Best TV Service Providers

TV service providers offer a variety of plans, channel lineups, and technology to fit different families. We recommend checking out your options before deciding which is the best TV provider or streaming service for your needs.

But before you do, you should know what to look for when choosing a satellite, cable, fiber, or live TV streaming service.

Satellite TV will give you a traditional TV feel with the option to have access to loads of channels and lots of sports extras or add-ons. It’s very widely available across the US, making this the best choice for rural areas. 

Most satellite TV providers also offer free installation, so you won’t have to worry about climbing onto your roof to install the satellite dish. If you’ve seen The Holiday with Vince Vaughn, then you understand what you could be avoiding.

A standard cable TV service will give you a decent dollar-to-channel ratio but with a few fees, and is more reliable than satellite because it's connected directly via cables underground.

Most cable TV services also provide either a no-contract option or a solid deal with a contract. You can also enjoy sufficient DVR storage space to avoid family … altercations.

When looking for fiber optic cable, you should be guaranteed speed and reliability. 

You'll most likely get double the channels than you would with standard cable, and for a reasonable price. The only problem is it's not widely available across the US. But we’re crossing our fingers that it will be in the future.

A great live TV streaming service will give a smooth user experience with easy navigation to the TV guide, on-demand content, and your recordings. 

It does require an internet connection fast enough to handle your streaming, along with internet perusing, social media scrolling, and smart home devices.

As with all TV services, you'll want to take notice of the dollar-to-channel ratio. But bear in mind that you won't get access to as many channels as you would with satellite and cable TV (besides fuboTV).

But live TV streaming provides some of the lowest prices out there while still offering you a lot of the programming you're looking for. You can also stream your channels and recordings on-the-go.

Nowadays, a solid on-demand streaming service has a huge library of content (both network and original content) and an easy-to-use interface. 

Not all on-demand streaming services are created equal as they all have their purpose (for example, Disney+ gives you content from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, etc. and Max releases Warner Bros. movies). And if you don't care for live sports or news, on-demand streaming services are the go-to for most people (although some might have a few live channels, such as Paramount+).

When it comes to satellite TV providers, the field narrows down to just two contenders that deserve a spot on your radar—DIRECTV and DISH.

DIRECTV flaunts an impressive number of perks and premium channel discounts, while DISH Network gives you a locked-in price for three whole years and more channels. If you're looking for the best all-around satellite TV provider, we choose DISH.

With DISH TV, you'll pay the same price for the life of your 3-year contract. And after those three blissful years, your monthly bill goes up by $20–$30. 

DIRECTV's satellite service locks in your price for two years and then returns to the current rate at that time, but at least it doesn't have second-year price hikes anymore (thank goodness).

And if you're a huge fan of the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks or Golden State Warriors, we've named DISH the best satellite TV option for watching NBA games.

DISH's top plan offers about 50 fewer channels than DIRECTV's top satellite plan but 105 more channels than DIRECTV's top internet plan. That means you'll get almost double the channels with DISH for almost $50 less. 

There are several cable TV options out there, but across the board, cable television providers suffer from not being available everywhere. 

Xfinity is the best cable TV provider because it's widely available across the country, reliable, and decently priced.

With the entry-level package starting at only $20 a month, and the Popular TV starting at $50 with more than 125 channels, Xfinity wins our "best all-around package" award out of all our recommended TV providers.

The channel selection for Xfinity's Popular TV package is pretty similar to DISH's base-level package (including channels like ESPN, TNT, Food Network, and Disney Channel).

When you upgrade to Xfinity's Ultimate TV plan, you'll get Cartoon Network, Cooking Channel, Disney Junior, FX Movie Channel, and Paramount Pictures.

If you're an NFL fanatic, you'll like Xfinity because it's one of the best options for the NFL RedZone Channel. So, if you decide to become an Xfinity customer and order this channel, you'll be set to watch all of the exciting moments of Sunday's games.

As of right now, there aren't too many fiber cable TV providers out there, and only a few areas can reap the benefits of a fiber-optic connection. 

Verizon Fios is the number one fiber TV provider we recommend, and it will guarantee you speed, reliability, and a ton of channels.

Verizon Fios TV uses a fiber-optic connection, which is actually a faster connection speed than traditional cable. It's super convenient when you're connecting multiple devices, bundling your TV and internet together, and for those who want a faster upload and download time.

In short, Fios is good for bigger families, people who work or go to school from home, and families that use the internet constantly.

Verizon Fios TV doesn't require an annual contract. So you can cancel your service if you move, switch over to a live TV streaming service, or want to cut back on bills.

If you're looking to cut the cord or want to save some money, a live TV streaming provider is a great alternative to cable or satellite TV. 

fuboTV takes the crown for the best live TV streaming service. fuboTV has the best dollar-to-channel ratio, offers over 100 channels, and provides more sports channels than any other TV service in the industry. It's also one of our top picks for streaming NFL games this 2024 season.

Over time, fuboTV has renamed itself as an all-around live TV streaming service for the whole family rather than just sports fans. But it still towers over the competition when it comes to sports.

fuboTV caters to all types of sports fans. You'll get channels like ESPN, Big Ten Network, PAC-12 Networks, Tennis Channel, TUDN, and Zona Fútbol.

You'll also get all major national sports channels like NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network.

Check out the channel lineup to see all 160+ channels you could get.

If you've chosen to cut ties with your cable or satellite TV provider and you still need The Bachelor in your life, Hulu will be the best on-demand streaming service for you.

If you don't have access to live television but want to watch the latest episode of Chicago P.D. or The Voice before you read about spoilers, then Hulu is what you're looking for.

Hulu releases lots of recently broadcasted TV shows on its platform within hours. So when Abbott Elementary airs on Wednesday night, you'll find that episode ready for you to watch while you have your bagel and coffee.

You'll find other new episodes on Hulu from TV shows like Celebrity Jeopardy, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, The Masked Singer, Hideous Houses, The Simpsons, 60 Minutes, and Survivor.

And the only place you'll find Futurama and Bender is with Hulu.

On top of all that, Hulu is a big competitor in the streaming world when it comes to Original content.

DIRECTV charges a pretty penny for its channel counts, but you'll get up to 160+ channels for news, entertainment, lifestyle, movies, kids, and music with this satellite TV service. 

DIRECTV offers all of the channels one could want, including close to 20 sports channels, and MAX, STARZ, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, CINEMAX, and HBO channels.

To make your entertainment grander, DIRECTV offers à-la-carte programming for most major sports leagues, including:

• DIRECTV Sports Pack (includes NFL RedZone)
• MLB EXTRA INNINGS
• NBA League Pass
• NHL CENTER ICE

If you want to know more about which channels each DIRECTV package carries, check out our full DIRECTV review.

DIRECTV’s Genie DVR

DIRECTV also offers more high-definition (HD) channels than any other TV service, and its satellite DVR can record up to 200 hours of HD video content. Plus, your recordings never expire.

These cable TV services earned a spot on our favorite cable TV providers list—which we think is a pretty big deal. So do our Moms. 

Each provider has its purpose and qualities, such as specific location and channel lineups. We give a break down on each one below. 

Spectrum TV® is available in 41 states, and we really like the pricing of its mid-level package. It's a bonus that this cable provider also offers an affordable stream option and doesn't require a contract whatsoever.

The Spectrum TV® Select Signature package costs $95 per month and nets you some great channels (ABC, ESPN, CNN, and HGTV). 

Spectrum's new TV Stream package costs just $40 per month and offers mostly popular entertainment and news channels (A&E, CNN, HGTV, MTV, and Cartoon Network). For more niche news channels and any sports channels, though, you'll wanna go with Spectrum TV® Select Signature.

With TV Select Signature, not only will you get channels for sports, movies, and news, but you’ll also get thousands of on-demand titles that you can watch whenever you’d like—whether it be Saturday night in your living room or on a road trip.

Spectrum no longer raises its prices after your first year of service, so your monthly price will revert to standard rates once your 12-month contract is up.

And if you're a fan of premium channels, you get Disney+ free for 12 months with the Spectrum TV® Select Signature plan.

Optimum was named one of the best for basic cable because its dollar-to-channel ratio is excellent, and this TV provider offers lots of channels similar to satellite TV. Optimum also offers a $30 per month streaming package with 80+ channels.

All of Optimum's TV plans come with your favorite channels like ESPN, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Hallmark, and FOX News.

The best part about Optimum is you get more than 125 of these great channels for just $85 per month, which is one of the best deals we've seen in the cable TV industry.

As you upgrade, you'll get more sports, movie, and entertainment channels for the whole family to enjoy. You can even get over 400 channels for a lower price than satellite TV and without a contract.

Cox TV gives you a personalized checkout experience you can't find with another cable TV provider. Bundle TV, internet, smart home automation, and a landline for the simplicity of one bill.

Cox Communications gives you the option to bundle TV, internet, smart home automation, and a home phone at checkout. There are about four steps for signing up for each service—including selecting a plan, choosing your equipment, and add-ons.

You create your service, Cox delivers.

In a nutshell, you'll want the Starter TV plan if you just want local channels, the Preferred TV plan if you want popular channels like Disney Channel and Fox News, the Preferred Plus TV plan for popular channels, and a few premium channels like HBO, STARZ, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, and Cinemax, or the Ultimate TV package if you want all of the above plus MGM+, premium sports packages, and movie packs in your lineup.

Live TV streaming services give you live channels, on-demand content, and the ability to record TV shows and movies.

These live TV streaming services are the best behind fuboTV, and each is unique. We’ll get into the details to see which one you should subscribe to.

Keep in mind these prices don't include internet service charges (which you'll need to stream), but you can check those out in our best internet for streaming article.

YouTube TV is one of our favorite live TV streaming services on the market and is a very close second to fuboTV.

YouTube TV is well-rounded with a decent number of channels (including some major sports channels) and many add-ons for everyone in the family. Like fuboTV, YouTube TV is one of our top picks for streaming NFL games. And in 2024, this will be home to NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

With YouTube TV, you get the best of all things TV and streaming have to offer: live TV channels, on-demand movies, full seasons of popular TV shows, unlimited DVR space, YouTube videos, and the latest news clips.

Unlimited DVR space means you can literally record anything and everything you want. You also get a robust channel lineup with lots of top lifestyle and entertainment channels. 

You even get major sports channels like NFL Network and NBA TV. MLB Network was once included, but YouTube TV's deal with MLB Network ended in January 2023, so you won't find that channel on YouTube TV anymore.

Hulu + Live TV's service now includes the Disney+ bundle! This means you don't need to opt-in or order Disney+ and ESPN+ separately. How can we say no?

Hulu + Live TV gives you the best of both worlds: live TV channels and even more on-demand streaming. Along with over 85 channels, you get access to Hulu's entire streaming library.

As far as live channels are concerned, you get all the essentials, like ABC, ESPN, FOX, Food Network, and HGTV.

Nothing good on TV? Catch up on This is Us, The Bachelor, or Rick and Morty. You'll also get access to well-known originals, such as Little Fires Everywhere, The Handmaid's Tale, Only Murders In the Building, and Letterkenny.

If you're looking to save some cash for that much-need summer vacation but still want to stream your favorite live TV channels, Sling TV might have a channel lineup you'll be happy with.

Sling TV truly understands what cord-cutting is all about—saving money without missing your favorite shows. Starting at $40 per month, Sling packages provide the best bargains around. Granted, Sling TV's channel selection is smaller, but it also goes for quality over quantity.

We recommend Sling Orange if you want more kids and lifestyle channels (like Disney Channel and Comedy Central), and you'll like Sling Blue if you want a TV package with more news and sports channels (like FOX News and NFL Network).

Sling Orange + Blue only gives you six more channels than the Sling Blue plan, but you'll get the Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Motortrend, and Freeform.

DIRECTV now offers its TV packages via satellite or internet connection. Its internet streaming service is the most expensive live TV streaming service, but we recommend it if you like DIRECTV’s traditional TV experience.

DIRECTV includes premium channels in all of its streaming packages. With any plan, you'll get Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, Max, STARZ, MGM+, and CINEMAX® in your lineup free for the first 3 months.

Since DIRECTV's internet packages are the live TV streaming version of DIRECTV's satellite service, you can enjoy the traditional TV experience without installing a satellite dish. Instead, you'll receive a set-top box and voice-activated remote control.

An on-demand streaming service gives you a massive library of content (both network and Original content) that you can stream at any time of the day. You won’t be able to watch live channels, but you’ll be saving a buttload of money.

Watch Ted Lasso while you’re waiting for your car to be serviced, or distract your kids with Spongebob Square Pants while you’re grocery shopping. 

Each on-demand streaming service is unique in its own way. For example, Disney+ gives you content from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and more. And Hulu has network shows available to stream the day after they air on television.

Disney+ is the best on-demand streaming service for families and one of the best for kids. You can enjoy heart-warming nostalgic movies—like The Sandlot or The Lion King—and your kids can enjoy, well, everything.

Disney+ delivers content that will make your day just a little brighter. Enjoy Disney movies and TV shows, Marvel superheroes, Pixar productions, The Simpsons, and Star Wars movies.

Throw on Moana or Toy Story when the kids eat lunch, watch Holes to bring back memories, or binge-watch all of the Iron Man movies if that's more your thing.

If you want to check out something new, you'll find great Originals in Disney+'s on-demand library.

Currently, some of the most popular Originals are Elemental, Goosebumps, and Loki (so we don’t blame you if you’re feeling a little bit of FOMO).

If you want to enjoy Warner Bros. movies from the quiet comfort of your home rather than a crowded theater, Max (formerly HBO Max) has got you covered.

If you enjoy shows like The Last of Us, Succession, Strike, Father of the Bride, and Barry, Max is a must. Not to mention, all Warner Bros. productions live on this streaming service. 

You can find old HBO favorites like Insecure and Game of Thrones in your library. You'll also find Max Originals like House of the Dragon and The White Lotus.

On top of these great Originals, you'll find classic TV shows like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Big Bang Theory.

And on December 15th, you can stream Greta Gerwig's Barbie on Max from your very own Dreamhouse.

Peacock has been ruffling the feathers of the streaming service game, and they’ve recently become an excellent streaming service. Peacock has live channels for news, sports, and NBC programming fans and 80,000+ hours of excellent on-demand content.

We like how Peacock offers two different tiers depending on your budget— $7.99 or $13.99 per month.

Both plans give you access to 80,000+ hours of movies and TV shows, but when you upgrade to Premium Plus, you can enjoy all of the content with zero commercials. And the Premium plan throws in your local NBC channel. 

Sports fans will benefit from either plan because you’ll get access to live sporting events, such as Sunday Night Football, Premier League, and WWE.

Amazon Prime Video gives you a few perks you'll likely want in your life, especially access to an on-demand streaming library and free Prime shipping.

Amazon Prime Video is a unique on-demand streaming service because your monthly payment gets you more than just access to streamable content.

This streaming service is great for kid's shows, for movie night (I Love You, Man or Hancock), and for Original content you can't find anywhere else (Coming 2 America, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power).

The other perks you'll get with Amazon Prime Video include free 2-day Prime shipping (just in case you tend to buy last-minute gifts), rent and buy movies, access to Amazon Music, and a free Kindle book each month.

Paramount+ has an on-demand library filled with content multiple networks, such as CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon.

With Paramount+, you'll find your favorite past CBS shows like Big Brother, The Brady Bunch, Survivor, and FBI. You'll also be able to watch Paramount Pictures movies like Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown during your relaxing weekends.

CBS produces so many great TV shows, so they created an app to put it all in one place for you. And now, Paramount+ provides you with even more.

In the Paramount+ library, you're also going to find classic and original content from MTV, Comedy Central, The Smithsonian Channel, Nickelodeon, and BET.

• DISH has better pricing than DIRECTV and has a killer DVR in the Hopper 3. DISH is excellent for those who live in rural areas or want loads of channels. This satellite TV provider offers plans ranging from $98–$123/month with 190–290+ channels.
• Xfinity offers the best all-around service with affordable pricing, great channel lineups, and the X1 DVR. It struggles with pricey monthly fees, though. Xfinity gives you a great deal with $20–$70 plans for 10–185 channels without a contract. 
• Verizon Fios TV will give you up to 425 channels! And this fiber-optic technology provides a fast, reliable network for both TV and internet. If this provider is in your area, we very much recommend it. Get 125+ for as low as $85, or get that load of 425 channels for $129 a month.
• fuboTV is not only one of the best streaming services for sports, but fuboTV now has lots of news, lifestyle, and kids channels, as well. Get close to 50 sports channels with the Elite plan at $90/mo. or order the Pro plan for $20 less for over 40 sports channels along with family channels. This live TV streaming service also has great plans for Spanish speakers who love watching their fútbol for $33/month.
• Hulu is one of the best streaming services for cord-cutters or streaming fanatics. It gives you next-day access to TV episodes that aired the night before on live television, like The Bachelorette and The Amazon Race. You can also get the ultimate streaming bundle for $5–$7 more with Disney+ and ESPN+. 

We compare and rank TV service providers based on five key factors:

1. Channels
2. Price
3. Availability
4. Contracts
5. Equipment

To decide which TV providers are worth your attention, we have put loads of hours and a handful of years into our research. (I mean, this page is close to 8,000 words long).

We have personally tested out all of these services to come up with our own analysis of if the provider is worth your attention or who might benefit most from said service. Our experience has also helped us accurately rank a service amongst the competitors.

And finally, we have put in all of this effort to give you our true review of each cable and satellite provider, live TV streaming service, and on-demand streaming service.