Skinny Cable Review: Should I Subscribe To fuboTV?

Each Sunday, we are taking a look at another one of the so-called "skinny cable" options available to television fans. Basically, they look a lot like a traditional cable subscription, except everything is delivered over an Internet connection.  This Sunday, we look at fuboTV (yes, this is their preferred spelling).

When fuboTV was founded in 2014, its goal was to become the go-to place for soccer fans who wanted to subscribe to a streaming service instead of traditional cable or satellite television. And even though it's added a decent selection of non-sports channels, it's core constituency is probably still sports fans.

Since it's founding, it's evolved from a soccer-centric service to one offering a wide range of sports channels. Deals with Fox and NBC Universal gave it access to more sports networks as well as their news and entertainment channels. And in 2017, fuboTV raised $55 million in Series C funding from a number of entertainment industry companies, including 21st Century Fox, Sky and Scripps Networks Interactive.

So should you subscribe to fuboTV? Well, here is everything you need to know to make that decision.

What Does It Cost?
There is a Spanish-language programming tier of 15 channels that cost $17.99 per month. And there is a Portuguese-language programming tier of 5 channels that cost $19.99 per month. But most people will be interested in the two primary programming tiers: Fubo has 75+ channels for $44.99 per month and Fubo Extra has 90+ channels for $49.99 per month. Right now, Fubo is offering a free seven-day trial and 10 percent off of the first month's charge (so the packages would cost $39.99 and $45.99).

What Channels Can I Watch?
Here's the current lineup for the basic fuboTV programming tiers. This shows the local affiliates you would get if you live in the Twin Cities. Local affiliate channels, as well as regional sports networks will vary depending on where you live:

Fubo Tier



Fubo Extra Tier



What Add-On Packages Are Available?
There are a number of optional sports packages you can add to your Fubo subscription. Along with the premium Showtime movie channels package. Here's what is currently available:






What Networks Are Missing From fuboTV?
The most notable channels missing from fuboTV are the networks owned by Disney (ABC, Disney, Disney Junior & XD, ESPN) and those owned by Discovery (Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC, Investigation Discovery, etc). Now that Scripps owns the Discovery nets, it'll be interesting to see if this changes. There are also a few missing smaller independent channels you'll find on some other rival services, such as Reelz, AXS TV, etc.

The other noticeable omission involves premium pay channels. fuboTV offers Showtime as an add-on but doesn't offer HBO or Starz.

How Can I Watch?
fuboTV is currently available on Desktop, iPhone, iPad, Android Phone & Tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV (Gen 4)

Can I Use My fuboTV Subscription To Authenticate TV Everywhere Network Apps?
No.

How Many Devices Can I Stream At The Same Time?
Your fuboTV subscription allows you to stream from two devices at a time. You can add a Family Share option for $5.99 per month, which allows a third stream.

Is A DVR Feature Available?
Yes. There are two options. Your fuboTV subscription comes with the ability to record up to 30 hours of content. Or you can add a DVR Plus option that costs $9.99 per month. Your recordings are saved indefinitely until you delete them and if you have the basic 30 hours of space, you'll get a warning when you try and record something if you're over your storage limit. A couple of nice features include the ability to record the entire show even if you've tuned in midway through the airing. And unlike some rival services, you can record and delete individual episodes of a series.  Plus, you can replay nearly any game, show or movie that aired in the last 3 days.



How Easy Is It To Use?
fuboTV might have the best interface of any skinny cable provider. It's intuitive, easy to use and while it resembles a traditional cable or satellite television interface, it improves on the experience. While it looks slightly different on each platform, there is an easy-to-use guide with a clear way to see what is going to be on every channel that day. It's obvious where your recordings are located and you can search by network or show, with a deep selection of on-demand titles included in the mix. There are also stand-alone verticals for movies and sports, which can be searched several different ways. fuboTV's interface is worlds above some of its rival services.

Who Should Subscribe To fuboTV?
If you are a hardcore soccer fan - especially if you also want some entertainment channels - than fuboTV should be your first choice. It's also a great choice for general sports fans, assuming that you don't mind the absence of the ESPN networks and Turner Sports. If you're not a big sports fan, it probably shouldn't be your first choice. The interface and features are very customer-friendly. But if you are more interested in entertainment channels, there are some other skinny cable services that offer a programming mix that more closely fits your needs.

Click Here to start your 7-day free trial of Fubo.