Clark Howard

Is fuboTV the best live TV streaming service for sports fans?

By Mike Timmermann
By Mike Timmermann

In the crowded field of live TV streaming services, fuboTV is positioning itself as the best cable and satellite TV alternative for people who like to watch a lot of live sports.

If you’re paying more than $100 per month for pay-TV service, fuboTV may help cut that bill in half!

Clark.com has already tested leading live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, DirecTV Now, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and Hulu with Live TV, so we decided to give fuboTV a tryout.

Read on to learn if fuboTV is a slam dunk for the sports lover in your household…

RELATED: Streaming TV comparison: Which service has the best channel lineup?

fuboTV review: 5 things to know about the cable and satellite TV alternative 

1. How much does fuboTV cost? 

Like most of its competitors in the TV streaming space, fuboTV requires subscribers to enter credit card information to start a 7-day free trial of the service.

If you don’t cancel before the trial expires, you’ll be charged $19.99 for the first month and $44.99 per month thereafter.

What makes these streaming services different from traditional pay TV is the flexibility. There are no contracts, no hidden fees and you can cancel whenever you want.

To cancel, go to "My Account" from fuboTV's website and look for the "Cancel your subscription" option.

2. What channels do you get with fuboTV?

Although fuboTV is priced slightly higher than the base packages for several of the other live TV streaming services, it may be worth it for die-hard fans of the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and college sports.

You won’t get ESPN, but here are some of the 75+ channels that are included with the sports-centric service:

FS1, FS2, NBCSN, NFL Network, NBA TV, beIN Sports, Pac-12 Network, CBS Sports Network, Big Ten Network, Golf Channel, Olympic Channel and regional sports networks

In addition to the lineup of sports channels, fuboTV provides local stations in many areas and other popular cable networks like AMC, Bravo, Food Network, HGTV, History, MSNBC, National Geographic, Fox News and Hallmark Channel.

Head over to fuboTV's website to see a list of all 75+ channels that you get with a fubo Premier subscription.

When you launch the fuboTV app, sports content is front and center.

3. Does fuboTV include DVR?

With cloud-based DVR, fuboTV users can record any live programs on most channels either before or during the program’s airing.

Up to 30 hours of recorded programming time is included with a base subscription and 500 hours is available for an additional $9.99 per month. Recordings can be saved for as long as you want.

4. Is fuboTV compatible with Roku? 

Streaming fuboTV requires a high-speed internet connection and the provider recommends at least 20 Mbps download speed to ensure that you won’t have problems with buffering.

Watch on your phone, computer or stream to your TV using one of these compatible devices:

  • Apple TV (4th & 5th Generations)
  • Amazon Fire TV (Beta)
  • Roku
  • Chromecast
  • Android TV (Beta)

fuboTV subscribers can choose between watching live TV or recording content for future viewing.

5. Can I watch fuboTV on multiple devices?

A subscription to fuboTV allows users to stream from two devices at the same time. You can pay an extra $5.99 per month to stream from a third device.

fuboTV review: Without ESPN, it’s not a home run for everyone

I thought fuboTV's performance was equally as strong as YouTube TV, which is money expert Clark Howard's personal favorite live TV streaming service.

It took about five seconds to switch channels with fuboTV, but I had absolutely no issues with buffering during my trial period.

Navigation is also one of fuboTV’s strengths. I like how it has a traditional TV guide as well as a list of networks in a grid layout for times when I know what I want to watch.

fuboTV also lets you easily browse sports, TV shows and movies by specific genres.

Easy navigation with fuboTV

The channel lineup won’t be a win for everyone. fuboTV is going to appeal to people who can live without ESPN but still like to watch soccer, football, baseball, basketball and/or hockey games carried on other sports networks.

If you decide that the channel lineup is a good fit for your household, the $45 monthly rate may be money well spent.

For sports fans who want ESPN and don’t need the niche channels that fuboTV offers, Sling TV starts at just $20 per month and YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu with Live TV and DirecTV Now are $40 or below.

Compare your options in Clark’s guide to the best live TV streaming plans and deals in 2018!

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