Cord cutting enthusiasts have predicted the death of cable for some time now.

This last year has seen two live streaming services, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue, refine themselves into well-functioning cable TV alternatives. AT&T also presented its own internet TV solution, DIRECTV NOW, but it apparently hasn’t worked out the kinks as well as its predecessors.

2017 promises a host of new entrants that could ultimately take the crown as the best streaming TV service out there.

But admittedly, it’s all a bit confusing. The idea of live, linear internet TV is still fairly new.

Let’s break down all your current and pending live streaming cable TV alternatives.

Services Currently on the Market

Sling TV

This streaming service, owned by Dish Network, was an early entry into the TV streaming market. Sling TV was one of the first services to let subscribers watch a live streaming version of the same channels they normally could only watch through a cable subscription.

Not only was it a first mover, but in the early goings it defined the market. Sling TV set the standard in terms of price, channels offered, and compatibility.

New competitors have certainly arrived, with even more on the way, but Sling TV has carved out a strong niche for itself.

Sling TV has nothing to do with the once-popular Sling Box. You don’t need a Sling Box for Sling TV to work. The service is available on nearly every device, ranging from Apple TV to smartphones to Xbox One consoles.

The Details

Of all the streaming services letting you stream live TV, Sling TV’s starting price of either $20 or $25 per month is the lowest out there.

The service was the first to offer the popular “skinny bundle” with a much lower channel package size than cable TV, but for a much lower price tag. And it was the first to offer the first of many ways to watch ESPN without cable.

The $20 per month option, Sling TV’s Orange package, includes more than 30 channels to stream. It has a little bit of everything, including sports channels like ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, and news channels like CNN. Other channels with big draws such as AMC, Food Network, TBS, TNT, and Comedy Central.

The Blue package on Sling TV has a starting price of $25 per month for about 45 channels to stream. The biggest difference between the two packages is Sling Blue doesn’t have the ESPN networks. Instead, it features several FOX-owned channels like FS1, FS2, FX, FOX Sports regional networks (for watching your hometown sports), and even the FOX flagship in specific locations. Other inclusions are TruTV, NFL Network, NBCSN, and NBC (available in limited areas).

What really separates Sling TV from competitors is its flexibility. People hate paying exorbitant prices for cable when they watch maybe only a handful of channels.

Sling TV attempts to solve this by combining its low starting price with add-on packages.The add-ons each cost you between $5 and $15 per month.

There are sports packages, news packages, and even a package focused solely on kids programming. There are also more premium type add-ons like HBO or Starz for $15 and $9 per month, respectively.

Of course, Sling TV does have its drawbacks. The Sling Orange package will only allow you to stream on one device at a time (Sling Blue ups it to three devices). And if you need a cloud DVR, you’re out of luck for the time being. However, Sling TV is currently beta testing a cloud DVR with Roku users, so this issue should disappear soon enough.

PlayStation Vue

Sony was the second main player in the streaming TV market with its PlayStation Vue. At launch, Vue was only available in a small amount of markets.

It launched nationwide in early 2016. At first, PlayStation Vue and Sling TV were on different ends of the spectrum in terms of price and channel packages. Now the gap has lessened, allowing PlayStation Vue to become a legitimate cable replacement.

PlayStation Vue has suffered more brand confusion than Sling TV since people tend to equate the PlayStation name with the gaming console. Like Sling TV, PlayStation Vue is now available on most devices.

The Details

In most markets, PlayStation Vue has a starting price of $29.99 per month for the Access Slim package. This price includes around 50 channels that include some from both Sling TV packages like ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and NBCSN, TBS, and TNT. Non sports fans can watch CNN, BBC America, CNBC, HGTV, Disney Channel, and (obviously) much more.

Beyond the starting package, PlayStation Vue has packages that cost $35, $45, and even $65 per month. The Core Slim $35 per month package is essentially what someone searching for the answer to watching sports without cable would need. NFL Network, local sports networks, and several additional ESPN channels are included.

The $45 Elite Slim package has all 90 channels offered on the PlayStation Vue platform. It looks more like a traditional all-in cable package. So does the Ultra Slim package for $65 per month, which adds premium channels like HBO, Epix, and Showtime to those 90 channels.

The biggest differentiator for PlayStation Vue is its cloud DVR. You can record any show and let it sit in the cloud for 28 days. You can also stream on up to 5 devices simultaneously, which is useful for families with lots of people watching on their own devices. However, there are mobile restrictions that make the service difficult to use away from the home.

There are certain major markets that offer different packages. The big draw is they often include live network channels like CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX… something not available in many areas for streaming services.

DIRECTV NOW

AT&T didn’t want to miss out on the cable cutting fun, so it launched its foray into the market with DIRECTV NOW.

The service rolled out quickly at the end of 2016 with big-time offers trying to get people to sign up before the new year, like giving away 40 extra channels to stream and free streaming devices. While you can no longer get the free extra channels, you can prepay three months and get a free Apple TV.

The Details

DIRECTV NOW just entered the market and already owns the claim to the highest starting price of any streaming TV service at $35 per month. But it also has the largest starting channel package, so at least you get some bang for your buck.

There are over 60 channels included in this package, and the listings are very similar to Sling TV and PlayStation Vue. Like PlayStation Vue, there are more extensive packages that feature all the way up to 120 channels for $70 per month. You can also add actual premium networks like HBO for additional monthly fee regardless of which package you choose.

DIRECTV NOW looks and feels the most like traditional cable. The bundles are bigger, and the user interface contains a traditional grid programming guide.

Contrary to what the name might imply, DIRECTV NOW does not require a dish. The service is available on most major devices, although Roku devices are not currently supported. AT&T says it will add cloud DVR functionality sometime in the future.

Services on the Horizon

YouTube Unplugged

It’s almost surprising YouTube and its parent company Google weren’t in this market earlier.

YouTube Unplugged (the working name for Google’s live streaming service) is rumored to launch early this year.

The Details

As of right now, there’s not a lot of information out there about the specifics of the service. We do know that Google has come to an agreement with CBS, and is in talks with Disney and FOX. The service will likely come in at around $35 per month to start, with small bundles featuring less-watched TV channels.

How will YouTube Unplug play out in the current streaming market? Hard to say with such little information out there, but there are a couple of things worth considering.

First of all, Google owns the search results. So it’s possible it could inject its service into the top of search results. Think of the implications there. Someone searching for how to watch Monday Night Football are greeted with a button to YouTube Unplugged up top. Maybe even a small live preview. It could make Unplugged massive.

YouTube has been live streaming huge events successfully for years (remember the Royal Wedding?). So, while services like Sling TV had to work through the growing pains, YouTube has already proven it can handle the live streaming load.

Hulu

Hulu was one of the earlier streaming services along with Netflix.

It focused on watching on-demand content that had already aired on TV. Now, it looks like it will be pivoting into the live TV streaming market in early 2017.

The Details

Hulu has the advantage of being owned by TV networks like Disney, FOX, and Time Warner. This will likely make the negotiations and featuring of specific streaming channels much easier than many of the other services.

Set to launch in coming months, Hulu’s live service will focus on presenting the programming you want in an uncluttered user interface. This is the antithesis to the cable-like guide DIRECTV NOW features.

How will Hulu learn about your programming needs? According to Mike Snider from USA Today, you’ll be asked a series of questions about interests and favorite channels upon sign up. Hulu will then populate your home screen with recommendations based on your answers. From there, Hulu will follow your viewing habits to further tailor recommendations.

Hulu’s live service is expected to come in at under $40 per month.

FuboTV

While you might never have heard of it, FuboTV is far from the new kid on the block.

Launching right around the time that Sling TV came out in early 2015, FuboTV began as a service dedicated to soccer fans wanting to stream matches from around the world.

A recent $15 million investment from 21st Century FOX and Sky has changed the perspective of the service. FuboTV is now expanding to become a full-fledged cord cutting solution for sports fans.

The Details

FuboTV is currently a one-stop shop to stream matches from some of the best soccer leagues in the world. All of those matches cost only $9.99 per month or $95 for an annual subscription. Right now, it looks like this package will be discontinued, which could be a disappointment to current subscribers.

The new FuboTV will be much more similar to other streaming TV services. A monthly fee of $34.99 per month will let subscribers stream about 70 cable channels. It’ll be sports heavy with channels from FOX and NBC and tons of global soccer coverage. The service will continue to feature a cloud DVR.

VIDGO

There’s been speculation about VIDGO after the company went dark following its announcement at CES 2016.

While the company has leaked a bit of information here and there, some people wonder if the service will ever arrive.

The Details

The exact pricing, size of the channel packages, and release date are still unknown. The press release in late 2016 did suggest some of the featured channels will be ESPN and NFL Network for sports fans, plenty of entertainment channels from national providers, and even some local network channels in certain markets.

If VIDGO can find a way to distribute network channels like CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, and PBS across the U.S. then it could really separate itself. Right now, it looks like these channels may be limited like they are on other services.

VIDGO also rumored to have a build-your-own package. If VIDGO can pull this off, it may be the ultimate cord cutting solution. But for the time being, we wait and see.

It’s tough to imagine what the streaming TV market will look like a year from now, but it’ll certainly be more congested. Between the existing services on the market and the ones on the way it looks like cable cutters will have plenty of choices to choose from.

The best news? Since there are no contracts, you can try them all and stick with your favorite. Take that, Big Cable!

Chris Brantner is a freelance writer who specializes in cord cutting technology and streaming entertainment. He currently contributes to Motherboard, DSL Reports, the Roku Stream Blog, and other industry sites. He's also the founder of CutCableToday.com, the largest cord cutting resource on the web.