Price:$8.99/month for one screen SD, $12.99/month for two screens HD, $15.99/month for four screens UHD
Advantages:Very very quickly, Netflix became the iconic service for the cable-free around the world, investing billions of dollars in creating original content while also leading to the renaissance of classic sitcoms likeFriendsandThe Office.It literally changed the way people approach television, and its programming has a habit of taking over the zeitgeist.
Disadvantages:As new services launch, chipping away at Netflix’s library content, the quality of its originals will become the major selling point for the service. And that level of quality could fade.
Price:$5.99/month Basic, $11.99/month Premium, $54.99/month Basic + Live TV, $60.99/month Premium + Live TV
Advantages:As Netflix gets ever more focused on its own insular catalog, Hulu stands out for not just an interesting array of original programming beyondThe Handmaid’s Tale,but tons of shows from network and cable providers, which hit a whole new level just recently thanks to the Disney-Fox merger, which brought the FX archive onto the service. It also offers plenty of ad-ons from networks including HBO and Showtime to live TV (for $54.99 a month, though, which is more expensive than other options).
Disadvantages:Its original series aren’t necessarily the buzziest offerings these days, so using Hulu exclusively might mean missing out on hot-button shows likeTiger King.Its ad-free price point is also a bit higher than some other services — though having the ad-enabled level available does make it affordable for the level of content available.
YouTube TV
Price:$49.99 a month
Advantages:70-plus channels of live TV for a fraction of the cable price, including news and sports (remember sports?), with DVR capability and local TV options.
Disadvantages:$49.99 is an awful lot of money to pay every month if you’re not in need of live TV, and just like your cable company there are channels included in the bundle that you may not need. (For example, the child-free probably don’t need so many channels of kids programming, while those with children probably don’t have time to watch anything else.)
Price:Free
Advantages:Here’s what’s fun about Pluto TV — if you’re feeling at all nostalgic for the experience of channel-surfing through basic cable on a lazy Sunday afternoon, there are over 250 channels to explore, not to mention (according to the service’s official PR) thousands of on-demand films and TV shows. And it features a number of titles you’re able to’t find elsewhere, including cult favorites likeLeverageandDegrassi,all for free.
Disadvantages:The user experience is a little clunky, and not only is it it’s ad-supported, but the ad loads aren’t insignificant, about on par with a standard episode of broadcast television. But you get what you pay for.
Kanopy/Hoopla
Advantages:Who doesn’t like things that are free? Kanopy and Hoopla offer eclectic but interesting catalogs of films (and Hoopla also has books, comics, music and audiobooks). And again, they’re free!
Amazon Prime
Price:$119/year or $12.99/month
Disadvantages:$119 a year, for the annual subscription, or $12.99 a month, is not insignificant. The other perks to a subscription may make it worthwhile to you, though you might want to check first if it has originals that interest you. (You can only rewatchThe Good Wifeso many times.)
Price:Players start at $29.99
Advantages:Roku devices are easy to install, feature channels including pretty much every streaming service, and it isn’t just the device that connects your TV to the internet — it also features an entire channel of free TV, including classic sitcoms and recent films.
Disadvantages:You’re probably not buying a Roku for the ability to streamThe Beverly Hillbillies.But you probably are buying one if you’re a streaming service aficionado, so consider it an added bonus.
Price:Packages start at $20/month
Advantages:Another live TV option that’s currently running a brilliant promotion — free live TV from 5 PM to midnight (an offering they’re calling “happy hour”).
HD Broadcast antennae
Price:Varies
Advantages:This is a classic option for cord-cutters, and perhaps the cheapest way to bring live broadcast TV into your home. After purchasing one of many options (here’sThe Wirecutter’s breakdown of the best devices, which can be as cheap as $20), you’re getting free live TV thanks to the FCC and the publicly-owned airwaves.
Disadvantages:It’s a very bare-bones solution — but if your primary interest in live TV is big events like sports (remember sports?) and big events like award shows, it might be perfect for you.
Acorn/Britbox
Price:Acorn is $5.99/month, BritBox is $6.99/month
Disadvantages:Maybe you don’t like British accents? How dare you. In truth, though, both of these services appeal to a very specific audience, and thus they may not be for you.
