These YouTube channels are available now, but a few are missing

Key Takeaways

Cable alternatives like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV offer customization and flexibility that you don’t always get with streaming services.
The YouTube TV Base Plan includes popular channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, and more.
There are special packages on YouTube TV that cater to sports fans with options like NFL RedZone and NFL Sunday Ticket.

Cable alternatives have become incredibly well-established over the past ten years or so. Eventually, most people realized that being locked into a cable contract wasn’t the right set of circumstances for them. But, that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to enjoy cable television anymore — it just means they don’t want to fall into the parameters set by the cable companies. Some of the alternatives are free, but you might have to do a little more heavy lifting to pick up broadcast signals near you with a smart TV antenna.

However, even an antenna doesn’t always give you the strongest signals, and you don’t get to choose which channels you want. You have to settle for what it can pick up. Pluto TV has live channels and is free, but they are curated channels that aren’t going to give you the ones that you may be used to. If you don’t mind paying for some form of entertainment but don’t want to lock in a cable contract, there are plenty of options available. Hulu + Live TV gives you access to both Hulu Originals, plus live TV channels to keep you in the know.

How I access my local TV channels on Tubi

Tubi is an excellent movie and TV show streamer, and the app’s free local channel catalog is the perfect cherry on top.

YouTube TV is another popular option that allows you to stream TV channels that you want, not all the ones you don’t. It’s completely unique because it lets you pick a package and then add on a variety of different channels. So, what are the channels that are available on YouTube TV in general to choose from?

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YouTube TV

Simultaneous streams: 3
# of profiles: 6
Live TV: Yes
Price: Starts at $73 /month
Free trial: Yes, length varies

What channels are included in the YouTube TV Base Plan?

It’s the plan that you have to start with

YouTube TV Channel order customization menu.

In order to start your YouTube TV trial, you need to sign up. Right now, there is a promo that gives you $23 off for each of your first two months, making it cost only $50 a month. The foundational YouTube TV subscription plan is the Base Plan, which is what you start out with and get regardless of what else you add on. There are numerous popular stations, like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, TBS, CNN, BBC America, and more.

What is included in YouTube TV base plan?

YouTube TV has a robust base plan that may save you some money if you’re switching from cable.

The channel list includes:

ABC
CBS
FOX
NBC
ABC News
ACC Network
AMC
AMC Thrillers
All Reality WE TV
Adult Swim
Animal Planet
BBC America
BBC News
BET
BET Her
Big Ten Network
Bravo
Bounce
CBS Sports Network
CNBC
CNBC World
CNN
Cartoon Network
Charge!
Cheddar
Cheddar News
Country Music Television
Comedy Central
Comedy TV
Comet
CourtTV
Cozi TV
Dabl
Discovery
Disney
Disney Junior
Disney XD
Docudrama
Dove Channel
E!
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPNU
ESPNews
FOX Business
FOX News
FOX Soul
FOX Weather
FS1
FS2
FX
FXM
FXX
Food Network
Freeform
Galavision
GetTV
Golf Channel
Game Show Network
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Family
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
HGTV
HLN
HSN
IFC
ID
ION
Justice Central TV
Law & Crime
Live Now FOX
Local Now
Localish ABC
Magnolia Network
MSNBC
Motortrend
MTV
MTV2
MTV Classic
My TV Network
NBA TV
NBC News Now
NBC Universo
NBCSN
NBC LX
NEON
NatGeo Wild
NatGeo
Newsmax
Newsnation
NFL Network
Nickelodeon
Nick Jr.
Nicktoons
Orlando City FC
OWN
Oxygen
Oxygen True Crime
Paramount Network
PBS
PBS Kids
PCMag
Pop
Portlandia
QVC
RecipeTV
Scripps News
SEC Network
Smithsonian Channel
StartTV
Stories by AMC
Sundance TV
SYFY
T2
TBD
TBS
TCM
TLC
TNT
TYT
Tastemade
TeenNick
Telehit
Telemundo
The CW
The Great Courses Signature Collection
Trvl
truTV
TVLand
USA
Unimas
Universal Kids
Univision
VH1
The Walking Dead Universe
WETV
The Weather Channel
World At War
YouTube Originals

For the most part, these channels stay the same. But there are occasional tweaks with new channels added and the deletion of some channels from the lineup.

Tubi TV on three different devices with a thumbs down.

Tubi may be free, but here’s why I still avoid it like the plague

The free, ad-supported streaming service is a treasure trove of movies and TV, but I can’t stand watching it.

What channels are available as add-ons?

You can choose individual channels to add to your Base Plan

Once you settle into your Base Plan, there are other channels that you can add to your subscription. It’s similar to your ability to add premium channels to your cable packages — a lot of which are available to add to YouTube TV as well. With the option to add channels or packages, you get to customize your package more than almost any other streaming service that offers live TV.

YouTube TV is far better than traditional cable, and it’s not even close

If you’re conflicted about ditching a traditional cable plan for YouTube TV, don’t be

Some of the add-on channels can also be purchased as standalone channels, meaning you don’t need the Base Plan for them.

The add-on channels or packages are as follows:

Acorn TV
AllBlk
AMC+
Atresplayer
BET+
Cinemax
Comedy Dynamics
CON TV
Curiosity Stream
Dekkoo
Docurama
Dove Channel
Fandor
Filipino Plus
Fox Nation
Gaia
GMA Pinoy TV
Hallmark+
Max
Here TV
Hi-Yah!
Hopster Learning
IFC
Law & Crime
Magnolia Selects
MGM+
Moviesphere
My Outdoor TV
NBA League Pass
Outside Features
Poker Go
Qello Concerts by Stingray
RCN Total
ScreenPix
Screambox
Paramount+ with Showtime
Shudder
Starz
Stingray Classica
Stingray DJazz
Sundance Now
Tastemade
Up Faith & Family
Vix Premium
VSiN
WNBA League Pass
YouTube TV Entertainment Plus
YouTube TV Sports Plus
Zee

With the option to add channels or packages, you get to customize your package more than almost any other streaming service that offers live TV.

What channels are included only with special packages?

The biggest draw for YouTube TV is NFL RedZone

YouTube TV / Front Office Sports

YouTube TV is an ideal choice for sports lovers. As I’ve listed above, there are a number of sports channels that are included in different packages. But, you can also choose packages based completely around sports. The most popular one is NFL RedZone, which allows fans to take a look at every NFL game in the ‘red zone’ so they don’t miss any touchdowns or field goals.

You can choose the YouTube TV Base Plan plus NFL Sunday Ticket, which gives you access to every single NFL game each Sunday. You have to pay four monthly payments of $168 and then the monthly payments become $73 per month.

You can get NFL Sunday Ticket without having to purchase the RedZone package.

TK-sports-channels-you-can-get-on-Pluto-TV

How I watch sports for free on Pluto TV

Get your sports fix with a number of free channels on the streamer.

But if you just want RedZone, you can choose the NFL RedZone with Sports Plus Add-on package. That package includes:

Billiards TV
Fox Soccer Plus
Fanduel TV
Fight Network
Impact!
MavTV
NFL RedZone
Outside TV+
Overtime
Players TV
Poker Go
Sports Grid
Stadium
Tennis Channel
VSiN
beIN Sports

If sports is not your thing — but you are interested in Spanish or Filipino packages — there is a Spanish Plus add-on, a Spanish Plan, and a Filipino Plus add-on.

The channels included in the Spanish Plan versus the Spanish Plus add-on are as follows:

Channel name	Spanish Plan	Spanish Plus add-on
beIN Sports ñ	X	X
Antena 3	X	X
NTN 24	X	X
Nuestra Tele Internacional	X	X
TyC Sports	X	X
Discovery en Español	X	X
Familia Discovery	X	X
Baby TV	X	X
ESPN Deportes	X	X
Estrella TV	X	X
Fox Deportes	X	X
Cine Latino	X	X
Pasiones	X	X
Wapa America in Puerto Rico	X	X
Cine Mexicano	X	X
Sony Cine	X	X
Tastemade en Español	X	X
CNN en Español	X	X
Bandamax	X	X
D Pelicula	X	X
D Pelicula Clasico	X	X
Foro TV	X	X
Galavision	X
HGTV Hogar	X	X
Telehit	X	X
Telehit Musica	X	X
tlnovelas	X	X
TUDN	X
The Weather Channel en Español	X	X
tr3s	X	X
NBC Universo		X
Unimas	X
Univision	X