2019 is the year of transition where we finally can get rid of our cable/ satellite DVR boxes and the monthly rental fees that go with them that cause our TV bills to be so high. On average households have about four cable or satellite boxes in their home including DVR service which translates to $19 per month for whole home DVR service and $7 per month for each box (your actual monthly pricing will vary depending on who is your cable / satellite provider). This comes out to about $47 per month just on rental fees alone. By time you add your internet bill with your TV bill you will be somewhere in the range of $200 per month. How much TV can you really watch consistently every single month to actually get your monies worth?
Now with Wi Fi internet speeds being faster and better around your home thanks to using the right hardware and having it properly installed you can enjoy streaming internet TV throughout your home. Streaming internet TV is where you can watch channels like ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC, ABC, HGTV, CNN, Bravo, and more simply by using an app on an Apple TV or other streaming device connected to your existing Sony, LG, Samsung or other TV. Monthly TV channel packages range from $20 per month and up with most averaging $40 per month.
The main reason why it is less money than you are paying now is because you are not paying the monthly rental fees for the cable/ satellite boxes. The pricing will be better controlled from going up quickly due to cable/ satellite companies not having to send service techs to your home to maintain satellite dishes, cable boxes , and so on. In the past the way to lower your monthly bill was to bundle your landline phone, internet, and TV channels together to get the best price. Now everything is moving to bundling your cell phone bill with your TV channels to get a bundle discount. Also what will help push this revolution out is opening up TV channel service to new competitors for our dollars. Currently many homes may have only two choices between the monopoly cable company and a satellite company. Now with TV channel service moving to being available through the internet on an app we are growing to six competitors this year and maybe more in the future. Here I take a look at four competitors that are currently available in 2019. This article will be updated from time to time as new information is available.
Updated Nov 14, 2019
Hulu No commercials with Live TV
$44 per month no contracts
Includes live TV channels below
- On demand shows with no commercials
- 50 hours of cloud DVR storage (Cannot forward through commercials on the basic plan. You can upgrade this plan to forward through commercials and have more recording hours. See below for details.)
- 2 week channel guide
Hulu Originals
Hulu original movies and TV series
Local
CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, MY TV
Sports
CBS Sports, ESPN, Espn2, Espn News, Espn U, Fox Prime Ticket, Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports West, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Golf, NBC Sports, SEC Espn
News
CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, HLN, MSNBC
Entertainment
Discovery, TLC, TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, History, A&E, FX , FXX, Syfy, USA, TBS, Tru TV, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Motor Trend
Lifestyle
HGTV, Bravo, E!, Lifetime, Oxygen, POP, FYI, Food Network, Travel Channel, Free Form
Kids
Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Sprout, Cartoon Network, Boomerang
Movies
FXM, LMN, TCM
Optional Add Ons:
Enhanced Cloud $15 per month
200 hours
Fast forward through commercials
No limit on simultaneous recordings
Watch on iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV
Unlimited Screens $15 per month
Unlimited multiple people watching different channels at home
plus 3 people watching different channels away from home
(Get both and save $15 per month)
Showtime $9 per month
HBO $15 per month
Cons:
- Missing: Pac12, The CW (KTLA), Kcal9, Nick, Nick Jr, Teen Nick, BET, Paramount Network, PBS, and CMT.
- You can however watch The CW on demand with commercials through a separate app on Apple TV for free. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
Updated Nov 14, 2019
Pros:
- No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
- Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
- Up to 6 family members can have different profiles of saved shows per household
- Unlimited cloud DVR to record your shows which will be saved for up to 9 months
$50 per month includes
YouTube Originals
YouTube original movies and TV series
Local
CBS, NBC, CW, ABC, KCal9, FOX, My13, and Telemundo 52
Sport networks
Fox Sports West, FS1, FS2, Fox Prime Ticket, Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports San Diego Plus, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN U, SEC ESPN, NBC Sports, Golf, CBS Sports, TNT, Big Ten, ACC Network, LAFC, MLB Network, NBA TV, Olympic Channel, Tennis Channel
News networks
CNN, Fox News Channel, Fox Business, MSNBC, CNBC, CNBC World, BBC America, BBC World News, HLN, Local Now, Newsy, TYT Network, Cheddar Business, Cheddar News
Entertainment
Discovery, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, AMC, FX, FXX, Universal, USA, Syfy, TBS,BBC America, TruTV, Adult Swim, Chiller, Cozi TV, Universo
Lifestyle
HGTV, Bravo, E!, Food Network, Motor Trend, Oxygen, Travel Channel, WeTV, Free Form, POP, Start TV, Tastemade,
Kids
Disney, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Cartoon Network, Sprout, Smithsonian Channel, Universal Kids
Movies
FXM, IFC, Sundance, Turner Classic Movies
Showtime $7 per month can be added
HBO $15 per month can be added through a separate app (HBO Now) on the Apple TV
Cons:
- No limit on many TVs or iPhones have the app to be able to watch TV however only three at time can watch different TV channels.
- Missing: Pac12, History, A&E, Lifetime, MTV, VH1, Paramount Network, Nick, Nick Jr, Teen Nick, and CMT
- You can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
- No 2 week TV channel guide
This is updated as of Nov 14, 2019
Pros:
- No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
- Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
- Qualify for a $15 per month discount when you bundle it with your ATT Unlimited Data Plus iPhone bill
- Includes HBO for no added charge
- 20 hours free Cloud DVR to record shows (saves up to 30 days)
- 2 week TV channel guide
- Easy to use menu
- 2 streams (2 people) can watch different TV channels at once
- Optional $5 per month add a third stream (3 people) can watch different TV channels at once
- Can add exclusive Sunday NFL Ticket to plan
$50 per month ($35 per month after bundle discount) (Plus Package) 40 channels
Local
CBS, NBC, KCAL9, ABC, FOX, and MY13
Sport networks
ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports
News networks
CNN, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business
Entertainment
TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, USA, FX, Hallmark, Freeform, Syfy, TBS
Lifestyle
Bravo, E!, Oxygen, HLN
Kids
Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Cartoon Network, Boomerang
Movies
HBO, FXX, FX Movie channel, TCM
$70 per month ($55 per month after bundle discount) (Max Package) 50 channels
(Adds Cinemax, and many sports networks including: Golf, Fox Prime (Ducks; Clippers) Fox Sports 2, Big Ten, CBS Sports, ESPN News, ESPNU, Longhorn, MSG, YES (Yankees, Brooklyn Nets), and SEC Network)
Showtime app $11 per month
Cons:
- No Pac12
- Missing: A&E, AMC, Discovery, History, HGTV, Food Network, Lifetime, Hallmark Movies, TLC, Animal Planet, Motor Trend, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, VH1, Paramount Network, BET, CMT, TV Land, Investigation Discovery, Nick, Nick Jr. , KTLA, Kcal9, PBS, and Teen Nick
- No The CW (KTLA) however you can use free The CW app on Apple TV to watch on demand TV shows. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
Updated March 28, 2019
Pros:
- No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
- Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
- 50 hours of cloud DVR to record your shows for $5 per month
- 2 week TV channel guide
$20 per month (Sling Orange) 30 channels
$25 per month (Sling Blue) 40 channels
$40 per month (Orange + Blue) Over 70 channels
Local
NBC and FOX
Sport networks
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, NBC Sports, CSN, and NFL
News networks
CNN, Bloomberg
Entertainment
Discovery, TLC, History, AMC, A&E, TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, FX, Comedy Central, BET, USA, TBS, BBC America, Syfy, Investigation Discovery, Motor Trend, Paramount Network
Lifestyle
HGTV, Bravo, Lifetime, E!, Food Network, Travel Channel, Free Form
Kids
Disney, Cartoon Network, Nick Jr,
Movies
FXX, IFC,
HBO Now app for $15 per month
Add Starz $9 per month
Showtime app $11 per month
Add Sports Extra package $10 per month
Golf, Red Zone, NBA, NHL, PAC 12, Bein Sports, and more
Add all News, Lifestyle, Kids, and Comedy Extra Packages for $10 per month
BBC World News, HLN, DIY, VH1, Lifetime Movies, Hallmark, WeTV, FYi, Disney Junior, Boomerang, MTV, Paramount Network, GSN, Logo, TV Land, and more
Cons:
- No limit on many TVs or iPhones have the app to be able to watch TV however only three at time can watch different TV channels.
- Missing: CBS, The CW, KTLA, ABC, Kcal9, Fox News, Animal Planet, MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, Nick, Nick Jr. , PBS, and Teen Nick
- No The CW (KTLA) however you can use free The CW app on Apple TV to watch on demand TV shows. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
- CBS is not currently available. You can however pay $6 per month and have CBS All Access on your Apple TV through a separate app. CBS All Access gives you original TV series like Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Picard, The Good Fight, and The New Twilight Zone which are not available on your normal cable CBS station.
