YouTube TV remains one of the biggest live TV streaming services, but its recent price increase to $82.99 per month has renewed the question of whether it is worth the cost. Engadget's review notes that the service still offers unlimited DVR storage and a 4K Plus add-on for an extra $10 per month, though 4K is limited to select sports, live events, and on-demand titles.
Sports is the main reason to subscribe. New users can get NFL Sunday Ticket for $30 per month, and ESPN Unlimited is now fully available to main and Sports Plan subscribers, covering college football and out-of-market NHL games. However, the review points out a notable gap: Spectrum SportsNet is not carried, so Lakers fans must pay for a separate streaming service, while DirecTV offers it.
The service is also losing three channels—Tastemade, Court TV, and The Young Turks—at the end of September, and any saved recordings from them will be deleted. Those channels remain free on ad-supported platforms like Pluto TV and The Roku Channel, which the review says is a reminder that FAST services still have a role. For viewers who do not need the full 100-plus channel lineup, the Sports + Entertainment package costs $11 less per month and may be a better fit.
Compared with rivals, YouTube TV is cheaper than Hulu + Live TV's $99 ad-supported plan, which bundles Disney+ and ESPN Select, and DirecTV's streaming service, which includes Disney+ and Hulu in some packages. But Sling's priciest plan is more than $20 cheaper. Ultimately, the review concludes that YouTube TV's value depends on how much you rely on sports and cable staples—and for non-sports fans, the price is getting harder to justify.