How to Save Money on Your TV Bill in 2024
If you’re ready to cut the cord in 2024, there are multiple ways to get more video than you could stream in a lifetime and save!
According to Consumer Affairs, the average person spends between $85-$100 per month on a pay TV subscription. As the price of seemingly everything else rises, entertainment spends are often among the first items to be trimmed when annual budget reviews are done, and cord cutters often find they can save hundreds of dollars per year by leaving cable behind.
First Step: Decide What You Value Watching Most
The best place to start when figuring out how to save money on your TV bill is deciding what type of programming you value most. If you’re a person who prizes the ability to watch top cable channels like AMC, Discovery, ESPN, FX, Nickelodeon and others, the first place you’ll want to look is at live TV streaming services.
If broadcast TV networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW are what you enjoy watching most, you’ll want to get an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. These typically cost $40 or less, and they don’t require a subscription or any kind of monthly fee. Most also allow users to watch digital channels as well as broadcast networks.
If premium streaming titles like “Stranger Things,” “House of the Dragon,” Marvel’s “Echo” or “The Bear,” a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service is the way to go. These services typically cost $20 per month or less, and allow the user to cancel any time.
The good news is, there’s no wrong answer to the question “What do I want to watch?” There are plenty of ways to mix and match these services to enjoy every kind of video you want, and multiple price points for every budget are available.
Which Live TV Streaming Services Are Best for Cord Cutters?
If cable channels are your favorite way to watch TV, there are several live TV services The Streamable recommends. Users with a budget of around $75-$100 per month should look into platforms like DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo if they value live sports, news and entertainment, as well as YouTube TV. Each of these platforms offers hundreds of channels and most have multiple plans to choose from.
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DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a live TV streaming service, which is essentially the streaming version of the DIRECTV service. All packages include local channels and at least 31 of the top 35 cable channels. New subscribers can get a free Gemini streaming device from the company, in which case the service is called “DIRECTV via Internet.”
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Fubo
Fubo is a live TV streaming service with about 90 top channels that start at $79.99 per month. This plan includes local channels, 25 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). In total, you should expect to pay about $91.99 per month, after adding in their RSN Fee. Fubo was previously known as “fuboTV.”
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Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $76.99/month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels, 33 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra charge.
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YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $72.99/month. This plan includes local channels, 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The service includes an unlimited DVR.
For a budget between $25 and $40 per month, Sling TV and Philo are perfect. Sling has around 40 channels for $40 per month, with the ability to add extra channels in bundles. Philo doesn’t stream top cable channels like ESPN, nor does it carry locals in any market, but at $25 per month it’s a fantastic way to watch channels like A&E, Lifetime and more.
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Sling TV
Sling TV is a live TV streaming service that helps users save money with the option of two distinct plans. The $40/month “Sling Orange” plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $40/month “Sling Blue” plan offers about 40 channels, including Fox and NBC local channels.
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Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers which includes 60+ channels for $25 per month. It’s an especially attractive option for fans of live TV who don’t watch sports.
Now, clearly some of these live TV services don’t cost any less per month than a cable subscription, and sometimes they cost more. But most live TV services cut out the hidden fees that are associated with cable, and most importantly they feature month-to-month contracts, so the subscriber isn’t locked in if they decide their service is no longer working for them.
Which SVOD Services Are Best for Cord Cutters?
There is so much variety in the SVOD world. Some services offer livestreams of linear TV channels, while others offer enormous on-demand libraries and host their own occasional live events. If you want to stream live TV channels on your SVOD service, check out Paramount+ with Showtime and Peacock Premium Plus, which offer live streams of CBS and NBC, respectively at $11.99 per month.
If you value live sports alongside on-demand streaming content, Paramount+ and Peacock both offer a wide variety. Paramount+ includes Sunday afternoon NFL action every week and specializes in live soccer, while Peacock carries “Sunday Night Football” in addition to a wealth of college sports, every event of the Summer Olympics in 2024, and much more. Max carries all live NBA, NHL and MLB games appearing on TBS and TNT, and ESPN+ streams tens of thousands of sporting events from the NFL, NHL, MLB and top college conferences every year. Prime Video offers a weekly stream of “Thursday Night Football” during the NFL season.
The pure entertainment lovers out there will be best served with platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, though to be sure you can find top franchises and blockbuster movies on Paramount+ and Peacock. Max and Apple TV+ are your best bets for prestige TV, and each of these services offers thousands of on-demand titles that the customer can watch any time.
Best for cord cutters is the fact that each of these services starts at $9.99 per month or less. You can stack several of them and not come close to the price you paid every month for cable, and you have the power of choice; will it be ad-free or ad-supported for your family? Do you want the freedom to watch a single show and cancel that streaming service? SVOD platforms put the choice in your hands.
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Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is a subscription video streaming service for $9.99 a month that includes high-quality original shows and movies including Best Picture winner “CODA,” popular sitcom “Ted Lasso,” and dramas like “The Morning Show” and “Severance.” Apple TV+ is also home to MLB baseball games on Friday nights and MLS Season Pass.
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Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
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ESPN+
ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events, original shows like Peyton’s Place, the entire library of 30 for 30, E:60, The Last Dance, as well exclusive written analysis from top ESPN insiders. Sports available on ESPN+ include NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more.
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Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid's Tale.”
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Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
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Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
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Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including NFL, MLB, WWE, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, French Open, College Football and Basketball, and PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
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Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
Are Free Streamers the X-Factor?
Free ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms are the closest thing outside of live TV streaming to the traditional cable experience. They often feature hundreds of free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels in a grid-style display that lets users browse, and many channels only offer a single show with a curated list of episodes that air just like live TV.
Free streaming platforms carry content in all genres, both live and on-demand. They never require a credit card to sign up for, and most don’t even ask you to create an account before you start watching. They’re a great way to supplement whichever mode of video you like best at no additional monthly cost.
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Crackle
Crackle is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to movies and TV Shows.
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Freevee
Freevee is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to thousands of movies and TV shows. The service also offers 400+ virtual live streaming channels like Dove Channel, CON TV, Docurama, Tastemade, and AMC Presents. Freevee was previously known as IMDb TV.
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Plex
Plex is a free streaming service that includes on-demand access to 50,000+ movies and TV shows. The service also offers 1,100+ free-to-stream live TV channels in 193 countries. Users can also connect Plex to their computers to stream and share any media they have on their hard drives.
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Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free live TV streaming service that provides 350+ live linear streaming channels and more than 80,000 free movies and TV shows. The library contains entertainment from several different decades, including some major hits.
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Tubi
Tubi is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 200,000+ movies and TV episodes - more than any other streaming service. Its ad breaks are shorter and less frequent than most free services. Fox executives have called their service “TV on steroids.”
The Bottom Line
Cord cutting can be intimidating, especially for customers who watched a lot of TV with their cable subscription. But The Streamable has been covering the best ways to supplant a cable subscription ever since 2017, and you can take our recommendations knowing that they include expert advice with real-world experience with the services in question. There are lots of ways to save money on your TV bill in 2024 if you’ve left cable behind, while simultaneously having the best entertainment in the world at your fingertips.