You don’t have to be stuck with a streaming service that doesn’t give you what you want.
If you’re about to cancel DirecTV Now, well, you’re not alone. More than a quarter-million subscribers left AT&T’s live streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2018 — some 267,000, to be exact — as early promotional periods started to run out and increased pricing kicked in.
The question, then, is what service you should switch to if you’ve decided to ditch DirecTV Now.
The good news is that you’ve got options. Lots of them, actually, and at price points that match — if not beat — what DirecTV Now could offer.
Let’s take a look at some of our favorites:
More: DirecTV Now exodus shows the best part about cord-cutting
FuboTV
Fubo TV is a great alternative to DirecTV Now for a couple of reasons, particularly if you’re a sports fan.
First: Signing up for Fubo TV will keep you in the same ballpark, money-wise, as the lower end of the DirecTV Now plans. There are two plans from which you will choose. Fubo TV is $44.99 a month (you get a free seven-day trial, and $5 off your first month) and gets you a few dozen channels. Or, if you prefer, you can go for Fubo Extra, which is another $5 a month and gets you even more channels. (You can see the whole comparison here.)
In addition, Fubo TV has a number of add-on options, including Showtime, AMC Premiere and FX+. Plus it has an international sports add-on, another with a slew of regional sports (and NFL Red Zone), a Latino plan and — well, just check ’em all out here.
Plus — Fubo TV is just about the only place you’ll find live sports in 4K resolution. It’s still in beta, and you only get a few games a week, but it’s the sort of thing that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without once you see it.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu is one of those services that definitely has some hidden original gems on its roster — The Handmaid’s Tale and The First certainly qualify for that — but it’s also proving itself as a decent live TV option.
For $44.99 you’ll get access to Hulu’s full on-demand catalog, as well as a whole number of live TV channels — you can see the full lineup here — with everything living under one roof. (For $50.99 you can get all that, and remove most of the commercials from the on-demand lineup.)
Hulu has its share of add-on services, too, including HBO, Cinemax and Showtime, plus it has an optional DVR service.
Sling TV
Sling TV is still a great option for any streaming service. It’s got two base plans — Orange and Blue — each of which runs $25 a month. (Or you can get them both for $40 total.)
After that it’s all about add-ons in all kinds of categories. That means the two main plans maybe don’t have all the channels as other services, but you’re able to piece together a plan that’s right for you.
Philo
If you’re looking for something that costs a lot less, you need to check out Philo. You’ll get 44 channels for just $16 a month. And for just $4 more a month you’ll get the full 57 channels. It’s tough to beat that.
And, well, that’s it. No add-ons to suck you in. Plus it’s aviailable on pretty much every major platform.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is excellent for all kinds of reasons. There’s the simple guide. There’s the single plan for $40 a month. There are the optional add-ons like NBA League Pass, Showtime, STARZ, Fox Soccer Plus and more.
There’s also the ability to share one subscription with up to six family members.
And YouTube TV doesn’t mess around with the DVR. Each account has its own unlimited recording.
PlayStation Vue
Sony’s live streaming service still has a lot going for it. And, in fact, it’s a lot like DirecTV Now. It’s got four service plans, each building off the one before it. It’s got a cloud-based DVR. It’s got add-ons like HBO and others. And it’s got an on-screen guide that won’t drive you crazy.
And, of course, it’s got a free trial period.
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