PlayStation Vue vs. YouTube TV

PS Vue offers a comprehensive channel selection, but YouTube TV is more affordable. Which is right for you?

Jump to: Packages and pricing | Shows and movies | Devices | Resolution | Simultaneous streaming | Advantages and disadvantages | FAQ

The bottom line

PlayStation Vue is a highly compatible streaming service, with nearly every popular platform and device supported. That’s especially good for families with a bunch of different devices. The only real downside we found during our PlayStation Vue review is the price: it’s a little more expensive than other services.

YouTube TV is one of the most affordable streaming services. It provides a good number of channels and unlimited DVR storage that stores your shows for nine months. Throw in the exclusive original shows, which PS Vue lacks, and YouTube TV is a solid streaming choice. Just be aware of the lack of HBO® and somewhat limited device compatibility.

Packages and pricing

Free trials

Both PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV offer free trials that let you get a taste of the service before deciding if you want to commit.

• PlayStation Vue: 5 days
• YouTube TV: 7 days

If you try one of the services and decide you don’t want it, just make sure you cancel before the trial period ends. Otherwise the plan will automatically bill you for the regular service.

Now let’s look at your plan choices and what you’ll pay after your free trial is up.

PlayStation Vue offers a streamlined plan selection. The basic Access plan gets you all the standard channels, and each plan beyond that adds a specific set of additional channels. Core adds sports, Elite adds movies and news channels, and Ultra adds premium channels (like HBO and SHOWTIME).

During our PlayStation Vue review, we also found that it’s one of the more expensive streaming services, considering the number of channels you get. The Access package, for example, is about $1.00 per channel. That’s a little pricey compared to YouTube TV’s $0.67 per channel. The Core and Elite plans offer a better value.

Check out the full PlayStation Vue channel list.

YouTube TV is even simpler: there’s only one package, so your choice is already made. And it’s a pretty good deal. We would like to see a little more variety in pricing schemes to hone in on the channels you really want. But we can’t complain too much because there are some additional networks you can add à la carte for varying monthly fees. These include SHOWTIME, STARZ, NBA League Pass, and AMC Premiere.

Check out the full YouTube TV channel list.

TV shows and movies

Original series

Original shows and movies from providers is a hot thing right now, and YouTube is all over it. It has its own lineup of YouTube Originals available for YouTube TV (and YouTube Premium) subscribers.

Here are some of YouTube’s best original series right now:

• Cobra Kai
• Rhett and Link’s Buddy System
• Mind Field
• Step Up: High Water
• Youth and Consequences

PlayStation Vue currently doesn’t offer original programming, but we’ve heard rumors that Sony (the company behind PlayStation) may be cooking something up. Considering Sony Pictures is a major player on the big screen, we’d be surprised if it doesn’t release anything original for the PlayStation Vue service.

On-demand shows and movies

Both providers offer on-demand shows and movies. Much like with cable, which content is available and when it’s available depend on the individual networks you’re subscribed to. Since PS Vue and YouTube TV are pretty straightforward “cable replacement” services, it’s not surprising that they work the same as cable. But it’s kind of a bummer when other options like Hulu have such robust on-demand libraries.

Live channels

YouTube TV has fewer channels overall, but you get all of them with the single $40.00 package. With PlayStation Vue, you have to step up to the $49.99 Core plan to get a similar number of channels.

In terms of selection, they’re pretty similar. The one big omission (and it’s a big one) is YouTube TV lacks HBO. You can always get a separate HBO NOW subscription for your Game of Thrones fix, but it’s just not as convenient as having it all in one platform.

In terms of local channels, what you’ll get really depends on where you live. To see exactly what channels are available for you, hop over to the PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV channel lists and enter your zip code.

Compatible devices

PlayStation Vue is one of the most compatible streaming services available. It’s hard to find a device it doesn’t work on. YouTube TV is pretty robust, too, but there are a couple big omissions from the list, namely Amazon Fire devices and PlayStation consoles. If you’re planning to watch on one of those devices, you’ll have to go with PS Vue.

Best streaming devices

The device you’re watching on can make a big difference in the experience you have with a service. That’s because each service has its own app, and those apps are often different from one device to another.

Usually, we recommend either Apple TV (for the Apple fans) or Amazon Fire TV (for everyone else). While Apple TV is still a good option with these two streaming providers, Amazon’s platform won’t work with YouTube TV. If you aren’t interested in Apple TV but want YouTube TV, go with Roku instead. It’s affordable, comes in several variations—including a streaming stick format—and works with most major services.

Cloud DVR

PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV each offer unlimited cloud DVR storage for any shows or movies you want to save for later. And yes, it’s truly unlimited (there are a lot of unlimited fakers out there these days).

But there’s one difference that puts YouTube TV way ahead of PS Vue here. That’s how long you can keep your recordings:

• PlayStation Vue: 28 days
• YouTube TV: 9 months

If you forget about a recording with PlayStation Vue, it might get purged before you remember to watch it. With YouTube TV, that’s not really a concern—unless you’re the type that forgets things for months.

Resolution and quality

YouTube TV pulls ahead on resolution, delivering shows and channels at up to 1080p. PlayStation Vue maxes out at 720p, which is ok for smaller screens but might become noticeable on larger TVs.

Recommended internet speed

While you don’t necessarily need gigabit speeds to enjoy streaming TV, you’ll want a fast and stable connection to really get the most from your service and see less of those buffering icons of doom.

• PlayStation Vue: Aim for at least 10 Mbps, plus another 5 Mbps for each additional stream beyond the first.
• YouTube TV: YouTube TV recommends at least 13 Mbps for the best experience.

Multiple streams

Simultaneous streaming is an essential feature that allows you to stream video from one account on multiple devices at the same time. It makes it possible for you to catch the game in the living room while your spouse hits the Key and Peele reruns in the bedroom.

• PlayStation Vue allows 5 simultaneous streams.
• YouTube TV gives you 3 simultaneous streams.

The YouTube multiple-stream limit is a little confusing because YouTube TV gives you six “accounts” with each subscription to share with others as part of a family or group. But even though there can be six accounts, the entire family or group shares the three-device limit—regardless of which account the devices are used on. That could get a little tricky to coordinate if you’ve got a bunch of TV lovers.

It’s all about the originals.

Picking from these two services comes down to one question: do you value original programming? PlayStation Vue has a lot going for it, but it doesn’t have original series. If that’s important to you, go with YouTube TV—you won’t be disappointed. Otherwise, PlayStation Vue is a safe bet for almost anyone (as long as you’re not too concerned about the picture quality).

Which streaming provider did you decide to go with? Leave us a comment and let us know.

FAQ about PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV

Do I need a PlayStation to watch PlayStation Vue?

Nope! Despite the name, there’s no PlayStation required for PlayStation Vue—it works on all the major platforms. In fact, it’s one of the most compatible streaming services around.

What’s the difference between YouTube TV and YouTube Premium?

Good question. The two services are actually entirely separate.

YouTube TV is a livestreaming service, meaning you get to watch programs as they air, just like regular cable TV.

YouTube Premium is a service that adds several features to “regular” YouTube:

• Removes ads from YouTube and YouTube Music
• Allows you to download content for offline use
• Allows videos to continue to play in the background on your mobile devices
• Gives you access to YouTube Originals

When will 4K come to HBO NOW?

HBO NOW doesn’t support streaming in 4K resolution right now. The network says it’s looking into it, so we’re hopeful for the future. Game of Thrones in Ultra HD? Yes, please.

Curious about other streaming services? Check out our streaming guides.

Edited by Cara Haynes