If you’re feeling stuck with a $100 a month cable package, YouTube TV and DirecTV Now are two streaming services that can cut your bill in half.
For $50 a month, the cable and satellite TV alternatives offer local news, sports and dozens of the most popular networks like ESPN, Disney, TBS, USA, CNN and more.
But before you sign up for either service, you need to know about some key differences…
RELATED: How to cut the cord and never pay for cable TV again
YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now: Which live TV streaming service is best?
Clark.com has reviewed all of the leading live TV streaming services for cord-cutters right now. Through our research, we’ve identified seven deciding factors to help you choose between DirecTV Now and YouTube TV:
1. Monthly price
YouTube TV increased the price of its 70+ channel streaming TV bundle to $50/month in April 2019.
After revising its plans in March 2019, DirecTV Now’s most affordable plan has more than 40 channels for $50 a month. However, its bundles now come with HBO included.
Both of the providers offer free trials and there are no contracts or cancellation penalties.
Monthly price: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now
- $50/month for 70+ channels
- DirecTV Now Plus: $50/month for 40+ channels
- DirecTV Now Max: $70/month for 50+ channels
2. Channel lineup
Before DirecTV Now changed up its plans, many people thought it had the best channel lineup of the major streaming TV services.
The new $50 per month DirecTV Now Plus package has only 40+ channels, including local stations. Many popular entertainment networks that were in its previous bundles are no longer available.
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The addition of HBO is really what makes DirecTV Now different from its streaming competitors.
Meanwhile, the strength in YouTube TV’s channel lineup is with sports networks like ESPN, Fox Sports 1 & 2, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, MLB Network, NBCSN, SEC Network, NBA TV and more.
DirecTV Now Plus has only a few of those networks, but you can get more of them with its $70/month Max plan.
Channel lineups: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now Plus
YouTube TV: $50/monthDirecTV Now: "Plus" plan, $50/month ABCABC AccuWeather AMC Animal Planet Audience BBC America BBC World News BET Big Ten Network (BTN) Boomerang BravoBravo Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network CBSCBS CBS Sports Network CheddarCheddar Cheddar Big News CNBCCNBC CNBC World CNBC World CNNCNN Comedy Central Comet Cozi TV CWCW Discovery Channel Disney ChannelDisney Channel Disney JuniorDisney Junior Disney XDDisney XD E!E! ESPNESPN ESPN2ESPN2 ESPNews ESPNU Food Network FOXFOX Fox Business NetworkFox Business Network Fox News ChannelFox News Channel Fox Sports 1 (FS1)Fox Sports 1 (FS1) Fox Sports 2 (FS2) FreeformFreeform FXFX FXMFXM FXXFXX Golf Channel Hallmark Channel HBOHBO Family
HBO Latino HGTV HLNHLN IFC Investigation Discovery (ID) Local Now MLB Network MotorTrend MSNBCMSNBC MTV National GeographicNational Geographic Nat Geo WildNat Geo Wild NBA TV NBCNBC NBCSNNBCSN Newsy Nickelodeon Nick Jr. Olympic Channel Ovation OxygenOxygen Pop Revolt SEC Network Smithsonian Channel Start TV Sundance TV SYFYSYFY Tastemade TBSTBS TCM (Turner Classic Movies)TCM (Turner Classic Movies) TelemundoTelemundo Tennis Channel TLC TNTTNT Travel Channel truTVtruTV Universal KidsUniversal Kids Universo USAUSA WE tv
3. Cloud DVR
DirecTV Now only recently added 20 hours of free cloud DVR storage to its plans, while YouTube TV has offered unlimited cloud DVR storage from the very start.
Cloud DVR: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Recordings kept for 9 months
- 20 free hours of cloud DVR storage
- Recordings kept for 30 days
In October 2018, YouTube TV addressed one of the biggest complaints about its service, which involves the DVR.
When users went to view the content they recorded, they were sometimes forced to watch a video on-demand (VOD) version with unskippable advertisements — not the DVR version that lets you fast-forward through the ads.
In a tweet, YouTube TV announced a deal that makes a lot more content immediately available for DVR playback:
You asked, we listened. Enjoy more of your favorite recorded shows with full control to pause, rewind, & fast forward anytime during playback. Thanks to our partners @AMC_TV, @Disney, @FOXTV, @NBCUniversal & @Turner for making their content immediately available for DVR playback!
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) October 4, 2018
4. Multiple streams
With most live TV streaming services, you can use the same account to stream on multiple devices at the same time.
For example, a service that allows two simultaneous streams would let you watch your favorite show on the living room TV and the kids can watch something else in the basement.
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You can stream on two screens at once with DirecTV Now and three with YouTube TV.
Multiple streams: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now
- Stream on up to three devices at the same time
- Stream on up to two devices at the same time
- $5/month for a third stream
5. Minimum internet speed
Like other live TV streaming services, a high-speed internet connection is required for YouTube TV and DirecTV Now. To avoid any buffering issues, most services recommend a minimum internet download speed of more than 10 Mbps.
If you don’t know your download speed, you can test it for free at SpeedTest.net or SpeedOf.Me.
Not getting what you’re paying for? When I called my internet service provider and gave them the results from SpeedTest.net, a technician came out to troubleshoot my internet problems free of charge.
Here’s a list of the minimum internet speeds for YouTube TV, DirecTV Now, Sling TV and more!
Minimum internet download speed: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now
- 13 Mbps or more: Reliably stream HD video, even with other devices using the same network
- 7 Mbps: Stream one HD video; may experience buffering issues if using multiple devices
- 3 Mbps: Stream standard definition video
- Under 3 Mbps: YouTube TV may load slowly or rebuffer
- 12 Mbps: Minimum recommended download speed for broadband connections to the home
6. Supported devices
You can stream on your phone, computer or to your TV using a supported device. YouTube TV and DirecTV Now both support popular affordable streaming devices like Google Chromecast and Roku Express.
However, you should know that Amazon Fire TV is NOT an option if you decide to go with YouTube TV.
Supported devices: YouTube TV vs. DirecTV Now
- Google Chromecast
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X
- Select smart TVs
- Google Chromecast
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Amazon Fire TV
- Samsung Smart TV (2017 and 2018 models)
7. Overall performance and reliability
Several members of Team Clark have extensively tested DirecTV Now and YouTube TV since the services first launched.
YouTube TV has a stronger performance track record overall because DirecTV Now got off to a rough start, though it has made significant improvements to reduce buffering and error messages.
Money expert Clark Howard says that if YouTube TV’s channel lineup meets your needs, the choice is clear:
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“My favorite of all the streaming products is YouTube TV. It has a pretty wide array of television programming, but what’s really neat is that multiple people could be watching different things at the same time and everybody has an unlimited DVR,” Clark says.
Of course, YouTube TV and DirecTV Now aren’t your only options to consider. Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV and PlayStation Vue also have streaming plans for about $50 a month.
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