The Best Live Sports Streaming Apps for Your Buck in 2021

After doing some research to find out what the most popular apps for live streaming sports were, I got to work testing. These apps fit broadly into two categories: TV streaming services that included sports channels and those that were exclusively dedicated to a single sport or sports in general. I evaluated these two categories a bit differently.

For general TV streaming services, the prices were higher because they include so much more. I assessed these services based on the number of sports channels they offered and their prices. Many of these services include sports packages that you can add on, so I considered all the different pricing options. I also noted how many channels were available overall and what the quality of the app was like.

For the sports-only apps, I looked at how the video quality was, how many games were available, and how many ways they could be experienced (some apps offer audio, for instance, which you wouldn’t see on a general TV streaming app). Since these apps serve as a general sports news hub, I also considered additional content.

Figuring out how to get all the sports channels you want for the least amount of money can be confusing. With a complicated and somewhat arbitrary array of packages, Sling … does not make that process easier. However, once you’ve navigated through the options and found the package(s) that best meet your needs, Sling provides the best value for most people, offering tons of channels at a reasonable price.

Sling is a live and on-demand streaming service. While it doesn’t have the big 4 network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox) and some other major cable channels, the service has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to sports. Sling subscriptions are divided into two main packages: Orange and Blue. Both are $35 per month, but they contain different channels (with some overlap). Orange is the better option for sports fans, with three ESPN channels and several other sports channels.

But the best value for sports fans would be to add the sports package for an extra $15 per month. At a total of $50, that’s still cheaper than Hulu, YouTube TV, or Fubo, and you get 20 additional sports channels. That includes lots of college sports, league channels for the MLB, NHL, and NBA, golf and tennis channels, and more.

The Sling app is well-designed for sports fans, featuring a dedicated tab for sports programming. It’s sorted to make it easy to find popular sports, on-demand programming, and recap shows. It’s easy to watch your favorite teams on the go and to keep up with games and news. In my testing, the videos loaded quickly and played seamlessly. In addition to watching from the app, you can schedule recordings from your phone as well, so you can wait and watch the big game on your TV. Sling comes with 50 hours of DVR storage.

As mentioned, the major networks are missing from Sling. However, they do offer an antenna so users can watch local network channels as well. The antenna comes free if you prepay for two months of Sling. For most sports fans, Sling’s options will be more than enough. Of the apps tested, it had the most channels for the best price. 

While Sling is pretty unbeatable when it comes to sports channels, if you want the best selection of channels overall, you may want to check out some of the more robust (but pricier) services. Our runner-up, YouTubeTV, has similar sports options but more total channels. 

Also, I'd recommend being cautious when adding Sling packages on, as the cost can rise fast. For instance, you can get both Orange and Blue packages for $50, a $20 savings, but if you add the sports package on to that, it's $65, about the going rate for cable alternative services. However, Orange alone or with the sports add-on provides many channels for less than live TV streaming services like YouTubeTV or Hulu Live.

YouTube TV was our number one pick for TV streaming apps, and it’s a great option for watching live sports as well. With a great interface and tons of channels, the service is the one to choose if you want a full range of sports content and lots of other TV too. It is priced on the higher end, at $64.99 per month, but you get 85 channels for that price.

The base price includes 19 sports channels, as well as CBS, FOX, NBC, and ABC. The service offers multiple ESPN channels, league channels for the major sports, college sports programming, golf, and more. There is a sports add-on for $10.99 per month, but it doesn’t have many additional channels. Die-hard football fans might find that price worth it for NFL RedZone, however. While options vary by location, you’ll be asked for your zip code before signing up for the service, so you’ll know what’s available before you pay.

YouTubeTV is attuned to the way people consume television, offering unlimited DVD storage and the ability to stream on three devices. They also offer 6 accounts per subscription, so household members can share the service.

The app is great for both browsing and watching. A display of upcoming games shows you what’s coming, so you can either plan to watch or record the game to that unlimited DVD storage cloud. The app also allows you to select leagues or teams to find information and scheduling. Appropriately for service by the pioneer of the rabbit hole, YouTubeTV sports content is sorted in a way that lets you watch and watch and watch. 

The channel offerings are similar to Sling, except that YouTube TV has four major networks. Sling is cheaper, but for folks who want a lot of sports and a lot of other TV channels, YouTubeTV is the better option. It simply has more and higher quality channels to choose from. 

Sure, sports fans watch games. But for many diehards, sports are a way of life. And in addition to face paint and other fan displays, that means following every detail about favorite sports and teams. ESPN is, unsurprisingly, the app for that.

The ESPN app is free, but much of the content is only available with ESPN+. At $5.99 per month, the cost is likely worth it for folks who follow multiple sports. You can also get ESPN+ in a bundle with Hulu and Disney+, for various prices depending on which Hulu package you choose. That might be worth looking into if you want the other services as well, but given the fairly low price of ESPN+, getting a deal on it probably isn’t worthwhile if you are not likely to get much use out of the other two subscriptions.

All the major sports are here, of course. In fact, I would wager that every sport you can think of has at least some content on the app. If you want to keep up with badminton, or something called “super netball,” you can do so here. You can watch some football, mixed martial arts, golf, lacrosse, and much, much more right from the app.

The key word, however, is "some". For a lot of the live sports that show on ESPN channels, you’ll still need a TV provider subscription. But given how much lower the pricing is on ESPN+ compared to other apps on this list, it’s not surprising that there are fewer games.

While the app might not be sufficient for all your sports viewing needs, it will likely satisfy all your sports content needs. With articles, stats, and video clips galore, the app will help you stay updated on all your favorite sports, teams, and players. You can also delve deep into sports history with access to an archive of ESPN shows. The subscription includes all ESPN shows, including the popular documentary series,30 for 30.

No one likes paying for things they don’t want. If you’re a basketball fan, the NBA app offers subscription choices that let you pay for exactly what you want. Or at least offers more options than most services.

If your schedule allows you to watch most games live, you can do so for the low price of $6.99 per month. You can also purchase a single game for $6.99. If you have a favorite team and don’t care so much about the league as a whole, you’ll want to consider a Team Pass for $17.99 per month. For $28.99/month, you can watch every game, and for $39.99, you can watch all games with no commercials.

Well, not quite all. The NBA app is a great option for watching out-of-market games that you might not be able to see on television. But games that are broadcast on major channels may be subject to blackout restrictions on the app. Where that is the case, the app does offer audio coverage of the games, but this is definitely something to consider depending on where you live and what games you want to watch.

With all these options, fans are likely to find one that suits their level of interest and budget. The video quality on the app is quite high, so watching on your phone is possible. But the subscription also includes access to a number of other devices and providers, so you can watch on your TV as well.

The app is also a great source for basketball news. You can keep up with schedules, scores, and standings and watch clips and commentary without paying for the subscription. There are fewer articles available than on ESPN, but there are lots of short videos that are convenient to watch in the app. If you’re a basketball fan with access to games through another service, you may still want to download the app as a way to follow the season in more depth. 

Slower and more cerebral than many other popular sports, baseball often draws people who are not interested in the speed and violence of a sport like football or hockey. If you’re passionate about baseball exclusively, you’ll want to download the MLB app.

The app is free, but you’ll need to subscribe for $24.99 per month for live games. While that’s a fairly high price tag, it may be worth it to you if you follow the sport closely. Also, MLB TV is included with both Sling and YouTubeTV, so if you subscribe to those providers, you won’t need to pay here. The additional text and video content on the app make it worth the download, even if you have access elsewhere.

The app opens on a display of the day’s games, ongoing or upcoming. Games that are in progress have scores and other relevant info shown, and you can click for live video, audio, or summaries of the game. There’s also a “Gameday” view, which overlays stats and other info on images of the game in progress. Baseball nerds, rejoice!

Listening to baseball on the radio is an American tradition, and MLB Audio offers an upgraded way to do it. The subscription cost is lower -- $2.99 monthly -- and there are no games blacked out. This is an affordable way to have the game on in the background as you go about your day.

If you’re a fan of a little-known team or of a team that’s outside your local network, MLB TV is a good choice since you’ll be able to watch games that you’d have a hard time finding anywhere else. However, local games that are broadcast on major channels are generally blacked out on MLB TV, so if you’re (say) a Yankees fan living in New York, you should probably save your money. Even if that’s the case, the app is a good companion to your baseball season, wherever you watch the games.

FuboTV is a good-looking and easy-to-use app with lots of sports (and other) channels. Its pricing and services are comparable to Hulu Live and YouTubeTV. However, it doesn’t have as many sports channels as comparably priced options, although it does have many add-ons.

If you're torn between options, Fubo's free trial can help you decide if it's for you. 

Another live and on-demand streaming app. AT&T is at the high end in terms of price, with a $69.99 basic package and upgrades for $84.99 and $94.99. Some of these might be worth looking into, as the $84.99 package includes HBO, but on the whole, you can find most of the sports and other TV content you want for a lower price. 

A good option for live and on-demand TV, including lots of sports channels. However, for about the same price, it offers fewer channels than YouTubeTV and doesn’t have NFL, NBA, and MLB channels. 

It does have an available bundle with ESPN+ and Disney+, which might make it the best value for people who want all those services. It's worth checking to see if there are channels Hulu offers that aren't available elsewhere, and a free trial can help you see what's best for you.

The CBS app requires a TV subscription to view content — it isn’t available a la carte. If you have a TV provider, you may want to download the app to watch on the go, but this isn’t the best option for cable cutters. 

The NFL Network requires a TV provider (YouTubeTV and Sling both include the Network in their packages). However, if you have one and are a football fan, this is a great app for watching football and keeping up with the latest NFL news. Like the MLB and NBA apps, there's lots of additional content on the app.