YouTube TV and the NFL Sunday Ticket are two options you will come across if you are looking for ways to watch NFL games. They are both separate services offered by the same company – Google- and many people use them together as a bundled package.
Therefore, if you are new to streaming, the difference and overlap between YouTube TV and the NFL Sunday Ticket can get murky and confusing.
But worry not! In this guide, we take a look at the distinct differences between the two services and what you get with each one of them.
What is YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is a subscription-based streaming service that offers live TV channels combined with on-demand content. The Google pay-TV service, considered by many as a replacement for traditional cable, features over 100 local broadcast, cable, and sports networks.
YouTube TV is one of the top platforms for watching the NFL, offering comprehensive coverage of local and national games.
What is the NFL Sunday Ticket?
The NFL Sunday Ticket is a premium sports package that offers out-of-market Sunday NFL games that are not aired by local networks.
The NFL Sunday Ticket is currently available exclusively on YouTube. However, unlike YouTube TV, it is a digital-only service; it offers live streams of NFL games, but it does not have traditional live TV channels.
Differences between YouTube TV and NFL Sunday Ticket
Below are the differences between YouTube TV and the NFL Sunday Ticket:
1. Type of service
The type of service offered is a significant difference between YouTube TV and the NFL Sunday Ticket.
YouTube TV is a streaming service that offers both live TV and on-demand content. The NFL Sunday Ticket, on the other hand, is a digital-only premium sports package that offers extended coverage of NFL games.
2. Service availability
YouTube TV is available on a monthly subscription basis, with the base plan (which includes CBS, FOX, ABC, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, and the NFL Network) priced at $82.99.
On the other hand, the NFL Sunday Ticket offers flexible purchase options; you can get it as a stand-alone service (Primetime channel on YouTube) or as an add-on to the Base Plan on YouTube TV.
Additionally, the Sunday Ticket is available as a season pass (either as a single payment or in monthly installments) or via a month-to-month subscription (with the option to cancel anytime).
As a stand-alone service on YouTube, the NFL Sunday Ticket costs $480 per season, rising to $522 with NFL RedZone.
On the other hand, as an add-on on YouTube TV, the NFL Sunday Ticket costs $378 (per season or $420 if you add NFL RedZone. However, when purchasing the Sunday Ticket as an add-on, you must also get the YouTube TV base plan for an additional $82.99 per month.
Note: The NFL Sunday Ticket prices above are for the 2025 NFL Regular season, which has since ended. Therefore, the prices might vary once the 2026 NFL Sunday Ticket is released.
3. NFL games offered
The type of games offered is another area where you will notice a difference between YouTube TV and the Sunday Ticket.
YouTube TV offers local and national (including preseason, regular season, and postseason) NFL games via channels like CBS, FOX, ABC, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, and the NFL Network.
On the other hand, the NFL Sunday Ticket offers out-of-market Sunday afternoon regular-season games that are not shown by local broadcast networks.
4. Other content you can receive
The NFL Sunday Ticket does not offer any content beyond out-of-market Sunday afternoon regular-season NFL games.
YouTube TV, on the other hand, offers over 100 channels, including major broadcast networks (like ABC, FOX, and CBS), popular cable channels, new channels, sports networks, and more.
Additionally, YouTube TV offers an extensive library of on-demand content (including movies, TV shows, and documentaries from participating channels) and unlimited cloud DVR.