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Fubo Review: Everything to Know Before Signing Up

Fubo is the reigning champ of sports streaming, but there’s much more to enjoy here.

fubotv logo on TV

When it comes to live sports streaming, Fubo has been a step ahead of its class for a while. This live TV streaming service was originally built for sports-loving cord-cutters, and it has continually delivered in that department.

However, there’s much more to Fubo than just live sports. Fubo offers more channels than any of its competitors, and there are tons of add-ons you can use to customize your viewing experience. Fubo isn’t without its flaws, but this may be the closest thing to cable that you’ll find among the live TV streaming platforms — and all without a long-term contract.

To give you the full picture, I took my own dive into the Fubo experience with a subscription to the Pro plan. Read on for our full Fubo review to decide if it’s right for you.

Price Range$74.99 to $94.99
Sports CoverageInternational, national, regional
Simultaneous Streams10 at home, 3 outside home
DVR Storage1,000 hours, indefinitely
On-Demand Movies and TV ShowsYes
Live TV StreamingYes, 175–250+ channels
4K LivestreamingYes, upgrade required
*Plus a regional sports fee of $10.99 to $13.99 per month depending on your area

Our experience with Fubo

Interface experience

I found Fubo intuitive and easy to use, regardless of which device I used to explore and watch content. I tried the service on Safari, in the Fubo iPhone app, and on my Apple TV. Each interface was similar, so it was easy to jump from one to the other without much trouble. However, on the iPhone app, I did run into a few issues trying to play live programs from the channel guide.

Once I was logged in, it was easy enough to find what I was looking for. Fubo’s interface includes a top menu that can take you to your home screen, a search bar, or subpages for sports, shows, movies, a full channel-by-channel guide, and your library.

The full channel guide is automatically organized with your favorite channels at the top, and you can use the filter function to display only certain types of channels. On the pages for sports, shows, and movies, you’ll find recommended live and upcoming programs based on your preferences or what’s trending, or you can browse by category.

Fubo also makes it incredibly easy to set up recordings on the fly or pull up a program in multiview. If you tap and hold on any thumbnail, a menu will pop up with these options so you can quickly schedule a recording or pull up several games at once.

Content offerings

The first thing I noticed about Fubo was the staggering number of channels, even in my Pro plan. This base-level plan features more channels than the top-tier plans of all Fubo’s competitors, so there’s a lot to keep you busy even if you don’t upgrade or add any extras. 

Of course, sports lead the way in any Fubo plan. I found more than 30 sports-focused networks in the Pro plan, including most of the big-ticket channels. You can find most of the main events here across the four big local networks — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC — plus mainstays like ESPN, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), NFL Network, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network. The real perk, though, is the inclusion of regional sports networks (RSNs) like Bally Sports or NBC Sports. These are included in the base plan, but note that there is a regional sports fee of up to $13.99 a month, depending on your market.

Fubo offers quite a few add-ons and two upgrade packages, though you get quite a bit in the base plan. There are add-ons for premium content, more sports, news, or entertainment, and even full league access options like NBA League Pass. If you want the full sports experience, I’d recommend upgrading to the Elite plan to add channels like MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, ACCN, ESPNU, and ESPNEWS.

Besides sports, there’s a lot to enjoy on Fubo, from family-friendly programming to news and entertainment. You’ll find most of the major networks here, but some viewers may notice a few key network absences. For instance, BBC, CNN, TBS, and TNT are nowhere to be found on Fubo.

Finally, Fubo also boasts thousands of hours of on-demand content. I found a variety of movies and episodes available from the networks included in my plan. Show libraries are limited to more recent episodes and seasons, so you won’t necessarily be able to binge-watch an entire series here. Like the live content on Fubo, on-demand content typically includes ads.

DVR and recording options

All of Fubo’s main plans include 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage (the smaller Latino plan includes 250 hours). That falls short of some competitors, but it’s still quite a bit of space for storing games, shows, or movies you want to watch. 

Recording content to watch on Fubo is a breeze, too. You can hover over any live program and tap the “Record” button. While watching live TV, a simple swipe down will reveal a menu to start recording. If it’s a team or series, you’ll then have the option to “Record episode/game” or “Record series/team.” If you choose the latter, all of that show’s upcoming episodes or that team’s upcoming games will automatically show up in your library after they air.

Fubo makes it especially easy to set up your cloud DVR from the get-go. When I first logged in, I was able to select teams and shows I wanted to follow, and those began to appear in my library as new games and episodes aired. Currently, there’s no option to record everything on a specific channel.

There’s no time limit to your DVR recordings, either — they stay there until you delete them. If you create multiple user profiles, they’ll share the 1,000 hours and recordings will show up within the profile of the user who created them.

Viewing experience and video quality

In my experience, the Fubo live TV experience was relatively seamless. From the home screen, you can quickly browse what’s on the air, and the broadcasts start streaming in the background within just a few seconds. I was able to jump between several programs without any issues loading or streaming content.

Content on Fubo generally streams in HD, and some 4K live events are available on the Elite or Premier plans, but the service automatically adjusts to your internet bandwidth and may downgrade picture quality if you’re getting bogged down. Fubo does allow you to adjust quality manually, but this only works on some devices. I wasn’t able to adjust quality on my iPhone, Apple TV, or Macbook Air, but I didn’t have any problems with picture quality or buffering — even when streaming on three devices at once. 

Personalization and security

This area is one of my biggest complaints about Fubo. Although you can create up to six user profiles and customize each one, the service doesn’t offer any parental controls to allow families to customize the viewing experience for their children.

As a parent, this missing feature keeps me from being a long-term subscriber to Fubo. The company advertises that you can filter your menu to show family programs, but most parents will find the lack of true restrictions or passcodes insufficient, especially since many of Fubo’s competitors offer this option.

Sports fans: yay or nay

I frequently say that Fubo is the best live TV streaming service for sports fans, and my time using the service only confirmed that for me. No other service offers so much international, national, and regional sports coverage for the price point — even when you factor in the regional sports fee. Die-hard fans may want to upgrade or add more sports channels, but I found more than enough to keep up with my favorite leagues and teams in the Pro plan.

How does Fubo compare to other streaming services? 

Streaming ServiceCost Per MonthFree TrialDVRSimultaneous
Streams
Fubo$79.99Yes1,00010 at home
3 outside home
DIRECTV STREAM$79.99YesUnlimitedUnlimited at home
3 outside home
Hulu + Live TV$76.99NoUnlimited2
Sling TV$40No50 hours1–3
YouTube TV $72.99YesUnlimited3

Overall, Fubo stands up well to the competition. The platform has carved out a specific niche with sports fans, but it offers more than enough to appeal to a wider audience. Overall, it’s designed to appeal to the viewer who wants not only the most live sports coverage but also the most cable-like channel lineup.

That said, Fubo’s competitors may do better at appealing to different target groups. Those who are willing to sacrifice some channels for more on-demand content may lean toward Hulu + Live TV, while others may prefer the lineup on YouTube TV or DIRECTV STREAM. Fubo can’t compete with Sling TV for the most budget-conscious viewers, either.

How to subscribe to Fubo

You can set up your Fubo subscription in just a few quick steps:

  1. Visit Fubo’s homepage and select the plan you’d like to try. If a free trial is currently available, the sign-up button will say “Start free trial.” Fubo’s tree trial ranges from one to seven days, depending on the time of year.
  2. Enter your email and ZIP code, then create a password for your account.
  3. Select “Continue,” then provide your payment information and select any add-ons. 
  4. Complete your sign-up and begin streaming. 

If you have a free trial, you won’t be charged until the trial period ends. Once your subscription begins, you’ll be charged on the same day each month. 

How to cancel my Fubo subscription

If you need to cancel your Fubo subscription, it only takes a few steps:

  1. Log in to your Fubo account via a web browser.
  2. Click on your avatar at the top right, then select “My Account.”
  3. Scroll down and select “Cancel subscription.” You may receive an option to pause your subscription for up to six months, during which your DVR recordings will be saved.
  4. If you want to proceed with cancellation, select “Cancel” and complete the process. You’ll have access until the end of the current billing cycle.

Is Fubo worth it? 

After a deep dive into the Fubo experience, I still maintain that this is the platform to beat for live sports. Even beyond that, there’s a lot to like about this service, and I felt very much at home compared to past experiences with cable TV. I would like to see channels like TBS and TNT added to the platform, and its parental controls need a big upgrade. Still, Fubo is a great option for cord-cutters who want a sports-first but comprehensive cable experience. 

FAQ

Is Fubo good for sports fans?

Fubo is one of the best live TV streaming options for sports fans. You can get a wide range of international, national, and regional coverage, and Fubo offers more sports channels at its price point than any of its competitors.

Is Fubo overpriced?

To assess any streaming service’s price, you have to weigh the value of what you’re getting. Since Fubo offers more channels and live sports than any competitors, many may find it’s priced better than other options. However, if you don’t like the missing channels or smaller on-demand library, you may prefer to pay less for a different service.

Does Fubo have local channels?

Yes, Fubo features local affiliates for ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in its main three plans. These are not included in the Latino plan.

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