fuboTV Review
The dream streaming service for sports fans
Verdict
A sports fan’s dream streaming service, fuboTV feels tailored to your enjoyment of the best live action. The Multiview feature stands out from all rival services, and the (limited) 4K content is a nice bonus. It’s not perfect: there are some omissions, such as regional sports and staple TV channels, and I’d love some higher-end audio options. Overall, fuboTV is a winner.
Pros
- Multiview is a great way to watch live sports
- 4K live streams from Fox and NBC
- Good user interface
Cons
- No Turner networks, like CNN, TBS and TNT
- Recommendations could be better
- No surround sound
- May be too sports-focused for some
- Not all of the regional sports networks
Key Features
- MultiviewWatch up to four live games at a time, with multiple configurations available
- 4K HDR4K live sports available from NBC and Fox
- TVLive, on-demand and cloud DVR available
Introduction
If your first instinct when turning on the telly is to find live sports, fuboTV might be the live TV streaming service for you.
The cord-cutting platform targets the sports nut with an abundance of focused channels, access to the top leagues and tournaments, and plenty of action available to stream in glorious 4K Ultra HD – including the World Cup. There’s even a Multiview feature that enables you to watch four games at once.
fuboTV is not just for sports nuts: you also get the usual range of entertainment, news and kids channels that you’d expect from a cable or satellite television subscription – or indeed, a rival service.
There’s enough here for it to be your household’s main TV subscription service. But is it sufficient to beat YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV or Sling TV?
Availability
- UKunavailable
- USARRP: $69.99
- EuropeRRP: €5.99
- CanadaRRP: CA$24.99
- Australiaunavailable
We reviewed the US version of fuboTV, but it is also available in Canada (where it’s the exclusive home of the English Premier League) and in France (as Molotov.tv by Fubo) and Spain.
There’s a seven-day free trial, and packages start at $69.99/month (plus sales tax) for the Pro version. That gets you 138 channels, 1000 hours of cloud DVR, 10 screens at home (three concurrently) and two on the go.
However, to receive that signature 4K content and 204 channels in total, the $79.99/month (plus tax) option is the best value overall – especially considering that YouTube TV charges an extra $20/month on top of its $64.99/month Base plan for the 4K Extra add-on.
Platforms
- No PlayStation app
- Support for key browsers and smart TV
- Powerful mobile app
fuboTV is already available on a wide range of major mobile and smart TV platforms, set-top boxes, web browsers and the Xbox game consoles. However, PlayStation gamers are out of luck.
The list of fuboTV’s supported platforms has Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android/Google TV, Apple TV, Chromecast Chrome browser, Edge browser, Firefox browser, Hisense, iPhone/iPad, LG TV, Roku, Safari browser, Samsung Smart TV, Vizio, and Xbox.
For a deeper dive into the particular devices supported, see here for the full picture.
Interface
- Multiview feature is a sports fan’s dream
- Customisable guides
- Simple playback interface
The Multiview feature sets fuboTV apart from rival services, enabling viewers to watch up to four screens at the same time – so you can effectively set up a sports bar in your living room. Adding and removing the different feeds is straightforward and the audio comes from the highlighted display. You can scan between the feeds at any time to tune into a big moment.
I absolutely loved using this feature on NFL Sundays and for NCAA college football on Saturdays, when multiple exciting live games are happening at the same time. For example, on an NFL Sunday, I had both the CBS and Fox’s 13:00 EDT games on, with NFL RedZone catching all the big plays from around the league. If you want to get a proper look at a certain moment on the big screen, just select it to maximise that view. You can back right out and return to the grid. Backing out of the grid also allows you to replace channels or exit Multiview completely.
You can add a live scorecard at the bottom of the page, allowing you to keep up with other games and leagues, although that does make streams grid a lot smaller. The main advantage of that is the ability to keep track of other games and dive into the coverage at any time.
Features like Multiview really demonstrate how fuboTV has been designed with the sports fan in mind. The only way it could be better is if it came with bar staff to bring you more appetisers and a fresh beer.
Now that’s out of the way, the rest of the interface is quite agreeable too. Adding favourite channels to your profile during set-up is an important step, as the live feed from these networks will be quickly available within the guide and on the home screen.
The home page resembles many of the live TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV, designed to showcase content that matters to you – rather than a TV guide you must root through to find the gems in the jumble sale. YouTube TV does it much better, but I do like the fact that the audio from the highlighted channel is played at a lower level until you actually select it. It’s far less abrasive when you’re simply trying to pick a channel.
Beneath the carousel of live favoured channels, there’s the fuboTV Spotlight – the content the company is promoting. This was too high in the hierarchy, especially when the content included some trashy murder porn shows. I’m guessing it’ll improve as it learns what I like to watch. Naturally, that carousel also features any live and upcoming games.
The other rows in the carousel have a greater focus on what’s live at the moment, rather than on-demand content you may like to delve into – although there are rows for popular TV series and shows you can binge through. Pressing and holding a thumbnail enables you to record, add the series to My Stuff or browse the episode list.
The standard TV guide is one of the most customisable out there, enabling you to view All Channels (led by your favourites), as well as Trending Channels, Just Added, News, True Crime and, of course, Sports. You can view just the 4K channels – all three of them. You can also look at specific networks and search for content.
While you select what to watch, the interface stays out of the way, but you can use the up and down arrows to see other live channels or info/controls that allow you to enable Multiview and access recording options and subtitles and audio. Beyond that, the playback controls are unremarkable.
Features
- 4K HDR available for some sports
- Not all 4K TVs/media players support it
- 1000 hour cloud DVR
- Useful loopback feature for last 72hrs of TV
I’ve talked quite a lot about the Multiview feature in the interface section, which feels like fuboTV’s marquee feature. However, there’s plenty more to comment on. Namely, the presence of 4K HDR (HDR10) streams for some sporting events on NBC Sports 4K, Fox 4K and Fox Sports 4K. That includes Premier League games, the Qatar 2022 World Cup and NCAA college football.
You’ll need the Elite package to access 4K streams, which is $79.99/month, but during certain times of the year, such as the Olympics, which are on NBC Sports 4K, or the World Cup, it’ll be well worth upgrading. A word of warning, however: not all 4K-capable devices are compatible with fuboTV’s 4K content. The fuboTV app for Apple TV 4K and the Amazon Fire TV Cube did support the 4K streams, but my webOS-sporting LG TV did not. You can see the list of supported devices here.
When not watching in 4K, video quality maxes out at 720p at 60fps, which is pretty standard for these streaming services and is a restriction of the TV networks themselves rather than fuboTV’s refusal to offer it in 1080p. Audio options are a little more limited: it’s just standard stereo sound with no 5.1 surround sound and certainly no Dolby Atmos support. That falls short of some of fuboTV’s rivals.
There’s also 1000 hour cloud DVR you can use with your fuboTV subscription. Recorded content is available on all of your devices until you delete it, and it can be found within the My Stuff portion of the interface.
Services like DirecTV only allow you to keep your recordings for about nine months, while YouTube TV promises unlimited cloud DVR. With fuboTV, the recording capacity is shared between your profiles. So, if you have four users, each will get 250 hours. This makes sense and it should be enough for the vast majority.
Unfortunately, there’s no option to download content for offline viewing on mobile, but there is a good Lookback feature that enables you to catch up with games from the past 72 hours – all of which are available on demand.
Library
- Lots of sports channels, but some are quite obscure
- Missing the majority of regional sports networks
- Has most entertainment channels, but CNN, TBS and TNT are missing
The library of channels is quite sports-focused, with 65 channels showing sports within the Elite package.
Along with the standard NBC, CBS, ESPN and Fox Sports networks, you can access the official NHL, MLB, NFL, RedZone and NBA channels, as well as The Tennis Channel and The Golf Channel. RedZone is available via an add-on.
fuboTV is also the only US live TV streaming service with access to the beIN Sports channels (all of them!) as standard, while there are exclusive fubo Sports Network channels and college sports conference networks (like Big 10, Pac 12 and SEC) other services charge extra for. Some of the sports networks are really quite obscure, such as The Poker Channel.
There are some regional sports networks available from AT&T and NBC, giving viewers access to their local basketball, baseball and hockey teams. However, it’s by no means universal. For example, the Bally Sports Networks are missing – as they are on most live TV services, other than DirecTV Stream. I know Bally Sports charges an almighty premium for access, but if you’re pitching your service as THE place for live sports, this is a massive hole in your proposition.
I mentioned earlier that fuboTV isn’t only for sports – nor should it be at this price. There’s the usual selection of news, entertainment, nature, and kids channels to enjoy. However, there are some significant omissions, including Turner channels like CNN, TBS and TNT, which may be deal-breakers for some. TNT in particular is a big deal because of how much NBA coverage it has. Again, if you’re a live-sports-focused service, TNT’s NBA coverage is something you need to have.
You will get local channels for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, which means local news broadcasts and NFL games. That’s a standard feature these days. In terms of add-ons, there’s Sports Plus (featuring the NFL RedZone channel), as well as international sports, access to NBA League Pass, and premium cable networks, like Showtime, Starz and Epix.
Performance
- 4K performs as expected
- No advanced audio options
The Multiview feature means that, in theory, it’s a little more taxing on your internet connection, but it performed well in my experience. If you want to enjoy 4K streams, you’ll need speeds of 25Mbps. However, for the standard live 720p feeds, it’s only 7Mbps. Streams were reliable throughout my testing.
The 4K streams of the FIFA World Cup 2022 were a joy to behold on my LG C1 OLED TV. It was worth subscribing to fuboTV for the month to enjoy the tournament in the best possible resolution.
I’d have enjoyed some surround sound action, but the stereo audio performance was just fine via the Sonos Beam (Gen 1) soundbar.
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Should you buy it?
If you like to watch a LOT of live sports – and more than one game or event at a time – then fuboTV is an excellent choice for your live TV streaming service. It has the widest range of sports channels available (some via add-ons), and it’s one of only a couple of streaming services to offer live games in 4K.
If you missed a game, you can access anything from the last three days on demand, and recording is another great option. Most live TV news, movies, and entertainment channels are on board, meaning there’s plenty for the non-sports nuts to enjoy too.
There are better options than fuboTV if you don’t watch a lot of sports. After all, Multiview isn’t particularly good for movies or sitcoms. The missing channels, such as CNN, TBS and TNT might be deal-breakers, while other apps, like YouTube TV, do a better job of keeping track of what you like to watch and surfacing it when it’s on TV. There are also much cheaper streaming options, such as Sling TV, if you’re looking to save some money.
Final Thoughts
There’s so much to love about fuboTV as a sports fan. It’s perfectly tailored to the needs of someone like me, who loves nothing more than to immerse himself in a few games over the course of a weekend.
The Multiview feature feels like you’re in your favourite sports bar, and the ease of switching between the audio feeds and adding a live scoreboard is a nice touch. And you can never argue with being able to watch the World Cup in the splendour of 4K HDR.
The channel list is missing a few heavy hitters, such as CNN, TBS and TNT, which might be deal-breakers for some. Meanwhile, I think a sports-focused service should really have all of the regional sports networks available.
There is some 4K content, but it’s limited (not fuboTV’s fault, by the way) and live channels are only 720p. I would have loved some support for 5.1 audio, but it’s only stereo thus far. fuboTV’s interface is good and easy to navigate, but a little fiddly at times. YouTube TV is still the gold standard in that department. The 1000 hours of cloud DVR is ample, but I’d have liked some ability to download content to watch offline.
How we test
We test every video streaming service we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as main TV service during two weeks of testing on an LG Smart OLED TV
Also watched on TV and mobile apps
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FAQs
It has the NBC Sports 4K, Fox 4K and Fox Sports 4K channels, but you’ll need a subscription to the Elite tier.
There’s a seven-day free trial.
It has some regional sports networks, but it’s missing plenty too. Check before signing up.
Jargon buster
4K Ultra HD TV
4K (or Ultra HD) refers to the resolution of a TV’s display, which equates to the number of horizontal and vertical pixels that it can display. 4K TVs have a resolution of 3840 x 2160 (8.3 million pixels), which is four times that of a Full HD TV. With more pixels, you get a sharper, clearer picture than is possible from an equivalent sized 1080p display.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
