimited DVR, a long list of add-ons, and an intuitive YouTube-like interface that makes the streaming experience even better!
For all these reasons, I consider YouTube TV one of the best live TV platforms, which justifies its comparatively high pricing.
| Features And Specifications | Description |
|---|---|
| Starting Price* | $72.99/month |
| Free Trial | ✅ |
| Number of channels | 100+ |
| Simultaneous Streams | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited |
| Our Rating | 4.5/5 |
*This, and all other prices mentioned in this blog, are without taxes and active discounts. The actual price after tax and discount may differ from those discussed here as applicable.
YouTube TV Review: Pros And Cons
Here’s a summary of YouTube TV’s pros and cons. In this case, the benefits heavily outweigh the blemishes.
Pros
- Expansive channel selection
- Unlimited DVR storage
- Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Wide range of add-ons
Cons
- Limited regional sports networks
- 4K content requires add-on
That said, it’s time to get to all these aspects in depth.
How Much Does YouTube TV Cost?
YouTube TV has only one core plan, which offers over 100 top channels across various categories. However, a Spanish TV plan also offers only Spanish-language channels and nothing else.
| Plans | Pricing | Channels/Content |
|---|---|---|
| Base Plan | $72.99/month | 100+ |
| Spanish Plan | $34.99/month | 30+ |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | $119.75/month for 4 months | All out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL games |
| NFL Sunday Ticket + Base Plan | $158.99/month for 4 months | All out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL games AND 100+ channels |
Besides the two core plans, the NFL Sunday Ticket packages are special offerings running during this NFL season starting September, and another reason I love YouTube TV.
YouTube TV also lets you choose individual networks without purchasing any of these plans, which is unusual for most other platforms.
Bonus: These special YouTube TV promo codes offer additional cost benefits on several of its offerings.
YouTube TV Free Trial
New users get a YouTube TV free trial, though the duration of the trial changes. New users also get a discount of $8/month for the first four months of their Base Plan subscription.
YouTube TV Features And Specs
Besides boasting an impressive channel count, YouTube TV has an impressive collection of features to enhance your streaming experience.
What I really like about these features is that they are common across all plans.
| Features | Availability |
|---|---|
| Streaming Quality | 1080p (Upgradable to 4K UHD with 4K Plus add-on) |
| Simultaneous Streams | 3 (Upgradable to unlimited at-home streams with 4K Plus add-on) |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited storage |
By default, you can watch all the news, sports, and on-demand content in crystal-clear Full HD (1080p) resolution.
Even full HD videos get a bit grainy for bigger screens. So, if you need 4K UHD, you might want to buy the 4K Plus add-on, which upgrades the streaming quality and simultaneous streaming limits and unlocks downloads.
I’d have liked it better if we had received 4K by default, but since the add-on also provides additional features, it might not be a very bad deal.
YouTube TV Device Compatibility
Like any good platform, YouTube TV can be streamed on most common devices—from phones and smart TVs to streaming devices and gaming consoles.
Here’s a list of the standard devices that can stream YouTube TV:
| Device Types | Supported Devices |
|---|---|
| Mobile Phones and Tablets | Android Phones and Tablets iPhone and iPad |
| Smart TVs | LG (2017+ models) Hisense (select models) Samsung (2017+ models) Vizio SmartCast (select models) Roku TVs (all models) Toshiba Fire TV Edition Insignia Fire TV Edition Element Fire TV Edition Westinghouse Fire TV Edition |
| Streaming Devices | Android TV Apple TV Google TV Fire TV Sticks Fire TV Cube TiVo Stream 4K Xfinity Flex Devices Chromecast devices Roku devices |
| Computers (via browsers) | Chrome Firefox Safari |
| Gaming Consoles | PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X Xbox Series S Xbox One XX box One SX box One |
You can learn more about the specific versions of supported devices and related things by visiting this support page.
What Channels Do You Get On YouTube TV?
The part about YouTube TV that I love the most is also the most important part of any live TV streaming platform: the channel lineup. YouTube TV’s wide range of channels suits almost every kind of user.
The Base Plan offers over 130 channels that span live news, live sports, live shows, and on-demand content. The availability of specific channels may vary depending on your location, but you can expect around 100 channels in most regions.
Visit this page for the complete list of channels available in your area.
Local Channels On YouTube TV
YouTube TV’s channel lineup includes many local channels. Of course, there are the most popular ones, such as CBS, ABC, Fox, and PBS. But there are also many more. The exact channel lineup may vary based on location.
For example, here is the local channel lineup for a Los Angeles ZIP code:
- ABC7
- CBS
- NBC
- FOX 11 News
- FOX Plus
- KCAL
- Univision
- Unimas
- PBS
- The CW
- Telemundo
Spanish Channels On YouTube TV
YouTube TV allows you to watch Spanish-language channels with your subscription. The Base Plan itself has a few Spanish channels, such as Telemundo.
However, you can access over 28 more Spanish channels by getting a Spanish Plus add-on with your Base Plan. Or, if you want to watch nothing except Spanish content, the standalone Spanish TV plan is the best bet with over 30 Spanish channels.
Live Sports On YouTube TV
No matter where you are located, you will get a good range of Sports channels with your YouTube TV Base Plan. There is NBA TV for basketball fans, NBC Golf for golf enthusiasts, Fox Sports for soccer and other games, and NFL Network if you are a football freak.
For example, here are the channels where you can watch live sports on YouTube TV in Los Angeles:
- ACCN
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- FOX Sports
- FS1
- NBC Golf
- Unimas
- NBA TV
- NFL Network
- TUDN
- Univision
On the flip side, though, YouTube lost MLB.TV and SNY in 2023. You may also miss good regional sports networks here (as I did), but there has not been much left since YouTube TV lost the Fox-owned RSNs in 2020.
Add-ons On YouTube TV
Apart from the wide selection of channels, YouTube TV offers many more channels with its add-ons. These add-ons offer more premium entertainment, channels, and sports, along with some feature upgrades that are not available with the Base Plan.
Entertainment Plus
The Entertainment Plus is a bundle plan that gives you access to Max, STARZ, and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscriptions at a discounted price of $29.99/month.
Premium Add-ons
Besides the Entertainment Plus bundle, YouTube TV offers premium services and content through its individual add-ons. These add-ons include not only Max, STARZ, and Paramount+ but a long list of premium channels and services, such as:
- AMC+
- BET+
- Cinemax
- ALLBLK
- Hallmark+
- MGM+
- Docurama
- Law & Crime
- NBA League Pass
- VIX Premium
- Shudder
- Dove Channel
You can add as many individual add-ons to your Base Plan as you wish.
Sports Plus Add-on
While YouTube TV offers many sports channels with its Base Plan, extra sports channels are available with the NFL RedZone with Sports Plus plan.
You will get the following channels with this add-on:
- beIN SPORTS / beIN SPORTS XTRA
- Billiard TV
- FanDuel TV
- Fight Network
- FOX Soccer Plus
- Impact Wrestling
- MAVTV Motorsports Network
- NFL RedZone
- Outside
- Overtime
- PlayersTV
- PokerGO+
- SportsGrid
- Stadium
- Tennis Channel
- VSiN
The NFL RedZone with Sports Plus add-on costs $10.99/month.
Spanish Plus Add-on
The Spanish Plus add-on is one of the two ways to get Spanish-language content on YouTube TV. It offers over 28 Spanish channels at just $14.99/month.
This add-on is much cheaper than the standalone Spanish TV plan, which offers almost the same channel lineup at a much higher price of $34.99/month.
4K Plus Add-on
Besides getting extra channels and content, you can get additional features and better streaming quality on YouTube TV with add-ons. The 4K Plus add-on gives you three benefits at $9.99/month:
- Ability to stream content on 4K Ultra HD
- Unlimited streams at home (+ 3 streams outside home)
- Ability to download DVR recordings on mobile devices
Note that some 4K content is also available via add-on channels or services that offer 4K content as part of their core offering. This add-on gives you 4K streaming quality on all other content available in 4K.
NFL Sunday Ticket On YouTube TV
If you are an NFL fanatic like me, this might be your favorite part of your YouTube TV subscription. NFL Sunday Tick is on YouTube TV, which means you can watch all out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL matches that do not air on local channels.
The NFL Sunday ticket is not included in the base plan. You must purchase it as a standalone plan or bundle it with the Base Plan.
The prices—$119.75/month for standalone and $158.75/month for the bundle—might seem a bit too much. But since it’s NFL, it all boils down to how much you love Sunday afternoon games!
What Are The Biggest YouTube TV Complaints?
Most customers usually love YouTube TV for its impressive channel selection, smooth UI/UX experience, and other streaming features—and I am no exception. But that doesn’t make the service free of faults.
The idea of paying extra for 4K does not quite appeal to me, especially when shedding almost $73 a month. The lack of RSNs creates another void, as does the loss of MLB and SNY.
That was just my short list of complaints. However, many common issues often trouble many YouTube TV customers. So, let me tell you about some of them.
Issues like double billing, a cluttered home screen, and unsatisfactory customer service are common complaints among YouTube TV subscribers. But of course, that doesn’t mean you will face the same issues. So, make a decision only after trying it out yourself.
Is YouTube TV Better Than Cable? The Answer Is YES
YouTube TV does an excellent job with its channel lineup. But what really stands out to me is that instead of a random stream of filler channels, it gives many top channels you want to watch.
The monthly bill of $73/month might seem a bit heavy on the face of it. But factor in 100+ channels, unlimited DVR, and simultaneous streams, and YouTube TV’s offering seems comparable to—and even better than—many traditional cable TV plans.
Unlike cable TV, though, YouTube TV needs internet to run, so the cost is not just what you pay to YouTube but also what you pay for your internet. However, I am also not a fan of equipment fees and movie rentals that come with cable TV, so it’s not an easy head-to-head comparison.
Overall, I think YouTube TV is enough to be a good cable TV alternative. It has great channels, a smooth interface, and attractive features and is not limited to TVs. And $73/ month is quite reasonable for these offerings.
Comparing YouTube TV With Its Alternatives
Now that we have analyzed YouTube TV’s features, let’s examine how the service compares with other live TV streaming alternatives.
| Platforms | Starting Price | Free Trial | Max Channel Count | Cloud DVR | Simultaneous Streams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $72.99/month | ✅ | 100+` | Unlimited storage | 3(Unlimited with add-on) |
| Sling TV | $40/month | ❌ | 50+ | 50-200 hours of storage | 1-3 |
| Hulu Live | $75.99/month | ✅ | 75+ | Unlimited storage | 2 |
| Fubo | $79.99/month | ✅ | 250+ | 250-1000 of storage | 10 |
| DirecTV Steam | $79.98/month | ✅ | 160+ | Unlimited storage | Unlimited |
| Philo | $28/month | ✅ | 70+ | Unlimited storage | 3 |
YouTube TV is much pricier than budget-friendly alternatives like Sling and Philo. However, it also has considerably more channels than these platforms.
Conclusion: YouTube TV Is Among The Best Choices For Live TV Streaming!
YouTube TV is my personal favorite live TV streaming platform and a very good cable TV alternative. It has the perfect mix of a great channel lineup, features, and an easy-to-use interface at a price that seems more or less reasonable.
However, it also has its missing parts. In terms of content, there are few regional sports networks, and some popular channels like A&E and MLB are lacking. And the ads can also get pretty irritating sometimes.
Well, that was just my opinion. If you are still unsure about whether to try YouTube TV, the good news is that a free trial is available. So, try YouTube TV and decide for yourself!