Before we dig into streaming services, let’s first look at cable, which is the biggest chunk of many households’ monthly home entertainment bill.
My wife and I considered canceling our DirecTV satellite service but decided to keep it because it’s a good way for her to see most Yankees games. You may likewise find that a traditional cable (or satellite) package is the best way to get all the network TV you want. You may be able to negotiate for a cheaper cable TV rate, but other options might still be cheaper.
One other thing to consider is that several cable companies are now offering their own lower-cost streaming packages. Comcast’s Now TV, for example—marketed under the company’s Xfinity brand—is a streaming bundle that offers more than 40 live cable channels, about 20 free channels, plus Peacock Premium, for just $20 a month. There’s also a newer Now StreamSaver package that includes 40 channels of live TV, plus Apple TV+, Netflix Standard (with ads), and Peacock Premium, for $30 a month, or $60 a month when bundled with the company’s 300 Mbps internet service.
Charter offers a $40-a-month Spectrum TV Stream plan for its internet customers, which includes more than 90 live channels. There’s also a Spectrum Stream Latino plan, which features 45 Spanish-language channels for $25 per month.
But neither of these cable company plans include any live local or sports channels, so they’re not for everyone.
Of course, the least pricey approach of all is to use an inexpensive indoor antenna. If you live in or near a city, it might allow you to receive all the traditional networks, including local broadcasts, for free.
If you get good reception, an indoor antenna will get ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, plus PBS, Telemundo, and dozens of digital subchannels that have been added over the past 20 years. CR has tested good antennas selling for as little as $20. Just check the return policy in case it turns out that you have poor reception in your home.
If an antenna won’t work for you, consider using a cable replacement service. It may be cheaper than your cable plan and give you much of the same programming. Cable replacement services stream over the internet, just like Netflix, but they carry local networks and many other stations found on cable. Prices for these services—Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and some others—have been rising, but they may still be cheaper than a cable or satellite package.
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