Short answer: there's no Vietnamese equivalent of Sling's big language packs, so most households build their own mix. For shows made in Vietnam, VieON is the best licensed buy: it launched a US version in January 2024, its Global plan started at $4.99 a month, and it carries hit formats like Rap Việt and Vietnamese dramas. For Vietnamese-American news and talk, SBTN go is the official app of the Garden Grove-based network. And the catch: the "Vietnamese TV box" with every VTV and HTV channel that relatives recommend is almost always unlicensed, which is why it keeps breaking.
At a glance
Vietnamese TV in the US
| Shows from Vietnam | VieON Global, from $4.99/mo |
| Vietnamese-American TV | SBTN go app |
| Films | Netflix's Vietnamese titles |
| Free | Broadcasters' official YouTube, local stations |
| Big live package | None from a major US service |
Two kinds of Vietnamese TV
Before comparing services, figure out which your family wants, because they come from different places.
Television from Vietnam: VTV, HTV, THVL, and entertainment brands like Vie Channel. Game shows, dramas, music competitions and news produced in Vietnam. Licensed US distribution is patchy; streaming apps from Vietnam fill most of the gap.
Vietnamese-American television: SBTN, VNA TV, Little Saigon TV, and local stations in Orange County, San Jose and Houston. Community news, talk shows, Paris By Night-style music programming, and a political perspective that often differs sharply from state media in Vietnam. Many older viewers in the diaspora prefer these.
Plenty of households want both. That's fine: combined, they cost less than a single mainstream live TV service.
What's available, compared
| Option | Price (Sep 2026) | Content | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| VieON (US / Global) | Global plan launched at $4.99/mo; in-app tiers roughly $3 to $27 | Vie Channel shows, dramas, films; live channels vary by region | Entertainment from Vietnam |
| SBTN go | Monthly and yearly plans; price shown in app | SBTN news, talk, music, documentaries on demand | Diaspora news and culture |
| Netflix | From $8.99/mo | A growing list of Vietnamese films and series | Occasional viewers |
| Official YouTube channels | Free | Clips and full episodes from many Vietnamese broadcasters | Game and music shows |
| Local over-the-air stations | Free with an antenna | Vietnamese-language subchannels in some metros | Orange County, San Jose, Houston |
VieON and SBTN go set prices by region, and the App Store and Google Play can show different prices from the website. Check the final price before confirming.
VieON: the best licensed option from Vietnam
VieON is run by DatVietVAC, one of Vietnam's largest entertainment producers and the company behind Vie Channel. When it launched its US version in January 2024, it promised about 15,000 hours of content, with the large majority Vietnamese-made, including original series and formats like Rap Việt and The Masked Singer Vietnam.
In Vietnam the app also carries more than 110 live TV channels. Treat live channels as a bonus in the US rather than the reason to subscribe: broadcast rights for individual channels don't always extend overseas, so what you see depends on the account's region.
Suits: younger family members and anyone who follows Vietnamese entertainment shows.
Doesn't replace: full live VTV news coverage.
SBTN and Vietnamese-American stations
SBTN (Saigon Broadcasting Television Network) has broadcast to the Vietnamese diaspora from Southern California for decades. Its SBTN go app, on iPhone, Android and Roku, carries its news, talk shows, music, game shows and documentaries on demand, with casting and offline viewing.
In areas with large Vietnamese communities, several Vietnamese-American channels also broadcast free over the air on digital subchannels. If you live in Orange County, San Jose, Houston or parts of the Washington, D.C. area, an antenna may pick up more Vietnamese programming than any paid service. Choosing an antenna.
Some cable and telco TV systems in those areas also carry Vietnamese-American channels. Ask your local provider.
Free, legal and often overlooked
Vietnamese broadcasters and production companies put a lot on YouTube officially. Many game shows, music competitions and dramas post full episodes, sometimes within a day of airing. On a TV, the YouTube app on any streaming device works well, and it's often the easiest thing for grandparents to navigate.
Put that together with an antenna and a single VieON subscription, and a household can cover most of what it watches for about $5 a month.
The box problem
Most Vietnamese households in the US have been offered a box, often an Android box sold through a nail salon, a grocery store or a Facebook group, that promises every VTV, HTV and VTC channel for a one-off fee. These carry channels without US licenses, and they break regularly when the backend server changes or gets shut down. When the seller disappears, so does your money.
They also tend to ship with unknown apps that can't be updated. If you want a box for VieON, SBTN go and YouTube, buy a mainstream device instead. The device guide covers the options, and how to spot an unlicensed seller is worth sharing with relatives. What US law says explains where the legal line sits.
Quick answers
What is the best Vietnamese TV streaming service in the USA? VieON for shows from Vietnam, and SBTN go for Vietnamese-American news and culture. There's no big all-in-one live package.
Is VieON available in the US? Yes. It launched a US version in January 2024, with a Global plan starting at $4.99 a month.
Can I watch VTV live in the US? Not through a major US TV service. Some VTV content is available through official apps and YouTube, with availability varying by channel.
What is SBTN? A Vietnamese-American TV network based in Southern California. Its SBTN go app streams its programming on demand.
Can I get Vietnamese channels with an antenna? In some metros with large Vietnamese communities, yes, on digital subchannels.
Are Vietnamese IPTV boxes legal? Most carry channels without a license. They're risky and often stop working.
Does Netflix have Vietnamese shows? Yes, a growing selection of Vietnamese films and series.
Prices from VieON's US launch announcement and App Store listings; SBTN go pricing is set in-app by region. Availability of individual live channels varies. Checked September 2026.