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

By Mike Timmermann
By Mike Timmermann

Are you tired of overpaying for more than 100 TV channels with your cable or satellite provider when you only watch a handful of them on a regular basis?

You may be able to lower your monthly bill to $40 or less by switching to a live TV streaming service.

RELATED: Clark’s TV bundle will cut your cable or satellite bill in half!

Streaming TV: DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu, Sling TV

These cable and satellite alternatives offer smaller bundles, so it’s important that you compare the channel lineups to make sure that your favorite networks are included.

We’ve highlighted plans in the $35 to $40 per month range below, but most of the providers have other packages as well.

Keep in mind that you’ll need a high-speed internet connection to take advantage of any live TV streaming service, so that’s another monthly cost to factor in as you’re reviewing the various plans and prices.

Here are the channel lineups for DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu with Live TV and Sling TV:

DirecTV Now “Live a Little” plan: $35/month YouTube TV: $35/month ($40/month starting March 13) PlayStation Vue “Access” plan: $39.99/month Hulu with Live TV: $39.99/month Sling TV “Orange + Blue” plan: $40/month
A&E A&E A&E
ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC (select markets)
ACC Network Extra
AMC AMC AMC AMC
Animal Planet Animal Planet
Audience
AXS TV AXS TV
Baby First
BBC America BBC America BBC America BBC America
BBC World News
BET BET
Big Ten Network Big Ten Network
Bloomberg Bloomberg
Boomerang
Bravo Bravo Bravo Bravo Bravo
C-SPAN
C-SPAN 2
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Cartoon Network
CBS CBS CBS CBS
CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network
Cheddar
CMT
CNBC CNBC CNBC CNBC
CNN CNN CNN CNN CNN
CNN International
Comedy Central Comedy Central
Comet
CW CW
Decades
Destination America
Discovery Discovery
Disney Channel Disney Channel Disney Channel Disney Channel Disney Channel
Disney Junior Disney Junior Disney Junior Disney Junior
Disney XD Disney XD Disney XD Disney XD
E! E! E! E!
El Rey
EPIX Drive-In
ESPN ESPN ESPN ESPN ESPN
ESPN 2 ESPN2 ESPN 2 ESPN 2 ESPN 2
ESPN 3
ESPN Goal Line
ESPNews ESPNews
ESPNU ESPNU
Flama
Food Network Food Network Food Network Food Network
FOX FOX FOX FOX FOX (select markets)
Fox Business Network Fox Business Network Fox Business Network Fox Business Network
Fox News Channel Fox News Channel Fox News Channel Fox News Channel
Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 1 Fox Sports 1
Fox Sports 2 Fox Sports 2 Fox Sports 2 Fox Sports 2
Freeform Freeform Freeform Freeform Freeform
FX FX FX FX FX
FXM FXM
FXX FXX FXX FXX FXX
FYI
Galavision Galavision
Golf Channel  Golf Channel
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
HGTV HGTV HGTV HGTV
History Channel History Channel History Channel
HLN HLN HLN HLN
IFC IFC
Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery
Lifetime Lifetime Lifetime
Lifetime Movies
Local Now
MSNBC MSNBC MSNBC MSNBC
MTV
MTV2
National Geographic  National Geographic National Geographic National Geographic National Geographic
Nat Geo Wild Nat Geo Wild Nat Geo Wild
NBC NBC NBC NBC NBC (select markets)
NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN NBCSN
Newsy Newsy
Nick Jr. Nick Jr.
Nickelodeon
NFL Network
Olympic Channel Olympic Channel
One America News
OWN
Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen
Pop Pop Pop
REELZ
RFD-TV
Science
SEC Network SEC Network
Smithsonian Smithsonian
Sundance TV
SYFY SYFY SYFY SYFY SYFY
TBS TBS TBS TBS TBS
TCM TCM TCM
TeenNick
Telemundo Telemundo  Telemundo
Tennis Channel
TLC TLC
TNT TNT TNT TNT TNT
Travel Travel Travel
Tribeca Shortlist
truTV truTV truTV truTV truTV
TV Land
Unimas
Univision Univision
Universal Kids Universal Kids
Universo
USA USA USA USA USA
Velocity
VH1
Viceland Viceland Viceland
WE tv WE tv WE tv
WeatherNation

Editor’s note: Some of these plans may also include regional sports networks.

RELATED: This new tool negotiates with your cable and internet provider to lower your bill

Don’t know if any of these plans will work for you? Call a family meeting and have everyone write down the channels that are most important to them, then see which bundle is the best fit for your household.

Again, most of these providers have other bundles or add-ons, but that’s going to increase your monthly rate.

Clark’s guide to the best live TV streaming plans and deals will go live Tuesday, February 27 at 10 a.m. — only on Clark.com.

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