The notion of enjoying all your favorite TV series and movies without paying a massive cable bill a.k.a cord cutting seemed like a tech-world fantasy just a few years ago. Thanks to technological revolution and innovation in the TV scene, this has gone from wishful thinking to a viable mainstream option.
For a long time cable television was the most reliable and affordable way of accessing quality shows and movies. With the advent and rising popularity of streaming services, there is no doubt that cable is facing stiff competition. And why not? Streaming offers you the best of two worlds: you not only save $100 monthly but also have unlimited access to numerous movies and TV series.
If you are willing to join the cord cutting movement, here are TV streaming services that are worth every penny:
1. Netflix
This widely popular streaming service has loads of content and at a very low price. Apart from full TV series seasons, this streaming service also offers numerous children programs in addition to movies both classic and the latest.
At a meager $8.99 a month you are able to access unlimited HD streaming to 2 TV sets simultaneously. The shortcoming is that you have to wait for a TV series to air completely before it’s available on Netflix. A big plus is that there are no commercials on Netflix!
2. Hulu
Unlike on Netflix where you have to wait for months before watching TV series aired on cable stations, on Hulu you are able to watch shows currently airing on ABC, NBC and even FOX. The catch is they are available a day after they air on the original broadcast network.
Apart from original content, this streaming service also has a decent back catalogue of previous seasons of networks TV shows. If you are a fan of classic TV shows such as the Brady Bunch then this is definitely a perfect fit. At only $7.99 a month you can also have access to the latest hits such as Once Upon a Time. For extra dollars a month you are able to get commercial free service.
3. Amazon Prime
This is a relatively new player in the video streaming industry. At $119 annually or $12.99 monthly, Amazon Prime offers new members a free 2-day shipping an Amazon Orders. With this streaming service, a user has unlimited access to numerous movies and TV shows.
You can stream Amazon content on multiple platforms such as Blue-ray players, SMART TVs, Kindle Fire, Tablets , Playstation and a plethora of other internet connected devices. This streaming service is currently the cheapest in the market but still has a long way to go in terms of content. If you have Amazon Prime Membership you also have access to this streaming service.
4. Sling TV
Apart from coming with a 7-day free trial, this Dish network owned streaming service is a great choice because you have access to live TV on over 30 channels such as HGTV, ESPN, and TNT.
The base package costs $20 monthly but since there no binding contract, a user is free to cancel subscription anytime they wish. It has commercials but not as much as traditional Cable Television.
5. DirectTV
Now This streaming service is the closest thing to a cable replacement. Apart from featuring over 60 channels, it is available virtually everywhere is a simple super-surfable set-up.
The cost is relatively higher at $35. It is aialble on multiple platforms including Apple TV, normal TVs, Amazon Fire and Apple Stick. With an extra $5 a month you are able to access HBO.
6. PlayStation Vue
This streaming service is a great cable substitute that comes at $39.99 a month. Apart from being able to watch programs on up to 5 screens simultaneously, you also able to access over 45 lives streaming channel.
An outstanding feature of PlayStation Vue is that the DVR feature enables fast-forwarding commercials! Popular to common misconception you don’t require PlayStation gaming console to access this streaming service.
Apart from being available on both PlayStation 3 and 4, it is also accessible on other platforms such as iPhone, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Roku, iPad and Android.
7. YouTube TV
The notion that YouTube is just for music and cure cat videos is far from the truth. Google now offers a live streaming service on YouTube. The best thing about this service is that it offers almost every major TV channel including the most popular such as FOX, CBS, NBC and ABC.
However, this streaming service is limited geographically because it is currently available only in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
YouTube TV enables 3 simultaneous streams at a price tag of only $35 a month. This streaming service is available on platforms such as Chromecasts/Chromecast-compatible TVs, Android,Apple TV and iOS
Bottom-line
Live TV will never be over, what is quickly becoming extinct is the hassle of having 14000 difficult-to-navigate channels and a complicated remote, all tied up to a cumbersome overheating box that is poorly designed. With these streaming services, you can watch TV without cable and at a cheaper price.