In 2025, there are plenty of streaming services to pick from in the United States. It's really important when it comes to finding a TV package that shows all the live sports you need and offers up a wide selection of news, entertainment and family viewing, as well as a good free trial period. Free trials are not the most important thing when picking a streaming service, but it sure helps. A free trial for any OTT (over-the-top) streaming provider can help you see what channels are available, the streaming quality, what the Cloud DVR is like, and what movies, TV shows and general live TV access is like.
Some of the biggest names when it comes to streaming options, such as fubo (formerly fuboTV), Sling TV, YouTube TV and DIRECTV, make up the main streaming services competition. With others such as Xfinity also competing for your hard-earned cash, it can be hard to pick the best streaming provider for you, your specific needs and budget.
Read more: Is fubo free with Amazon Prime?
So whether you are a sports fanatic who needs to watch every single soccer game in the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, or FIFA Club World Cup, or simply want access to 24-hour news and your favorite entertainment shows, GOAL is here to walk you through it. We have laid out the types of free trials the big providers offer and what sort of subscriptions they have beyond a trial period. From streaming trials, channel lineups, the content library, pricing, plans and subscription deals, we've got you covered!
What is fubo?
Fubo
Fubo is one of the better OTT (over-the-top) choices on the market when it comes to cable-cutting streaming providers. It offers hundreds of channels, plenty of customizable add-ons, and more live sports than you'll physically have time to consume.
Across fubo's extensive range of channels there's something for everyone, especially where live sports are concerned. Its streaming subscriptions boast hundreds of channels. They showcase all types of action, including soccer, NFL,NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, Nascar, F1, as well as regional and international competitions – meaning you won't ever be left wanting.
Read more: Does fubo offer a free trial?
What is YouTubeTV?
YTTV
YouTube TV, or YTTV for short, is the popular video website's TV streaming package for subscribers. The brand aims to compete with the established providers out there, like fubo and DIRECTV, offering over plenty of features, 100 channels, including live sports, news, and entertainment. And for what it's worth, YTTV has a strong and competitive streaming services package, which is why it's a popular choice with today's generation of sports lovers.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV
Sling TV is the most wallet-friendly OTT streaming subscription available. It offers lower prices for a budget service, providing all sorts of live TV and OD content, across dozens of channels that air sports, entertainment, lifestyle, news and current affairs. One of the better streaming services for those on a tighter budget.
What is DIRECTV?
DIRECTV is known for giving subscribers digital satellite, streaming (DIRECTV Stream), and linear television (traditional scheduled programming) options. It offers one of the largest packages o the streaming landscape, taking the streaming wars battle to fubo's doorstep.
Digital satellite is their main service, with plenty of plans to watch the masses of content available through multiple subscription options via their dedicated DIRECTV Stream service. The provider offers streaming trials, a streaming library, as well as a variety of plans and streaming deals.
Do fubo, YTTV, Sling TV and DIRECT all offer free trials?
fubo
When it comes to offering a taster of what's available with a free trial, each provider has something very different to offer - ranging from a lengthy, completely free trial to try out all the channels, including live sports, on-demand content, and other features, to no free trial at all.
Here's a look at whether each one offers new customers a free trial and how how long.
| Provider | Free trial period | What's included? | How do you continue with a plan? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fubo | Five days | Everything on the selected plan | Allow the trial period to elapse |
| YTTV | 21 days | Base Plan | Allow the trial period to elapse |
| Sling TV | None | n/a | n/a |
| DIRECTV | Five days | Everything on the selected plan | Allow the trial period to elapse |
Read more: Fubo's channel list guide
Plan price comparison
Each of the most popular providers have a variety of plans to sign up to, ranging from budget-friendly to top tier complete packages for all the family.
| Provider | Subscriptions | Channels | DVR Storage | Simultaneous stream | Price (monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fubo | Pro Elite Latino | 230+ 300+ 50+ | Unlimited Cloud Unlimited Cloud Unlimited Cloud | 10 at home, Three on-the-go 10 at home, Three on-the-go Two | $84.99 $94.99 $14.99 |
| DIRECTV Stream | Entertainment | 90+ | Unlimited Cloud | Unlimited at home, Three on-the-go | $84.99 |
| Choice | 125+ | Unlimited Cloud | Unlimited at home, Three on-the-go | $89.99 | |
| Ultimate | 160+ | Unlimited Cloud | Unlimited at home, Three on-the-go | $119.99 | |
| Premier | 185+ | Unlimited Cloud | Unlimited at home, Three on-the-go | $164.99 | |
| Sling TV | Orange | 35 | 50 hours | One | $45.99 |
| Blue | 46 | 50 hours | Three | $50.99 | |
| Orange & Blue | 50+ | 50 hours | Four | $65.99 | |
| YouTube TV | Base Plan | 130+ | Unlimited | Three | $82.99 |
Major sports each provider offers
fubo
When it comes to live sports, on-demand content, as well as league available, each offers something different. It all depends on which of the streaming services you decide to sign up with and, significantly, how much you are willing to pay.
| Provider | Top sports on offer | Top sports channels |
|---|---|---|
| Fubo | Soccer, MLB, NBA, NFL, NCAA, Motor racing, golf | ESPN/2/U, FS1/2, USA, CBS Sports Network, beIN Sports, F1, NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network |
| YTTV | NFL, NBA, WWE, golf, motor racing | ESPN/2/U, FS1/2, NLF Network, NBA TV |
| Sling TV | College basketball, NFL, NHL, MLB, soccer, golf, Nascar | ESPN/2/3, MotorTrend, FS1, TBS, TNT |
| DIRECTV | Soccer, MLB, NBA, NFL, NCAA, Motor racing, golf | ESPN/2 FS1/2, MotorTrend, MLB Network, NBA TV, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network |
Read more: Is fubo the ultimate sports streaming package?
Which is the best streaming provider for a free trial?
One thing is for certain: there are many options when it comes to picking the right provider to go with, especially from a personal point of view.
Key things to consider are whether a provider can accommodate your needs, in terms of showing the sports you are into, the shows you like, as well as a package of decent benefits and, perhaps most significantly, whether the price is right and fits your own budget.
Notably, Sling TV don't give potential subscribers the chance to try it for free, whereas YTTV gives the longest duration of three weeks, with fubo and DIRECTV at a respectable five days to test out the service.
Each provider will automatically carry through and begin to charge you for the selected plan based on the trial plan you've picked. So if you don't want to pay for it and just wanted to try it out, make sure you cancel within the trial period.
The good thing with some of the providers, such as fubo, is that you are not tied into any long-term contracts, so can decide on a month-by-month basis if you wish to continue, pause or end your subscription.
Fubo/Sling/DIRECTV/YTTV
The best streaming provider as an overall package?
When it comes to selecting a provider to move forward with, each had their own positives and drawbacks. Overall though, fubo is arguably the strongest contender as the most accessible and well-rounded package on the market.
While YTTV offers a competitive cost with a good amount of channels and functionality, fubo has more channels and greater sporting options to pick from. Sling TV may be the most affordable, but has a fraction of the channels the high-end providers, such as fubo and DIRECTV, do.
Speaking of DIRECTV, this is a viable option for anyone looking to get a big channel choice, especially when it comes to sports, but does come at a hefty price.
When you compare DIRECTV to what fubo offers (the latter being up to half the monthly price and far more flexible for cancelling), the fact fubo also gifts customers 100+ more channels means the best all-round package is obviously swaying towards fubo's Pro or Elite packages.