I'm a cord cutter, and after trying fuboTV, I found it to be a great option for cord cutters, especially those who like sports. fuboTV's strengths include a fairly broad (but not complete) set of channels and features that competitors Sling TV, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.
To recap where we're at so far, I want to cut the cord due to the old-fashioned nature of my cable box, but my roommates don't want to give up their particular channels. So I am going to get rid of the cable box and tell them that my $127/month cable bill is their problem. I am also going to offer to share my account with them.
My goal is to convince them that somewhere in this experiment it is time for all of us to say goodbye to cable. Maybe we can find a set of channels they want on a service we like. But since they are big Yankees fans and the YES Network is stuck with DirecTV Stream, formerly known as AT&T TV, that is unlikely.
Sling's main competitor is YouTube TV, which was impressive with its snappy and responsive app. Unfortunately, not all competitors can say the same. Hulu with Live TV, for example, was not stable enough for my taste.
Based on my testing, here are the pros and cons of fuboTV for cord cutters.
In my opinion, the absolute best thing about fuboTV is its ability to display multiple feeds simultaneously. Not picture-in-picture, but two to three (four if you have Apple TV) channels on the screen at the same time, and you select the audio feed you want to listen to.
This makes a lot of sense for sports fans who need to monitor two games at once; one stream can be larger than the other, or both can be the same size. I don't know why none of the services have this feature; I can only assume that fuboTV has patented this technology or something similar.
Also, while we did not feel the need for this feature during our testing, we can easily imagine that it would be an important option.
Other than that, the best thing about fuboTV is that it may be my favorite app when it comes to overall looks and functionality. Everything is cleanly designed, crisp, and very modern (although YouTube TV can't be beat).
Another advantage I found was when I did the "how live is it." test. This is much better than Sling's maximum 70 second delay. This is a little important to me because I often simulcast shows remotely with friends and hate to be the one who is "late." With cable TV, I was often ahead of others.
The problem with fuboTV is primarily in channel selection (more on this later).
First of all, the guide menu (which I like having) is sort of hidden deeper than I would like. I have to go back a bit through the menu to find the guide button. My brain is still attached to cables, so this may be something I can overcome, but I prefer to look at this layout.
Another irritant of fuboTV is that I only experienced this on Apple TV (I also tested it on Roku Ultra). If you are not careful with your thumbs, you can accidentally swipe the directional pad left or right and accidentally switch channels. This is not something I want to have happen, and it can be difficult to "undo" when trying to figure it out.
So, since my complaints are mostly minor, I will admit that the fuboTV app and streaming experience is actually pretty great. It is on par with YouTube TV, especially when it comes to accurate and speedy rewinding and fast-forwarding. Mid-stream navigation has often been my problem with these types of apps, but this one did not have the drawbacks seen with Hulu (ads get in the way) or Sling (inaccurate rewinding and fast forwarding).
Now back to fuboTV's major problem: channels.
fuboTV has many channels, including often-needed broadcast networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. However, fuboTV does not have TNT. This is not just about the NBA playoffs (the one time of year I usually channel basketball), but about the All Elite Wrestling Dynamite program. Neither network is on fuboTV.
And while researching these channels, I remembered that Cartoon Network (like TNT and TBS) is a Turner Broadcasting System channel. Since "Rick and Morty" was off that week, I did not think to look for Cartoon Network in my tests. But since the show doesn't air year-round ("Dynamite" does), the lack of Cartoon Network wasn't that big of a deal. But still, it's my favorite network. You never know what the weirdos are going to do next.
fuboTV is often my other favorite shows, including USA, FX, and Food Network, and there's NBC, which also has the best sitcoms out there (some nights I'd like to give "Saturday Night Live" another chance). And, of course, there's MSNBC's live news; the only reason I don't have CNN is, of course, because it's Turner's network.
That said, the lack of playoff basketball on TNT is quite concerning, even though fuboTV is supposed to be a "sports service." Also, my Yankees fan roommates will wonder why I'm paying for a sports-focused streaming service that doesn't even have a YES network (yes, Yankees fans believe the world revolves around them, even if the postseason isn't over (Yes, Yankees fans believe the world revolves around them, even if the postseason isn't over.)
Nevertheless, fuboTV has a huge number of sports channels that other entry packages do not. These include TUDN (which you pay more for on DirecTV Stream), the global-focused beIN Sports channel that is limited to Sling TV's $11/month Sports Extra add-on, the Big Ten Network and ACC Network ( both of which are included in the Sling add-on), and other specialty sports networks like the Big Ten Network and ACC Network.
In other words, if NBA basketball is not your cup of tea, but you have many sports networks that others don't have, and you want all the broadcast networks that Sling can't give you, there's a reason to check out fuboTV.
Again, fuboTV takes the L in the roommate test and lacks PBS, YES, and BBC World News. Nevertheless, PBS is accessible to donors via Thirteen Passport; PBS is available on Thirteen Passport; and fuboTV is available on Thirteen Passport.
Now, having tested four of the best cable TV alternatives, there are still two main contenders and two contenders. But it has a great app and interface, so I just hope they finally find a way to get Turner channels.
Right now, Sling still wins with the best pricing for my specific needs, and YouTube TV's excellent app and midstream navigation have helped make YouTube TV my favorite if money is no object. However, YouTube TV's $780 annual fee is 85% higher than Sling Blue's $420 annual fee.
Next up is the newly revamped DirecTV Stream (aka AT&T TV) and Philo. As much as I disliked DirecTV Stream in the past, Philo has no TNT or USA, but DirecTV Stream has all the channels I need.
I would rate fuboTV's MultiView streaming; there must be a lot of fuboTV customers who are happy with this service.
In Stream Time, Tom's Guide senior editor Henry T. Casey delves into the big choices when it comes to streaming media. From the best streaming services and the worst streaming devices to the endless list of shows to watch, he tackles it all.
For more recommendations, be sure to check out my guide to the best streaming devices (and best streaming services). If there's anything you'd like to see covered in the streaming world, please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.
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