The Best Live Local TV Streaming Services in 2022

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streaming services with local channels — Photo: Oleg Elkov/Getty

Streaming services offer an alternative to the traditional cable model; today, the best platforms don't just carry extensive on-demand content libraries, but also live TV channels, including local programming. They allow you to stream on multiple devices at once, record your favorite shows, and customize your monthly package for a more tailored viewing experience — all at a lower price than traditional cable providers.

Though switching over to a streamer may seem like a no-brainer, you might be hesitant if you're worried about losing your local channels in the process. In this guide, we break down which streaming services subscribers can count on to provide network affiliates, regional sports networks, and more great local offerings.

Local Streaming Services Guide

Best Access

Key specs	DirecTV Stream	FuboTV	Hulu + Live TV	YouTube TV
Base price	$69.99/month	$69.99/month	$69.99/month	$64.99/month
Network affiliates offered	CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Telemundo, PBS, and more	CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Telemundo, and more	CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Telemundo, and more	CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Telemundo, PBS, and more
Free trial?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Option to record?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Best Overall: DirecTV Stream

Base Price: $69.99/month
Total No. of Channels: 75+
Free Trial? Yes
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

All packages include local channels
Four plan options at four different price points
Most regional sports networks of any streaming service
Online quiz will help determine the best package for you

Cons

Regional sports networks are not available in the base tier
Two of the plans cost over $100 a month

Why It Made the List

DirecTV Stream is the best streaming service for local channels because it has fewer location restrictions and more programming options than competitors. All four of its plans include affiliate stations, meaning you can wake up and fall asleep to your favorite news teams for under $70 a month. Each package also comes with unlimited Cloud DVR storage and unlimited concurrent streams at home.

The base Entertainment plan ($69.99/month) is the only one without regional sports networks (RSNs), but subscribers still get 75+ live TV channels and 40,000 on-demand titles. By upgrading to the Choice ($89.99), Ultimate ($104.99), or Premier ($149.99) plans, you'll gain access to RSNs in your area. For instance, a Champaign, Ill. zip code is able to stream Bally Sports Midwest, Marquee Sports Network, and NBC Sports Chicago.

To see which local channels and RSNs will be included in your package, enter your zip code on DirecTV's website. Before committing to a full month, test out any of the four plans through the platform's free trial.

FuboTV

Base Price: $69.99/month
Total No. of Channels: 130+
Free Trial? Yes
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

More than 200 local markets
Up to 10 simultaneous streams
Nearly every available market includes ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates
Some regional offerings can be accessed through the TV Everywhere app

Cons

Limited number of RSNs (Colorado Rockies fans are completely shut out)

Why It Made the List

All four of FuboTV's monthly plans — Pro ($69.99), Elite ($79.99), Ultimate ($99.99), and Latino ($33) — offer local programming, though the service's scope is not as far-reaching as DirecTV Stream. Still, there are a little over 200 markets in Fubo's orbit, many of which carry ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and Telemundo affiliates. Sports fans may have a harder time finding RSNs in their area, especially Colorado-based customers, who currently don't have access to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, home of Colorado Rockies games.

FuboTV's weeklong free trial should help you decide whether the streamer has all of the content you really want. If you feel like something is missing, check out the service's lengthy list of add-ons for more sports, news, and entertainment channels.

Hulu + Live TV

Base Price: $69.99/month
Total No. of Channels: 75+
Free Trial? No
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

Customers can easily view their local channel lineup before creating an account
Hulu's live TV bundle includes ESPN+ and Disney+
Unlimited DVR storage
Ad-free option for on-demand content

Cons

Live TV channels are not included in Hulu's free trial
Extremely limited number of RSNs

Why It Made the List

Hulu's live TV plans start at $69.99 per month, and, like FuboTV, a decent amount of markets are covered in the base package. If, for example, you live in Pocatello, Idaho, you'll have access to local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW, and Telemundo affiliates. You can check which channels are available in your area by typing in your zip code on the Hulu + Live TV homepage.

While its network affiliate offerings are similar to Fubo's, Hulu has less RSNs than its competitor due in large part to a contract dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which runs Bally Sports Regional Networks (formerly known as Fox Sports Networks). The RSNs you'll find on Hulu are mainly operated by NBC Sports.

YouTube TV

Base Price: $64.99/month
Total No. of Channels: 85+
Free Trial? Yes
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

Local coverage includes PBS affiliates
Free trial to test the service
$5 less per month than many competitors
No cap on DVR space

Cons

Extremely limited number of RSNs
Only one English-language plan available

Why It Made the List

YouTube TV's local coverage is nearly identical to Hulu's, but in addition to CBS, Fox, ABC, NBC, and Telemundo affiliates, YouTube offers local PBS and Univision stations. The platform's monthly subscription price ($64.99) also makes it stand out over competitors: The streamer charges $5 less than DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, and Hulu do for their base plans. New customers will also get a total of $30 off during their first three months, bringing the cost per month down to $54.99.

Unfortunately, YouTube TV is in a similar boat to Hulu when it comes to RSNs. The service no longer carries Bally Sports Regional Networks, so NBC Sports is the main source of local sports programming for YouTube TV. But the Base plan's inclusion of the NFL, NBA, and MLB networks may make up for its lack of RSNs.

Read PEOPLE's full YouTube TV review.

Limited Access

Key specs	Sling TV	Vidgo
Base price	$40/month	$59.95/month
Network affiliates offered	Fox, NBC	Fox, ABC
Free trial?	No	No
Option to record?	Yes	Yes

Sling TV

Base Price: $40/month
Total No. of Channels: 30+
Free Trial? No
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

Two of the three plans are under $50 a month
More than 45 individual channel add-ons
Several ongoing bundles, including an NFL package

Cons

Must pair your Sling subscription with an HD antenna to get most local stations
Without an HD antenna, Fox and NBC affiliates are only available in select markets

Out of Sling TV's three plans, only two — Blue and Orange & Blue — offer a small number of local channels, which is why the service is listed under "limited access." In select markets, subscribers can get Fox and NBC affiliates, but you'll need to purchase an HD antenna to successfully stream ABC, CBS, CW, PBS, Telemundo, and Univision affiliates. The good news is that you can currently get an antenna for free when you prepay for two months of Sling.

Another way to save is with one of the service's bundles. For instance, new customers get half off their first month when they sign up for the NFL Football Package, which combines the Sling Blue plan ($40/month) and the Sports Extra add-on ($11/month).

Vidgo

Base Price: $59.95/month
Total No. of Channels: 110+
Free Trial? No
Option to Record? Yes

Pros

The base plan's monthly price is $10 less than the industry standard
Ability to pause or rewind live TV
Access to additional content through the TV Everywhere feature

Cons

Fox and ABC affiliates are only available in select markets
Base plan subscribers must pay for DVR after the first 90 days

Depending on your location, you may be able to stream ABC and Fox affiliates through Vidgo, but local coverage is not guaranteed. If you find that your area isn't in one of the available markets, you may be able to access your local station through the streamer's TV Everywhere tool, which allows you to log into various network apps with your Vidgo credentials. The feature is free with the Plus ($59.95/month) and Premium ($79.95/month) packages.

One category that Vidgo excels in is college sports. Most NCAA networks are included in the service's base plan, as is ESPNU and Stadium. You're also getting more than 110 channels for less than $60 a month, which is one of the better streaming deals out there.

Extremely Limited Access

Key specs	Paramount+	Peacock
Base price	$9.99/month	$4.99/month
Network affiliates offered	CBS	NBC
Free trial?	Yes	No
Option to record?	No	No

Paramount+

Base Price: $9.99/month
Total No. of Channels: Not disclosed
Free Trial? Yes
Option to Record? No

Pros

Premium plan costs less than $10 a month
Free trial gives you time to decide if the streamer has the right kind of content for you

Cons

The only local offering is your CBS affiliate
Local CBS stations are not included in the cheaper Essential plan ($4.99/month)

Given that Paramount+ is CBS' streaming service, it's not surprising that the platform only offers access to local CBS stations. It's important to note that in order to stream your CBS affiliate, you must sign up for Paramount+'s Premium plan, which costs $9.99 per month. The cheaper Essential package ($4.99/month) does not include local programming. You can test the service for free over a weeklong period.

Peacock

Base Price: $4.99/month
Total No. of Channels: 50+
Free Trial? No
Option to Record? No

Pros

Cheapest way to stream a local channel
Access to every Sunday Night Football game

Cons

Only six markets have access to their local NBC stations through Peacock
No DVR capability

Peacock may be NBC's streaming service, but access to NBC affiliates is pretty restricted. Currently, the only markets that can stream local NBC stations through Peacock are Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and South Florida. But what the platform lacks in local content, it makes up for in live sporting events. Peacock is the exclusive streaming partner of WWE and simulcasts every football game that airs on NBC.

Final Verdict

After comparing live TV streaming services, it's clear why DirecTV Stream is the best one for local channels. All four of the platform's packages include local programming, which is rare, plus no streamer on this list has a better selection of regional sports networks (DirecTV even carries Bally Sports).

On top of that, subscriptions come with unlimited DVR storage and unlimited simultaneous streams for under $70 a month. And the fact that prospective customers can see the exact local channels they'll get by simply typing in their zip code is icing on the cake.

Compare Streaming Services with Local Channels

Network	DirecTV Stream	FuboTV	Hulu	Paramount+	Peacock	Sling TV	Vidgo	YouTube TV
ABC	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	✓	✓
CBS	✓	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	✓
The CW	-	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-
Fox	✓	✓	✓	-	-	✓	✓	✓
PBS	✓	-	-	-	-	-	-	✓
NBC	✓	✓	✓	-	✓	✓	-	✓
Telemundo	✓	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	✓
Univision	✓	✓	-	-	-	-	-	✓

Frequently Asked Questions

FuboTV vs. YouTube TV: Which is better?

In terms of local programming, FuboTV and YouTube TV offer many of the same affiliate networks. But they both provide one local channel that the other does not: FuboTV has The CW while YouTube TV has PBS. This may make your decision between the two easier, but ultimately, you should explore each streaming service's entire content library before signing up for one. Luckily, they both give prospective subscribers a free trial.

Another difference between the two is their DVR capabilities. While YouTube provides unlimited DVR storage, your recordings will expire after nine months. FuboTV caps your DVR space at 1,000 hours, but your recordings won't expire as long as your subscription is active.

Does Philo have local channels?

Given its price — $25 a month — the streaming service Philo remains a popular choice among value hunters. Though it comes with more than 60 channels, none of them are local. For the most part, the platform's lineup includes lifestyle and entertainment networks such as Hallmark, HGTV, Discovery, and Food Network.

Does ABC have a streaming service?

Unlike fellow broadcast networks NBC and CBS, ABC does not have its own streaming service. Though you can live stream content on ABC's app, you must log in with your cable provider. However, you can find ABC on DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Vidgo.

Methodology

To find the best streaming services with local channels, we reviewed nearly 45 platforms by looking at more than a dozen criteria points. A service's local offerings were weighted most heavily, but we also considered its full list of features, including DVR capabilities, as well as channel add-ons.

When researching a streamer, our team collected data on the number of affiliate networks available, the base price for a package with local and regional sports networks, and any location restrictions. Finally, we kept track of how many simultaneous streams each service allows and whether subscribers can try out the platform through a free trial.

The information presented here was either taken directly from a company's website or verified through customer service calls, and was accurate at the time of publication.