Short answer: for most Hindi-speaking households the best single buy is a Sling TV Desi pack, because it's the only mainstream US service bundling Star, Sony and Colors content plus Willow cricket in one bill, starting around $15 a month for Desi Binge Plus. But Indian TV in the US is split by network owner, not by channel number, and that's the catch. Zee shows live mostly in the ZEE5 app. Star's catalog, after Hotstar left the US in 2021, sits largely inside Disney+ and Hulu. And JioHotstar, the app everyone in India uses, still isn't sold in the United States. Buy for the network your family watches, not for a channel count.
At a glance
Match the service to the network
| Hindi all-rounder | Sling Desi packs, from about $15 |
| Zee serials | ZEE5 Global app |
| Sony serials, Shark Tank India | SonyLIV, or via Sling |
| Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam | YuppTV or Sling Dakshin |
| Cricket | Willow, via Sling or other partners |
Start with the four networks
Almost every Hindi serial your family watches belongs to one of four groups. Each sells its US rights differently.
- Star (StarPlus, Star Bharat, Star Gold): now under the Reliance-Disney joint venture. In the US, a lot of the catalog is on Disney+ and Hulu, and Star channels have appeared in Sling's Desi packs.
- Zee (Zee TV, Zee Cinema, &TV): mainly through the ZEE5 Global app.
- Sony (SET, Sony SAB): through SonyLIV and Sling.
- Colors (Viacom18 originally): through Sling's Hindi packs, where it's branded Aapka Colors.
Ask your household which shows they actually follow and which channel those air on. That list, not a channel count, decides the purchase.
Services compared
| Service | Approx. price (Sep 2026) | Live or on demand | Strongest for | Weak spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sling Desi Binge Plus | About $15/mo | Both | Star, Sony, Willow in one bill | Zee is thin |
| Sling larger Hindi packs | About $25 to $50/mo | Live | Colors, SET, news channels | Price adds up |
| ZEE5 Global | Varies by plan | Mostly on demand | Zee serials and films | Little else |
| SonyLIV | Varies by plan | On demand, some live | Sony serials, Sony originals | Single network |
| YuppTV | About $10 to $45/mo | Live and catch-up | Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada | Hindi coverage varies |
| Disney+/Hulu | From $11.99/mo | On demand | Former Hotstar/Star catalog | No live Star channels |
Prices are approximate and vary by plan and promotion. Pack contents on Sling have changed several times in the last two years; check the current channel list before subscribing.
Sling Desi: the default pick
Sling is the only large US streaming company that treats Indian TV as a core product. Desi Binge Plus, at around $15 a month, has combined on-demand content from Hotstar Specials, SonyLIV and Star India with Willow HD and Indian news channels. The bigger Hindi packs add live Aapka Colors, SET India and more news.
It works on Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV and most smart TVs, and you can buy a Desi pack on its own, with no English-language base plan.
Suits: Hindi households with mixed tastes, and anyone who wants cricket and serials on one bill.
Not ideal if: your parents watch mostly Zee TV. Add ZEE5, or choose ZEE5 alone.
Network apps: ZEE5 and SonyLIV
If one network dominates, its own app is usually cheaper and has a deeper archive than any bundle.
ZEE5 Global carries Zee TV serials, often shortly after Indian broadcast, plus Zee films and originals. It's the obvious buy for Zee households and pointless for everyone else.
SonyLIV carries Sony's serials, reality shows and originals. It's also bundled into some Sling packs, so check you're not paying for it twice.
Both are available in US app stores. Watching on the TV rather than a phone? Which streaming device to use.
South Indian and regional languages
YuppTV is the specialist here. It's a licensed service with a long history in the US, and its packs are organized by language, with Telugu and Tamil strongest. Plans run roughly $10 to $45 a month depending on the language and channel count.
Sling's Dakshin pack covers South Indian content too, with a smaller live line-up. For Malayalam and Kannada, compare the two channel lists side by side; neither covers every channel.
Bengali, Marathi and Punjabi viewers have fewer choices. Check YuppTV first, then the network's own app.
Cricket is a separate purchase
None of the entertainment apps gives you international cricket as standard. In the US that's mainly Willow, which holds rights to most ICC events and many bilateral series. It's included in some Sling Desi packs and also sold through other TV partners and as a Prime Video Channel.
IPL rights in the US have moved between services in recent seasons. Check who holds the current season before March. Why sports streams fail at kickoff.
What not to buy
You'll see "all Indian channels, 5,000 channels, $60 a year" ads in WhatsApp groups and on community boards. No licensed provider can sell Star, Zee, Sony and Colors at that price, because the rights alone cost more. Those services stop working, and your card details have gone to an anonymous seller. How to tell before paying.
Also skip JioHotstar workarounds. JioHotstar serves India and a handful of other countries, not the US.
For more on how channel availability changed, Indian channels in the USA covers the history. Moving to Canada? The Canadian options are different.
Quick answers
What is the best Indian TV streaming service in the USA? Sling's Desi packs for most Hindi households. ZEE5 or SonyLIV if one network dominates, and YuppTV for South Indian languages.
Is JioHotstar available in the USA? No. It serves India and a few other markets. Much of the Star catalog is on Disney+ and Hulu in the US.
How can I watch Zee TV serials in the US? The ZEE5 Global app is the main licensed route.
Where can I watch Colors TV in the US? Sling carries Aapka Colors in its Hindi packs.
How do I watch cricket in the USA? Mainly through Willow, available with some Sling packs and other partners.
Is YuppTV legal? Yes. YuppTV is a licensed distributor of Indian channels.
Can I watch Indian TV on a Fire TV Stick or Roku? Yes. Sling, ZEE5, SonyLIV and YuppTV all have apps for the main platforms.
Prices are approximate and based on published US plans; Indian channel packs change with every rights renewal. Confirm the current channel list on the service's own site before subscribing. Checked September 2026.