best cable TV alternatives in 2023

We implore you to cancel your cable with one of the best cable TV alternatives, immediately. Because most can cut the cord — while holding onto important channels such as ESPN, TNT, and USA — and you’ll wonder why you stayed with cable for so long.

Consolidated features, a more visually pleasant user interface, and, most of all, a monthly subscription plan are all potential benefits of switching to a live TV provider. We ask that you no longer pledge annually. You may go back and forth between the various cable channels whenever you choose.

We’re enthused about the best alternatives to cable TV since they provide most of the broadcast, entertainment, news, and sports channels you care about. Our least expensive option does, however, have far fewer channels. The latest price increase is frustrating despite the addition of a major broadcast network.

This list is for you if you’re seeking for an alternative to cable TV but still want to keep up with local news, major sporting events, and new episodes of your favorite reality series. Although the cost of several of them has gone up, they are still more affordable than cable. However, a dispute over contractual conditions has the potential to deprive certain providers, like cable, of some of their channels. Two of our choices had caught this in the last several years, but they both made full recoveries.

The best cable TV alternatives you can buy today

YouTube TV is still a popular alternative to traditional cable TV since it is simple, quick to use, and has a wide variety of channels to choose from. Henry T. Casey, a staff writer here, just switched from Sling TV to YouTube TV but is now among the many who are disappointed by the service’s price increase. The limitless DVR storage that YouTube TV touted as a selling point has been replicated by Hulu. In addition to all of your favorite network comedies and dramas, you can also catch up on your local news and sporting events. When compared to traditional cable, YouTube TV’s delay times for live events are among the best.

We think YouTube TV is great because it has the most potential to eventually surpass cable. Live broadcasts may be delayed by as little as one minute on Sling and other providers. (considerable for sports and live events). YouTube TV’s key plays feature is great for rapidly reviewing highlights from games you’ve taped. In addition, as of September 2022, YouTube TV for Apple TV and Fire TV supports 5.1-channel audio.

only available on certain Roku, Google/Android TV, and Smart TV models.

An April 2023 YouTube TV price hike raises its bill to $73 per month, which puts it closer to all of the other major services not named Sling). The lack of forced bundling may be a pro or con based on your vantage point, but anyone who doesn’t need Disney Plus and ESPN Plus probably appreciates it. YouTube TV will offer NFL Sunday Ticket as a paid add-on in 2023.

Sling TV is the best cable TV alternative for a simple reason: its lower price and customizable nature feel truly in line with the idea of cutting the cord. So much so that TG’s streaming team (Henry T. Casey and Kelly Woo) chose it to replace the cable. Admittedly, Henry’s switched his service to our next pick, because of the below regional sports price increases.

Sling TV, which is also on our list of the top streaming services, has the lowest monthly cost of any service that includes ESPN or FOX and NBC ($40, up from $20) and is now offering a 50% discount on the first month of subscription. The service provides two channel bundles (Orange and Blue) and allows subscribers to customize their experience with a la carte channels for an additional monthly fee of $5.

Check out our Sling Orange vs. Blue comparison to learn more about the channels available on each plan, including why Orange lost ESPN for two days and why Blue gets Fox and NBC. However, Sling Blue and Sling Orange & blue now have a peculiar new twist. ABC on Sling TV is free to individuals in Fresno, Houston, and Raleigh, but costs $5 in the Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose metro areas. Sling Orange & Blue will cost as much as $60 as a result.

Sling TV offers a wide variety of channels covering everything from sports to comedies to children’s shows to international networks. If only its cloud DVR were infinite, like YouTube and Hulu, it would be perfect. Check out our What Is Sling TV? and Sling TV discount codes sites for further information, including channel lineups and price. When compared to the starting prices of Sling’s main rivals, Orange+Blue is still much cheaper.

Although most of these services provide some sports programming, FuboTV stands out as a top alternative to cable because to its extensive coverage of almost all major sports. Fubo users get access to all games broadcast on the NFL Network, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. Local broadcast networks are abundant on Fubo as well. (including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC). You may also tune in to the local and international sports-focused TUDN (previously known as Univision Deportes Network), Big Ten Network, and Golf Channel stations. This feast is perfect for sports fans. Once only accessible on DirecTV Stream, local sports networks are now available on Fubo.

The most glaring problem with Fubo is that the cost of its most basic package, the Pro, is $35 higher than that of Sling Orange. More than 150 channels are included, much more than in any of the other mentioned bundles, although this comes at a premium price. The lack of TBS (for Major League Baseball live streams) and TNT (for National Basketball Association live streams) may deter American sports fans from utilizing Fubo. (and All Elite Wrestling).

Hulu started as an on-demand streaming service, and now it now offers live TV, but only to those who are willing to pay a substantial premium for it. More than 85 live channels, including A&E, ESPN, and TNT, are included in the $70 monthly price of Hulu Plus. Disney Plus and ESPN Plus are also included. (though both have ads). Our in-depth testing of Hulu with Live TV revealed, however, that the service sometimes experiences buffering, which is unacceptable in 2018.

When compared to other cable-cutting options, Hulu with Live TV has one of the most aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly interfaces. Commercials are still heavily featured in Hulu broadcasts, but you may pay an additional $13 per month to remove them. In addition, Hulu, like YouTube, now provides limitless cloud DVR storage. For additional details, check out how Hulu Plus Live stacks up against YouTube TV.

The availability of Hulu’s original series and other on-demand programming is a major perk. In addition, the FX on Hulu partnership has brought several popular shows to the streaming service, including “The Shield” and “Atlanta.” Not all streaming services provide the critically acclaimed series The Handmaid’s Tale, Normal People, or Little Fires Everywhere. As we’ll see below, several different systems support 5.1-channel audio on Hulu with Live TV.

The service has been rebranded as “DirecTV Now,” “DirecTV on AT&T,” and “AT&T TV Now,” but none of the underlying problems have been fixed. Even the most basic Entertainment package costs $75 a month, which is more than the market average, yet it only includes “more than 75 channels.” It also offers a DVR, however, unlike YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV, it deletes recordings after 90 days. When compared to other options, it’s a mountain of “meh.”The other plans need a yearlong commitment, which is too long for most people.DirecTV Stream now competes with competitors like Fubo by offering real-time scoring updates.

Since many cord-cutters do so in order to continue receiving particular regional sports networks, our hearts go out to the sports lovers who can only watch their teams on DirecTV Stream. There’s only that one caveat! The $90 package is the only way to get those channels. If you want to know more about where to watch the NFL, NBA, MLB, and other live sports, then check out our comprehensive guide.

We hope that the quality will have increased by the time we retest it. When taken together, these drawbacks make this service a poor option at best. Learn more about the differences between these and other services by reading our Hulu Live vs. YouTube TV comparison, which also includes DirecTV Stream.

How to choose the best cable TV alternative for you

There are a few techniques to narrow down the best alternatives to cable TV. The most obvious way to do this is by cost. A simple purchase choice presents itself if your monthly outlay is less than $40. The sole service available is Sling TV, which offers two $40-per-month subscriptions (Orange and Blue). It may not have as many channels, but the alternatives all begin at $50 a month or more, which might be discouraging if you also want to pay for $8-$20 per month for streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus.

If you want ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, though, along with all of your other local broadcast channels, you’ll have to go elsewhere than Sling TV. Once the cheapest option, YouTube TV now matches the price of Hulu with Live TV if you want all four local channels. Hulu, on the other hand, is where you can find critically acclaimed shows like “Normal People,” “Shrink,” “Ramy,” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”

How we test cable TV alternatives

We test the services on a variety of devices, from streaming boxes and smart TVs to mobile applications, to decide which ones are the best for you to use after you cut the cord. Discover which services are reliable and which can be disregarded with this handy tool. We’re evaluating providers that offer real-time broadcasts, as opposed to the linear “live” TV offered by services like Pluto TV.

We evaluate the aesthetic quality of these streaming services’ user interfaces as we utilize them. The finest streaming services have user-friendly interfaces that make it simple to navigate and find new content. The next step is to evaluate the considerable variations in channel offerings across services. We also consider the availability of different subscription tiers from the same streaming provider.

Finally, we think about cost and worth. In any case, the finest streaming options may help you save money on cable. Therefore, we compare the services you get for the price with those of the competitors.