YouTube TV is once again raising prices for its streaming TV service, going up a full $10 per month, beginning in mid-January 2024.

YouTube TV (YTTV) is one of the leading live TV streaming services, and is widely considered by many critics to be the best of the available options. When the service first started in 2017, YTTV cost a very modest $35. In the following years, the service has seen a number of price hikes, but the most recent one brings it to a whopping $82.99.

The company notified users in an email, blaming the rising cost of content and investments in the infrastructure necessary to maintain a high quality of service.

Below is the email in its entirety:

Hi [user],

YouTube TV has always worked hard to offer you the content you love, delivered the way you want, with features that make it easy to enjoy the best of live TV.

To keep up with the rising cost of content and the investments we make in the quality of our service, we’re updating our monthly price from $72.99/month to $82.99/month starting January 13, 2025.

We don’t make these decisions lightly, and we realize this has an impact on our members. We are committed to bringing you features that are changing the way we watch live TV, like unlimited DVR storage and multiview*, and supporting YouTube TV’s breadth of content and vast on-demand library of movies and shows.

The price of your YouTube TV Base Plan membership will change in your first billing cycle on or after January 13, 2025, and will be charged to your payment method on file going forward. To view your current plan, go to Settings > Membership for updated information. If you are currently on a trial or promotional price for the Base Plan, that promotion is still honored and unchanged.

We hope YouTube TV continues to be your service of choice, but we understand that some of our members may want to cancel their subscriptions. As always, family managers have the ability to pause or cancel anytime. You can find more information in our Help Center.

With lots of exciting shows and live events ahead in the new year, we’ll continue to strive to deliver the best of TV, all in one place. Thank you for being a loyal YouTube TV member.

Sincerely,

The YouTube TV team

YTTV Alternatives

Users looking for a YTTV alternative have fairly limited options, each with some significant downsides.

Fubo

Fubo is a sports-focused streaming service that still offers a wide range of non-sports channels. Like YTTV, Fubo can serve as a full replacement for traditional TV, with one big caveat: Fubo does not carry Turner channels, meaning it does not have TNT, TBS, and a few other popular channels.

The company has shown a willingness to sue media companies over unfair distribution terms, winning some court victories. As a result, it’s entirely possible the company may regain access to the Turner channels, either through paying the high price for them, or suing for fairer terms.

In the meantime, the service starts at a comparable $79.99 per month.

Sling TV

Sling TV is the cheapest option that still provides a full TV streaming service. The company has a somewhat confusing price plan, offering two different plans, Orange or Blue, one of which focuses on sports and the other traditional content.

The plans are a good option for individuals who have a strong preference for or against sports content, saving them money by not forcing them to pay for content they’re not interested in. Users interest in both types of content can get both Orange and Blue for a mere $55 per month.

The big caveat with Sling is that, aside from a few select markets, the company does not provide local channels, such as ABC, NBC, Fox, or PBS affiliates. The omission is one of the reasons Sling is able to provide its service as cheap as it does. Users who want those channels can still access them with an antenna. It’s even possible to integrate those channels with the Sling service via an AirTV DVR device.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is probably the most complete YTTV alternative, with no major channels or content missing. As the name suggests, DirecTV Stream is effectively the same thing as the DirecTV satellite service, but served via internet stream instead of satellite.

Unlike Fubo or Sling, DirecTV has the most complete channel lineup, rival and possible exceeding YTTV in some ways. The service also provides those most traditional TV-style experience.

Unfortunately, DirecTV is the most expensive option, starting at $101.98 and going up to $129.99, depending on the chosen package.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, despite the most recent price hike, YTTV remains the most cost-effective solution that still offers the widest selection of the most common channels and content.