YouTube TV Base Plan vs Sports Plan: Which One to Pick in 2026
By The Spool Editors · Published September 17, 2026 · Updated October 7, 2026
YouTube TV spent eight years selling exactly one plan, then split into genre tiers in 2026. The Base Plan at $82.99 is still the full lineup. The Sports Plan is $18 cheaper and drops everything that is not sport or broadcast. Whether that is a saving or a downgrade depends entirely on who else is in the house.
At a Glance
| YouTube TV | YouTube TV Sports Plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $82.99/mo | $64.99/mo |
| New customer price | $82.99 | $54.99 first year |
| Channel count | 100+ | Around 30 |
| Every ESPN network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC | ✓ | ✓ |
| Regional sports | Included where available | Included where available |
| Entertainment channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| News channels | ✓ | Limited |
| Unlimited DVR | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6 household accounts | ✓ | ✓ |
Which One Is Right for You
The Plans That Actually Compete
YouTube TV now sells the Base Plan alongside more than ten genre plans across Sports, News, Entertainment and Family. Here are the three that matter for this comparison.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV Sports Plan
Price Breakdown & Hike History
The Base Plan holds at $82.99 a month, up from $35 when YouTube TV launched in 2017. The Sports Plan is $64.99, discounted to $54.99 for new subscribers in the first year. The Entertainment Plan sits at $54.99, or $44.99 for new subscribers, and carries 60 or so channels, which is the other way to cut the bill.
YouTube TV: YouTube TV has climbed from $35 at launch in 2017 to $82.99 in 2026, more than doubling in under a decade.
YouTube TV Sports Plan: YouTube TV split into genre plans in 2026, putting a sports-only tier at $64.99 against the $82.99 base plan.
Channel Lineups Head-to-Head
The Base Plan carries more than 100 channels across every genre. The Sports Plan carries around 30: ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, every ESPN network, FS1, NBC Sports, the Big Ten Network, Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL Network, plus the regional sports networks where they exist. The DVR, the six household accounts and the regional sports coverage are identical on both.
Channel by Channel
Every channel below links to our full answer on whether that service carries it. Channels neither service publishes an answer for are left out rather than guessed at.
Only on YouTube TV: Bravo, FX, Freeform, HGTV, ION, MTV, NFL RedZone, National Geographic, TLC, The CW, WE tv, truTV.
On both: ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, NBC, NFL Network, TBS, USA.
Your Local Channels & Your Team's RSN
This is where the decision usually gets made. Both services carry local stations in most markets, but coverage and regional sports vary city by city and team by team.
- Check exactly which service carries your city's ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox with our local channels guide.
- See whether your team's games are on a regional sports network, and who carries it, in our sports streaming guides.
The Features That Decide It
| Feature | YouTube TV | YouTube TV Sports Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $82.99/mo | $64.99/mo |
| Free trial | Occasional (5 to 14 days) | Occasional |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited (kept 9 months) | Unlimited, kept 9 months |
| Simultaneous streams | 3 (unlimited at home with 4K Plus) | 3 |
| Accounts / profiles | 6 household accounts | 6 household accounts |
| 4K | 4K Plus add-on ($9.99) | 4K Plus add-on |
| Regional sports (RSNs) | Included where available, no extra fee | Included where available, no extra fee |
| Local channels | Included in most markets | ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC included |
Add-Ons & Hidden Costs
YouTube TV add-ons: HBO Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, STARZ, NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, and Entertainment Plus bundle. Both plans take the same add-ons: 4K Plus at $9.99, Sports Plus at $10.99, NFL Sunday Ticket and NBA League Pass.
YouTube TV Sports Plan add-ons: 4K Plus ($9.99), Sports Plus ($10.99), NFL Sunday Ticket, and NBA League Pass. The Sports Plan keeps all of those, so nothing about the add-on lineup pushes you toward the more expensive tier.
How to Try Each One Free
YouTube TV offers free trials only occasionally, usually five to fourteen days. The new-subscriber discount on the Sports Plan is the more dependable saving. If you are already a subscriber, you can switch plans without losing your DVR library.
The Cheapest Way to Get What You Want
Look at your DVR and your recently watched list for the past month. If everything on it is a game or a broadcast network show, move to the Sports Plan and keep the $18. If two or three entertainment channels show up regularly, price the Entertainment Plan at $54.99 as a second line rather than paying $82.99 for one lineup that covers both.
What Changed Recently
- 2026: YouTube TV split into genre plans, putting Sports at $64.99 and Entertainment at $54.99 beside the $82.99 base plan.
- 2026: YouTube TV launched the Sports Plan at $64.99, discounted to $54.99 for new subscribers in the first year.
YouTube TV vs YouTube TV Sports Plan FAQ
- How much is the YouTube TV Sports Plan?
- $64.99 a month, or $54.99 for new subscribers during the first year, after which it reverts to $64.99.
- Does the Sports Plan include regional sports networks?
- Yes, where they are available in your market, at no extra fee, the same as on the Base Plan.
- What do I lose by dropping to the Sports Plan?
- The entertainment, lifestyle, kids and most news channels. You keep the four broadcast networks, all the ESPN networks, FS1, NBC Sports, the league channels, the unlimited DVR and six household accounts.
- Can I switch plans without losing my recordings?
- Yes. YouTube TV keeps your DVR library when you change plans, though recordings of channels that are not in your new plan will no longer be playable.
YouTube TV vs YouTube TV Sports Plan: The Verdict
If the only reason you hold YouTube TV is live sport, the Sports Plan saves you $18 a month and gives up nothing you watch. It keeps the four broadcast networks, every ESPN network, FS1, NBC Sports, the league channels and the regional sports networks, along with the unlimited DVR and six accounts. What it drops is the entertainment and news middle of the lineup, which is exactly the part other people in the house tend to use. The honest test is not whether you would miss those channels. It is whether anyone else would, because at $18 a month the argument at home costs more than the saving.
Last updated: October 7, 2026