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YouTube TV is back to normal after a two-week carriage dispute with Disney, but the fighting that led to blackouts for ABC, ESPN, and other Disney-owned channels could reshape the service as we know it. It will likely get more expensive, because programmers like Disney always want higher carriage fees for their channels, but you’ll get more for your money through bundled streaming services. YouTube might also offer cheaper packages with fewer channels, reflecting the greater flexibility we’ve seen from other providers. You don’t have to do anything about this right now, but you should know what the options are for when things inevitably change down the road. Prepare for a price hike Just like on the cable side, annual price hikes have become common for live TV streaming services. These services are not immune to the demands of programmers, which generally seek more money with each new carriage agreement, and those costs get passed onto you. YouTube TV last raised prices in January 2025, from $73 to $83 per month. The price hike prior to that arrived in March 2023, raising the cost from $65 to $73 per month. With YouTube wrapping new carriage deals with both Disney and NBCUniversal in the last two months, you can expect prices to rise yet again. A Disney press release crows about how its YouTube deal “recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming,” which likely means it’s getting paid more. I’m just speculating here, as YouTube hasn’t announced new pricing, but my money’s on $90 per month. That would match Disney-owned rival Hulu + Live TV, which just raised its own price in October. You’ll get more to watch On the upside, YouTube’s new deal with Disney lets it offer ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost. This includes all the programming that would normally require a separate ESPN Select (formerly ESPN+) subscription. YouTube TV will also bring some of this content directly into its own app. It’s unclear when ESPN Unlimited will become available for YouTube TV subscribers—the companies are merely saying by the end of 2026—but those who currently pay separately for ESPN Select should be able to cancel and save some money when it happens. (If you subscribe to a different TV service and pay extra for ESPN Select, you should also make sure it’s not already included.) A separate deal with NBCUniversal last month achieved a similar goal, albeit in a different way: YouTube is now carrying a revived NBC Sports Network, which will air sports programming that had been exclusive to Peacock. If you were subscribing to Peacock just for exclusive coverage from NBA, WNBA, or Premier League, you might not need to anymore. Less clear is whether YouTube TV will bundle Disney+ and Hulu as well. According to Disney, YouTube has the “ability to include the Disney+, Hulu Bundle as part of select YouTube offerings,” but that doesn’t explicitly say they’ll be included with YouTube TV. That said, bundling Disney’s streaming services would put YouTube TV on equal footing with Hulu + Live TV, which carries Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select at no extra charge. Enter the skinny bundles If you’re thinking that all this will make YouTube TV more like the bloated cable bundles it aimed to replace, you’re right. Cable might be pricier, but the gap has narrowed over the years, and some traditional TV packages (like Spectrum’s TV Select) include streaming services as well. Thankfully, a new wave of skinnier bundles are bringing prices down again by cutting out channels you might not want. DirecTV has its Genre Packs, Fubo has its $56-per-month Sports bundle, and now YouTube TV has Disney’s blessing to launch “various genre-specific packages.” No pricing or packaging has been revealed, and YouTube might still need agreements with other programmers, but it’d be foolish not to launch more flexible options as soon as possible. The result will be a fork in the road for YouTube TV subscribers, who will need to choose between a full-sized, increasingly expensive bundle or an array of slimmer, cheaper options. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best live TV streaming services. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

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If you’re wondering whether to cancel YouTube TV in favor of a cheaper live TV streaming package, your options are better than they used to be. Getting local channels, news, and even sports no longer requires a big bundle, with skinnier packages selling for less than YouTube TV’s $83 per month asking price. Smaller packages are also available for folks who don’t care about sports, some of which even include popular streaming services at no additional charge. Even though the carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Disney is now over after dragging into a second week, now’s the time to look at alternatives. You might be better off taking your business elsewhere. If you need sports I’ve already written a whole other article about sports-streaming options that are cheaper than YouTube TV, but here’s a quick rundown: Fubo Sports ($56/mo.): Includes ESPN, Fox Sports, Tennis Channel, NFL Network, Tennis Channel, and most local channels, but does not include NBC or TNT/TBS; and the only included cable news channel is Fox News. DirecTV MySports ($70/mo): Includes local channels, ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT/TBS, NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, USA, Golf Channel, and the major cable news networks. You can add regional sports in some areas for an extra $20 per month. You don’t need a satellite dish and can stream via the DirecTV app on connected TV devices. Xfinity Sports & News ($70/mo.): This one’s for Comcast internet customers only, but it includes local channels ESPN, Fox Sports, Turner channels, USA, Tennis Channel, and Golf Channel; plus, the big three cable news networks. It also includes Peacock, and you can stream using the Xfinity app—no cable box needed. Hulu + Live TV ($90/mo.): It’s not any cheaper than YouTube TV, but it does include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select and an otherwise similar channel lineup. It’s also on sale at $65 per month for the first three months right now. Sling TV Blue or Orange (starts at $46/mo): Sling can be an odd choice due to its patchy local channel availability, but its combination of cable news, national sports networks, and general entertainment are worth considering–especially if you use an antenna for local channels. Cheaper news and local-channel options If you don’t watch a lot of sports but still want local channels or cable news, have a look at these options: DirecTV MyNews ($40/mo.): Despite the name, this package is actually the cheapest way to get local channels without an antenna. It also includes major cable news networks. Local channels can vary by market, though, so check your zip code on DirecTV’s website. Sling Select ($20/mo. and up): This is a weird one. Depending on where you live, this package will either include no local channels or some combination of ABC, Fox, and NBC. The price increases to $25 per month in markets with at least two of those channels, and $30 per month in markets with all three. (CBS is excluded no matter what.) In all cases, the package includes 11 other cable channels including Fox News, FS1, FX, NFL Network, and MeTV. Check local channel availability here. Notable non-sports options If you don’t need local channels—or you can get them with an antenna—these options could save a lot of money: DirecTV MyEntertainment ($35/mo.): Includes more than 60 entertainment channels, the big three cable news networks, and free access to Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max (with ads). DirecTV MyKids ($20/mo): Offers more than a dozen kids channels—including Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network—and access to Disney+. Philo ($33/mo): Includes more than 60 entertainment channels, plus access to HBO Max, Discovery+, and AMC+ (with ads). Frndly TV ($9/mo): A super-skinny bundle anchored by Hallmark and surrounded by mostly rerun-centric channels. The price jumps to $11 per month if you want DVR service. Maybe you don’t need a bundle at all Between ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, Peacock, Paramount+, HBO Max, CNN All Access, and Disney’s various bundles, much of the content that once required a pay TV package is now available in a somewhat a la carte form. I’m not saying you should subscribe to all of those services simultaneously—if you do, you might be better off with some of the bundles above—but you might be able to find two or three that meet your needs for less than a traditional pay TV package. And unlike with YouTube TV, there are no carriage disputes to worry about. If a company like Disney decides to raise rates, it’ll have to reckon directly with customers like you instead. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best TV streaming services. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Correction: This article previously said that DirecTV MySports includes Tennis Channel. It does not. Read...

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