Sony’s PlayStation Vue has a name problem. It’s a live TV streaming service with that doesn’t include “TV” in the name at all. Worse, the name could imply that it only works on Sony’s PlayStation game consoles. So let’s get this out of the way up front: you don’t need a PlayStation to use PlayStation Vue. It works on numerous smart TVs, media streamers and phones, just like competitors YouTube TV, DirecTV Now and Hulu with Live TV.

When PlayStation Vue debuted in 2016 it was the first premium live TV streaming service, with more channels than Sling TV — the only other such service at the time. Sony’s offering still has a lot going for it today, with a powerful, easy-to-use interface and one of the best cloud DVRs available,

Unfortunately Vue’s latest price increase to $50 pits it directly against two very talented competitors at the same price: YouTube TV and DirecTV Now. DirecTV Now has the advantage of including HBO, and nearly matching Vue’s channel count, while YouTube TV is my favorite overall at this price, with a superior channel mix and a better DVR than any of them.

Ultimately it’s all about channels for the money, and as nice as Vue is to use, it can’t bring enough channels to compete at $50.

What it is

PlayStation Vue is a streaming service designed to replace a cable or other live TV subscription. It has over 50 live channels to watch or record on a wide selection of connected devices. It’s available on the following platforms:

Premium live TV services compared

Premium services	YouTube TV	DirecTV Now	Hulu with Live TV	FuboTV	PlayStation Vue
Base price	$50/month for 70+ channels	$50/month for 45+ channels	$45/month for 60+ channels	$55/month for 100+ channels	$50/month for 55+ channels
Total number of Top 100 channels	63	45	58	62	47
ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC channels	Yes	Yes, in many markets	Yes, in many markets	Yes (no ABC)	Yes, in many markets
Record shows for later (cloud DVR)	Yes (keep for 9 months)	Yes (20GB, keep for 30 days)	Yes	Yes (30GB, 500GB for $10 a month	Yes (keep for 28 days)
Step-up packages with more channels	No	$70/month	No	Yes	$50/month, $60/month or $80/month
Simultaneous streams per account	3	2 ($5 option for 3)	2 ($15 option for unlimited)	2 ($6 option for 3)	5
Fast-forward through or skip commercials with cloud DVR	Yes	Yes	No (Yes with $15 DVR option)	Yes	Yes

PlayStation Vue offers all the features you’d expect from the price, including a TV guide, multiple simultaneous streams, a cloud DVR and on-demand options. 

Its major weakness is that it doesn’t offer as many of the top 100 channels as any of its competitors except DirecTV Now (which has HBO). Vue and YouTube TV omit many of the same channels, including Animal Planet, Comedy Central, History and Nickelodeon, but Vue also lacks The CW, NBA TV and Sundance TV (all included on YouTube TV) in its base tier. 

If you want more channels you can get them on Vue, but it will cost you. The basic Access package is $50, the Core package adds sports for $55, while the Elite package at $65 and Ultra package at $85 add even more channels. 

The price rise of $5 across the board followed similar price rises from competitors including DirecTV Now which added HBO and went up by $10. Meanwhile, Fubo TV went up $10 but added a spate of channels, and YouTube TV also increased by $10.

One of the most intriguing new features for both the PlayStation and Apple TV is Multi View which allows users to watch up to three channels at once (four on Apple TV). You choose one main focused channel with audio and then add auxiliaries, and the interface allows you to switch between them.  

What’s it like to use?

Perhaps thanks to its gaming origins, the Vue interface is one of the most visually stimulating, with bright menus and large thumbnails. The service is more lively and likable than its biggest competitor YouTube, in my opinion.

The channel guide is slightly different depending on which platform you use. It’s arranged vertically with channels across the top on the PlayStation’s interface, but in a more traditional horizontal fashion on Roku. I really liked how the guide condenses into days once you finish the current 24 hours. This allows you to skip to a specific day without having to wade through hours of programs. Smart.

The Home screen is essentially composed of One row and one column — the first column is divided up into timeline, recently watched, and currently watching. The next column along is Trending Live TV, then My DVR, then Favorite channels, Sports and finally Featured. 

The interface can have its quirks, which you’ll need to learn, and this is especially true on the Apple TV. For example, you need to press play to exit a menu and watch a show rather than the usual menu button. Pressing menu continually instead just dumps you out of the program without even a warning prompt.

Picture quality was generally good, though, of course it was dependent on the channel. I did notice that Discovery was very soft-looking on Fast ‘N Loud, and the Food Network was a little softer than YouTube TV. Your mileage may vary.

Should you get it?

PlayStation Vue may not be the most popular service, and it does lack some channels that others offer, but in day-to-day use I like it better than most. The interface is fun and the DVR works very well.

Is it worth $50? Maybe. The sins it commits are the sins of omission — it lacks the channel count of its biggest competitor and its DVR isn’t as comprehensive as YouTube TV. Meanwhile, the cheaper services such as Sling Blue and AT&T Watch TV offer the best bargain.

Streaming service channel lineup

Channel	AT&T Watch TV ($15)	Philo ($20)	Sling Orange ($25)	Sling Blue ($25)	Hulu with Live TV ($45)	DirecTV Now ($50)	PS Vue ($50)	YouTube TV ($50)	Fubo TV ($55)
Total channels:	36	38	24	39	58	45	47	63	62
ABC	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
CBS	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fox	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
NBC	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
PBS	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
CW	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
MyNetworkTV	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
A&E	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
AMC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Animal Planet	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
BBC America	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
BBC World News	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	$	Yes	$
BET	Yes	Yes	$	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Big Ten Network	No	No	No	No	Yes	$	$	Yes	Yes
Bloomberg TV	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Boomerang	Yes	No	$	$	Yes	Yes	$	No	$
Bravo	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cartoon Network	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CBS Sports Network	No	No	No	No	Yes	$	$	Yes	Yes
Cheddar	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cinemax	No	No	No	No	$	$	$	No	No
CMT	No	Yes	$	$	No	$	No	No	Yes
CNBC	No	No	No	$	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CNN	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Comedy Central	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Cooking Channel	No	Yes	$	$	No	No	$	No	$
C-SPAN	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Destination America	No	Yes	$	$	No	No	Yes	No	No
Discovery Channel	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Disney Channel	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Disney Junior	No	No	$	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Disney XD	No	No	$	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
DIY	No	Yes	$	$	No	No	$	No	$
E!	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
EPIX	No	No	$	$	No	No	$	$	No
ESPN	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
ESPN 2	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
ESPNEWS	No	No	$	No	Yes	$	$	Yes	No
ESPNU	No	No	$	No	Yes	$	$	Yes	No
Food Network	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fox Business	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fox News	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fox Sports 1	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fox Sports 2	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	$	Yes	Yes	Yes
Freeform	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
FX	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
FX Movie Channel	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	$	Yes	Yes
FXX	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Golf Channel	No	No	No	$	Yes	$	$	Yes	Yes
Hallmark	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	Yes	$	No	Yes
HBO	No	No	No	No	$	Yes	$	No	No
HGTV	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
History	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
HLN	Yes	No	$	$	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
IFC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	$	Yes	Yes
Investigation Discovery	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Lifetime	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Lifetime Movie Network	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	No	No	Yes
MLB Network	No	No	$	$	No	No	$	Yes	No
Motor Trend	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	$	Yes	No
MSNBC	No	No	No	$	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
MTV	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
MTV2	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	No	No	$
National Geographic	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nat Geo Wild	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	$	Yes	Yes
NBA TV	No	No	$	$	No	No	$	Yes	Yes
NBC Sports Network	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Newsy	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	$
NFL Network	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	$	No	Yes
NFL Red Zone	No	No	No	$	No	No	$	No	$
NHL Network	No	No	$	$	No	No	No	No	No
Nick Jr.	No	Yes	$	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Nickelodeon	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Nicktoons	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	No	No	$
OWN	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Oxygen	No	No	No	$	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Paramount Network	No	Yes	$	Yes	No	$	No	No	Yes
Science	No	Yes	$	$	No	No	Yes	No	No
SEC Network	No	No	$	No	Yes	$	$	No	No
Showtime	No	No	$	$	$	$	$	$	$
Smithsonian	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	$	Yes	Yes
Starz	No	No	$	$	No	$	No	$	No
Sundance TV	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	$	Yes	Yes
Syfy	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tastemade	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	$	Yes	No
TBS	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Telemundo	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tennis Channel	No	No	$	$	No	No	$	Yes	$
TLC	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
TNT	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Travel Channel	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
TruTV	Yes	No	$	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Turner Classic Movies	Yes	No	$	$	Yes	Yes	$	Yes	Yes
TV Land	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	$	No	No	Yes
Univision	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
USA Network	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
VH1	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Viceland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
WE tv	Yes	Yes	$	$	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Weather Channel	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes