

We research options, new technology, share tips, review services, and more, at no cost to our readers.
#YOUTUBE LIVE TV TV#
Our goal at is to help people save money on the TV they love and access it on-the-go. In short, if you want to go for the simplest route in terms of usability, YouTube TV is the way. We’ve experienced streaming delays on YouTube TV while the DIRECTV STREAM interface was sluggish at times. DIRECTV STREAM offers a whopping 20 simultaneous device streams on one home network, but only three when you watch on the go. YouTube TV allows six accounts to use one subscription, but only three device streams can be played simultaneously. DIRECTV STREAM channel guide menu on the web app. DIRECTV STREAM library as seen on the web app. You’ll have to manually close out the player so it doesn’t distract you while you’re browsing content. Unlike YouTube TV, DIRECTV STREAM only has one big video player that minimizes in the corner of the web app and won’t disappear even when you click on a different tab.

It has four tabs with one dedicated to its extensive on-demand library and refers to the live TV channel lineup as Guide, which is what you typically see on cable TV. YouTube Live TV page as seen on the web app.ĭIRECTV STREAM doesn’t fall far behind in user-friendliness, though it aligns more with traditional cable TV navigation. YouTube TV home page as seen on the web app. When you head over to the Live tab, you’ll see the channel guide and what’s currently airing. All live videos play at the same time without sound, as if you have multiple mini TV screens on one big screen. Library is where your recordings go, and Home is how you browse YouTube TV’s recommendations. You have three tabs: Library, Home, and Live. We checked out usability in both our YouTube TV review and DIRECTV STREAM review, and while both services are straightforward in navigation, YouTube TV goes the extra mile to keep it super simple. YouTube TV Offers a More User-Friendly and Minimalist Interface That’s 20 minutes in total, so you can come back on another day for 10 minutes if you’ve only seen it for 10 minutes today!
#YOUTUBE LIVE TV FREE#
You can even get a free 20-minute preview of the service.
#YOUTUBE LIVE TV TRIAL#
The YouTube TV free trial also lasts a little longer - at seven days compared to DIRECTV STREAM’s five days. While YouTube TV’s on-demand content pales in comparison to DIRECTV STREAM, it still has the opportunity to grow its library, with popular titles and YouTube Originals to boot. This is why we think YouTube TV gives you more bang for your buck. YouTube offers more channels and includes sports networks in its base package while DIRECTV has fewer in its lineup, with no sports networks in its cheapest plan. DIRECTV STREAM costs are a little more complex, as it has multiple tiers and the highest-priced package offers the most content. That said, YouTube TV pricing is straightforward, as you only have two plans to worry about: base and Spanish. Still, streaming services have increased prices on their plans over the years, and YouTube TV and DIRECTV STREAM are no different. One of the main reasons people become cord-cutters is because skinny bundles are more affordable and manageable. YouTube TV Offers More Value for Live TV and On-Demand Content in the Base Package If you want to have more variety to choose from, YouTube TV wins the race in the channel selection category. In terms of foreign channels, while both services offer a Spanish package or add-on, DIRECTV STREAM offers Vietnamese, Brazilian, and Korean add-on packages. DIRECTV STREAM, on the other hand, requires you to choose a CHOICE™ package or above for regional sports networks (RSN). However, YouTube TV throws in sports networks like MLB Network and NFL Network in its base package. The YouTube TV channel list includes channels that have a sister network – Nicktoons and Nickelodeon, Hallmark Drama and Hallmark Channel, BBC and BBC World News – whereas DIRECTV STREAM channels in the base package are typically just the main networks.īoth services do offer premium channels like HBO Max and EPIX. Looking at the starting number of live TV channels in the base packages from YouTube TV and DIRECTV STREAM, the former offers more than the latter. YouTube TV Takes the Lead When It Comes to Channel Selection
