YouTube is synonymous with watching videos onlinebut you can also cut the cord and watch cable channels via its sibling service. YouTube TV is a huge name in the live TV streaming service market and not just because of its ties to the classic video-sharing site.

While there are many competitive live TV streamers out thereYouTube TV stands apart from rivals like Hulu with Live TVSling TVDirecTV and Fubo for one reason: its simplicity. Instead of having various packages or plans with different perks and combinations of channelsit just has one plan for one price.

That saidthere are a few expansion packs and extras you can pay forso there are a few things you might need to know before you sign up for YouTube TV.

So if you’re a cord-cutter looking at Your optionsYouTube TV is the pick for many and it could be for you too. Here’s everything you need to know about the live TV streaming service...

How much is YouTube TV monthly?

You have to pay $82.99 per month to sign up to YouTube TVnot including the price of the optional add-on packs.

The streaming service has seen various price hikes over the yearsoriginally beginning at $64.99and this current price has been around since the beginning of 2025.

You’re not on a contract for YouTube TVso you’re able to cancel at any time.

Those aforementioned add-on packs vary in priceand new ones get added over time. HBO Max is availableas is Showtime. There's also a Sports Plus bundle with NFL RedZoneFox Soccer Plus and more. And it also has most of the major Paramount Network channelsincluding Comedy CentralMTV and BET.

YouTube TV pricingbenefits and offers overview

• The YouTube TV plan costs $82.99 a month: gives you plenty of channelsunlimited DVR recording and six accounts you can use with your household (with Netflix cracking down on password sharing it'll be interesting to see how long this stays) and three concurrent streams.
• There's a free trial for new customers.
• If you live in a Spanish-speaking homeyou can sign up for the Spanish Plan for $34.99 per monthwhich includes Spanish-language channels.

Does YouTube TV have a free trial?

One of the few streaming services in the United States to still offer oneYouTube TV has a free trial period that lets you test the service before you pay.

The YouTube TV Base Plan usually has a seven-day free trial periodwhich should be more than enough time to make sure that it's something you want to pay for. But the lengths of trial periods can vary. Free trials for add-on networks have separate sign-up and billing. Either waythe cool part is you get all the same channels with YouTube TV free trial period as you would with a paid subscription.

Just note that if you cancel during your free trialyou'll lose access to YouTube TV (and any add-ons) as soon as you cancel.

What channels are included with YouTube TV?

YouTube TV channels — live TV

YouTube TV live channels are part of the standard planso everyone gets the same "core" channels in the Base plan. (There are some regional/local restrictions.)

YouTube TV also doesn't really organize its channels in any particular waysave for your local affiliates appearing up top. Anything new is added to the bottom and from there it's up to you to rearrange things as you see fit.

You do have the option to show your channels either in the "default" order (which is YouTube TV and Google predicting what you're going to be most likely to watch)or you can have a custom viewwith channels in whatever order you prefer. For full details see the YouTube TV site.

The YouTube TV channels available in the Base plan (to most subscribers)all of which include local ABCCBSFox and NBC stations:

Life channels on YouTube TV:
AMCBETBET HerBravoCMTComedy CentralComedy TVComet TVCourt TVCoziThe CWDablDiscovery ChannelE!FOX SOULFXMFXFXXFood NetworkG4GalavisionGet TVGame Show NewtorkThe Great CoursesHGTVHallmark DramaHallmark ChannelHallmark Movies & MysteriesHSNIFCInvestigation DiscoveryJusticeCentral.TVMTVMTV ClassicMTV 2MotorTrendMy Network TVNat Geo WildNat GeoNBC LXOWNOxygenParamount NetworkPBSPopQVCRecipe.TVSmithsonian ChannelSYFYStart TVSundanceTVTBSTurner Classic MoviesTLCTNTTV LandTeleHitTastemadeTravel ChannelTru TVUniversoUSAUniMasVH1We TV

Sports channels on YouTube TV:
BTNCBS Sports NetworkESPNESPN2ACC NetworkESPNewsSEC NetworkESPNUFight NetworkFS1FS2Golf ChannelImpact WrestlingMLB Game of the WeekMLB NetworkNBA TVNFL NetworkOlympic ChannelSNY (where available)

Family channels on YouTube TV:
Adult Swim, Animal PlanetCartoon NetworkDisney JuniorDisney XDDisney ChannelFreeformNick Jr.NickelodeonNicktoonsPBS KidsTeenNickUniversal Kids.

News channels on YouTube TV:
ABC News LiveBBC AmericaBBC World NewsCNBCCNNCheddar NewsFOX BusinessFOX NewsFox WeatherHLNLiveNOW from FOXLocalishMSNBCNBC News NOWNBC UniversoNews NationTYT NetworkThe Weather Channel

YouTube TV channels — premium add-ons

YouTube TV has a number of premium add-on channels available. These are channels that require an extra fee outside of your usual YouTube TV cost. But this is the best way to get uncut and uncensored movies on YouTube TV.

Subscriptions and billing are handled directly within YouTube TV itselfand the channels appear in the main YouTube TV guide. And that's cool because it lets you move things around and put them as high up in the list as you like. Here's how to edit your YouTube TV channels list.

The list of premium add-on channels on YouTube TV includes the following:

• ALLBLK ($5/month)
• AMC+ ($7/month)
• Acorn TV ($6/month)
• Cinemax ($10/month)
• Comedy Dynamics ($5/month)
• CONtv ($5/month)
• CuriosityStream ($3/month)
• Docurama ($5/month)
• Dove ($5/month)
• Fandor ($4/month)
• Fox Nation ($6/month)
• Hallmark Movies Now ($6/month)
• HBO ($15/month)
• HBO Max ($15)
• IFC Films Unlimited ($6/month)
• Law & Crime ($2/month)
• MLB.TV ($27/month or $130/year)
• NBA League Pass ($40/month)
• Outside TV Features
• Pantaya ($6/month)
• Screambox ($5/month)
• Screenpix
• STARZ ($9/month)
• Showtime ($11/month)
• Shudder ($6/month)
• Sundance Now ($7/month)
• Tastemade Plus
• UPFaith & Family ($6/month)
• VSiN

YouTube TV subscribers are also going to be able to add NFL Sunday Ticket to their subscriptionthough it is not going to be some small monthly fee. The standard price to add NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV is $349 for the entire season; there is also the option to bundle it with NFL RedZone for $389. Howeverbetween now and June 6YouTube TV subscribers can sign up early for either package and knock off $100 to the cost for the first year ($249 ad $289respectively).

YouTube TV channels — Spanish Plus add-on

YouTube TV also offers access to 28 Spanish-language channels including Cine Sonytl novelasDiscovery en Español and Tastemade en Español for $14.99 per month as an add-on package. It is a $34.99 monthly cost if you buy the Spanish channels as a stand-alone plan.

YouTube TV channels — Sports Plus add-on

YouTube TV includes channels like ESPNNFL Network and Fox Sports channels. It also has a Sports Plus premium add-on. This will get you sports channels that put an emphasis on some international sports and things that you normally won't find in the United States.

For $10.99 a month you can also get the following in the Sports Plus package:

• beIN Sports
• Billiards TV
• Fox Soccer Plus
• Gol TV
• MAVTV
• NFL RedZone
• Outside TV
• Players TV
• Poker Go Plus
• Stadium
• TVG
• VSiN

YouTube TV channels — 4K Plus add-on

New for 2021 was the addition of a YouTube TV 4K Plus plan. That gets you content from a number of channels — seven at launch — in 4K resolution. There is also some live programming streamed in 4K resolution. You can use the Live tab to find channels showing 4K programs.

There are caveatsthough. Not every showon those channelsis in 4Kand the shows you will be able to watch in 4K will also depend on the hardware you're using.

It's also not cheap — the 4K Plus plan costs $14.99 a month for the first 12 monthsthen $19.99 a month afterward. Of courseyou do get a 30-day free trial period to test it out before you stump up the cash.

The seven channels currently available in 4K include:

• Discovery
• ESPN
• Fox Sports
• FX
• Nat Geo
• NBC Sports
• Tastemade

What devices can I watch YouTube TV on?

It's no surprise that the streaming service owned by Google would prioritize device compatibility — making sure that you can watch what you wantwhere you want and how you want. And you really can. There's a huge list of supported devices but in shortif you've got one of theseyou can watch YouTube TV on it:

• YouTube TV on mobile devices: smartphones and tablets running Android L or later and iPhones and iPads running iOS 12 or later (download the YouTube TV app)
• YouTube TV on computers: supported on latest versions of ChromeFirefox or Safari
• YouTube TV on Smart TVs: Amazon Fire TV devicesRoku TVs and devicesApple TV/Apple TV 4KVizio SmartCast TVsSamsung and LG smart TVsHisense TVs
• YouTube TV on game consoles: XboxPS5PS4
• Stream YouTube TV to your TV: using ChromecastAirPlay for Apple TV

YouTube TV features

We've covered a number of YouTube TV features alreadyincluding the unlimited DVR and the number of concurrent streams subscribers can havebut there's more offered by the live TV streaming servce.

First among them is the YouTube TV mobile appwhich allows you to watch YouTube TV on the go through a mobile device. As long as you have bandwidth that can handle ityou can be watching live TV.

A recent report from Protocol also teases a couple of features that are on their way to YouTube TV. This includes the ability to support YouTube ShortsYouTube's answer to the TikTok craze. The update that'll enable the ability to play YouTube Shorts is expected in the coming months and will have the vertical video displayed in the center of the screen with the title and other key info off to the side.

Protocol also detailed what YouTube TV is calling Mosaic Modewhich is designed to let subscribers watch up to four live feeds at the same timedividing the TV screen into quadrants. There was no clear indication of when this would be availablebut it seems tailor made for sports viewing.