Cable or satellite packages, excluding promotions, can easily run $70 to $100 a month. That gets you hundreds of diverse channels — ESPN for sports lovers, premium channels like HBO and Showtime, the major networks and niche options. But maybe you can find more cost-effective options online. Here's a sample of services for different tastes
Streaming TV: What It Costs, What You Get
Cable or satellite packages, excluding promotions, can easily run $70 to $100 a month. That gets you hundreds of diverse channels — ESPN for sports lovers, premium channels like HBO and Showtime, the major networks and niche options. But maybe you can find more cost-effective options online.
Netflix is raising the monthly price for its most popular plan by $1, to $10, for new customers (and eventually all customers). Online services, individually, are still cheaper. Depending on what you like to watch, however, you may need to subscribe to several. And not all of them can play at the same time for several family members.
A sampling of services for different tastes:
GOOD FOR SPORTS
DISH’S SLING TV
Price: Starts at $20 a month.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
Live offering: About 20 channels, including ESPN, ABC Family, AMC and Food Network. No broadcast channels like CBS or NBC, although Univision is available in add-on packages. Add-on packages for sports, movies, kids, lifestyles and world news available for $5 each, and HBO for $15.
On demand: No recording of channels, though some offer older episodes, including HBO. Access to WatchESPN on-demand app.
Restrictions: Can watch only one stream at a time, so members of households will need multiple subscriptions, although HBO content can be streamed on 3 devices at a time. DVR controls, such as pause and rewind, aren’t available for many channels. NFL blackouts on mobile devices.
MLB.TV
Price: $110 for a full season; the price goes down throughout the season. An extra $5 for some postseason games with alternative camera angles — not what’s shown on TV.
Live offering: All Major League Baseball games, subject to hometown blackouts.
On demand: All games.
Restrictions: Lots of blackouts. Extra $20 for season to watch on mobile and streaming TV devices.
THIS SEASON’S TV
CBS ALL ACCESS
Monthly price: $6.
Live offering: More than 100 markets.
On demand: Day-after access to shows on mobile devices (on traditional computers, it’s free without a subscription). Full seasons for many shows, not just past five episodes. Past seasons for a handful of shows, including “The Good Wife,” “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race” and “60 Minutes.”
Restrictions: Some sports blackouts.
HBO NOW
Price: About $15 a month
Live offering: New episodes are available through apps about the same time they are shown on TV.
On demand: Current and past seasons of most HBO shows, including “Games of Thrones,” “Girls” and “The Sopranos.” Hundreds of movies.
Restrictions: You must subscribe through a partner like Apple, Amazon or Android. Cablevision and Verizon also offer HBO Now.
HULU
Price: $8 a month for Plus, though many shows are free on Windows and Mac computers. $12 a month for a version with no commercials.
Live offering: None
On demand: Next-day access to shows from ABC, NBC, Fox and CW, along with some cable channels. Some movies and original shows.
Restrictions: Fox and CW shows restricted to cable subscribers for first week. ABC requires cable or Hulu Plus subscription during that time. Plus also needed for viewing on mobile and streaming TV devices.
ITUNES
Price: Next-day access to shows for $2 or $3 an episode.
Live offering: None, except for special events such as iTunes music festival.
Restrictions: No Android devices. Apple TV is only streaming device supported.
BINGE-WATCHING TV & MOVIES
AMAZON
Price: $8.25 a month (only through $99-a-year Amazon Prime subscription)
Live offering: None
On demand: Apart from original shows such as “Transparent,” offerings tend to be past seasons, plus movies. Next-day access to shows for $2 or $3 an episode.
Restrictions: Requires a one-year commitment.
HBO NOW
Price: About $15 a month
Live offering: New episodes are available through apps about the same time they are shown on TV.
On demand: Current and past seasons of most HBO shows, including “Games of Thrones,” “Girls” and “The Sopranos.” Hundreds of movies.
Restrictions: You must subscribe through a partner like Apple, Amazon or Android. Cablevision and Verizon also offer HBO Now.
HULU
Price: $8 a month for Plus, though many shows are free on Windows and Mac computers. $12 a month for a version with no commercials.
Live offering: None
On demand: Next-day access to shows from ABC, NBC, Fox and CW, along with some cable channels. Some movies and original shows.
Restrictions: Fox and CW shows restricted to cable subscribers for first week. ABC requires cable or Hulu Plus subscription during that time. Plus also needed for viewing on mobile and streaming TV devices.
NETFLIX
Price: The most popular plan will now cost $10 a month for new customers.
Live offering: None
On demand: Apart from original shows such as “House of Cards,” offerings tend to be past seasons, plus movies.
Restrictions: For the most popular plan, you can watch on only 2 screens at a time.
FOR KIDS
NETFLIX
Price: The most popular plan will now cost $10 a month for new customers.
Live offering: None
On demand: Apart from original shows such as “House of Cards,” offerings tend to be past seasons, plus movies.
Restrictions: For the most popular plan, you can watch on only 2 screens at a time.
NICKELODEON’S NOGGIN
Monthly price: $6
Live offering: None
On demand: Games and activities created for service alongside archives of shows no longer on any of Nickelodeon’s TV channels. Aimed at preschoolers.
Restrictions: Available on Apple mobile devices only.
Comments (3)
Bill Greep says:
October 13, 2015 at 8:55 am
Every time I read a comparison of cable bundles to OTT built packages, one key ingredient is overlooked… The ‘Internet Access’ which can easily run $30-$70/month (or more depending upon speed). Ironically, when that is factored in, most OTT users (particularly who care about sports) will end up paying more than mid-range cable bundles.
Gregg Palermo says:
October 13, 2015 at 11:13 am
The cost of Internet access is moot because everyone has it. The question is whether the mid-range cable bundle costs more than the sum of its parts. Apparently a lot of cord-cutters and cord-nevers have voted yes. Maybe still a small percentage, but watch it grow. TV Everywhere, on the other hand, seems dead in the water.
Julien Devereux says:
October 13, 2015 at 10:18 am
Or, you can get an antenna for your TV networks and (in Houston TX) a total of over 90 stations. Then connect a computer with a TV tuner card to your TV and you have a DVR and the ability to stream just about anything you want for free. CSN88 is right about the internet cost, but you’ve already got internet anyway, so that shouldn’t factor in.