Customization is key with almost anything you buy nowadays — no one wants to buy the standard version of anything anymore. You want to be able to adapt a product to your liking or your style. Even if it’s just monogramming a piece of luggage, it gives you a larger sense of ownership over it. A lot of people have an issue with products that aren’t customizable, which is why they’ve decided to get rid of their cable subscriptions.
Too often do cable packages force customers to pay for channels that they don’t care about or don’t watch. Even worse, they’ll usually still require customers to pay additional fees for many of the channels that they do actually want to watch. Over the past five to 10 years, many media buffs have decided that they’re better off without a cable package and have switched to streaming services. One of the top options for customization is YouTube TV.
Not only does YouTube TV provide customers with a lot of channels to choose from in its base plan, it also allows customers to pick and choose specific standalone channels as well. Here’s a quick guide on how to add standalone channels to YouTube TV.
What’s offered in the YouTube TV base plan?
More than 100 channels
The YouTube TV base plan is the main option for those who want to subscribe to a YouTube TV package. This offers more than 100 channels and delivers up to six accounts under one membership. It also allows for three devices to stream YouTube TV simultaneously. One of the top perks is the unlimited DVR access, meaning customers can record anything and watch it later on.
If you don’t want to watch shows later on, you’re in luck — you can watch live or choose from a massive on-demand library. The Base Plan offers basic cable networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS and also offers cable channels like AMC, Food Network, ESPN, TBS, TNT, USA, and more. If you have a Base Plan, you’re also eligible to choose from a number of different add-on channels for additional fees. Paramount+ with Showtime, Max, Cinemax and others are available to purchase with your subscription.
YouTube TV costs $72.99 after an initial three-month discounted trial period. Users get the option to choose bundles as well, which include multiple add-on networks together at a set cost, limiting the need to pay for them all separately at retail price.
YouTube TV
- Simultaneous streams
- 3
- # of profiles
- 6
- Live TV
- Yes
- Price
- Starts at $73 /month
- Free trial
- Yes, length varies
What are some standalone channels available without a Base Plan?
Plenty to offer
If you’re someone who doesn’t want to commit to $73 per month and just wants a handful of channels to enjoy, you may be able to choose them as standalone channels without having to purchase a base plan. Certain channels are available for purchase as standalone channels and can be the only ones that you have.
If it doesn’t say “Requires Base Plan”, then you are able to purchase the channel, streaming service, or bundle for the price listed. Some of the options you have are (shown as how much each costs per month):
- Max — $17
- Sports Plus package (NFL RedZone, Billiard TV, beIN SPORTS, FOX Soccer, more) — $11
- NBA League Pass — $15
- WNBA League pass — $13
- Zee Family — $15
- Paramount+ with Showtime — $11
- STARZ — $10
- Hallmark Movies Now — $6
- Cinemax — $10
- MGM+ — $7
- FOX Nation — $6
- Screenpix — $3
- CuriosityStream — $5
- AMC+ — $9
- Stingray DJazz — $7
- VSiN — $4
The full list of standalone channels can be found at the official YouTube TV site.
What channels can’t you purchase as standalone channels on YouTube TV?
There aren’t many
Certain channels will say “Requires base plan” under them in the list when you are going through the selections. Those are ones that you must have a Base Plan in order to be able to watch. These kinds of channels are often bundles or specialty channels, and they include NFL RedZone, Spanish Plus, Entertainment Plus, and STARZ + MGM+.
There are plenty of options to choose from without having a YouTube TV base plan. The standalone channels that are available give you the ability to customize your viewing experience. That is the key benefit that YouTube TV offers customers, giving them exactly what they want and nothing more.
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