The gap between the advertised rate and the bill
Cable pricing is quoted before the surcharges that appear on every bill. The broadcast TV fee alone runs $15–$25 a month, equipment rental adds $10–$20, and regional sports surcharges are extra again in most markets.
| Line item | Monthly | Appears in the advertised price? |
|---|---|---|
| Base package | $100–$120 | Yes |
| Broadcast TV surcharge | $15–$25 | No |
| Equipment / DVR rental | $10–$20 | No |
| Regional sports surcharge | Market dependent | No |
| Delivered bill | $130–$170 | — |
Figures checked 2026-09-17. Sources are listed at the foot of this page.
What the streaming services charge
Stacking individual streaming apps back together is its own trap: eight ad-free services now run about $139 a month combined, which is cable pricing with more apps to manage.
| Service | Advertised monthly | Twelve months | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $82.99 | $995.88 | Base Plan. Genre plans start at $54.99/mo (Entertainment), $64.99/mo (Sports). |
| Hulu + Live TV | $82.99 | $995.88 | Bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ at the base price; unlimited DVR included. |
| Fubo | $82.99 | $995.88 | Base plan. Regional sports fees are charged on top in many US markets. |
| DirecTV Stream | $89.99 | $1079.88 | Entertainment package. Choice (125+ channels) is $94.99/mo. |
| Sling Orange + Blue | $60.99 | $731.88 | Orange or Blue alone is $45.99/mo. Channel line-ups differ between them. |
What you give up either way
This is the honest trade. Mainstream services sell certainty at a higher monthly price. A fixed-term subscription sells a lower effective monthly cost in exchange for paying ahead and verifying the channels yourself. Which is right depends on how price-sensitive you are and how specific your channel needs are.
| Cable / mainstream streaming | Fixed-term IPTV subscription | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Monthly card charge, cancel any time | Paid up front for 3–24 months |
| Effective monthly cost | Higher | Lower — from about $5/month at the longest term |
| Licensed package guarantees | Contractual, published channel line-ups | Catalogues change; confirm your channels before buying |
| Simultaneous streams | Typically 2–3, unlimited at home on some services | Explicit 1–5 connection tiers you choose |
| Hardware | Rented box, or bring your own | Bring your own device and player |
| Support | Call centre, published SLAs | Direct messaging support |
Which route fits which household
- You want one provider, one bill, and a contractual channel line-up → mainstream live-TV streaming.
- You watch three or four specific networks and resent paying for 90 you never open → a fixed-term subscription sized to those channels.
- You need four or five screens at once on a Sunday → compare the connection allowance, not the channel count.
- You are still on cable mainly for a regional sports network → check that specific network exists on any alternative before cancelling anything.
Every page in this section
YouTube TV alternatives: the 2026 arithmetic
YouTube TV is $82.99/month for the Base Plan. What the cheaper alternatives cost over twelve months, what you keep, and what you give up by switching.
Read AlternativesHulu + Live TV alternatives
Hulu + Live TV runs $82.99/month with the Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle. The twelve-month comparison, what the bundle is genuinely worth, and what switching costs you.
Read AlternativesFubo alternatives for sports households
Fubo is $82.99/month before regional sports fees. How the twelve-month cost compares, what sports fans keep, and what to verify before switching.
Read AlternativesSling TV alternatives
Sling Orange + Blue is $60.99/month, single packages $45.99. How a fixed-term subscription compares once you add the channels Sling splits between tiers.
Read AlternativesDirecTV Stream alternatives
DirecTV Stream starts at $89.99/month for Entertainment and $94.99 for Choice. The twelve-month comparison and what actually changes if you switch.
Read Bill analysisThe fees that turn a $100 cable package into a $150 bill
Line by line through a US cable bill: broadcast TV surcharge, regional sports fee, equipment rental, franchise fees, and which ones you can actually remove.
Read Bundle mathCord-cutters rebuilt the cable bundle. Here is the bill.
Eight ad-free streaming services now run about $139 a month combined — cable pricing, rebuilt one app at a time. How to audit and cut your own stack.
Read Category comparisonIPTV vs streaming apps: not the same product
Netflix and Disney+ are on-demand libraries. Live TV is a schedule. Why comparing them by price alone gives the wrong answer, and how to combine them sensibly.
ReadQuestions people ask
Is IPTV cheaper than cable?
Per month, generally yes. A US cable bill lands at $130–$170 once fees are added, while a fixed-term subscription here works out from roughly $5 a month at the longest term. The difference is that the IPTV term is paid up front and carries no contractual channel guarantee.
What is the cheapest way to replace cable in 2026?
Sling Orange or Blue at $60.99 for the combined package is the cheapest mainstream live-TV option; individual plans are $45.99. A fixed-term subscription is cheaper again per month but requires paying the full term in advance.
Do streaming services really cost as much as cable now?
Individually no, collectively yes — eight ad-free services combined run around $139 a month, which is squarely in cable territory. The saving comes from subscribing to fewer things, not from streaming as a category.
Sources
Third-party prices on this page were checked on . Providers change prices frequently — verify before deciding.