Short answer: YouTube TV is still the best live TV streaming service in 2026, but the order behind it has shuffled. DIRECTV moved up after it started including ESPN Unlimited in every package. Hulu + Live TV slipped once its sign-up price reached $99.99. Fubo fell furthest after losing NBC. The bigger change is easy to miss: for the first time, a pair of apps (ESPN and Fox One, $39.99 together) is a real alternative to a full bundle for many sports fans.
At a glance
Live TV streaming: what changed in 2026
| Still number one | YouTube TV, $82.99/mo |
| Biggest riser | DIRECTV, now with ESPN Unlimited |
| Biggest faller | Fubo, after losing NBC |
| Price jump | Hulu + Live TV to $99.99/mo |
| New option | ESPN + Fox One bundle, $39.99/mo |
| Gone | Sling day and week passes |
| Rank | Typical 2025 ranking | 2026 ranking (October) | Why it moved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | YouTube TV | YouTube TV ($82.99) | Kept its price, gained ESPN Unlimited, added a cheaper Sports + News plan |
| 2 | Hulu + Live TV | DIRECTV ($89.99 to $94.99) | ESPN Unlimited in every package, unlimited home screens, most RSNs |
| 3 | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV ($99.99) | Sign-up price climbed to $99.99 with only two home screens |
| 4 | DIRECTV | Sling ($45.99 to $60.99) | Fox One included in most plans, new $19.99 tiers |
| 5 | Sling | Fubo (about $74) | Lost NBC in a late-2025 carriage dispute; still no TNT |
| 6 | Philo | Philo ($25) | Unchanged at $25; the $33 Bundle+ adds HBO Max Basic |
The "typical 2025" column reflects the order most major review sites used through last year. The 2026 column is our ranking for a general household as of October 2026, using regular prices after intro offers. If you want picks by household type rather than the story of what changed, see our best live TV streaming service guide by household.
ESPN went direct, then got bundled back in
The biggest change of the past year started in August 2025, when ESPN launched its own full streaming service, now called ESPN Unlimited. For the first time you could get ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPN+ without any TV package. It launched at $29.99 a month and went up to $31.99 on September 17, 2026. It now also includes NFL Network, which became part of ESPN.
What changed the rankings wasn't the standalone app, though. It was what happened next: the live TV services started including ESPN Unlimited at no extra charge.
| Service | ESPN Unlimited access | What that's worth |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | Included, after its Disney carriage deal | $31.99 a month |
| DIRECTV | Included on every package, from Entertainment up | $31.99 a month |
| Fubo | Included on Pro, Elite and Sports + News | $31.99 a month |
| Hulu + Live TV | ESPN Select (the former ESPN+) and the ESPN channels, not Unlimited | Less than Unlimited |
| Sling | ESPN channels on Orange; no ESPN Unlimited | None |
That's why DIRECTV climbed. Its Entertainment package at $89.99 now comes with ESPN Unlimited and unlimited screens at home, which makes the $7 gap to YouTube TV much easier to justify for big households. Our ESPN streaming guide breaks down every ESPN plan.
Fox One arrived, and the two-app setup became real
Fox launched Fox One the same week as ESPN's service, at $19.99 a month. It streams FOX, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox News, Fox Business and Fox Weather. ESPN and Fox now sell a bundle of both for $39.99 a month, which Fox lists as a 23% saving against $51.98 bought separately.
Put that bundle next to an antenna, and you have ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC over the air plus ESPN, the SEC, ACC and Big Ten networks, NFL Network and FS1, for $40 a month. A year ago, that combination didn't exist.
It's not for everyone. You lose TNT, TBS, USA Network, regional sports networks and every entertainment channel, and you're juggling two apps and an antenna input. But for a household that mostly watches football and the news, it undercuts every live TV service by $30 to $60 a month. Fox One is also now included in most Sling plans and in Fubo's plans. More on what it carries in our Fox One guide.
YouTube TV held its price and split its lineup
YouTube TV's base plan is still $82.99 a month after its intro offer, the price it moved to in January 2025. Holding steady while Hulu climbed was enough to widen its lead. Two other changes helped:
- A Sports + News plan. Listed at $71.99 a month after a $49.99 intro rate for five months, with 50+ channels. It's the first time a big live service has sold a genuinely smaller sports-and-news package, and it's the cheapest way to get all four local networks from one service.
- ESPN Unlimited included. After a carriage fight with Disney in late 2025, YouTube TV subscribers got access to the full ESPN app.
The weaknesses haven't changed: three streams at once unless you pay $9.99 for 4K Plus, and few regional sports networks. Its long run of price rises is covered in our YouTube TV price history, and history says another increase is likely at some point.
Hulu + Live TV got pricier, and Fubo joined Disney
As of early October 2026, Hulu + Live TV's sign-up page lists $99.99 a month after a one-month intro price, and $109.99 for the version with ad-free Hulu. Many comparison sites still quote $82.99 or $89.99. Make sure you're comparing against the real current price.
At $99.99, Hulu is $17 more than YouTube TV with a two-screen limit at home. It still includes Disney+ and Hulu with ads, which matters if you'd pay for those anyway. But for a household choosing on live TV alone, it dropped from second to third.
The other structural change: Disney combined Hulu + Live TV with Fubo in late 2025, and now controls the combined company. For now the two services are sold separately, with different lineups and prices. Disney has also said the standalone Hulu app is folding into Disney+ during 2026, so the app you use for Hulu's live TV is changing too.
Fubo's NBC blackout
Fubo was the default recommendation for sports fans through most of 2025. It lost NBC and the NBCUniversal channels in a carriage dispute in late 2025, and at the time of writing they haven't returned. Combined with its long-standing lack of TNT and TBS, that removes Sunday Night Football, NBC's Big Ten and Notre Dame games, Premier League matches on NBC, and every TNT sports event.
Fubo still has real strengths: ESPN Unlimited and Fox One are both included, it allows ten streams at home, and its Elite plan includes 4K. Third-party price trackers list its Pro plan around $74. For an SEC, ACC or international soccer fan who doesn't need NBC or TNT, it's good value. For a general household, it now sits fifth.
Sling dropped passes and went cheaper
Sling's changes cut both ways. On the plus side, it added Essentials and Select plans starting at $19.99, and now includes Fox One with most plans. Orange and Blue are each $45.99, and Orange & Blue is $60.99.
On the minus side, Sling's day and week passes are gone. Those were the best trick in streaming for people who wanted one big game a month. Sling still has no CBS, and its locals are limited to ABC, FOX and NBC in select markets.
Net effect: Sling moved up one place, mostly because Fubo moved down. It's the right choice for couples who want ESPN and TNT and are happy to add an antenna for locals.
| Price point | What you get in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| $25 | Philo Essential: 70+ entertainment channels, no sports or locals |
| $39.99 | ESPN and Fox One bundle: ESPN networks, NFL Network, FOX, FS1, BTN |
| $60.99 | Sling Orange & Blue: ESPN, TNT, FS1, NFL Network, locals in select markets |
| $71.99 | YouTube TV Sports + News: all four networks, sports and news channels |
| $82.99 | YouTube TV: 100+ channels, ESPN Unlimited included |
| $89.99 to $94.99 | DIRECTV Entertainment or Choice: ESPN Unlimited, unlimited home screens, RSNs on Choice |
| $99.99 | Hulu + Live TV: 100+ channels, Disney+ and Hulu with ads |
What to watch for next
A few things could move the ranking again before 2027:
- Fubo and NBCUniversal. If NBC returns, Fubo moves back up immediately, probably above Sling.
- Disney's live TV plans. With Hulu + Live TV and Fubo under one owner, a merged or repackaged offer is the obvious next step. That could change prices for both.
- More genre plans. YouTube TV's Sports + News plan and DIRECTV's MySports genre pack point the same way: smaller, cheaper bundles by interest. Expect more of them.
- Price rises after football season. Live TV services have historically raised prices in the winter months. Budget for it.
- Hardware. Amazon discontinued the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and 4K Plus on September 30, 2026 and launched a third-generation Fire TV Stick 4K ($59.99) running its Vega OS. Check that the live TV app you choose is available on your streaming device before you subscribe.
For the full picture of leaving cable, including antennas and internet costs, our cord-cutting guide pulls it together.
Quick answers
What is the best live TV streaming service in 2026? YouTube TV. It kept its $82.99 base price, now includes ESPN Unlimited access, added a cheaper $71.99 Sports + News plan and carries local channels in markets covering more than 98% of US TV households.
How much does Hulu + Live TV cost in 2026? Hulu's sign-up page lists $99.99 a month after a one-month intro price as of October 2026, or $109.99 with ad-free Hulu. Many comparison sites still show older, lower prices.
Which live TV services include ESPN Unlimited? YouTube TV, DIRECTV and Fubo include ESPN Unlimited access at no extra charge. Hulu + Live TV includes ESPN Select and the ESPN channels. On its own, ESPN Unlimited costs $31.99 a month.
What is Fox One and how much is it? Fox One is Fox's streaming service, launched in 2025. It costs $19.99 a month and includes FOX, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network and Fox News. A bundle with ESPN Unlimited costs $39.99 a month.
Why did Fubo drop in the rankings? Fubo lost NBC and NBCUniversal's channels in a carriage dispute in late 2025, and it has never carried TNT or TBS. That removes major sports and entertainment from its lineup.
Does Sling still sell day passes? No. Sling has discontinued its day and week passes. It now offers Essentials and Select plans from $19.99 a month alongside Orange and Blue at $45.99 each.
Will live TV streaming prices go up again? Probably. Live TV services have raised prices regularly, often in the winter after football season. Check the regular price, not the intro offer, when you compare.
Prices are regular monthly rates from each service's sign-up page in early October 2026, before taxes and fees; intro offers are lower and temporary. The "typical 2025 ranking" reflects common review-site consensus last year, not a single source. Carriage disputes and plan changes can shift this list quickly. Checked October 2026.