Quick answer: the cheapest TV streaming services
The cheapest TV streaming service for live TV in the US is StelloTV, at about $25 a month for 70+ entertainment and news channels. Sling TV is the next cheapest at $45.99 (or $19.99 for its slimmed-down Select plan). If you watch sports, YouTube TV is the best value even at about $83, because it carries 100+ channels including locals and major sports networks.
I've paid for all five of the services below with my own money. Every one of them was cheaper than the $150 a month I used to pay for cable, and none of them locked me into a contract.
Cheapest live TV streaming services compared
StelloTV costs the least, but it has no local channels and no sports. Here is how the five services I've used stack up, sorted from cheapest to most expensive base plan.
Service | Base price now | What I paid | Channels | Locals | Sports | My score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
StelloTV | $25/mo | $25/mo | 100+ | No | No | 4.2/5 |
Sling TV (Orange or Blue) | $45.99/mo | $40/mo | 30–40+ | Some areas only | Yes | 3.9/5 |
YouTube TV | $82.99/mo | $83/mo | 100+ | Yes | Yes | 4.0/5 |
Fubo (Pro) | $88.99/mo | $56/mo | 212 | Yes, except NBC | Yes, most RSNs | 3.2/5 |
DirecTV (Entertainment) | $89.99/mo | $90/mo | 90+ | Yes | Yes | 3.5/5 |
Prices are regular rates before promotions, checked against Cord Cutters News (September 2026). "What I paid" is what each service cost me when I subscribed. Fubo has gone up a lot since then, and it now also sells a $64.99 Sports + News plan with about 23 channels.
My case study: what I saved by dropping cable
Switching from cable to streaming cut my TV bill from $150 to $83 a month, and I lost nothing I actually watched.
On cable, I paid around $150 a month and was locked into a contract for a set period. Today I use an antenna for local channels, which costs nothing per month, and YouTube TV for everything else. In months when I buy a big game or event, I add $20 to $30.
Setup | Monthly cost | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
Cable with contract (before) | ~$150 | ~$1,800 |
YouTube TV + antenna (now) | $83 | ~$1,000 |
YouTube TV + antenna + one paid event | $103–$113 | ~$1,240–$1,360 if every month |
Even if I bought an event every single month, I would still save about $450 a year. In a normal year it's closer to $800. Over a few years, that's thousands of dollars back in my pocket. Dropping cable was one of the best money decisions I've made.
My reviews of each service, ranked
YouTube TV ranks first for me, but I'm a sports fan. If you aren't, StelloTV or Sling is the smarter buy.
1. YouTube TV: 4/5, best value for sports fans
I paid $83 a month, and it's still $82.99. You get 100+ channels, including your locals and the major sports networks, plus unlimited DVR and three streams at once. It costs more than Sling or StelloTV, but it replaced cable for me completely. It's the service I still use today.
2. Sling TV: 3.9/5, cheapest with sports
I paid about $40 a month for around 30 channels. Orange or Blue now costs $45.99, or $60.99 for both. It's a good budget pick if you want some sports and news. The catches are that local channels only come in some areas, CBS isn't included, and you get just 50 hours of DVR unless you pay $5 more.
3. DirecTV: 3.5/5, most cable-like
I paid about $90 a month for 90+ channels, the most expensive of the five. It feels the closest to cable, and it carries more regional sports networks than most rivals. But at $89.99 to $124.99, it's hard to call it cheap.
4. Fubo: 3.2/5, big lineup, rising price
When I subscribed, Fubo gave me 175+ channels for about $56, which was great value. Its Pro plan is now $88.99 for 212 channels, so that value has mostly gone. It's still strong for regional sports, but it doesn't carry NBC locals.
5. StelloTV: 4.2/5, cheapest overall
At $25 a month for 100+ channels, StelloTV is the cheapest live TV streaming service I've used. It covers entertainment and lifestyle channels like AMC, HGTV, Discovery, and Food Network. It has no local channels and no sports, which is why it ranks last for me. If you don't watch sports, it's the one to get.
Hidden costs that make a "cheap" plan expensive
The sticker price is rarely what you end up paying. Most of these services carry the same core cable channels, so the real differences show up in what's missing and what costs extra.
Premium channels cost extra. Max, Starz, and Showtime are add-ons on most services, each with its own monthly fee.
Local channels aren't always included. StelloTV has none, and Sling only carries them in some areas.
Some plans skip sports entirely. StelloTV has no ESPN, Fox Sports, or other sports channels.
DVR limits can cost you. Sling includes only 50 hours of DVR, and unlimited is $5 more a month.
Prices go up. Fubo cost me about $56 a month. Its main plan is now $88.99.
My rule: before you sign up, write down the shows and teams you actually watch. Then pick the cheapest service that carries them, not the one with the biggest channel count.
The cheapest setup I've found: antenna + one plan + pay-per-event
The cheapest way to watch live TV is to stack three pieces: a free antenna, one paid plan, and paying for big events only when you want them.
An over-the-air antenna for local channels. You pay once and get your local channels free after that, so you don't need a plan that includes them.
One paid streaming plan for cable channels. Pick the cheapest one that carries the shows you watch: StelloTV if you skip sports, YouTube TV or Sling if you don't.
Pay for big games only when you want them. I pay an extra fee for the specific events I care about and skip the rest. Cable charges you for every game whether you watch it or not.
What about free services like Pluto TV, Tubi, or the Roku Channel? I've tried them, and they're fine as a bonus. But the channels you actually want are thin on the ground, so they can't replace a paid plan on their own.
No contracts: cancel, pause, and rotate to save more
The biggest advantage over cable is that you can cancel anytime, and that alone saves me money every year.
I cancel from my phone in a minute. My access runs until the end of the month I already paid for, and then billing stops. When I want the service back two or three months later, I just sign up again.
I use this every time I travel. If I'm away for a month or two for work, moving, or a vacation abroad, I cancel before I leave. I only watch TV at home, so there's no point paying while I'm gone. A few skipped months a year covers a lot.
You can apply the same idea to sports. Subscribe for the season you care about, then cancel when it ends.
What you need: devices and internet speed
You don't need any special equipment. A smart TV and a phone are enough.
I watch on my smart TV at home most evenings after work. When I'm in another city or state and there's an NFL game or a big match on, I watch it on my phone instead.
For internet, a 20 Mbps connection has handled HD streaming for me without problems. If you stream in 4K or on several screens at once, get a faster plan. How many screens you can use also depends on the service: YouTube TV and StelloTV allow three at once, while Sling Orange allows only one.
Which cheap streaming service should you pick?
There is no single best answer. Start by asking yourself: am I a sports fan, a family, or someone who only needs a few channels?
If you are… | Pick | Monthly cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
On a tight budget, no sports | StelloTV + antenna | $25 | Cheapest plan, and the antenna adds your locals |
A casual sports and news watcher | Sling TV + antenna | $45.99 | ESPN and news for about half the price of YouTube TV |
A serious sports fan | YouTube TV | $82.99 | Locals and major sports networks in one plan |
A household watching on many screens | Fubo or DirecTV | $88.99 –$89.99 | Fubo allows 10 streams at home; DirecTV allows unlimited at home |
A senior on a fixed budget | StelloTV or Sling + antenna | $25 –$45.99 | Low monthly cost, no contract, cancel anytime |
Whichever you choose, it will cost less than cable. StelloTV and Sling run about $25 to $46 a month, against the $100 to $150 most cable plans charge.
FAQs
What streaming service is $25 a month?
StelloTV. Its base plan is $25 a month for 70+ entertainment and lifestyle channels. It doesn't include sports or local channels.
What is the least expensive way to get cable channels?
Pair a free antenna for local channels with StelloTV ($25) or Sling TV ($45.99). Then pay for big sports events only when you want them.
Can I cancel YouTube TV anytime?
Yes. There's no contract. I cancel from my phone, my access lasts until the end of the paid month, and I can resubscribe whenever I want.
What is the downside of YouTube TV?
Price. At $82.99 a month it costs more than three times as much as StelloTV, and premium channels like Max cost extra.
Which is better, Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is cheaper at $82.99 versus $89.99. Hulu + Live TV bundles in Disney+ and Hulu's on-demand library, which can tip it for families who would pay for those anyway.
How much does a cable bill cost compared to streaming?
My cable bill was about $150 a month with a contract. Live TV streaming runs from $25 (StelloTV) to about $90 (DirecTV, Fubo) for base plans, with no contract.
Final verdict
If you want the cheapest TV streaming service, get StelloTV for $25 a month and add an antenna for your local channels. If you watch sports, YouTube TV at $82.99 is worth the extra money. Sling TV sits in between.
For me, leaving cable was one of the best money moves I've made. No contract, the freedom to cancel whenever I travel, and paying only for the games I actually watch have saved me hundreds of dollars a year.
Written by
Dana Reyes
Dana has spent six years untangling streaming hardware, from set-top boxes to the router behind them. She writes the setup guides she wishes she had.
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