Nowadays, TV streaming services enable access to local and live channels while providing on-demand content at competitive prices.
We tested and reviewed the best TV streamers with local channels to help you choose the right one. Keep reading to see different streaming services for varying budgets, their features, and which network affiliates are offered.
Our Best TV Streaming Services With Local Channels in 2024
- Hulu + Live TV - Best streaming service with local channels overall
- Sling TV - Best for customizable streaming plans
- DirecTV Stream - Best for international local channel offerings
- fuboTV - Best sports channel selection
- YouTubeTV - Best for large local channel selection
- Paramount+ - Best for viewing CBS
- Peacock - Best free trial for local channels
- Spectrum - Best unlimited home streaming option
- The CW - Best for free access to The CW’s popular shows
TV Services with Local Channels at a Glance
Our Quick Reviews of TV Services with Local Channels in 2024
1. Hulu + Live TV
Unique content on demand plus your favorite local channels
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- Price per month: $7.99
- Number of channels: 85+
- Amount of parallel streaming: Two devices
- Free trial: 30 days
- Mobile app: Yes
Hulu + Live TV enables you to watch more than 85 live and on-demand TV channels and offers a one-month free trial. We liked the fact that you get access to live sports like the NFL, local channels—including ABC, CBS, and FOX—and Hulu’s library of movies, TV shows, and original content.
There are no hidden equipment setups or administrative fees, and you can cancel your subscription with a call. Bundle offers are also available, with access to Disney+ and ESPN+ content. Some plans have frequent ads, and you must pay extra for ad-free viewing. Moreover, you have to pay extra charges for additional channels.
Why we chose Hulu: Hulu offers many live channels and a rich content-streaming library.
Pros
Affordable base monthly price
Add unlimited simultaneous streams
Bundle and add-on options
Cons
Frequent ads on some plans
Extra costs for add-ons
2. Sling TV
Custom entertainment packages and local channels
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- Price per month: $40-$55
- Number of channels: 200+
- Amount of parallel streaming: One to three devices
- Free trial: Three days
- Mobile app: Yes
Sling TV costs less than some cable TV providers as well as some of its streaming rivals, plus it has various promotions to reduce your price further. We found the customization features helpful in choosing what you want to see, but be aware the add-ons may raise the monthly costs. There are no long-term contracts, and you can cancel your plan anytime.
You can access local FOX, NBC, and ABC channels and video-on-demand (VOD) content on your plan. Some additional local channels are available if you use an HD antenna and pair it with your Sling TV subscription. Sling TV will work on many of your favorite devices, and you can stream simultaneously on multiple screens.
Why we chose Sling: We chose Sling TV because of its customization features, which enable you to tailor the service you want.
Pros
Free trial
Custom packages
On-demand content available
Cons
Few local channels
Customization can raise monthly costs
3. DirecTV Stream
Local channels from a wide selection of networks
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- Price per month: $69.99
- Number of channels: 150+
- Amount of parallel streaming: Unlimited at home and up to three devices on the go
- Free trial: Five days
- Mobile app: Yes
DirecTV Stream offers more than 150 channels, from entertainment to news channels, with unlimited at-home simultaneous streaming and cloud DVR storage. We liked the fact that regional sports networks are available at no additional cost and that you can access local stations across the ABC, PBS, CBS, NBC, and FOX networks in select areas.
Its base price is due to rise on January 22, 2023, to $74.99 per month (plus taxes) and the premier price to $154.99 per month (plus taxes). The service provides a quiz to help you discover which of its four plans suits you best, and you can use the five-day free trial to experiment. New users may get a limited offer of $30 off over the first three months.
Why we chose DirecTV Stream: DirecTV Stream is a top-tier streaming option with top features and channels.
Pros
Unlimited simultaneous streams
Free trial
150+ channels and 65,000 on-demand shows
Cons
High monthly costs
Online complaints
4. fuboTV
Local TV and international sports on one platform 
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- Price per month: $74.99
- Number of channels: 100+
- Amount of parallel streaming: Three to 10 devices
- Free trial: Seven days
- Mobile app: Yes
fuboTV offers live sports and cable cutting, with more than 100 channels in many locations. It has a seven-day free trial for you to test its service. You can install the fuboTV app on many devices and watch simultaneously on up to 10 devices at home and three on the go.
While the monthly cost is high, we believe fuboTV makes up for it by offering many channels—such as multiple sports and news channels—plus on demand content and local ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS channels Add-ons, like additional channels and feature upgrades, are available at an extra cost. You also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR space to record your favorite shows.
Why we chose fuboTV: fuboTV offers a wealth of sporting channel options for sports enthusiasts to pick from.
Pros
Sports channels available
24/7 email support
Additional channels available
Cons
High monthly cost
Some content unavailable in 4K
5. YouTube TV
Unlimited DVR storage to record local channels
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- Price per month: $64.99
- Number of channels: 100+
- Amount of parallel streaming: From three devices up to unlimited
- Free trial: 14 days
- Mobile app: Yes
YouTube TV offers over 100 live TV channels—including local ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX stations—plus on-demand entertainment, zero installation fees, no annual contracts, and a 14-day trial to learn about its service. New users may get 10% off for the first three months. You can create six accounts to share with your family. The base plan comes with unlimited DVR space to record your shows.
While YouTube TV offers three simultaneous streams, we found that you can unlock unlimited streams at an extra cost. You must pay additional charges to unlock live and on-demand content in 4K and add premium networks like HBO Max to your subscription.
Why we chose YouTube TV: YouTube TV has many live TV channels and unlimited DVR storage space to record your content.
Pros
100+ channels
Unlimited simultaneous streams
Add sports channels
Cons
High monthly price
- Pay to unlock 4K live and on-demand content
6. Paramount+
Stream live CBS channels and news programs
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- Price per month: $4.99
- Number of channels: More than six
- Amount of parallel streaming: Up to three devices
- Free trial: Seven days
- Mobile app: Yes
With Paramount Plus, you can stream live TV, news, sports, and thousands of episodes and movies from its library. It has two plans, Essential and Premium, starting from $4.99 to $9.99 per month, that you can cancel anytime. With the annual plan, you can save 16% of your money, reducing costs to $4.17 and $8.33, respectively. There’s a seven-day free trial to test the service.
We found its best aspect was being an extension of CBS, meaning if you’re on the Premium plan, you’ll get access to your local, live CBS station. You’ll get 24/7 live CBS news, plus access to live sports matches like the Champions League and the NFL.
Why we chose Paramount Plus: Paramount Plus is affordable, has many features, and is connected to CBS, enabling you to watch your local CBS station channels live.
Pros
24/7 live TV news
Free trial
Affordable monthly plans
Cons
No DVR capability
Local, live CBS station only on Premium plan
7. Peacock
Entertainment shows and NBCUniversal channels at your fingertips 
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- Price per month: $4.99
- Number of channels: 50+
- Amount of parallel streaming: Three devices
- Free trial: 10,000 hours of free streaming videos
- Mobile app: Yes
Peacock belongs to NBCUniversal, meaning you’ll get next-day airings of NBC, Telemundo, and Bravo shows. The streaming service offers live sports, daily news, 24/7 Peacock Channels, Peacock Originals, TV shows, and movies at low prices. We also discovered you could lower your cost even further by subscribing to the annual plans.
There’s a free trial structured as 10,000 hours of free testing, but you can also sign up for Peacock’s free plan to access limited free content. Peacock is available on many supported devices, such as TVs, computers, tablets, and game consoles, and you can stream simultaneously on up to three devices.
Why we chose Peacock: Peacock offers an affordable streaming service, good content, and NBCUniversal shows.
Pros
Affordable pricing
Free trial
Live sports, hit shows, and original content
Cons
Ads on the premium plan
Premium plan doesn’t accept downloads for offline viewing
8. Spectrum TV
All-in-one: TV, phone, and internet service with local channels 
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- Price per month: $4.99/$59.99 for 12 months
- Number of channels: 125+
- Amount of parallel streaming: Unlimited at home and up to two devices on the go
- Free trial: Seven days
- Mobile app: Yes
Spectrum TV offers more than 125 channels. It has a curated selection of the most popular channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, in select locations, and the chance to choose the plan with the channels you want. Moreover, you can personalize your package with add-ons. You’ll get breaking news channels, live sports channels like ESPN, entertainment channels, thousands of free on-demand shows, and Spectrum Originals.
Spectrum offers combined TV streaming, internet, and telephone packages. The Spectrum TV app enables you to stream content on various devices. You can control your television using the app, browse the channel guide, and program your DVR. Aside from the app, you can also watch Spectrum TV online.
Why we chose Spectrum TV: Spectrum TV not only offers TV streaming but also internet services and mobile phone solutions.
Pros
- 125+ available channels
- 24/7 customer support
- Thousands of free on-demand shows
Cons
- Sign-in required to use the service
- Services not available everywhere
9. The CW
Totally free content streaming on the CW network
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- Price per month: Free
- Number of channels: N/A
- Amount of parallel streaming: Unlimited
- Free trial: N/A
- Mobile app: Yes
The CW is majority-owned by Nexstar Media Group, which runs the largest local broadcasting group and national TV platforms in the US. The CW takes a different approach from other streaming services by using popup ads to provide a free service where you can watch shows and original programs. You won’t find local channels from any of the major networks on this platform.
No login is needed to view shows, meaning you can stream content on an unlimited number of devices, such as mobile phones and smart TVs. We also liked how you can find The CW on devices like Roku, Apple TV, and other devices, plus on a couple of streaming services, such as Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV, and others as a free add-on.
Why we chose The CW: You can stream The CW’s popular shows for free. Plus, you can find its app on devices like Roku, and as a free add-on with streaming services like fuboTV.
Pros
Popular shows
Free to use
Mobile app
Cons
Too many ads
Canceling popular shows
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Our Methodology: How Did We Choose the Best Streaming Services with Local Channels?
Top10.com analyzes the best streaming services with local channels on the market, so you don’t have to. Our review team researched each streaming site individually, testing how they work. We also obtained information from the site’s customer support (where possible), online reviews, customer feedback, and streaming service websites. Here are the criteria we used to review the sites:
Price per month
Available channels
Simultaneous streams
Presence of ads
Features
Additional movies and shows
Free trial
Bundle options
Mobile app
Why Should You Consider Streaming Services with Local Channels?
Streaming services can provide access to local channels licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is a government agency mandated to manage radio, cable, satellite, and other communications signals within the US and its territories. Local channels are publicly available free-to-air TV channels operating in designated areas.
TV streaming services with local channels are for people who want to access local programs such as news channels, sports, and TV shows, alongside online entertainment video content like movies, TV series, documentaries, and more. Streaming via the internet enables greater audience reach, more content, a variety of channels, portability, convenience, and higher-quality videos.
What You Need to Know Before Choosing Streaming Services for Local Channels
Before choosing TV streaming services for local channels, you need to consider several factors:
Price
The best local streaming services may charge more than your budget can handle. Consider which company offers value for money or pays for the service with the local channels you want to watch. Check for bundle pricing deals to lower the costs while getting more video content and media to view.
Internet speed
Confirm that your internet speed matches the requirements needed for the streaming service you want to use. You may find that your internet needs an upgrade to get a good viewer experience.
Multiple streams and devices
Streaming services for local channels should work on multiple devices and stream simultaneously for you and other users in your home or office to enjoy.
Security
Whichever streaming company you choose should have security features like parental controls to ensure safe viewing for appropriate ages. You must also know that your personal and activity data will be kept private, following the law and agreed-upon terms of service.
Package features
Check that your preferred streaming service has the local channels you want, additional content such as movies and shows, and accessibility features for those who need them. The features offered should include ease of use, video quality, and others that are worth the price.
Do Local Streaming Services Support 4K, HDR, and Surround Sound?
Some TV streaming services with local channels support 4K resolution, HDR, and surround sound to enhance your viewing experience on your devices or smart TVs. For example, companies like Fubo TV offer 4K HDR broadcast streams.
You may not always get all the features in the company or service you’ve chosen to stream local channels from, so you must check before paying for a subscription. Also, access to these features may depend on your selected plan. Higher-tier plans tend to support 4K, HDR, and surround sound.
Is Streaming Local Channels Illegal?
Streaming local channels is perfectly legal if you’ve accessed the media through a legal and legitimate website, service, or app. Fraudulent streaming sites online may give you access to many channels, movies, and TV shows and help you save money. But they are illegal and take money away from companies and individuals who create and share the content publicly.
How Much Do TV Streaming Services with Local Channels Cost?
TV streaming services with local channels have a price range of about $5-$155 per month, depending on the plan and the company offering the service. There may be extra costs, such as buying an HD antenna to pair with your Sling TV subscription.
Other companies offer live channels as a bundle, thereby reducing the cost while enhancing the features and content library of the streaming service. For example, Hulu has a bundle offer with Disney+ and ESPN+, meaning you can watch live sports on Hulu through ESPN+.
In addition, many of the base plans don’t offer many channels. Therefore, you must pay more to access local news channels, movies, TV shows, and sports.
Are Free Streaming Sites Safe?
Free streaming sites offer access to movies, TV shows, and live channels. While you can stream local media for free online and view free-to-air content streams, you may not be able to get access to the top or exclusive channels.
Other free streaming sites circumvent restrictions to give you access, but those sites are illegal. Illegal streaming sites violate the copyrights of different companies and expose viewers to harmful viruses and cybersecurity threats.
Other TV Services We Reviewed
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Say Goodbye to Cable
In the past, you had to rely on cable TV to watch local programs. Now, you can stream local channels from the comfort of your home or on the go using streaming services. Even though there are free streaming sites online, many are illegal, and you may lose your data, have your identity stolen, or pay a ransom for your data to be released from a cybercriminal’s possession.
The best TV streaming services with local channels will also provide on-demand movies and TV shows to supplement your entertainment needs. Our top 10 list of TV streaming services with local channels takes the guesswork out of choosing the right service that suits you.
