5 reasons YouTube TV didn't work for me (and what I learned after canceling it)

Summary

YouTube TV is great for live sports but not worth the cost year-round.
The unlimited DVR feature might not be useful for everyone.
Exploring cheaper streaming services can be more fun and fulfilling.

Ah, YouTube TV. If you’ve been curious about cord-cutting or keeping up with live television without the hassle of cable, you’ve probably heard of it. For the last year, my family gave it a go. If you’re unfamiliar, YouTube TV is a streaming service that mimics traditional cable by offering live TV channels, sports, and DVR capabilities — all for $83 a month.

To give you some background: I haven’t had cable in 20 years. The last time I paid for cable was when I lived at my parents’ house. I’m also a die-hard early adopter of streaming — I remember when Netflix sent out DVDs, and I’d eagerly watch whatever arrived in that little red envelope. Today, I’m subscribed to Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, Max, and Prime Video. I love on-demand streaming, which makes sense since I’m a working mom with a full plate. My husband, though? He’s a sports fanatic.

After the football season ended in December, I canceled YouTube TV.

That’s how we ended up with YouTube TV. In 2024, my husband convinced me to subscribe so he could watch college football, especially Miami Hurricanes games. It sounded like a win-win: he gets live sports, and I get to revisit the nostalgia of flipping through live channels like I did growing up. But after the football season ended in December, I canceled YouTube TV.

Here’s why — and what I learned from the experience.

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YouTube TV

Simultaneous streams: 3
# of profiles: 6
Live TV: Yes
Price: Starts at $83 /month
Free trial: Yes, length varies

What I learned when I canceled YouTube Premium

The YouTube Premium features it’s impossible to live without

1 Live TV just isn’t my thing

Unless it’s for sports, I don’t watch live TV. Period.

My family only really opened the YouTube TV app during college football season. But, before subscribing, my husband had always found ways to watch the Miami Hurricanes, whether through ESPN, network apps, or some streaming hack. While YouTube TV consolidated everything in one place, I couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t worth the cost.

My takeaway? If we’re going to subscribe to YouTube TV, it’s a seasonal thing. We’ll sign up in August for football season, then cancel come December. Thankfully, YouTube TV is flexible, unlike traditional cable contracts.

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2 DVR is a feature I never use

Does anyone?

I thought I’d love YouTube TV’s unlimited DVR. Instead, I didn’t touch it. Initially, I imagined recording shows or movies to watch later. In reality, I just turned to Hulu or one of the many other services I already subscribe to for on-demand viewing. My husband’s not big on DVR either. Sports spoilers from social media make recorded games pointless for him — he’ll only watch live or skip them entirely.

DVR might be a selling point for others, but it not for us. It feels like an outdated feature — something from a bygone era.

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3 Trying new streaming services is more fun

Shudder, AMC+, oh my!

Pocket-lint / Erik Mclean / Unsplash

At $83 a month, YouTube TV is expensive. For that price, I could test out other niche streaming services I’ve been eyeing, like Shudder for $5 or AMC+ for $7. Honestly, I could subscribe to 10 different services for the cost of one month of YouTube TV — and all of them would offer content on-demand, which is how I prefer to watch. For me, live TV feels like a chore. I don’t have the time (or patience) to schedule my life around a show or event. I’d rather stream what I want, when I want.

A person with a remote pointing it at YouTube TV.

I wish I knew about this YouTube TV feature way earlier

This one quick tip made my YouTube TV experience infinitely better.

4 I already have access to live news

Thank you, Roku.

YouTube TV offers local channels like ABC, FOX, and NBC. But guess what? So does my Roku. As a Roku user, I get a built-in Live TV channel guide that includes ABC News Live, NBC News Now, Fox Live Now, and more. If I ever feel nostalgic for that classic “channel surfing” experience, I just fire up the Roku. It’s free, easy, and scratches that cable-like itch without the cost.

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5 YouTube TV is just too expensive

It went up $10 in December

Pocket-lint / Glenn Carstens-Peters / unsplash

At $83 a month, YouTube TV costs more than all my other streaming subscriptions combined. That’s a tough pill to swallow in today’s economy. Outside of football season, the service just didn’t hold enough value for my family.

While YouTube TV has its perks — flexiblility to cancel at any time, live sports, and a familiar TV experience — it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for us year-round. It taught me to think critically about what I value most in my streaming services: affordability, on-demand content, and the freedom to watch on my schedule.

If you’re someone who is addicted to live TV or loves having sports and cable channels all in one place, YouTube TV might be worth it. But for us, it’s now a fall-only affair. When football season rolls around, we might be back. Maybe.