YouTube TV: Here’s what you need to know

How much is it and what can you actually watch?

A solid option for lovers of live TV.
Credit: Rafael Henrique / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

If you mainly watch television on streaming services like Netflix and Max, you might be missing the one great community aspect of cable — live TV.

Launched in 2017, YouTube TV brings you what you’re missing without cable — kind of. You choose a plan that’s right for you, and you’ve got entertainment, news, live sports, and more at your fingertips. It’s similar to other live TV streaming services, like Hulu + Live TV. Now you don’t have to mute dozens of words on social media before you can catch up on your favorite shows.

If you’re thinking about subscribing to YouTube TV, here’s what you need to know before signing up.

YouTube TV starts at $72.99 per month for the Base Plan (it’s currently $57.99 for your first three months), and increases with each add on you choose. The price has more than doubled since launching — it was initially $35 per month in 2017 — and has been jacked up several times over the last few years with various licensing deals.

What can you watch on YouTube TV?It depends on what add-ons you choose, but YouTube TV lets you stream live and local sports, news, shows from more than 100 channels. The Base Plan includes major networks like NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX, sports networks like ESPN, NBA, and MLB and NFL — YouTube TV was the exclusive home of the NFL Sunday Ticket in 2023. The Base Plan also includes some 100 plus more channels, including PBS, TNT, BET, TBS, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon.

Add-on networks include AMC+, HBO’s Max, Shudder, STARZ, Fox Soccer Plus, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, and more — each with its own price point.

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Each area has a different list of local and regional programming, of course, but you can see which networks are provided in your area with YouTube TV by putting your zip code in on its site.

You also have unlimited space to store recorded shows, allowing you to rewind, fast forward, and pause whenever you want — your recordings are kept for nine months.

How many people can use YouTube TV?The Base Plan includes three simultaneous streams, meaning one person can be watching a show on their phone while another is watching a show in the living room and a third person is watching a show on their laptop. And it’s six accounts per household.

What is the downside of YouTube TV?Add-ons aren’t included, so if you want to upgrade your TV experience by adding networks, sports, Spanish language TV, and 4K, you’ll have to shell out some extra money. And, when your starting point is already $73 every month, those add-ons can really add up.

YouTube has also recently made ads unskippable on YouTube TV.

If you want a first-hand account, Mashable’s Alex Perry wrote about why he switched from Sling to YouTube TV. And if you’re not into YouTube TV after subscribing, here’s how to cancel it.

Christianna Silva is a Senior Culture Reporter at Mashable. They write about tech and digital culture, with a focus on Facebook and Instagram. Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow them on Twitter @christianna_j.

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