The weights and per-service scores are below. If your only goal is the lowest monthly bill, re-weight value and Philo or Sling wins instead of YouTube TV.
Smarter Ranking scored seven live TV streaming services against a published 100-point Service Score. Every plan price was verified in June 2026. The buyer’s question we answer: which cable replacement carries your channels at a price your math accepts.
Quick answer
YouTube TV scores 90.4/100 and takes first. It carries 100+ channels with the Big Four locals in nearly every US market, includes unlimited cloud DVR, and bundles NFL Sunday Ticket — and it has topped reviewer rankings for five consecutive years. At $82.99/month it is premium-priced. If you want a similar lineup plus Disney+ and ESPN bundled in, the runner-up — Hulu + Live TV at 85.8 — is the pick. For the lowest bill, jump to Philo.
The ranking
| Rank | Service | Best for | Price/mo | Service Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | YouTube TV | Full cable replacement | $82.99 | 90.4 |
| 2 | Hulu + Live TV | Live + bundled on-demand | $89.99 | 85.8 |
| 3 | DirecTV Stream | Sports + RSNs | $89.99 (Entertainment) | 83.2 |
| 4 | Fubo | Sports-first households | $19.99–$60.99 | 81.6 |
| 5 | Sling TV | Flexible budget bundles | $45.99 (Orange or Blue) | 79.0 |
| 6 | Philo | Cheapest entertainment tier | $33 | 77.4 |
| 7 | Frndly TV | Family/lifestyle on a budget | ~$8.99 | 76.0 |
Plan prices verified at each vendor’s pricing page, June 2026.
Methodology
The full rubric. Weights sum to 100. Each service scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted average is the Service Score.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 30 | Channel count, local Big Four coverage, sports/news breadth. |
| Value for money | 25 | Channels and features per dollar. |
| DVR & features | 20 | Cloud DVR size/retention, profiles, add-ons. |
| App experience & streams | 15 | App quality, simultaneous streams, device support. |
| Reliability & reputation | 10 | Uptime and aggregate reviewer standing. |
| Total | 100 |
Channel lineup leads at 30 — a live-TV service exists to carry your channels. Value at 25 reflects the wide price spread ($9 to $125). DVR (20) and app/streams (15) shape day-to-day use. We did not weight brand on its own.
Per-service profiles
1. YouTube TV — 90.4/100
$82.99/month for 100+ channels, unlimited cloud DVR (9-month retention), and NFL Sunday Ticket included. The undisputed leader for local-channel coverage and the five-time reviewer champion.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 96 | 30 | 28.8 |
| Value for money | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| DVR & features | 96 | 20 | 19.2 |
| App experience & streams | 88 | 15 | 13.2 |
| Reliability & reputation | 82 | 10 | 8.2 |
| Total | 100 | 90.4 |
Trade-off: premium price, and repeated price hikes mean the value score trails the budget services.
2. Hulu + Live TV — 85.8/100
$89.99/month for 95+ channels including locals, plus Disney+, ESPN Select, and the full Hulu on-demand library. The best live-plus-on-demand combo.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 90 | 30 | 27.0 |
| Value for money | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| DVR & features | 86 | 20 | 17.2 |
| App experience & streams | 84 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Reliability & reputation | 80 | 10 | 8.0 |
| Total | 100 | 85.8 |
Trade-off: the most expensive base plan here, and the live-TV app is less polished than Hulu’s on-demand side.
3. DirecTV Stream — 83.2/100
Entertainment plan $89.99/month (90+ channels with ESPN); Choice $94.99 adds RSNs; Ultimate $124.99 reaches 160+ channels. Best for regional sports networks.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 90 | 30 | 27.0 |
| Value for money | 74 | 25 | 18.5 |
| DVR & features | 84 | 20 | 16.8 |
| App experience & streams | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Reliability & reputation | 82 | 10 | 8.2 |
| Total | 100 | 83.2 |
Trade-off: the priciest path to the full lineup; value drops fast at the upper tiers.
4. Fubo — 81.6/100
$19.99–$60.99/month depending on tier (10–48+ channels). Built sports-first, with strong soccer and live-sports coverage.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 82 | 30 | 24.6 |
| Value for money | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| DVR & features | 82 | 20 | 16.4 |
| App experience & streams | 80 | 15 | 12.0 |
| Reliability & reputation | 80 | 10 | 8.0 |
| Total | 100 | 81.6 |
Trade-off: channel breadth and carriage have shifted over time; confirm your specific channels before subscribing.
5. Sling TV — 79.0/100
Orange or Blue at $45.99/month (30–40+ channels each); Orange & Blue combined at $60.99. The flexible budget pick, with partial locals.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 74 | 30 | 22.2 |
| Value for money | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| DVR & features | 78 | 20 | 15.6 |
| App experience & streams | 76 | 15 | 11.4 |
| Reliability & reputation | 78 | 10 | 7.8 |
| Total | 100 | 79.0 |
Trade-off: incomplete local coverage and a smaller lineup; you trade channels for the lower price.
6. Philo — 77.4/100
$33/month for 70+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, including HBO Max and Discovery+. No locals, no major live sports.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 68 | 30 | 20.4 |
| Value for money | 94 | 25 | 23.5 |
| DVR & features | 80 | 20 | 16.0 |
| App experience & streams | 76 | 15 | 11.4 |
| Reliability & reputation | 76 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Total | 100 | 77.4 |
Trade-off: no locals and no live sports — a deal-breaker for sports fans, a bargain for everyone else.
7. Frndly TV — 76.0/100
About $8.99/month for family and lifestyle channels (Hallmark, Game Show Network, and more). The cheapest live option, narrowly focused.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel lineup & locals | 62 | 30 | 18.6 |
| Value for money | 96 | 25 | 24.0 |
| DVR & features | 74 | 20 | 14.8 |
| App experience & streams | 72 | 15 | 10.8 |
| Reliability & reputation | 78 | 10 | 7.8 |
| Total | 100 | 76.0 |
Trade-off: a narrow family-channel lineup; not a true cable replacement.
How to re-weight
- Budget-only: value to 50%. Frndly TV and Philo take the top two.
- Sports household: add a live-sports sub-score weighted 30%. Fubo and DirecTV Stream climb; YouTube TV stays strong on locals.
- Locals + DVR: channels + DVR to 60%. YouTube TV widens its lead.
Verification
- YouTube TV — $82.99, unlimited DVR, Sunday Ticket, five-year reviewer champ via Cord Cutters News 2026 live TV comparison.
- Hulu + Live TV — $89.99 with Disney+/ESPN via Cord Cutters News 2026.
- DirecTV Stream — tier pricing via Cord Cutters News 2026.
- Fubo, Sling, Philo — pricing via PCWorld best live TV 2026.
- Frndly TV — budget pricing via Tom’s Guide best cable replacements.
Related rankings
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- Best Kids Streaming Services (2026): Ranked by Rubric
- Best Music Streaming Services (2026): Ranked by Rubric
Frequently asked questions
- How was this weighted?
- A 100-point rubric: 30 channel lineup and locals, 25 value, 20 DVR and features, 15 app experience and simultaneous streams, 10 reliability and reputation. Weights sum to 100; the table is in the methodology.
- Why does YouTube TV rank #1?
- It leads on channel breadth and local-network coverage (the Big Four in nearly every market), includes unlimited cloud DVR, and bundles NFL Sunday Ticket. It has topped reviewer rankings for five straight years. At $82.99/month it isn't cheap, so re-weight value and budget options climb.
- What's the cheapest option?
- Philo at $33/month and Sling at $45.99 are the budget picks, but both trade away locals and major sports. The value criterion is content-per-dollar, not lowest price — so a thin cheap plan doesn't automatically win.
- Do these include local channels?
- YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo carry the Big Four locals in most markets. Sling has partial locals; Philo carries none. We weight locals inside the channel criterion.
- How often is this updated?
- Quarterly. Live TV prices change often; each plan price is re-verified at the vendor page before publication.