I can’t imagine going back to cable. Having cut the cord in 2021, I’ve spent 2022 relying on one (well, I also tried another) of the best cable TV alternatives. And for the most part, it has served me well. and i’m not alone (The cable does not grow (Opens in a new tab) anymore), cable isn’t dead yet.
So, I thought I’d give some kind of union about cutting the cord. Because if there’s one New Year’s resolution that I think everyone should make, it’s getting rid of cable. Take my ex: We were paying $127 for cable for two rooms, and that was too much.
So, I tested every major live TV streaming service, and (somewhat predictably) found myself choosing one of Tom’s Guide options for the best streaming service. In fact, I also chose the same wire-cutting service as my colleague Kelly Wu.
But, nonetheless, 2022 saw me waver at my solution. I even (briefly) canceled for a competitor. Now, though, I’ve stuck with a streaming service that I’ve taken out until 2022, and held it until the beginning of 2023. That’s part of the wonderful nature of alternative streaming services to cable TV. You can jump from lily pad to lily pad and back depending on what you need. For example, my personal needs change depending on whether or not there are live streams from F1.
Sports fans may need DirecTV Stream – which just raised prices
First up, DirecTV Stream. While it wins points with some for having more popular channels than competitors, its main selling point, in our view, is its control of several regional sports networks. So, if you want to catch every game of your local sports team, you may need DirecTV Stream for RSNs. You can get more details about the teams in our guide on how to watch sports online. If your teams play on Bally Sports Networks, the FuboTV upgrade will be music to your ears.
Not everyone, however, will need DirecTV Stream, which will have a base price of $75 per month (the highest in the industry) in January 2023. And if you want those regional sports networks, you pay $99 per month for the Choice plan. At this price, you might be thinking, “Why not stick with cable?”
Well, DirecTV Stream does offer some perks. Just like YouTube TV’s sports integrations (Key Plays are a killer feature), DirecTV Stream will help you find games if they’re blocked on certain channels. We’re looking forward to testing this out for ourselves – to see how it actually speaks. DirecTV Stream (just like YouTube TV) offers information such as game scores and stats.
But since I no longer follow the sports teams I used to care about (the Yankees and Knicks) so closely, I don’t need DirecTV Stream — because all the channels I need are on cheaper services.
Verify DirecTV Stream review for more details.
Philo is the cheapest option – and perfect for Yellowstone
While I subscribe to one of the less expensive options, Philo is $25 a month cheaper — in fact, it’s the cheapest live TV service. Philo comes with over 60 live TV channels, with popular (Food Network, Discovery, HGTV) and prestige shows (AMC and BBC America).
However, Philo is a prime example of getting what you pay for. Philo’s live news networks (BBC World News, Bloomberg Television, Cheddar News, and Accuweather) do not include the likes of CNN, FOX News, or MSNBC. And it doesn’t even have a single sports grid. Not even The Ocho.
However, Philo owns the Paramount Network, which means it was perfect for those who wanted to watch Yellowstone online.
Philo offers a 7-day free trial (Opens in a new tab).
Hulu with Live TV is for aggregators
If there’s one big (and admittedly bad) theme for streaming services in 2022, it’s price hikes. About a year after Hulu and its $5 Live TV price increase added Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, plans changed again.
And prices have gone up for those who have that bundle with ad-free ESPN Plus and Disney Plus (Hulu, both of which have had price hikes of their own), with that service now costing $74.99 per month (up from $69.99). If you’ve already forgotten, here are the price hikes for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus:
| Header cell – column 0 | The old monthly rate | New monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Disney Plus | $7.99 | $10.99 (December 8) |
| Disney Plus with ads | not available | $7.99 (Dec 8) |
| Hulu with ads | $6.99 | $7.99 (Oct 10) |
| Hulu without ads | $12.99 | $14.99 (Oct 10) |
| ESPN Plus (always contains ads) | $6.99 | $9.99 (Aug 2022) |
That older price is still available, though, for those who agree to a version of that bundle that includes ad-supported Disney Plus Basic. Hate ads? You can take out ads from Hulu and Disney Plus offline content for $82.99 per month.
With the $69.99 plan, you’re spending $5 more than YouTube TV charges, while still getting Hulu, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus. These services cost $12.99 together at the moment, so you’re saving $8 over using YouTube TV and buying this package separately. But I don’t use ESPN Plus, so I’ll see a $5 savings off buying the ad-supported Disney Plus and Hulu bundle.
It all sounds very good. And if it weren’t for my own set of required channels, I’d consider the $70 per month option once the F1 season gets underway. When that happens, I’ll spend the same amount on my current service of choice + an old version of the Disney Bundle that contains ad-free Disney Plus. Want to trade ads on Disney Plus for unlimited DVR and many more channels? I’m curious.
But I didn’t choose Hulu over Live TV in 2021 because the service was simply too unstable for me. I experienced regular buffering at a rate of about once an hour. So, I’m looking forward to testing Hulu with live TV again in 2023, to see if it works out better for me.
paying off Hulu with Live TV (Opens in a new tab) to yourself.
Fubo is getting better, but it still lacks certain channels
FuboTV markets itself as the live TV service for sports fans, but this always comes with an asterisk for us. Sure, it’s a great service for international sports fans – all the football you could ask for – but without TNT for live NBA broadcasts, TBS for live MLB and those aforementioned regional sports networks… TV is only $65 a month. And YouTube TV has TNT and TBS. However, Fubo’s big deal for Bally’s regional sports networks is huge, adding 19 channels that bring games from MLB, MLS, NBA and NHL in the coming weeks.
In 2022, FuboTV has added Altitude Sports to the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and Denver Nuggets (NBA). Recently, it has added Court TV, ION, ION Mystery, ION Plus, Bounce, Grit, and Newsy. Previously, those shows were exclusive to DirecTV. Fubo also got a price hike, ditching the $65 per month Starter plan and migrating members to the $70 Pro plan.
FuboTV also beats Sling for its DVR limit of 1,000 hours — while YouTube TV, Philo, Hulu, and DirecTV Stream all have an unlimited DVR. And since I stream a lot on the Apple TV 4K, I have to give Fubo credit for the Multiview feature that lets you watch four feeds at once.
However, Fubo had one hiccup this year. Fubu went down during the World Cup semi-finals, which he blamed on a cyberattack. Those who tried to watch the France-Morocco game on the premiere non-American soccer live streaming service were out of luck.
Sound like your speed? Subscribe to 7-day free trial of FuboTV (Opens in a new tab) Today.
YouTube TV is our second and favorite here
Half of the Tom’s Guide staff who wrote about their cord-cutting decisions chose YouTube TV, and it’s not hard to see why. It has the best apps of the bunch (the YouTube app was a head start), and it was the first big service with unlimited DVR.
I would even go so far as to say that YouTube TV is nearly perfect. Rumors haven’t gotten any better except that YouTube TV will also get a multi-show-style split-screen mode for FuboTV, and YouTube TV will get NFL Sunday Ticket starting next season. However, the latter will be an add-on for which you will have to pay more (and will be sold separately via YouTube Primetime channels).
Fortunately, 2022 was much better for YouTube TV than it was 2021. You may remember how April 2021 saw YouTube TV pulled from the Roku Channel Store, or how December 2021 saw a YouTube-Disney spat that put ESPN, ABC, and others on holiday. weekend . But don’t worry drama fans, someone else must be getting all the not-so-fun fun.
Verify YouTube TV review for more details.
Why I kept (and left briefly) Sling TV
Sling TV is our pick for the best alternative to cable TV (and one of the best streaming services) by being more affordable, starting at $40 per month.
To get to that low price, you can choose Sling Blue or Sling Orange, both of which offer a decent (but incomplete) channel lineup. Sling Orange + Blue combines both, so you can get ESPN and local affiliates of FOX and NBC. Some will notice that ABC and CBS are absent. My colleague Kelly Woo needs ABC, so she hooked up an AirTV and HDTV antenna to her setup so she could get it, too.
But it was the year I tested my decision on Sling TV. First, Sling raised prices by $5 across the board, without any add-ons to justify it. Then, I saw Sling TV’s buffering issues (and my connection is direct over Ethernet, not over Wi-Fi).
And Sling’s buffering got so bad one night that I actually turned to YouTube TV. But I was really back on Sling an hour later. Why? Well, I realized I had just paid Sling’s bill for that month, and I couldn’t get a refund. And once Sling got going again, I really wanted to watch something that was in it that DVR that can’t be found on YouTube on demand.
So I’m back. And after the F1 season ended, it went from Sling Orange + Blue to Sling Blue. Now, it’s been over a month since I’ve had one hiccup with Sling.
Offer sling what you want? try it now, First month of Sling TV 50% off (Opens in a new tab).
| service | Starting price | Notable channels | DVR capability | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sling tv | $40 a month | ESPN (orange), Fox and NBC (blue) TBS, TNT, AMC, CNN | 50 hours | Low price and customization |
| YouTube TV | $65 per month | ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, AMC, CNN | Unlimited | Major plays, only $65 option left |
| Hulu with Live TV | $70 per month | ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, TNT, TBS | Unlimited | These include Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus |
| DirecTV Stream | $75 per month | ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, TNT, TBS | Unlimited | Regional Sports Networks, $90 |
| FuboTV | $70 per month | ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, TUDN and beIN Sports | 1,000 hours | Multiview on Apple TV |
| Philo | $25 per month | Paramount Network | Unlimited | The cheapest option |
Outlook: Another round of testing as we wait for YouTube TV pricing to increase
As mentioned above, Tom’s Guide is about to launch a new batch of tests for these live TV services. They will all be tested on the same devices connected to the internet for stability.
But for now, Sling’s reasonable entry price is why I keep it as a service that I pay for with my actual money. Hulu with the bundled pricing of Live TV makes it attractive, which is why I want to give it another shot. Fubo’s lack of TBS and TNT is a deal breaker for me, but I know the service is compelling to many. For YouTube TV? It’s the only service here that’s been at its current price the longest, and the last price increase was in 2020 (Philo’s last price hike was in 2021).
And YouTube TV is the best – if we ignore the pricing – on this list. It has the best apps and user experience, and I’m begging Sling to copy their homework. However, cutting the rope is all about the bottom line, so I’m sticking with Sling for now.
[ad_2]
