Is Lifetime on YouTube TV? (Where to Watch Lifetime)

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Written By Charlie Sipe

 

Lifetime — home to reality TV shows like Dance Moms or Married at First Sight, as well as award-winning original series and shows (which then moved to other networks) like You and Grey’s Anatomy.

Let’s not forget about their vast array of Lifetime movies!

In the age of streaming services, you may be wondering where you can access Lifetime and whether or not it’s on popular platforms like YouTube TV.

So, is Lifetime on YouTube TV? 

Unfortunately, Lifetime is not on YouTube TV at this time. Lifetime is owned by A&E Networks, who have not made any agreement with YouTube to stream the channel. Instead, you’ll be able to watch Lifetime on other services such as DirectTV, Hulu, Philo, and Vidgo.

In this article, we’ll talk about:

  • Why Lifetime isn’t on YouTube TV, and
  • Where you are able to watch your favorite Lifetime shows and movies.

Let’s explore!

Why Is Lifetime Not Available on YouTube TV? 

A&E Networks Owns the Lifetime Channel

As A&E Networks own Lifetime, that means they get to call the shots on who they sell their services to. 

In order for a streaming service to air a channel, the network that owns the channel must come to an agreement with the streaming service.

YouTube TV Does Not Carry A&E

Currently, YouTube TV has not made an agreement with A&E Networks. This means that no A&E Network channels (such as Lifetime and the History Channel) are able to be streamed from YouTube TV.

While this could change in the future, there have been no announcements or suggestions that it’s going to happen any time soon.

Where Can You Watch Lifetime? 

While you currently aren’t able to watch Lifetime on YouTube TV, there are multiple other places you can watch this channel:

Local Cable

Local cable providers as well as Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, and Verizon Fios all include Lifetime in their channel line-up.

However, not everyone wants or can afford cable. The most basic packages tend to include the channels you may want (such as Lifetime), and more extensive packages are costly.

Additionally, if you live more rurally, you may not even be able to sign up for cable service as it may not be available in your area.

Satellite

Dish and DIRECTV, available through satellite TV, will also allow you to watch Lifetime. 

However, while it’s often more cost-effective than cable, you will need a satellite dish attached to your property (which may or may not be possible, depending on your personal circumstances).

Additionally, satellite services often require you to lock into a contract for an extended period of time. Finally, it can also be unreliable, depending on weather conditions.

Which Streaming Services Have Lifetime?

Luckily, you can access Lifetime across a variety of other streaming services even if YouTube itself isn’t an option.

DIRECTV Stream

DirectTV Stream offers several packages depending on what types of shows you like to watch. 

The basic package, Entertainment, costs $74.99 per month (excl. tax) and offers over 75 different channels including Lifetime.

In addition, streaming is allowed on unlimited devices while at home (on the same network), and up to three outside of your home.

You can trial this service for free for five days.

Hulu + Live TV

The Hulu + Live TV service offers over 85 channels for both live and on-demand streaming services and includes Lifetime.

It’ll cost you $69.99 per month (excl. tax), so it’s a little less expensive than DirectTV Stream. With this, you’ll be able to watch on two devices at home. 

It’s also possible to upgrade this base package so that you can watch on multiple screens at home, or three while you’re out and about.

Additionally, there’s support across a range of devices, including Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, One, and Series X|S. This is particularly convenient if you want to watch a show on something other than your TV or handheld device.

Hulu + Live TV can be trialed for free for seven days.

Philo

Philo offers over 70 channels both live and on-demand for only $25 per month, which makes it the cheapest available streaming service on this list. And yes, this does include Lifetime!

You can also watch on three separate devices simultaneously, and there are over 70,000 movies, shows, and specials in their back catalog. There’s also an option to add extra services for only a few dollars a month (such as Starz or MGM+).

You can watch Philo on all of the big-name streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, and Samsung TV (some restrictions apply to certain devices). 

Of course, you can also watch on your PC, Mac, Android device, Apple device, or Fire tablet. You can trial Philo for free for seven days.

Vidgo

Last on the list is Vidgo, which offers both English and Spanish streaming services for live and on-demand channels and TV. 

While they are primarily a sports, news, and entertainment streaming service, their cheapest English package — the English Plus — has over 110 available channels for $64.95 per month (excluding tax).

This includes Lifetime, and you’ll also get 20 hours of free DVR for your first 90 days with this package.

The other two English packages — English Premium ($79.95 per month) and English & Spanish Ultimate ($99.95 per month) — also include Lifetime, but Vidgo Mas ($39.95 per month) does not.

Unlike the other streaming services in this article, there’s, unfortunately, no free trial available for Vidgo.

The Bottom Line

While you can’t watch Lifetime on YouTube TV at the time of writing, there are plenty of other ways to get your fix of TV shows and Lifetime original movies!

If you aren’t a fan of cable or satellite services, try checking out the other streaming services where Lifetime is available. These include Direct TV, Hulu + Live TV, Philo, and Vidgo. 

Not only will you be able to watch Lifetime, but you’ll also have access to loads of other entertaining channels with your subscription.

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