Let’s cut the cord and get a signal, shall we?
Best Indoor HD Antennas
A good HDTV antenna should be low cost, low hassle, easy to move, and gives you access to a lot more channels than you’d think.
We researched and found the top-rated and most talked-about HD antennas on the internet to determine the options TV watchers love the most.
We found the top five antennas worth your attention, and they all range between $24–$65. Let the cord-cutting begin.
*Amazon.com prices (as of 4/6/22 12:30 p.m. MST). Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on relevant Amazon site(s), as applicable, at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
What to look for in an indoor HDTV antenna
A great indoor antenna will be inexpensive, easy to set up, and bring local channels to your living room TV.
Indoor TV antenna features that work best for most:
- Less than $100
- Easy to install
- Nets you at least 15 local TV channels
- 1080p reception
Good indoor TV antennas will cost less than a Benjamin and take 10–30 minutes to install. The installation should be a piece of cake, but not as hard as baking a cake.
The antenna you choose to buy must give you access to at least 15 local channels, but according to user reviews, the average seems to be about 40. And you should expect to get all of these channels in full 1080 HD reception.
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Gesobyte Amplified TV Antenna: Best indoor HD antenna overall
First of all, we need to highlight why we chose this antenna as the best. Aside from researching all of the great features about the Gesobyte Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna, this is what blew our mind:
This antenna has over 45,000 reviews on Amazon, and it still sits at a high of 4.3 stars.
We trust our users and their experiences, and this had both the most reviews and the highest rating we saw of any antenna.
The Gesobyte has a 250-mile range, which works best for those in both the suburbs and rural areas.
For $30, you’ll get access to 40–150+ channels in crystal-clear HD picture quality. That’s a one-time purchase to have these channels for free for life! (Keep in mind channel count varies by location.)
You’re guaranteed local channels such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC with an antenna. But with this antenna, you could receive PBS, The CW, Univision, Comet, MeTV, and more.
This antenna has been said to take 2–10 minutes to install, and you’ll get a great signal and picture quality. Another bonus: this antenna can be used with any Roku streaming device.
1byone Antenna: Best alternative to the Gesobyte
We wanted the 1byone Antenna to be No. 1, hence the name—but here we are at number two, the best runner-up to the Gesobyte.
The 1byone Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna works within a 200-mile radius of the broadcast towers, netting you your local channels. Those channels include ABC, CBS, FOX, NCS, PBS, and The CW. You’ll even experience no delay on your channels because you won’t have to worry about the internet fueling your TV-watching.
With this antenna, you’ll get 15–80 channels in 1080p resolution, but the most common channel number we saw in reviews was 40. Speaking of reviews, this 1byone antenna was rated 3.9 stars from over 14,000 reviews.
The 1byone antenna has a light and flat design that can be mounted in many locations as it comes with adhesive stickers, power-grip suction cups, and screws.
Vansky Antenna: Best for TVs far from broadcast towers
Perfect for homes in rural areas, the Vansky Digital Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna has a 250-mile range and a detachable amplifier signal booster.
The HD antenna amplifier provides added range and maximum signal reception for more channels if you live far away from broadcast towers. For the price of a delicious pizza, this antenna lets you have over-the-air networks in your area and get access to local news, weather, sitcoms, kids programs, sports, educational programs, and more.
And the Vansky HD antenna will give you 25–50 of these channels in 1080p reception.
Over 13,000 people accumulated a 3.9 rating on this antenna, but we must warn you, some of the low-rated reviewers said the 250-mile range didn’t work for them. Some said they only received 10 channels with clear picture.
We say return the antenna if this happens to you too.
But before you do, try to place your Vanksy antenna in a few areas to find the best reception.
Mohu Leaf Antenna: Best signal amplifier technology
This antenna is more expensive than the average antenna, and it might not have the range that the other antennas do, but hear us out.
The Mohu Leaf Indoor TV Antenna is amplified with FirstStage technology, which gives an excellent signal and delivers impeccable sound. Instead of having to deal with channels that are pixelated or fade in and out, you can indulge in crisp, clean resolution.
It’s perfect for city, suburban, and rural homes; dorm rooms, workshops, and RVs.
With this antenna, you’ll get over-the-air channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, Univision, and many more. And if you live close to 60 miles away from the broadcast towers, the antenna may require you to move it around to find the best reception (a.k.a. the most channels).
And lastly, this antenna delivers both Hi-VHF and UHF reception (VHF channels are numbered 2–13 and UHF channels 14–51).
ClearStream Eclipse Antenna: Best design for the home
Get the highest HD quality with the ClearStream Eclipse Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna and watch all of your local channels for free (after you pay that initial $45, of course).
Are you ready to know the best thing about this high-performing flat, discreet antenna? You can paint it!
It has a paintable surface to match your walls, furniture, or accent colors to match your home. You don’t have to just settle for the black or white color that might stand out in your living room like a sore thumb.
The ECL Eclipse gets UHF and VHF reception, so you should get channels from 2–51. But users have said they’ve received anywhere between 40–70 channels. We’ll take it.
Recap: What is the best indoor HDTV antenna?
- The Gesobyte Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna is the highest-rated indoor antenna out there. For $30, it provides a 250-mile range, 40–150+ channels, and easy installation.
- The 1byone Amplified HD Digital Antenna is the second-best indoor antenna because it works within a 200-mile radius, and you’ll get 15–80 local and network channels for $28.
- The Vansky Digital Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna is best for rural areas because it has a 250-mile range and a detachable amplifier signal booster. For $24, you’ll get 25–50 channels in 1080p resolution, even if you’re far from the broadcast towers.
- The Mohu Leaf Indoor TV Antenna is the most expensive antenna on our list at $65, and it only has a range of 60 miles, but it provides you with great amplified technology. The technology will give you an excellent signal with 30–60 channels.
- The ClearStream Eclipse Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna gives you 40–70 over-the-air channels for $45. This antenna has the best design because you can easily paint the surface to match your home decor.
Methodology
For years now, we’ve written and researched about cable TV, antennas, and how to get local channels without cable.
To find our top five HD indoor antennas, we researched dozens of antennas, weighed the pros and cons of the features, looked at customer star ratings, and read through 100s of reviews.
We trust our users and their experiences, so we wanted to see how each antenna worked despite the antenna’s claimed specs and features. Alas, we came to these five antennas that deserve your attention.
Frequently asked questions
Any HD antenna will give you at least your local stations like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. A good HD antenna will provide you with at least 15. The average number of channels households receive, though, is 40.
The Gesobyte Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna can provide up to 150 channels. The lowest recorded channels this antenna can receive is 40, and that’s still pretty decent compared to other antennas.
Smart TVs don’t provide local channels for free, so you will still need an HDTV antenna to access local and network over-the-air channels.