More and more people are deciding to “cut the cord” everyday and do away with their cable. Online video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu ofter options.
Between 2018 and 2019, the number of US households subscribing to cable dropped by nearly 4 million. Showing people have had it with the “overpriced” and “underserved” offerings that are available.
Taking the place of traditional cable are many online video streaming services, at varying prices and offerings. Find out which will fill that gap for you and get ready to cut the cord!
Options Options Options
With the number of options the market presents consumers at this point, it is a difficult task to call one single service the best of all. Much of what makes one better over another comes down to budget and needs.
That being said, the big names in rotation are usually; HBO Max, HULU, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
YouTubeTV
After extending channel reach and offerings, YouTube TV has come to be the best service for those wishing to reproduce the “cable tv” experience.
It has the added benefit of personalization, carrying local channels. You can get an idea of what channels are included with that by starting the process of account sign-up.
There are options, just as with traditional cable, to have add-ons later like HBO Max being one of the most recent of them.
The amount of content, the flexibility, an easy to use a recognizable app, and the unlimited DVR space, all add up to a huge win for YouTube TV.
YouTube TV is $64.99 per month, before any options or add-ons.
SlingTV
Looking for a cost-effective way to keep watching, SlingTV is the name most often coming up when the budget is towards the top of the list.
The savings come at the cost of local channels, primarily. That is a big difference that heavier hitters like YouTubeTV and Hulu+Live carry with them.
At the $30 price point, there are two selections, Orange and Blue. They are almost exactly alike other than a handful of channels from each, so the decision lays with which group is more appealing to you!
- Not on Blue: ABC, CBS, Animal Planet, Disney Channel, ESPN, Nickelodeon
- Not on Orange: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Animal Planet, CNBC, Discovery Channel, Bravo, Fox News and Fox Sports, FX, MSNBC, USA
Here you can let your viewing habits decide. Both versions sit at $30 per month.
HBO Max
One of the biggest pools of content out of any of the providers listed, HBO Max is also one of the more expensive (outside of the “live tv” type options).
HBO always had the reputation of award-winning original content and the new service is nothing different. They have all the old favorites with new creations like Legendary and Love Life.
Even more is the sheer amount of material they have licensed to share, series, movies, animation. Very little time spent searching and a bit of time are spent watching on HBO Max.
If you were wondering, “what are the best putlocker alternatives?”, then HBO Max is a hit! It stands as a safe, and legal opportunity to fill that same space. The gigantic catalog of movies, old and new, is all you will ever need.
Don’t forget that HBO Max is $14.99 per month.
FuboTV
The channel choice for FuboTV is only surpassed by YouTubeTV at this point. That alone makes it a strong choice for online video streaming. But the scales tip in the favor of Fubo if you are a sports fan.
There is a huge choice of specialty sports channels and sports coverage. Even more, if you are a soccer fan specifically! They did, however, lose out on some big favorites like CNN, TBS, and Cartoon Network.
The price tag is $60 per month.
Broad-strokes Quality
There is a good reason that Netflix is often the service thought of when talking about streaming. It has had incredible staying power and continues with high-quality content.
For the general overall quality, it is given to Netflix and Hulu (speaking standard not +live) equally. This is another situation, like the Sling comparison, that comes down to personal needs.
If your needs are keeping current and following running shows as best you can, while still keeping the cord cut, Hulu is your choice. Their choice of currently airing shows gets added the day after their airing day.
Netflix has far more to offer when it comes to original content, which at this point is what they are coming to be known for. They also have a wider range of film work, foreign included.
Netflix is $13 per month and Hulu is $11.99. They each have scaling prices above these as well.
Still Need Equipment Even Without the Cable
Be aware of what equipment you may need to use these services. You may already be all set to go and just need to install some software!
Very often smart TVs will come installed with the most common streaming selections or be able to install them. Each manufacturer is slightly different so it is wise to check on your specific model.
Even if your TV isn’t among the “smartest”, you are not out of luck! There are plenty of set-top boxes and alternatives that hook up just like any standard accessory would.
The most popular of these remains the king of the pack, Roku. They started as a box and are now more popularly sold as the “stick”. It has the overall balance of quality and cost with literally, plug-and-play, configuration.
Online Video Streaming Cuts the Cable For Good
Just as a wealth of content available, there is a wealth of options to enjoy it. Knowing what each of the online video streaming services offers you don’t have to worry about wasted time or wasted money.
You can spend more time watching and less time seeking.
When you are ready to take a break from the tv marathon, be sure to come by the blog for more content just like this and beyond!
