According to the latest data, the average US household now pays over $200/month for cable TV.
It's clearly too much. For this amount, you could subscribe to Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video—and still have money left over.
If you've decided enough is enough, keep reading. As experienced cord-cutters who've tested dozens of services, here are the best cable TV alternatives to help you slash costs without sacrificing your favorites.
No single service perfectly replicates cable, so assess your viewing habits first and build a customized package. Key factors to consider:
Match these to the options below. For more, check our guide to ditching cable.
Cord-cutting services split into live TV and video-on-demand (VOD), with free and paid tiers. Start with live TV.
In the US, top affordable options include Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, AT&T TV NOW, and Philo—proven winners for cord-cutters. Sports fans love FuboTV's extensive lineup.
Expect channels like ABC, FOX, CBS, AMC, Nickelodeon, MSNBC, FOX Sports, ESPN, CNN, MTV, NBC, Disney, and more. Tiers scale with price; pick lean plans to maximize savings. Add-ons cover international channels, premium sports, extra screens, HBO, or SHOWTIME.
Dive deeper in our best live TV streaming services roundup.
UK options: NOW TV (no-contract) with Sports, Kids, Entertainment, Cinema, or Reality packs—Sports tops £30/month or £10/day. Also TVPlayer (£7/mo) and FilmOn TV (£20/mo), sans premium channels.
For ultimate savings, try Pluto TV or Plex. They stream premium nets like CBSN, CNN, NBC, Sky News, Bloomberg, plus music, kids, and niche channels.
UK: BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub for full live channels (use ExpressVPN abroad).
Don't overlook antennas. In major US cities, snag NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, The CW, PBS Kids, and more for free—covering Super Bowl, NBA Finals, US Open, Stanley Cup, UEFA Champions League, French Open, CONCACAF Gold Cup, NASCAR, and MLB.
Integrate with Plex or Kodi via HDHomeRun tuner. See our TV antenna guide.
UK: Freeview for BBC1/2, ITV, Channel 4, Dave, Paramount, HGTV, Sony, PBS.
Movie/TV buffs can skip live TV entirely with VOD giants.
Core picks: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+. Networks like HBO Max, Paramount+ (ex-CBS All Access), Peacock, Starz, SHOWTIME (under $15/mo) for fresh episodes. Brit fans: Acorn TV (modern) vs. BritBox (BBC/ITV classics). Compare Acorn TV vs. BritBox.
Crackle, IMDb TV, Vudu, Roku Channel for classics. YouTube's official channels deliver full episodes, movies, kids' shows.
Any mix guarantees big savings—no more $200+ bills or hidden fees. Start streaming smarter today.
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