How Many People Can Use YouTube TV? (Multiple Devices Explained)

Hey there! If you‘re wondering "how many people can use YouTube TV at once?", you‘ve come to the right place. I‘m going to walk you through everything you need to know about YouTube TV‘s multi-stream limits, device sharing, and more.

In short:

• The base YouTube TV subscription allows 3 simultaneous streams
• You can‘t increase streams with the base plan, but can add unlimited streams with the 4K Plus upgrade
• Streaming is possible on a wide range of devices – mobile, desktop, smart TVs, game consoles, etc.
• While you‘re limited to 3 streams, you can access some network apps separately without counting against the cap
• Overall YouTube TV allows reasonable device sharing, but lags behind options like PlayStation Vue

Curious to learn more? Keep reading as I break things down in more detail for you!

How Many Streams Does YouTube TV Allow?

The standard YouTube TV membership enables up to 3 concurrent streams per account. This means 3 devices can be actively watching or using the service at the same time.

According to a 2019 report, the average YouTube TV subscriber has 3.6 members in their household [1]. So in most cases, 3 streams should be sufficient for families or housemates to share access without running into roadblocks.

How does this stack up against competitors?

• Hulu Live TV: 2 streams
• Sling TV: 1-4 streams depending on plan
• DirecTV Stream: 2 streams
• FuboTV: 2 streams
• PlayStation Vue: 5 streams

So YouTube TV is fairly average here, offering 1 more stream than Hulu and DirecTV but 2 fewer than PlayStation Vue.

Unfortunately, there is no way to increase streams on the basic YouTube TV subscription at this time. However, upgrading to the 4K Plus add-on plan lifts stream restrictions entirely.

What is YouTube TV Exactly?

Before going further, let‘s cover the basics of what YouTube TV is for those unfamiliar.

YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service operated by Google. For a monthly fee, you get access to over 85+ live channels – including major networks like ABC, NBC, FOX, ESPN, CNN and more.

The service launched in 2017 as an alternative to traditional cable. For $64.99/month, you can stream live TV and access thousands of on demand shows and movies.

YouTube TV works on your phone, tablet, computer, and TV through various devices like Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and game consoles. DVR functionality allows recording shows to watch later.

Now that you know the gist of YouTube TV, let‘s get back into the specifics around multi-stream limits and device sharing.

Streaming on YouTube TV Devices

A benefit of YouTube TV is it works across a wide range of devices and platforms. As of 2024, you can stream YouTube TV on:

• iOS and Android mobile devices
• Computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
• Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Vizio, Sony, and more
• Streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV
• Gaming consoles like PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Google devices like Chromecast, Nest displays

This provides ample options for accessing YouTube TV – whether watching on your phone on the go, smart TV at home, or console in the living room.

One limitation however is that only mobile devices and web browsers allow streaming outside the home. Due to rights restrictions, streaming on living room devices is restricted to a user‘s home location.

But for in-home viewing, just about any screen with an internet connection works. And remember – up to 3 of those devices can be streaming simultaneously at once!

Accessing Networks and Content Outside YouTube TV

Now here‘s a useful trick…

While YouTube TV limits you to 3 concurrent streams, you can sometimes access network apps and content outside of the YouTube TV platform without counting against your streams.

Many of the channels included in YouTube TV allow separate access via network-specific apps or websites. Examples include:

• Watching ESPN content in the ESPN app
• Accessing CBS All Access via their dedicated service
• Signing into FOX or NBC apps to view shows there

As these don‘t stream through YouTube TV itself, they don‘t count against your 3 device restriction. This provides a sort of loophole to squeeze out extra streams in a pinch.

However, some limitations exist here:

• Only works for select partner networks – so not a complete workaround
• Access is tied to your YouTube TV credentials
• Networks can implement their own stream limits

But used judiciously, this approach can give you a bit more room to share YouTube TV with housemates.

YouTube TV vs. Other Streaming Services

How does YouTube TV stack up against the competition when it comes to device sharing? Here‘s a quick rundown:

Hulu + Live TV

• 2 simultaneous streams
• Unlimited streams with Unlimited Screens upgrade ($9.99/month extra)
• Works on iOS/Android, media players, smart TVs, game consoles

Sling TV

• 1-4 concurrent streams depending on subscription plan
• Blue plan ($35): 3 streams
• Orange & Blue plan ($50): 4 streams
• Available on iOS/Android, media players, some smart TVs

DirecTV Stream

• 2 included streams
• Up to 20 streams with Family Share Pack add-on ($9.99/month more)
• Supported devices: mobile, browsers, streaming sticks, some smart TVs

FuboTV

• 2 simultaneous streams
• Unlimited with Family Share for $5.99/month
• Supported on iOS/Android, Roku, Fire TV, smart TVs

PlayStation Vue

• Large 5 stream allowance for base $54.99 Access plan
• Works on PlayStation consoles, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast

Compared to these competitors, YouTube TV sits squarely in the middle. The unlimited streams with Hulu and Fubo come at an added fee. And DirecTV Stream is the only one to offer over 3 streams without upgrading.

So YouTube TV holds up reasonably well, but could use improvement around multi-viewer support and stream limits in the future.

Watching YouTube TV On the Go

A great feature of YouTube TV is the ability to take your live TV streaming on the go.

Thanks to mobile app support, you can access YouTube TV shows, movies, recordings, and live content on smartphones and tablets both Android and iOS.

Simply download the YouTube TV app from the Google Play or Apple App Store. Sign in with your YouTube TV credentials. Then you can browse live channels and stream over WiFi or mobile data.

There are some limitations to streaming outside the home, mainly due to rights restrictions. Streaming over LTE is capped at 720p resolution. And access to DVR recordings is currently restricted to the home only.

But the ability to take live TV on the go is useful for watching sports, news, or other programs away from your living room. This comes in handy when traveling or commuting.

And remember – each mobile device counts against your max 3 simultaneous stream allowance. So consume responsibly!

YouTube TV DVR and Offline Viewing

A nice inclusion with YouTube TV is an unlimited DVR for recording live TV to watch later.

Recordings are stored for 9 months and available across any device. Pause, rewind, and replay also work for live content. There are no storage limits, so you can build up a sizable catalog of recorded movies, shows, and sporting events over time.

However, an important caveat is that DVR content can only be viewed at home and won‘t appear in the mobile apps. This is a bit disappointing compared to alternatives like DirecTV that allow mobile offline viewing.

But an upgrade introduced in late 2022 finally enables offline downloads with YouTube TV. By adding the 4K Plus package for $19.99/month, you can save unlimited recordings to your mobile device for viewing when internet is unavailable. For frequent travelers, this add-on may prove worthwhile.

YouTube TV 4K Plus Add-On

Earlier I mentioned the 4K Plus upgrade for YouTube TV. This optional paid add-on brings some beneficial perks:

• 4K streaming – Ultra HD picture quality where available
• Unlimited streams – No restrictions on concurrent viewers
• Offline downloads – Download recordings to mobile to watch offline
• Dolby 5.1 audio – Improved surround sound

The 4K Plus package runs $9.99/month for the first year, increasing to $19.99/month after 12 months.

For households needing more than 3 streams, or wishing to access DVR recordings offline, the upgrade may merit consideration. Of course, you‘ll need a 4K TV to take advantage of the higher resolution perk.

But for the casual viewer, the base YouTube TV plan should provide sufficient access and features.

YouTube TV Cons and Limitations

While YouTube TV serves up a solid live TV streaming option, there are some downsides to note as well:

• Limited streams – Base plan allows just 3 concurrent streams
• No way to increase streams – Unlike some competitors
• Restrictive mobile access – Can‘t view DVR on the go without upgrading
• 1080p max resolution – No 4K streaming with base plan
• Sports blackouts – Regional games may be blocked

The stream limitations can prove frustrating for larger households. Workarounds like network apps provide partial relief, but power users may wish for native support for more concurrent viewers.

And without upgrading to 4K Plus, you miss out on key mobile features. Recording downloads, higher resolution, and unlimited streams require paying an extra $10-20 per month.

For sports fans, local blackout restrictions can block hometown teams – requiring use of alternate solutions like VPNs.

But for many viewers, YouTube TV hits the sweet spot between channel selection, usability, and price. And the generous free DVR storage is a major perk.

The Bottom Line

Let‘s review the key takeaways around multi-viewer and device support:

• The standard YouTube TV subscription enables up to 3 simultaneous streams
• There is no way to natively increase streams on the base $64.99/month plan
• The 4K Plus upgrade ($19.99/month) provides unlimited concurrent viewing
• Streaming is supported on a wide variety of devices and platforms – mobile, desktop, smart TVs, etc
• You can access select network apps separately without counting against streams
• DVR recordings can‘t be viewed on mobile without the 4K Plus package
• Overall YouTube TV offers decent sharing capability, but trails options allowing more streams

I hope this detailed overview gives you a good sense of how YouTube TV handles multi-device streaming! Let me know if you have any other questions.

And happy streaming!

Sources

[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/23/google-youtube-tv-subscribers-household-size-and-retention.html