Cable TV providers no longer have a monopoly on live TV. Nowadays, there are many ways to gain access to the shows, sports and news you love, without having to pay a fortune for cable TV. One of those methods is a service called fuboTV, which we’ll cover in detail in this guide. But what is fuboTV, anyways? Keep reading for our 2018 fuboTV review!
What is fuboTV?
fuboTV is an online streaming service that lets you watch live TV without a cable subscription. It works over the internet, and you’ll need a compatible device to use it. Once you’re set up, you can watch live sports, news, TV shows and more from many of TV’s most popular networks.
fuboTV is a paid service ($45/mo, 7-day free trial) that essentially acts as an alternative to cable TV. You don’t need a cable or satellite subscription to use fuboTV. All you need is a fuboTV subscription, reliable internet, and a compatible device (such as a streaming player, like a Roku or Apple TV). If you don’t want to buy a separate device, you can also use your computer or smartphone.
Like with cable, you’ll be able to watch LIVE television on fuboTV. You’ll get a bundle of 80+ channels, all of which you can watch live. The programming on these channels is identical to the programming on cable TV.
Here’s the fuboTV review at a glance:
- Costs $45 per month
- No contract or commitment
- Gives you access to 80+ channels to watch live
- Focused mostly on sports (soccer, NBA, MLB, NFL, cycling, etc.)
- Sports networks like FS1, NBCSN, NBA TV, BeIn Sports and more are included
- Other channels like FOX News, FX, AMC, Bravo, Food Network and more are also offered
- Free cloud DVR to record live TV
- Works on most devices – like Roku, Apple TV, smartphones, computers and more
Is fuboTV worth it? That depends on your preferences, but overall it’s an attractive service. The fuboTV price is $45/mo, which is far lower than the average cost of cable – and it offers a very similar number of channels. So if you’re thinking about getting rid of cable, you’ll want to read on to see if this is the right streaming service for your needs.
Our full 2018 fuboTV review below will help explain the details.
How fuboTV Works
fuboTV works over the internet. You need a reliable internet connection in order to use it. Here are the basics of how the service works:
- Sign up here for fuboTV (you will get a free 7-day trial)
- Select your channel package (choose from 80-100+ channels)
- Choose add-on packages, if desired
- Sign into your account
- Start watching live TV on your computer!
- Sign into your fuboTV account on other devices
- You can now watch LIVE TV on all your devices
- You can cancel your subscription at any time (pay month-to-month)
It really is as easy as that! Once it’s set up, fuboTV functions very similarly to cable. So what is fuboTV’s advantage over cable? Primarily it’s the lower cost and increased flexibility. Some 250,000+ subscribers have joined fuboTV for its lower cost and great selection of sports channels.
fuboTV also offers a way to browse by sport, instead of by channel. So for instance, if you want to watch soccer, you can browse what channels are currently playing a match quickly and easily. There’s also a familiar grid-like pattern to browse channels, which is similar to cable.
fuboTV Technical Features
What is fuboTV offering in terms of technical features?
Streaming quality – full HD 1080p, with select content even in 4K.
Frames per second – many channels offer 60fps, while some are only offered at 30fps.
Device compatibility – most major devices. Includes Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, iOS devices, Android devices, and computers (via web browser)
DVR recording – a cloud DVR feature is included for free. You can store up to 30 hours of recordings, indefinitely. You can also upgrade to 500 hours of storage for an additional fee (currently $9.99/mo extra).
Simultaneous streaming – you can watch on up to 2 devices simultaneously (so 2 people in your household could watch on their own devices). A third stream is available for an extra $5.99 per month.
fuboTV Channel Lineup
The fuboTV channels list is extensive, covering up to 100+ channels. The base package includes 80+, while their larger pack has over 100. There are also various add-on packages to further expand your selection.
fuboTV Base Package – includes 80+ channels. fuboTV channel selection includes:
(in select markets): NBC, FOX, CBS, The CW and ABC, NBC and FOX regional sports networks. (nationwide): FS1, NBCSN, NBCSN 4K (beta), NFL Network, NBA TV, BeIN Sports, Pac-12 Networks, Univision TDN, A&E, AMC, BBC America, Bravo, E!, CNN, Food Network, FOX News, FX, HGTV, History, MSNBC, National Geographic, USA, TNT, TBS, BeIN Sports Español, CBS Sports Network, Big Ten Network, GOLF, FS2, Olympic Channel, Eleven Sports, FXM, FXX, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, IFC, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Nat Geo WILD, Oxygen, Sundance TV, SyFy, TruTV, TCM, Univision, Telemundo, Travel Channel, CBSN, Cartoon Network, CNBC, CNBC World, Cheddar, FOX Business, The Weather Channel, HLN, Local Now, Galavision, NBC Universo, UniMas, Fuse, Fusion, FYI, Pop, Smithsonian Channel, Universal Kids, Viceland, WeTV, BeIN Sports (6 channels), Big Ten Network (3 channels), fuboTV Network, and FS1 4k (beta).
fuboTV Extra Package – includes 100+ channels. fuboTV channel lineup includes:
Everything listed above in the base package, plus 20+ other networks. These added networks include: Cooking Channel, DIY Network, GSN, BBC World News, Hallmark Drama, Sony Movie Network, People TV, Stadium, INSP, Revolt, Boomerang, CNN International, XITE, Stadium 1, Stadium 2, Stadium 3, XITE xRock, XITE xVibe, and BabyTV HD.
In addition to these fuboTV channels included in the base packages, there are also various add-ons you can subscribe to. These add-ons are described in detail in the section below.
fuboTV Cost
The fuboTV price is $45 per month for the basic plan. They are currently running a promotion where your first month is $40, but we don’t know how long that will last. fuboTV pricing is broken down as follows:
Fubo (base package) – $44.99 per month, 80+ channels
Fubo Extra – $49.99 per month, 100+ channels
Fubo Extra Bundle – $34.99 per month for 2 months, then $69.99 per month. 100+ channels, plus Showtime and expanded cloud DVR storage. Limited time offer.
In addition to these channel bundles, there are also some add-ons you can purchase. fuboTV cost for these packages are listed below:
Cloud DVR Plus – $9.99/mo to expand your cloud DVR storage to 500 hours (from 30 hours)
Family Share – $5.99/mo to add a third simultaneous stream
NBA League Pass – $28.99/mo for live out-of-market NBA games
Showtime – $10.99/mo for 9 live SHOWTIME channels plus the on-demand library
AMC Premiere – $4.99/mo for new add-free episodes, bonus content, past season reruns, and more.
FX+ – $5.99/mo for ad-free FX episodes, plus over 100 full seasons of FX shows on-demand
Fubo Cycling – $11.99/mo for 5 extra channels: fubo Cycling, FOX Soccer Plus, GOLTV English, GOLTV Spanish, and TyC Sports
International Sports Plus – $5.99/mo for FOX Soccer Plus, GOLTV English, GOLTV Spanish, and TyC Sports
Sports Plus – $8.99/mo for NFL RedZone, Stadium, SI TV, GOLTV English & Spanish, 6 PAC-12 regional networks, 3 FOX College Sports regional networks, VSiN, FNTSY, Fight Network, TyC Sports, and Stadium 1, 2 and 3.
Adventure Plus – $4.99/mo for Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, Outside TV and MavTV
RAI Italia – $7.99/mo for italian-language coverage on RAI Italia
Portuguese Plus – $14.99/mo for Portuguese-language coverage on GOLTV Spanish, BTV, and RTP Internacional
Latino Plus – $7.99/mo for Spanish-language coverage on FOX Deportes, GOLTV Spanish, TyC Sports, CNN, BabyTV HD, CineSony, FOX Life, elGourmet, MasChic, Nat Geo Mundo, and NuestraTele.
fuboTV Pros & Cons
Is fuboTV worth it? What do the fuboTV reviews from customers say about the service?
Pros
- Great selection of sports channels, making it a great way to watch sports without cable
- Local channels make it easy to watch major events, like the NFL Playoffs without cable
- Excellent coverage of local sports teams
- Great coverage of international sports that are hard to find elsewhere
- Good selection of non-sports channels
- Compatibility with most devices
- Cheaper than cable
- No-contract
- Fairly easy to use
Cons
- No ESPN coverage, which is a huge downside for many sports fans
- Some channels are only in 30 frames per second, which may appear choppy
- There are cheaper streaming services out there
fuboTV reviews from customers are solid overall, particularly from those who love sports. Keep in mind that fuboTV used to have a lot of issues with glitches, but most of them have been resolved. The service also used to be purely a soccer streaming service, rather than the full cable replacement it is today.
So, if you read a fuboTV review that’s older, it may be outdated. These services evolve rapidly, so it’s important to seek out the latest info before jumping to conclusions.
Is fuboTV Worth It?
fuboTV is a good service overall. It’s a great option for some folks, but it may or may not fit your needs. What is fuboTV offering to make it worthwhile?
Well, for sports fans, fuboTV offers a lot. This is particularly true for fans of international sports and local sports teams. Coverage of regional sports networks, NBC, FOX, etc. means you can follow many of your favorite local teams. Meanwhile, coverage of hard-to-find international networks means you can watch teams that are difficult to find even on cable TV.
With that said, fuboTV has one glaring issue: no ESPN! ESPN is the most popular sports network in the US. To not have it on a sports-focused service is odd to say the least.
Beyond that, fuboTV is a great service. If it fits your needs, we believe that it’s at least worth a try. Remember that fuboTV doesn’t require a contract, so you can cancel it if you end up not liking it!
And don’t forget, you can try fuboTV free for 7 days to see if you like it.