Key findings

• 85% of U.S. households have at least one video streaming service subscription.
• The streaming industry is expected to be worth over $400 billion by 2030.
• The number of cable TV subscribers has decreased to 72.2 million from 98.7 million in 2016.

Streaming services have taken the world by storm in recent years, leaving many to decide whether they should cut the cord or stick with Cable TV.

85% of U.S. households have at least one video streaming service subscription and the streaming industry is expected to be worth over $400 billion by 2030. The number of cable TV subscribers has also decreased by 26.5 million since 2016 – it’s safe to say many are choosing to say goodbye to hefty cable bills in favor of streaming subscriptions. 

But is subscribing to streaming platforms really cheaper than cable TV service? We’ll break down the cost of streaming vs. cable so you can decide for yourself. 

Advantages and disadvantages of cable vs. streaming

Cable vs. streaming overview 

Below we’ve outlined the monthly cost ranges of cable and streaming services. We also included the added cost of an internet plan that adds to the monthly cost of each service. Keep in mind that these price ranges do not include taxes and extra fees. 

Streaming cost overview

The different plan prices of popular streaming services Netflix, Disney+, Max and Hulu are listed below. The most basic plans with ads start as low as $6.99/mo., with ad free plans ranging from $9.99 – $19.99/mo. We’ve included a column with the price range of each service and its plans with the median cost of internet ($74.99/mo.). 

The cheapest combination of internet and a streaming service is with Netflix’s cheapest plan with ads and the monthly total is about $82/mo. The most expensive streaming service plan we listed is with Netflix or Max at $19.99/mo. on its own. With an internet plan, the cost comes to about $95/mo. 

If you subscribe to only one streaming service, the monthly cost is actually quite low compared to cable TV costs. The monthly cost with streaming starts to increase once you subscribe to more than one service at a time, which is common when considering the different content offered with each. 

These are a few service combination options. Competing streaming services are often priced similarly, so you can get a good idea of what you’ll be paying monthly with more than one service.

Live TV

One of the main reasons people cut the cord is because of the Live TV options available with streaming services. Platforms like Hulu and YouTube TV are becoming very popular for cord cutters because they don’t involve the extra fees common with cable. 

Cable cost overview

The cable TV services below have plans ranging from $20.00 – $139.00/mo., not including added fees or the cost of an internet plan. We’ve included the price range for these plans with the median cost of internet added ($74.99/mo.). 

Additional costs with cable 

The major downside of cable TV are the extra fees. Outside of your plan cost, expect to pay fees for regional sports and broadcast TV, equipment and other local taxes and fees. These costs vary by provider and location, but you can expect your monthly bill to be higher than your plan’s initial cost.

Cable TV fees could add up to $60 to your monthly bill, and if you want premium channel add-ons, expect to pay between $5 – $15/mo. 

So, which is the cheapest? 

When you consider the slew of added fees with cable and the higher overall starting prices, streaming is the cheapest option, even with the cost of an internet plan or with Live TV. 

Live TV services with streaming gives you the option to watch the channels you’d get with cable but at a base price with no added local broadcast fees. 

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