YouTube TV review: Is it worth subscribing to the platform?

Plans and pricing for YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV · Sports Plus: $10.99/month · Spanish Plus: $14.99/month · Entertainment Plus: $29.99/month · 4K ... DetailoftheYouTubelogooutsidetheYouTubeSpacestudiosinLondon,takenonJune4,2019.(PhotobyOllyCurtis/FutureviaGettyImages)Credit:OllyCurtis/FutureviaGettyImagesHomeTVYouTubeTVreview:Isitworthsubscribingtotheplatform?ShareYouTubeTVreview:Isitworthsubscribingtotheplatform?Here’swhatonewriterthinksofYouTubeTV’sentertainmentandsportsofferings.ByKaitlinMarksJuly28,2022at04:55PMEDTEachproductwefeaturehasbeenindependentlyselectedandreviewedbyoureditorialteam.Ifyoumakeapurchaseusingthelinksincluded,wemayearncommission.youtubetvlogoSignupnowshowmoreinfo$54.99/monthforthefirstthreemonthsPictureit:You'vejustpouredyourselfa(generous)glassofwineandareslowlysinkingintothecushionsofyourcouch.Maybethere'sapopcornbowlonthecoffeetablebeggingtobeemptied.Nomatterwhatsnacksitsattheready,youknowthatthesimpleactofpressingyourTVremote'spowerbuttonisenoughtodissolvethestressesoftheday.Now,forthebigquestion…Whatwillyoubewatching? NetflixorHulumayseemliketheobviousanswers,buthaveyoueverconsideredYouTubeTV?TheserviceoffersliveTV,sportscoverage,andon-demandTVshowsandmoviesfromover85channels—ataratethat'smuchmoreaffordablethanmanytraditionalcableTVpackages,Imightadd. Giventheamountofstreamingservicesavailablerightnow,it'sunderstandableifyou'rehesitanttosignupforanotherone.ButasIdiscoveredwhentestingthestreamer(whichinvolvedhoursofbinge-watchingallsortsofprogramming),YouTubeTVhasalittlesomethingforeveryone,anditmayjustbecomeyourgo-toentertainmenthubafterreadingthisreview.OnThisPageYouTubeTVvs.competitorsProsandconsYouTubeTVchannelsSportscoverageFreetrialYouTubeTVcost4KPlusadd-onYouTubeTVappCustomerserviceYouTubeTVvs.Hulu+LiveTVFinalVerdictMethodologyYouTubeTVvs.competitorsKeyspecsYouTubeTVHulu+LiveTVNetflixBaseprice$54.99/monthforfirst3months$69.99/month$9.99/monthFreetrial?YesNoNoNo.ofplans223LiveTV?YesYesNoSportscoverage?YesYesNoNo.ofconcurrentstreams3(unlimitedscreensisanadd-onoption)2(unlimitedscreensisanadd-onoption)Upto4On-demandTVshows&movies?YesYesYesAd-freeplan?NoYesYesOptiontorecord?YesYesNoProsandconsWhatIlikeaboutYouTubeTV85+channelsincludedintheBaseplanFreetrialavailable$30offyourfirstthreemonthsUnlimitedcloud-basedDVRspaceLiveandon-demandTVandmoviesMobileappforon-the-gostreamingWhatIdon'tlikeaboutYouTubeTVNoad-freepackage(andadstendtolastlongerthanonotherplatforms)OnlyoneEnglish-languageplanYouTubeTVchannels:Whatcanyouwatch?YouTubeTVoffersmorethan85channels,rangingfromtraditionalbroadcastnetworkslikeABCandCBStokid-friendlyofferings(Disney,Nickelodeon,etc.)andsportsoptions(includingfourESPNchannels).There'samixofliveandon-demandprogrammingfromeachnetwork—theserviceevenprovidedmewithmoviesuggestionsbasedonmyinterestsandsharedupcomingairtimessothatIcouldrecordthefilmstowatchlater.WhenyousignupforYouTubeTV,theservicepromptsyoutoselectsomeofyourfavoriteshows,whichwillbeaddedtoyourlibraryandsettorecordfutureepisodes.IappreciatedthisfeaturebecauseitimmediatelymademefeellikeIwasgettingatailoredexperience.BeingahugerealityTVfan,IchoseprogramslikeTheBachelorette,TheRealHousewivesofBeverlyHills,andBelowDeckSailingYachttorecordautomatically.Ialsofounditsupereasytonavigatethroughthewiderangeofcontent.Usersareabletofilterbydozensofgenres,searchforspecifictitles,andtogglebetweentheplatform'shomescreen,livechannels,andtheirpersonallibrary.Despitemyinitialdisappointmentthatthereisn'tanad-freeversionofYouTubeTV,Idiscoveredthatifyoureallywanttoskipcommercials,youcanpausethestreamforafewminutes,thenfast-forwardthroughtheadsinordertocatchuptothelivebroadcast.YouTubeTVsportscoverageTheBaseplanincludesbroadcastnetwork-affiliatedsportschannelslikeCBSSportsandNBCSports,alongwithTNTandTBSforselectNBA,NHL,andMLBgames.SubscribersalsohaveaccesstoESPN'sfamilyofchannels,theOlympicchannel,andtheFightNetwork. AvidsportsfanscanopttopurchasetheSportsPlusadd-onforanextra$10.99permonth,whichunlocksmorethanadozenadditionalchannels,includingNFLRedZone,FoxSoccerPlus,andbeINSPORTS,achannelthatcoversinternationalsports.ForusersparticularlyinterestedinLatinAmericanleagues,theSpanishPlusadd-on($14.99permonth)alsoofferslivesports. However,ifyou'relookingforlocalsportscoverage,YouTubeTVisn'ttheplatformtouse.Dependingonyourzipcode,youmayhaveaccesstosomeofNBCSports'regionalnetworks,butit'snotguaranteed.DoesYouTubeTVofferafreetrial?YouTubeTVdoesofferafreetrial,butitonlylastsforfivedays(note:Thetimeframemaydifferduringpromotionalperiods).Ifeltlikeitwasn'tenoughtimetofullyexperienceallofthefeatures,buttheplatformstillhasaleguponHulu+LiveTV,whichdoesn'tallowuserstotestouttheservicebeforetheycommittoafullmonth. Overall,IwasimpressedwithYouTubeTV'slayout,whichissimilartoNetflix'sinhowthecontentissorted.Assomeonewhohastriedalotofdifferentstreamingplatforms,IfoundYouTubeTVtobemoreuser-friendlythanHuluandAmazonPrimeVideo.ThoughIoptedforthefreetrial,IwasstillabletopersonalizemydashboardbysharingthetypesofshowsandmoviesIlike.Ultimately,youshouldusethefreetrialtodeterminewhetherYouTubeTV'sofferingssuityourneeds.EverythingIwatchonaregularbasisisavailableontheplatform,makingthecostworthittome.Buteveryone'spreferencesaredifferent,sostartyourfreetrialduringaweekwhereyoucanreallydigintothefullslateofprogrammingavailable.HowmuchdoesYouTubeTVcost?YouTubeTV'sBaseplancosts$64.99permonth,butnewsubscribersgetatotalof$30offforthefirstthreemonths,bringingthecostdownto$54.99permonth.NewuserswhosignupfortheSpanishplan,whichisdifferentfromtheSpanishPlusadd-on,alsogetadiscount,paying$24.99permonthforthefirstsixmonthsbeforethepriceincreasesto$34.99permonth.Theadd-onsarepricedasfollows:SportsPlus:$10.99/monthSpanishPlus:$14.99/monthEntertainmentPlus:$29.99/month4KPlus:$14.99/month(forthefirst12months)Thebestpart?YouTubedoesn'tlockyouintoalong-termcontract,soyoucanchangeorcancelyoursubscriptionatanytimewithoutpenalty.WhatisYouTubeTV's4KPlusadd-on?Theplatform'spopular4KPlusadd-onenhancesyourviewingexperienceofcertainliveandon-demandprogramswith4KUltraHighDefinitionplayback.Subscribersalsogainunlimitedsimultaneousstreamsathomeandcanusethemobileapptoviewrecordingsofflineonaphoneortablet.ThoughIdidn'ttestthisadd-on,it'sclearthatthefeatureisaimedatfamilieswhowanttheabilitytowatchdifferentshowsonmultipledevicesatthesametime.TheBaseplandoesallowforthreesimultaneousstreams,soifthe4Kaspectisn'tthatimportanttoyou,youmaynotevenneedtheadd-on.4KPluscomeswitha30-dayfreetrialandcosts$14.99permonthforthefirst12months(note:Pricesmayvaryduringpromotionalperiods).Afterayear,thepriceincreasesto$19.99permonth.YouTubeTVappI'mhappytoreportthattheYouTubeTVapp,whichisfreetodownload,alsooffersagreatviewingexperience.Similartootherstreamingplatforms,YouTubesyncsallofyourdevices,soifyoupauseashowonyourTV,youcanpickupwhereyouleftoffonyourphoneortablet.Theapphighlightsupcomingrecordingsandhasacurated"TopPicksForYou"sectionatthetopofthehomescreenwhereyoucanbrowseliveoptions. Ididn'thaveanyissuesusingtheappduringmyfreetrial,butsomeAppStorereviewerscomplainedaboutthefunctionality,includingaudiotroubles,spontaneousfreezes,andproblemswiththetrackingfeature.Theappcurrentlyhas3.8starsoutof5ontheAppStoreand4starsoutof5onGooglePlay.YouTubeTVcustomerserviceAsafirstlineofdefense,YouTubeTVsuppliescustomerswithanonlinedatabasethat'schock-fullofresourcesforcommonlyaskedquestions,suchas"HowdoIchangemysettings?"Ifyoucan'tfindwhatyou'relookingforinthehub,supportteammembersareavailable24/7viaphone,email,andonlinechat.Here'shopingyounevermissseeingwhogottheFinalRoseonTheBachelorette,iftheHailMarypasswascaught,orwhetherabeloveddoctoronGrey'sAnatomymadeitthroughsurgery. YouTubeTVvs.Hulu+LiveTVYouTubeTVisoftencomparedtoHulu+LiveTVsincebothplatformsofferliveTVoptions.Andwhiletheysharesomesimilarfeatures,thereareafewkeydifferencestoconsiderwhenyou'redecidingwhichservicetospendmoneyoneachmonth. First,let'stalkprice.Hulu'scheapestliveTVplanis$69.99permonth,$5morethanYouTubeTV'sBaseplan($15moreifyoucountYouTube'sthree-monthdiscount).UnlikeYouTubeTV,Hulu+LiveTVdoesn'tofferafreetrial,soalongwithspendingmore,you'realsocommittingtopayingforatleastonefullmonth.ButHulubundlesitsliveTVserviceswithDisney+andESPN+,whichisnodoubtappealingtofamiliesandsportsfans.Here'sabreakdownofeachstreamers'liveTVplansandadd-ons.PlansandpricingforYouTubeTVandHulu+LiveTV-YouTubeTVHulu+LiveTVPlansBaseplan:$64.99/monthSpanishplan:$34.99/monthHulu(withads)+LiveTVwithDisney+&ESPN+:$69.99/monthHulu(noads)+LiveTVwithDisney+&ESPN+:$75.99/monthAdd-onsSportsPlus:$10.99/monthSpanishPlus:$14.99/monthEntertainmentPlus:$29.99/month4KPlus:$14.99/month(forthefirst12months)Españoladd-on:$4.99/monthEntertainmentadd-on:$7.99/monthSportsadd-on:$9.99/monthUnlimitedscreensadd-on:$9.99/monthyoutubetvlogoSignupnowWhenitcomestochannels,YouTubeTVhas85+(whichyoucanviewhere)whileHulu+LiveTVoffers75+,includingahandfuloflocalchannels.BothplatformsboastunlimitedDVRspaceandneitheronerequiresanannualcontract—youcancancelatanytime. hululivetvlogoSignupnowHulu+LiveTVofferstwosimultaneousstreamsonitsbasicplanwhileYouTubeTVoffersthree,butanunlimitedscreensadd-oncostslesswithHulu+LiveTV,makingitabettervalueforfamilieswantingtostreamonmultipledevices.FinalVerdictIfyou'relookingforamoreaffordableliveTVplan,YouTubeTVisagreatoption.However,whetherornotthestreamingserviceisrightforyoucomesdowntothetypeofcontentyouwant.Personally,IenjoyedYouTubeTV'swidevarietyofchannelsforbothliveandon-demandprogramming,andIappreciatedthetailoredrecommendations.ButonethingIreallydislikedwasthelackofanad-freeoption.Assomeonewithapackedschedule,Ihatesittingthroughads,soifyoufeelthesameway,the"noads"versionofHulu+LiveTVmightbeworththeextramoney.IalsofoundmyselfmissingtheoriginalcontentthatHuluandNetflixfrequentlyproduce. Ultimately,YouTubeTVisareasonablypricedplatformthatallowsforadecentamountofcustomizationthroughadd-ons.MethodologyInordertoprovidecomprehensiveandunbiasedreviews,ourwriterstesteachofthestreamingserviceshighlighted.Whenpossible,wetryouttheplatformsusingafreetrial,butwillpayforasubscriptionifatrialperiodisnotoffered.Comparingeachservicetoitscompetitorsisanimportantpartoftheresearchprocesssothatwecanhelpreadersmakethesmartestbuyingdecisions.Ourresearchteamcollecteddataonmorethan40differentstreamers,allowingustocompareandcontrastplatformfeatures,price,availablechannels,andmore.Relatedcontent:ThebestAppleTV+showstowatchrightnowThebestthrillermoviesonHuluWhat'scomingtoNetflixinAugust:TheSandman,DayShift,andmoreClosethisdialogwindowShare&MorePinterestFacebookTweetEmailSendTextMessage©CopyrightEW.com.Allrightsreserved.Printedfromhttps://ew.comClosethisdialogwindowViewimageYouTubeTVreview:Isitworthsubscribingtotheplatform?thislinkistoanexternalsitethatmayormaynotmeetaccessibilityguidelines.