YouTube TV plans come in a single flavor — $73 a month. But one of the leading streaming options also has a number of optional add-ons available.
When you think of streaming video, you think YouTube. And so YouTube TV — Google’s live TV streaming service — very much just makes sense for a lot of people. Designed for those who want to cut the cord and ditch their cable or satellite subscriptions (and known in the industry as a multichannel video programming distributor, or MPVD), YouTube TV competes in the same arena as other streaming television services like DirecTV Stream (formerly known as AT&T TV Now and DirecTV Now), Sling TV, FuboTV, and Hulu With Live TV.
And YouTube TV offers a unique mix of features that make it very appealing, so much so that it’s now the No. 1 service in the U.S. in terms of the number of paid subscribers, with some 5 million subscribers as of June 2022 — up some 2 million from the last time the service gave an update in October 2020. The popularity is due to several factors. YouTube TV is easy to use. It’s got a selection of channels that’s competitive with all its rivals. And the YouTube TV price is competitive, too. You’re able to watch YouTube TV on pretty much any modern device. And the fact that parent company Alphabet (aka Google) has been marketing the heck out of it the past few years certainly hasn’t hurt, either.
It’s also one of the only options if you want to stream any sort of live TV in 4K resolution. More on that in a minute.
And yes, YouTube TV now is home to NFL Sunday Ticket. That’s a big deal.
There’s a lot going on with YouTube TV, and it’s pretty much only gotten better over time.What is YouTube TV?
In a nutshell, YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service that’s available in the United States. It’s a replacement for a cable or satellite service that’s streamed through the Internet, available on phones, tablets, TV, and web browsers, and it lets you watch TV pretty much as you always have, from anywhere you have an internet connection, at home or on the go.
YouTube TV was restricted to a relatively small number of locations in the United States when it launched in 2017. That changed in 2019 when a large expansion introduced support for all 210 markets. It has also greatly expanded its collection of channels over the years. YouTube TV now boasts more than 110 channels, including the four major national broadcasters — ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. (Like all streaming services, what’s actually available where you live may vary a tad, so you’ll need to check your ZIP code.)
The line between YouTube TV and YouTube proper remains fairly distinct. You’ll see a bit of the same branding, which makes sense. And YouTube TV is a subdomain of YouTube itself. But you’re not yet seeing things like recommended YouTubers or YouTube Shorts living alongside the likes of ESPN and CNN.
You may, however, find recommendations for movies and shows available to rent or purchase through YouTube itself. Like we said, the lines are there, but blurring more all the time.
Its biggest competition comes in deciding between YouTube TV and Hulu With Live TV.YouTube TV price and add-ons
Due to a price increase in March 2023, YouTube TV now costs $73 a month (plus tax, which takes things up closer to $77 a month).
That’s not to say that’s all you’ll ever pay for YouTube TV, however. It has a number of optional add-ons that give you more shows and movies and sports to watch — but of course, you’ll pay extra. A new big one is an ability to watch some shows and sports in 4K on YouTube TV.
And there’s now a separate Spanish-only plan (conveniently called the “Spanish Plan”) that’s available for $25 a month for the first six months, and $35 a month after that. It includes beIN ñ, beIN Xtra en Español, Antena 3, NTN 24, Nuestra Tele, TyC Sports, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery Familia, Baby TV Espanol, ESPN Deportes, Nat Geo Mundo, Estrella TV, Fox Deportes, Cine Latino, Pasiones, WAPA América, Cine Mexicano, Sony Cine, Tastemade, CNN Espanol, Bandamax, De Pelicula, De Pelicula Classico, FOROtv, Telehit, Telehit Urbano, and Tlnovelas.
Here are the optional add-ons available with YouTube TV:
4K Plus ($10 a month after a one-month trial): First made available in June 2021, 4K Plus allows you to watch some content on YouTube TV in 4K resolution. Mostly that means shows and series in on-demand form — things like What We Do In The Shadows, Struggle Meals, American Titans, Snowfall, and more. But where it really starts to shine is with live sports from networks like ESPN, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports. Also, 4K Plus adds offline viewing of recorded shows, plus the ability to watch on as many devices as you want at once on your home network.
Spanish Plus ($10 for first six months; $15 after): Additional Spanish-language channels, including Antena 3, Baby TV Español, Bandamax, beIN Sports Español, beIN XTRA en Español, Cine Latino, Cine Mexicano, CNNe, De Película, De Película Clásico, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, EstrellaTV, FOROtv, Fox Deportes, Nat Geo Mundo, NTN 24, Nuestra Tele, Pasiones, SonyCine, Tastemade en Español, Telehit, Telehit Música, Tlnovelas, TyC Sports, Universo, and WAPA.
HBO Max ($13 a month): New HBO Max Originals and included networks, plus all the legacy HBO content you know and love.
HBO ($16 a month): HBO, minus all the Max stuff.
NBA League Pass ($15 a month, or $50 a year): Comes with a seven-day free trial.
Sports Plus ($11 a month, or $80 annually): Includes NFL RedZone, BeIN Sports, Fox Soccer Plus, VSiN, Outside TV+, PokerGO+, MAVTV, FanDuel TV, Stadium, Billiard TV, SportsGrid, PlayersTV, Fight Network, IMPACT Wrestling. Comes with a seven-day free trial.
Entertainment Plus ($30 a month): Includes HBO Max, Showtime, and STARZ.
Showtime ($11 a month): Premium movies and series. Comes with a seven-day free trial.
Starz ($9 a month): Premium movies and series.
Hallmark Movies Now ($6 a month): All the movies and series you love from Hallmark. Comes with a seven-day free trial.
Cinemax ($10 a month): Premium movies and series. Comes with a seven-day free trial.
MGM+ ($6 a month): All the best from the legendary studio.
STARZ + MGM+ ($12 a month): A bundle of the two services.
CuriosityStream ($3 a month): Science-type shows. Comes with a 14-day free trial.
ViX+ ($7 a month): Spanish-language content from TelevisaUnivision.
Pantaya ($6 a month): Spanish-language movies and series.
Fox Nation ($6 a month): The streaming service from Fox News.
ScreenPix ($3 a month): Classic movies from EPIX.
AMC+ ($8 a month): Additional streaming-only content from AMC.
Shudder ($6 a month): New and classic horror.
Sundance Now ($7 a month): The streaming arm of Sundance Channel.
