Streaming vs. Traditional Cable. Which is better? Which is cheaper?
Streaming options seem to be outnumbering cable options these days, but is streaming better or cheaper? Well, that depends.
The first thing to do is to look at what you watch. If you’re mostly watching live TV (current TV shows and such), sports, news and weather—cable may the best choice for you. But many streaming services offer all these things, too. Given the average cable bill is around $130/month, streaming services can be a real money saver. Here are a few of the most popular streaming services that include live TV*:
| Streaming Service | Featured Channels | Price | Free Trial |
| Frndly TV | Live + Hallmark, A&E, History, Lifetime and more | $6.99/mo. | 7-day |
| Sling | Live sports, news, family programming and more | $35 – $50/mo. | 3-day |
| Philo | Live + Hallmark, A&E, Discovery, AMC, HGTV, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and more | $25/mo. | 7-day |
| FuboTV | Live + ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Showtime, regional channels and more | $64.99 – $79.99/mo. | 7-day |
| YouTubeTV | Live + sports, Disney, ESPN, FOX, Hallmark, TBS, USA and more | $64.99/mo. | 7-day |
| Hulu + Live TV | Live + ABC, ESPN, TNT, FOX, CBS and more | $69.99/mo.
(includes Disney+ and ESPN+) |
n/a |
Second, think about the features you want. Many of these streaming services also include on-demand movies and shows, Cloud DVR storage, and pause, rewind and fast-forward features. And, unlike cable, streaming services don’t require a contract or have extra hidden fees.
If you don’t need live TV and prefer binge watching shows or enjoy original content, then maybe Amazon Prime Video or Netflix would be a better option for you. Expect to pay between $8.99 – $17.99/month for Netflix (depending on the package you choose), and Amazon offers a video-only package for $8.99/mo. or an enhanced package for $12.99/mo. Of course, if you are already an Amazon Prime member, you have access to Prime Video, ad-free streaming music, unlimited reading and more.
There are also streaming packages that cater to specific content, like, Disney+, HBO Max, and Peacock.
So, is streaming better? You’ll have to make that call. Is streaming cheaper? In most cases, yes.
If you are considering “cutting the cord” be sure your internet is streaming ready. Experts recommend a minimum of 25 Mbps for Ultra HD or 4K streaming—and that’s just for one stream. If your household uses multiple devices at once to stream, game, or video chat, you’ll need a plan that can handle all that. Bloomer offers fiber internet packages from 100 Mbps to 1000 Mbps (1 Gig!) at affordable prices. Plus, our industry-leading Wi-Fi solution is included, at no cost, with our 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps packages.
For more information on how streaming services compare, visit https://mybundle.tv/. And check out the site’s “Find My Bundle” questionnaire for a personalized live TV recommendation.
Questions? Give us a call at 715-568-4830. We’d be happy to help!
*Data gathered from: https://10beststreamingservices.com/go/beststreamingdeals-usa-eng-d-g.html
