Cable TV once had the upper hand on offering vast channel lineups and loads of sports content. In today’s media landscape, however, live TV streaming services like Fubo are showing that they can play the game even better.
Fubo was originally built as a streaming service for sports fans, and while it’s maintained that focus, it has expanded to offer one of the most comprehensive channel lineups in all of streaming. It has some holes, and its pricing is a little deceptive, with a hidden $10.99 regional sports fee that’s tacked on during the sign-up process. Still, for our money, Fubo offers one of the best values on the market. Continue reading our Fubo review to learn more.
Fubo at a glance | |
Monthly cost |
$79.99–$99.99* |
Simultaneous streams |
10 (3 out of home) |
DVR |
Yes, 1,000 hours |
On-demand library |
Yes |
Live TV streaming |
Yes, 169+ channels |
*If you live in an area where a regional sports network (RSN) is available and subscribe to a plan offering RSNs, an additional fee will be added to your monthly price |
You may be wondering, “How does Fubo work?” And we’re going to join the chorus of Fubo reviews here and call out that this streaming service’s user interface is a step ahead of the competition.
From the outset, you get the sense that Fubo puts a premium on user experience. When you first log in to your account, You can immediately select your favorite channels and teams to follow. Before you even get to the home screen, you can set shows to automatically record and show up in your cloud DVR library. Once you’re in, you’ll find your favorite channels at the top of your guide and plenty of recommendations based on your selections.
From there, the interface varies slightly depending on which device you use. The web interface is particularly intuitive, with tabs for “Sports,” “Shows,” “Movies,” “Guide” and “My Stuff. You’re quickly reminded that Fubo was originally built for sports when you check the sports page. There, you’ll find a set of tabs featuring different sports so you can filter what’s on, then a slider of upcoming contests and shows that are on right now, followed by a handy mini-guide featuring only sports networks. That feature was especially helpful, and we were disappointed that it wasn’t available in the Apple TV app. It’s worth noting, however, that the interface on Safari seemed to get bogged down more than other streaming platforms we’ve experienced.
Overall, the interface is slick and smooth, and you can easily navigate to different menus while your selected show continues to play in the background. The DVR page shows you exactly how many hours you have left, and there’s a nice mix of on-demand and live content woven throughout the various menus and sub-pages. It’s easy to set up recordings with a few taps, so you never miss your favorite programs.
It’s hard to argue with Fubo’s channel lineup. Although the service isn’t cheap, you get a lot of channels for the price. That’s true even with the hidden regional sports fee that’s tacked on when you subscribe.
In the basic plan alone, you have more than 169 channels, which is far more than any other similarly priced streaming services offer. That includes major local networks, regional and national sports and most of the major news, entertainment and family channels. Upgrades to the Elite or Ultimate plans can expand your channel lineup by 100 channels or more, and Fubo offers an impressive array of add-ons for extra sports, news and Latino content, not to mention premium services like SHOWTIME, STARZ and MGM+.
It’s clear that Fubo was built for sports fans, and you’ll be able to catch major events on ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, beIN Sports and major college sports networks, plus follow your favorite local teams on stations like Bally Sports.
You can add many more by upgrading your plan or tacking on the Sports Plus with NFL RedZone add-on. But our Fubo review showed that the platform is much more than that. There’s a little bit of everything here, from entertainment on E! and Food Network to kids’ shows on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon to breaking news on CNBC and Fox News. You’ll also find a fair amount of programming available on demand, and Fubo excels in Spanish-language programming.
Fubo is good, but it’s not perfect. Subscribers will notice a few key omissions in popular channels like A&E, CNN, TBS and TNT. Thankfully, the streamer makes it easy to search available channels before you sign up.
Fubo doesn’t offer unlimited DVR, as some of its competitors do, but many viewers will find 1,000 hours to be more than enough for their needs. Viewers who select the Latino plan may be a little disappointed to find they only get 250 hours, but there is an option to boost that to 1,000 hours for $16.99 a month.
These recordings stay in your library indefinitely, so you can watch them any time, even if you fall behind. As noted above, it’s easy to set up entire shows for automatic DVR recordings, and you can find them and review your space on the “My Stuff” page with no trouble.
Fubo is mostly in line with its competitors in terms of streaming quality. You’ll get most live content in 720p, and on-demand content in 1080p, but some live streams are available in 4K Ultra HD. Ultimately, how good your Fubo picture is will depend on your device and available internet bandwidth, as the platform automatically adjusts based on your situation. Although we experienced a bit of lag watching on Safari, we had no trouble on an Apple TV 4K.
Like many of its competitors, Fubo allows you to customize the user experience for each person in your household. You can add up to six user profiles and tailor each viewer’s interface to their preferences. However, as many Fubo reviews point out, the service doesn’t offer parental controls. That’s a huge knock for families with young children, and it puts competitors like Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV STREAM and YouTube TV ahead of Fubo in this area.
Fubo was designed for sports fans, and it truly excels in this category. In the basic Pro plan, you get far more sports coverage than other streamers offer at this price point — and that’s even true despite the hidden $10.99 upcharge for regional sports content.
This plan includes most of the major national sports networks, regional channels like Bally Sports, and top local affiliates for stations like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. With the top-tier plans or the Sports Plus with NFL RedZone add-on, you’ll get even more coverage via channels like NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network, ESPNU, the Pac-12 Networks and more. The add-ons can ratchet up the price, but Fubo’s sports content is still more comprehensive and less expensive than DIRECTV STREAM’s, its closest competitor in this category.
Fubo comes in at the high end of streaming platforms, both in terms of cost and available content. Here’s a quick look at how it compares.
Streaming service |
Monthly cost |
Free trial |
DVR |
Simultaneous streams |
Fubo* |
$74.99+ |
Yes |
1,000 hours |
10 |
DIRECTV STREAM |
$79.99+ |
Yes |
Unlimited |
Unlimited at home |
Hulu + Live TV |
$76.99+ |
No |
Unlimited |
2 |
Sling TV |
$40+ |
No |
50 hours |
1–4 |
YouTube TV |
$72.99+ |
Yes |
Unlimited |
3 |
*If you live in an area where a regional sports network (RSN) is available and subscribe to a plan offering RSNs, an additional fee will be added to your monthly price |
Once you factor in the regional sports upcharge, Fubo’s starting price point is the most expensive of all streaming services on the market today. However, it’s arguable that Fubo’s dollar-for-dollar value is still higher than its competitors. With 160-plus channels in the basic plan and more than 260 in the top-tier Ultimate plan, many of which feature live national and regional sports, Fubo offers the most comprehensive content of any streaming service.
That said, its price point, lack of parental controls, and a few missing networks may be enough to turn away some cord-cutters. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV offer much of the same content at a lower price, plus more customization features or parental controls. And many viewers may want a more streamlined, simplified lineup of a service like Sling TV. Ultimately, the best streaming service for you depends on what you value most.
Signing up for Fubo works like any other streaming service, and you can get up in running in a few easy steps:
New Fubo subscribers currently get a seven-day free trial, so you’ll have a week to check out the service and decide if it’s worth keeping. After a week, your card will be charged, and your subscription will begin. You’ll automatically be charged each month thereafter, but you can cancel anytime and keep watching until the end of the billing cycle.
Canceling your Fubo subscription is equally simple. Log into your account via a web browser, head to the “Subscription & Billing” section, scroll down to the bottom and select “Cancel subscription.” Verify you want to cancel, and you’ll be all set.
All in all, our Fubo review showed that this streaming service belongs among the top options for cord-cutters who want a full live TV streaming experience. There’s a plethora of live sports content here, not to mention a well-rounded and massive lineup of entertainment, news and family channels and on-demand content. Fubo is missing a few popular channels and parental controls, and its pricing is a little deceptive. Nonetheless, those who want a sports-focused but comprehensive streaming lineup will be hard-pressed to find it elsewhere without paying much more.
Fubo currently offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. This isn’t much time to get to know the platform, but it does provide an opportunity to test it out before you buy.
For football fans, Fubo is the clear winner over Sling TV. The basic plan includes major NFL broadcasters like CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC and NFL Network in most U.S. markets, while Sling is more limited. Sling Orange & Blue includes NFL Network and ESPN, but local channels are only available in select markets — and CBS, home of many AFC contests, isn’t on Sling at all.
Choosing a live TV streaming service comes down to how much you value the channel lineup and features and whether it's worth the price for you. Different streaming platforms focus on different genres. In our experience, Fubo is best for sports, while Hulu + Live TV is best for a more well-rounded experience with top-notch on-demand content.