IPTV pricing comparison 2026.
YouTube TV is $82.99. Hulu + Live TV is $89.99. Sling starts at $45.99. Gloam starts at $13.99. Here is the side-by-side with what each actually includes.
- Cable avg
- ~$83
- YouTube TV
- $82.99
- Sling entry
- $45.99
- Gloam from
- $13.99
Before taxes & rental fees
No contract
Orange or Blue
47,000+ channels
01
Prices at a glance.
| Service | Price | Channels | DVR | Sports | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo | ~100 | Unlimited cloud | All major US networks, NFL Sunday Ticket add-on | None |
| Hulu + Live TV | $89.99/mo | ~95 | Unlimited cloud (with ads) | ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, NBC | None |
| Sling Orange | $45.99/mo | ~35 | 50 hrs cloud | ESPN, TNT, TBS; no Fox Sports, no RSNs | None |
| Sling Blue | $45.99/mo | ~45 | 50 hrs cloud | Fox Sports, NBC; no ESPN | None |
| Sling Orange+Blue | $60.99/mo | ~55 | 50 hrs cloud | ESPN + Fox Sports | None |
| Fubo | $84.99/mo | ~185 | 1,000 hrs cloud | Heavy sports focus, many international | None |
| Gloam | From $13.99/mo | 47,000+ | Plan dependent | 47,000+ channels including sports | None |
Prices as of July 2026. Streaming service prices change frequently. Verify before subscribing.
02
Cable: what you are actually paying for.
The average US cable TV bill hit roughly $83/month in 2026. That is before the broadcast TV fee ($12-20/month), regional sports fee ($10-15/month depending on market), equipment rental ($10-15 for a box), and local taxes.
All-in, a typical cable TV bill in a sports market lands $110-130 per month. The ISP bundle often ties it to your internet, which makes leaving more complicated. The promo rate expires after 12 months and the bill steps up.
03
vMVPDs.
Virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV license the same channels cable carries but deliver them over the internet. The consumer pitch is: cable's channels without the box, the contract, or the installer appointment.
The price gap between cable and vMVPD has narrowed. YouTube TV at $82.99 and Hulu Live at $89.99 are roughly cable prices, minus the equipment and contract. Sling is meaningfully cheaper but with a smaller channel lineup.
04
IPTV services.
Licensed IPTV services like Gloam can price below vMVPDs for several reasons: different licensing structure, international channel mix, and lower US sports rights overhead in some tiers.
The key question when comparing is always legality and stability. A licensed service has a real company, published terms, and channels that will not disappear after a DMCA action. See the IPTV legality guide for the full picture.
Broadcast TV fee
Cable
$12-20/month added after the base rate. Not on vMVPDs.
Regional sports surcharge
Cable
$10-15/month in sports markets. Added automatically.
Equipment rental
Cable
$10-15/month per box. vMVPDs and IPTV use devices you own.
DVR storage
Sling
Sling charges $5/month for 200 hours. YouTube TV includes unlimited.
4K add-on
YouTube TV
4K Plus adds ~$10/month. Not required for HD.
Premium channels
All services
HBO Max, Starz, Showtime are add-ons on every service.
06
FAQ
Why did YouTube TV raise its price to $82.99?
YouTube TV increased its price in 2023-2024 partly due to rising content licensing costs, especially for sports networks (NFL Sunday Ticket deal, ESPN carriage). The price increases have tracked closely with sports rights inflation.
Is Sling still the cheapest vMVPD?
Yes. Sling Orange at $45.99/month is the cheapest major vMVPD in 2026. The trade-off is fewer channels (no local NBC/CBS in many markets, limited regional sports).
How much does Gloam cost?
Gloam plans start at $13.99/month. Pricing and plan tiers are on the plans page. All plans are month-to-month with no contract.
Are there hidden fees on vMVPDs like there are with cable?
vMVPDs have no equipment rental fees or regional sports surcharges on top of their advertised price. What you see is what you pay, unlike cable which often adds $15-25 in fees after the base rate.
Is cheaper always better for IPTV?
No. A $5/month grey-market service may work well for a week and disappear after. Licensed services cost more because rights cost money. The price reflects whether someone has actually paid for the channels they sell.
Start watching on Gloam
47,000+ live channels, plans from $13.99/mo. Cancel anytime from your account.
Last reviewed 2026-07-09. Prices and laws change; check the cited sources before you decide.