It is very stressful to see bills for cable TV routinely summing up to $200, therefore it comes with no surprise that people are searching for alternatives. Decreasing the cable bills can obviously save a lot of money. You would be definitely shocked to learn how much money you spend regularly on TV! Yet cutting on these subscriptions can be stressful too. Yet it can feel like the Wild West in the whole streaming world — it is mind wrecking how many streaming services and devices one can choose from! To get the service you are so used to will take loads of research and quite some effort.
The precise amount you will have the possibility to save depends on the number of channels you want to have access to. Popular streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Sling TV come at different monthly fees and offer a variety of content to choose from. However, you will be needing a high-speed Internet service to be able to watch these videos.
And, it is important to consider that you will no longer have the cable box when you cancel your subscription, therefore you will have to get some new hardware to get your TV back on track. Here are a few solutions you should consider:
HULU
If you want to keep up with the latest trends and TV shows, yet do not want to invest in a long term cable subscription or an HD antenna, Hulu is a great option for you. What it does is that it provides you with access to most major network shows (note that no CBS’ programs though) and a variety of cable shows the day after they air. It also enables you to watch a show’s current season — or even often all of the program’s episodes from all seasons. Furthermore, you can enjoy several original shows (including even joint ventures with the BBC, like The Wrong Mans and season 4 of The Thick of It), a variety of offbeat movies and a great amount of classic anime series. However, note that even a paid subscription includes commercials that you cannot skip, yet there are fewer than if you watched the same shows on cable.
Sling TV
What’s know as cord cutting, meaning ditching TV all together for watching videos online, sounds very appealing, especially for those tired of the expensive TV services. Yet it might be hard to make the transition, especially due to the limited availability of content online, especially live sports. Good price, satisfying channel packages and ubiquitous availability, though, got many people wondering about Sling TV.
Sling TV (starting at $30 per month) is one of the best streaming services currently available on the market, it is aimed at hesitant cord cutters as well as young people who never even had payed TV. Sling TV offers ESPN and a variety of great content, such as AMC, A&E, Food Network, HGTV, Lifetime and the Disney Channel, including RedZone from the NFL Network.
Sling TV also offers great discounts on some of the streaming-media boxes, of course it’s for people who are willing to prepay for three months service, which also includes a free Fire TV Stick and a free Google Nest Hub. Other latest changes and updates, detailed below, include Cloud DVR and additional great news channels that will be coming to Sling Blue.
YouTube TV
Youtube needs no introduction and explanations on why it is as popular as it is. It is no wonder that it expanded into live TV services too. For just $35 per month, you can have access to roughly 40 channels — which, to be honest, is not that many. However, these include some great networks, especially for those into into sports: a number of stations from ESPN, CBS Sports and Fox Sports. YouTube TV’s biggest selling point is the service’s unlimited DVR feature, meaning you can record as much as you please and have full access to it for whole 9 months. However, the whole integration with the rest of the YouTube frankly feels a bit half-baked, though.
Amazon Fire TV
Now for those of you who aren’t that much of Apple’s, but more of the Amazon’s customer, the $90 Fire TV can turn out to be a more suitable option. Though the cost is a bit more than the Fire TV Stick ($40), it offers support for 4K streaming video and works well along Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant through the remote control, meaning you will be able to easily skip forward or find the content you want. Like many other streaming services, Fire TV supports Netflix, however it will prioritise you toward its own Prime Video, which includes some really exclusive movies and programs. It also offers many options for customisation according to your wishes, you will be able to add more than 90 premium and specialty channels, which include HBO and Showtime and you won’t have to subscribe for cable.
Netflix
Netflix is a definite must-have for those looking to quit their cable subscriptions. As studies show, 76% of Netflix customers are sure that Netflix can fully replace traditional TV as we know it. Netflix has a vast variety of top TV shows both old and new, which is simply great. You get access to hundreds of movies across every category and genre you can think of. But, one of the best things when it comes to Netflix is the great original series. “House of Cards,” “Master of None,” “Orange Is The New Black,” and more recently “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones” are just a few from the top list. Netflix keeps adding new and original content and definitely is the best way to spend you money.
Apple TV
If you own an iPhone and iPad—your world must be all Apple’s apps— then it makes good sense to switch to Apple when going for cord-cutting. Starting at $149, Apple TV offers most of the major streaming services with a variety of plans to choose from which include exclusive content, like James Corden’s popular spinoff the Carpool Karaoke segment. The set top box also supports a staggering number of 1,600 video apps, has a very impressively working recommendation engine, and all your movies, music, or TV shows purchased via iTunes. In addition, it enables you to use your TV to display photos and videos from your iPhone or your iCloud.
Disney Plus
Disney has also been joining the game and hoovering up many beloved properties over the last few years, even such as Star Wars and basically everything that belongs to the 20th Century Fox, which as the result means hundreds upon hundreds of hours of amazing interesting content to watch.
There is as always the price to consider, which is surprisingly cheap. Very, very cheap indeed. There’s even a Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN package for just $12.99 a month in the US which makes this deal even sweater. There are even Disney Plus downloads which basically enables you to watch shows and movies offline, which works even if the content gets removed from the service. However, since it is limited to Disney content solely, some might find the variety not that satisfactory. Disney Plus combined with another streaming service might be a good option, however that will cost you around $20 a month.
Google Chromecast
If you are looking to upgrade the quality of your picture without all the cable or satellite commitments, you might want to look into Google offers. It’s high-end streaming stick can display 4K ultra-high definition and HDR (high dynamic range) video. The $69 streamer connects through Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable, of course with the later being a much better choice if you want to enjoy 4K content. If you are familiar with the standard Chromecast model, you will know that it connects your television to such services as Netflix, Pandora MLB.tv and HBO Now. You can purchase Google’s Chromecast ultra from Target, Walmart, or Best Buy.
Roku Streaming Stick
Roku is known for building some of the best streaming devices. It comes with a handy remote that has an option to programmable shortcut buttons and a headphone jack. It comes in handy when you want to watch TV without disturbing others around you. While the old-style Ultra box supports 802.11ac for Wi-Fi streaming, it also comes with an Ethernet port.
Just like all other Roku devices, this one enables you to use more streaming services than any two of its competitors. So if you want to have the possibility to enjoy exploring the hundreds of video services out there, this should be your number one choice.
Another great advantage when it comes to Roku is its simple interface. It might not be as flashy, but it is easy and it’s a great pleasure to use. At a $99.99 list price, it might not be the cheapest option on the market, but you know what you pay for.
HBO
The low-down: HBO Max revealed a great load of details back in October, and among it was the price ($14.99/month), and some big names that will be arriving on the streaming service, such as Rick and Morty and South Park.
Furthermore, a Green Lantern TV show is in the works, while new Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, will also be included into the HBO Max, however the dates aren’t clear yet.
However, as we all know, not everything has to be shiny and new to be worthwhile. For the same price you are getting full access to the whole HBO’s back library, so don’t worry if you missed some of the The Sopranos or The Wire up, it is all there waiting for you.
Speaking of the old shows, the legendary TV series Friends will also be on HBO Max exclusively from May 2020. $14.99/month may be a bit much to pay just for all ten seasons of Friends, but it is really nice to know they will be there, especially along with Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Warner, and Crunchyroll.
