Live TV, without the cable box

If you want cable-style live TV without a cable box, the five big US options are YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, Fubo and DirecTV. As of September 2026, full-size bundles with local channels cost about $74 to $90 a month before taxes and fees, while Sling and the genre-based "skinny" plans from YouTube TV and DirecTV start between roughly $21 and $55. The right pick comes down to three things: whether you need local channels, which sports you follow, and how much you rely on DVR.

All prices are in US dollars, as of September 2026, before taxes. They change often, vary by ZIP code and are frequently discounted for new customers, so confirm at checkout.

The quick comparison

YouTube TV

Price: The main plan is $82.99 a month for 100+ channels (YouTube TV). YouTube has run temporary discounts, including one on the main plan through June 30, 2026 (Tech Times), and all plans currently come with a 10-day free trial for eligible customers.

Skinny plans: YouTube TV's biggest 2026 change is genre-based "YouTube TV Plans," which launched in February 2026 (TechCrunch; YouTube Blog). As of September 2026, YouTube lists:

YouTube says every plan includes local channels and unlimited cloud DVR (YouTube TV). Some genre plans are easy to miss during signup (PCWorld), so compare the full plans page. [VERIFY the "from $44.99" figure in the page title, which did not match any listed plan on September 17, 2026.]

Features: Recordings are kept for nine months, and NFL Sunday Ticket is sold as an add-on. [VERIFY simultaneous-stream limit and household profile count on YouTube TV Help.]

Watch out for: Carriage fights. Disney's channels, including ABC, ESPN, FX, Freeform and National Geographic, were pulled from YouTube TV from October 30 to November 14, 2025. YouTube offered a $20 credit, but subscribers had to claim it (TheWrap; Broadband TV News).

Hulu + Live TV

Price: $89.99 a month with ads, or $99.99 for the Premium version, which removes ads from Hulu's on-demand library only; live channels and Live TV on-demand content still have ads (Hulu).

What you get: 100+ live channels, unlimited DVR with recordings kept up to nine months, and Hulu, Disney+ (With Ads) and ESPN Select included. Two screens at once are standard; an Unlimited Screens add-on is available (Hulu). If you would pay for Disney+ and Hulu anyway, the effective cost of the live channels drops considerably.

Ownership change: Disney combined Hulu + Live TV with Fubo in a deal that closed in October 2025, and Disney holds a majority of the combined company. The two are still sold as separate products (Fubo investor relations). Fubo Sports Network joined the Hulu + Live TV lineup in February 2026 (Fubo IR).

Sling TV

Price: Sling is still the cheapest traditional live bundle. Sling Orange (30+ channels, built around ESPN and Disney networks) and Sling Blue (40+ channels, more news and entertainment) each start at $45.99 a month, and Orange & Blue together (50+ channels) starts at $60.99 (Sling). Sling's recent price increases have varied by market, which is why it says "starting at" (Yahoo Tech).

Passes: Sling also sells short passes, including a $4.99 Orange Day Pass, plus multi-day options (Sling). That's handy for a single game.

Trade-offs: No ABC or CBS stations, limited local coverage overall, a small DVR allowance and tighter stream limits on Orange [VERIFY DVR hours and stream counts on sling.com]. Pairing Sling with an over-the-air antenna fills most of the local gap.

Fubo

Price: A third-party guide updated in June 2026 lists Fubo Pro at $73.99 a month, Elite at $83.99 and a Sports + News plan at $55.99, with a regional sports fee of $3–$17 on Pro in some areas (CableTV.com). [VERIFY all Fubo prices on fubo.tv; the official plan page did not load for us on September 17, 2026.] Fubo also runs frequent promotions (Variety).

Strengths: Deep sports coverage, especially soccer and international leagues, and unlimited cloud DVR on all plans.

Watch out for: NBCUniversal pulled its networks from Fubo for about seven months, including NBC, Bravo, Telemundo, Universo and several NBC Sports regional networks. The companies announced a new deal on June 11, 2026, just before the FIFA World Cup, with Spanish-language channels returning immediately and English-language networks over the following weeks (Barrett Media; TV Tech). Fubo said the missing NBC sports raised cancellations in its fiscal second quarter (The Desk).

DirecTV

DirecTV now markets its internet-delivered service simply as DIRECTV (formerly DIRECTV STREAM), with no satellite dish required (DirecTV).

Full packages: The streaming page shows the Entertainment package's regular price as $89.99 a month, with football-season promotions below that (DirecTV). DirecTV's advantage is regional sports networks, usually from the Choice tier up. [VERIFY Choice, Ultimate and Premier prices on directv.com.]

Genre Packs: DirecTV was early to skinny bundles. As of September 2026, its Genre Packs page lists (DirecTV):

Add-ons include MySports Extra ($13.99, with NFL RedZone) and MyHome Team for local regional sports networks ($19.99). DirecTV raised Genre Pack prices in June 2026 (The Desk).

Watch out for: Local station disputes. E.W. Scripps stations were dropped from DirecTV in late May 2026 and returned in July after about five weeks (The Desk; Deadline).

Skinny bundles: are they worth it?

Skinny bundles drop channel groups you don't watch in exchange for a lower price. In 2026 the main options are YouTube TV Plans, DirecTV Genre Packs, and Sling Orange or Blue on their own.

They are worth it if one genre covers almost everything you watch. They stop making sense once you add a second pack: YouTube TV's Sports + Entertainment + Family plan ($77.99) is only $5 less than the full plan, and DirecTV's MySports + MyNews duo is listed at $79.99.

Local channels, sports and DVR

Local channels

YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV carry ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates in most US markets, but coverage varies by ZIP code and can vanish during a retransmission dispute. Sling's local coverage is limited. An indoor antenna is the most reliable backup.

Sports

• NFL: Local games need your CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates; out-of-market Sunday games require NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube.
• ESPN: Carried on all five services' sports-inclusive plans, though tiers differ (Hulu + Live TV includes ESPN Select on demand; DirecTV MySports includes ESPN Unlimited).
• Regional sports networks: DirecTV and Fubo carry more RSNs than YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

DVR

Unlimited DVR is standard on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo. Check retention rules (nine months on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV) before relying on a recording for a full season.

How carriage disputes affect you

A carriage (or retransmission) dispute happens when a channel owner and a TV distributor can't agree on fees, so the channels are pulled until a deal is done. Recent examples include Disney vs. YouTube TV (two weeks in 2025), NBCUniversal vs. Fubo (about seven months, ending June 2026) and Scripps vs. DirecTV (about five weeks in 2026). Credits are not guaranteed and may need to be requested.

FAQ

What is the cheapest live TV streaming service in 2026?

Sling TV is the cheapest full live bundle, with Orange or Blue starting at $45.99 a month as of September 2026. DirecTV's MyKids Genre Pack ($20.99) and YouTube TV's Entertainment plan ($54.99) are cheaper or comparable niche options.

Which live TV streaming services include local channels?

YouTube TV (on every plan), Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV carry ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC in most US markets. Sling does not carry ABC or CBS.

Is YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV better?

YouTube TV is cheaper at $82.99 and offers genre plans. Hulu + Live TV costs $89.99 but includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Select, which is better value if you'd pay for those anyway.

What is a skinny bundle?

A skinny bundle is a smaller, cheaper live TV package built around one type of programming, such as sports, news or entertainment. YouTube TV Plans and DirecTV Genre Packs are examples.

Why did channels disappear from my live TV service?

Usually because of a carriage dispute: the channel owner and the service failed to renew their fee agreement, so the channels were removed until a new deal was signed.

Do live TV streaming services require a contract?

No. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo and DirecTV's streaming packages are month-to-month, though promotional prices end after the promo period.

Sources

Accessed September 17, 2026.

• YouTube TV, Explore plans: https://tv.youtube.com/learn/explore-plans/
• YouTube Blog, YouTube TV Plans launch pricing: https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-tv-plans-launch-pricing/
• YouTube TV Help, Learn about YouTube TV Plans: https://support.google.com/youtubetv/answer/16865391?hl=en
• TechCrunch, YouTube TV introduces cheaper bundles (Feb. 9, 2026): https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/09/youtube-tv-introduces-cheaper-bundles-including-a-65-month-sports-package/
• PCWorld, YouTube TV's hidden genre plans: https://www.pcworld.com/article/3109634/youtube-tvs-hidden-genre-plans-what-they-are-and-how-find-them.html
• Tech Times, YouTube TV main plan discount (June 2026): https://www.techtimes.com/articles/318236/20260611/youtube-tv-drops-base-plan-price-through-june-30-cable-still-costs-30-more-monthly.htm
• TheWrap, Disney and YouTube TV reach carriage deal: https://www.thewrap.com/disney-youtube-tv-reach-new-carriage-deal-end-programming-blackout/
• Broadband TV News, Disney and YouTube settle carriage dispute (Nov. 17, 2025): https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2025/11/17/disney-and-youtube-settle-carriage-dispute/
• Hulu, Hulu + Live TV: https://www.hulu.com/live-tv
• Fubo IR, Fubo and Disney's Hulu + Live TV complete business combination (2025): https://ir.fubo.tv/news/news-details/2025/Fubo-Disneys-Hulu--Live-TV-Complete-Business-Combination-Creating-Unique-Consumer-Focused-vMVPD/default.aspx
• Fubo IR, Hulu + Live TV adds Fubo Sports Network (2026): https://ir.fubo.tv/news/news-details/2026/Hulu--Live-TV-Adds-Fubo-Sports-Network-to-Channel-Line-up/default.aspx
• Sling TV, Orange & Blue: https://www.sling.com/service/sling-orange-and-blue
• Yahoo Tech, Sling TV price hike varies by market: https://tech.yahoo.com/streaming/articles/sling-tv-getting-price-hike-223054256.html
• CableTV.com, Fubo plans and pricing (updated June 11, 2026): https://www.cabletv.com/fubotv
• Variety, Fubo holiday promotion (2025): https://variety.com/2025/shopping/news/best-fubo-live-tv-streaming-deals-offers-promotions-1236387267/
• Barrett Media, FuboTV and NBCUniversal end dispute (June 11, 2026): https://barrettmedia.com/2026/06/11/fubotv-nbcuniversal-ends-dispute-fifa/
• TV Tech, Fubo and NBCU carriage dispute: https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/fubo-nbcu-trade-barbs-in-carriage-dispute
• The Desk, Fubo fiscal Q2 2026 earnings (May 2026): https://thedesk.net/2026/05/fubo-fiscal-q2-2026-earnings-report/
• DirecTV, Streaming: https://www.directv.com/stream/
• DirecTV, Genre Packs: https://www.directv.com/genre-packs/
• The Desk, DirecTV Genre Pack price increases (May 2026): https://thedesk.net/2026/05/directv-myentertainment-mynews-price-increases/
• The Desk, Scripps channels dropped from DirecTV (May 2026): https://thedesk.net/2026/05/directv-drops-scripps-local-channels/
• Deadline, Scripps stations return to DirecTV (July 2026): https://deadline.com/2026/07/scripps-directv-retransmission-battle-tv-stations-go-dark-1236931598/