Best TV Service Providers February 2025: Plans, Prices, and More
Check out our expert recommendations to get the best TV service provider for you.
Deal: Free streaming app, no cable box required
Price: $59.99/mo.*
Channels: 150–160+
DVR storage: Varies
Deal: Free streaming app, no cable box required
Price: $59.99/mo.*
Channels: 150–160+
DVR storage: Varies
Deal: Free cloud DVR
Price: $40.00–$135.00/mo.
Channels: 50–420+
DVR storage: 25–150 hrs.
Deal: Free cloud DVR
Price: $40.00–$135.00/mo.
Channels: 50–420+
DVR storage: 25–150 hrs.
Deal: Max, SHOWTIME, or Netflix w/ some bundles
Price: $50.00–$80.00/mo.
Channels: 125-185+
DVR storage: 20–300 hrs.
Deal: Max, SHOWTIME, or Netflix w/ some bundles
Price: $50.00–$80.00/mo.
Channels: 125-185+
DVR storage: 20–300 hrs.
Deal: Free SHOWTIME and DISH Movie Pack for 3 mos.
Price: $79.99–$109.99/mo.
Channels: 190–290+
DVR storage: 500–2,000 hrs.
Deal: Free SHOWTIME and DISH Movie Pack for 3 mos.
Price: $79.99–$109.99/mo.
Channels: 190–290+
DVR storage: 500–2,000 hrs.
Deal: Verizon gift cards and free equipment
Price: $85.00–$129.00/mo.
Channels: 60–425+
DVR storage: 50–200 hrs.
Deal: Verizon gift cards and free equipment
Price: $85.00–$129.00/mo.
Channels: 60–425+
DVR storage: 50–200 hrs.
Best value: Spectrum is a great value with its 150–160+ channel plan for only $59.00 per month. For reference, that’s $5.00 less per month and 40+ more live channels than TV streaming services like YouTube TV ($64.99 per month, 85+ channels).
Cheapest: Optimum offers the cheapest basic cable out there starting at $35.00 per month. Want more cable channels like ESPN and Hallmark Channel? Optimum has your back. You can get premium cable for the reasonable price of $75.00 per month.
Best bundles: Xfinity has some great TV, internet, and phone bundles that’ll help you save some cash, depending on which Xfinity region you live in (spoiler alert: the West is the best). Also, keep in mind that bundling is very limited with satellite TV providers like DISH and DIRECTV.
Best premium option: If you’re a premium TV fan like us, we highly recommend DISH Network for its channel count, reliability, industry-leading equipment, parental controls, and transparent pricing.
Best freebies: Verizon Fios has the best freebies because it offers enticing deals like free equipment and Verizon gift cards pretty much every month.
Best for sports: DIRECTV is best for sports because it features tons of regional sports networks and other pro-sports channels like MLB Extra Innings and NHL Center Ice.
Compare the best TV service providers head to head
The best TV service provider for you will depend on a lot of things, including price, channel count, and availability. Check out our nifty table to compare cable, satellite, and live TV streaming options before you sign up.
Best TV service providers
| Provider | Price | Channel count | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Best value |
$45.00–$105.00/mo.*‡ | 150–160+ | |
|
Optimum Cheapest |
$40.00–$135.00/mo. | 50–420+ | |
|
Xfinity Best bundles |
$20.00–$80.00/mo. | 125–185+ | |
|
DISH Best premium option |
$97.99–$147.99/mo. | 190–290+ | |
|
Verizon Fios Best freebies |
$85.00–$129.00/mo. | 125–425+ | |
|
DIRECTV Best for sports |
$74.99–$164.99/mo.** | 165–340+ |
Data as of post date. Prices at time of writing. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
**for 24 months plus taxes and fees.
‡ for 12 mos.
Other top cable TV providers
| Provider | Price | Channel count | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband | $99.51–$141.81/mo. | 287–304+ | |
| Cox Communications | $61.00–$152.00/mo. | 75–250+ |
Data as of post date. Prices at time of writing. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
What to look for in a TV provider
What? Really? You wanna do your own legwork after all the sweat we put into this—just kiddin’. We respect you for doing extra research in your quest for the best TV provider deals. Here’s a checklist/tip sheet for TV-plan shopping to help you on your quest.
Availability
First things first: you need to figure out which TV providers are available in your neck of the woods. Most folks have at least three to four TV options in their area.
See which ones are available in your neighborhood by entering your zip code below.
Channels: quantity vs. quality
Channel counts are only numbers—don’t rely solely on them. Be sure to review each TV service’s channel lineups to ensure you’re getting all the channels you want. Here are some to get you started.
Cable and satellite TV provider channel lineups
Contract buyouts
Some providers will pay to get your business. Optimum, Astound Broadband, and Spectrum all pay up to $500 to free you from your current contract. How nice is that?
DVR specs and fees
Ideally, with physical DVRs like the DISH Hopper 3 and DIRECTV Genie, you want tons of storage (200 hours or more) and multiple tuners (at least two, ideally more than five) to allow for simultaneous recordings. The DVR should also run streaming apps and have a voice remote.
Key features on cloud DVR are storage and simultaneous streams. Typically, cloud DVR storage is lower than that of a physical DVR. Expect to see providers offering 25–200 hours. As for streams, three is a good amount.
Monthly fees for physical and cloud DVRs range from $4.99–$30.00, with a median rate of $15.00 a month. You’ll find the best DVR bang for your buck with DISH ($10 a month for up to 2,000 hours and 16 tuners) and DIRECTV (200 hours and five tuners for no extra cost).
Mobile app
If you lead a busy life, you’ll want to choose a provider with a reliable mobile app that allows you to make payments, manage your account, contact customer service, or watch TV on the go or offline.
We’ve reviewed some of the best TV provider mobile apps:
Best TV providers FAQ
What is the best and cheapest TV provider?
We think that DISH is the best TV provider overall because of its high channel count, low cost per channel, Hopper 3 DVR, reliability, and two-year price guarantee. It’s also our best TV service for kids pick because of its numerous kids’ channels and fantastic parental controls.
Spectrum is the cheapest TV provider. With the Spectrum TV Select Signature package ($59.99 a month for 12 months), you get 150–160+ HD channels—including the most popular cable TV channels.
What is the best TV and internet provider?
Optimum, Astound Broadband powered by RCN, and Xfinity offer the best internet-and-TV plan value. Click any of these links to learn more about these providers.
What is the best cable TV provider for the money?
Verizon Fios has the best value for TV-only plans. Spectrum has the best value for TV-only plans. If you’re looking for internet and TV bundles, check out Optimum, Astound Broadband powered by RCN, and Xfinity for great value.
How do I choose a TV provider?
You can get help choosing a finding the best TV service by reading sites like ours, CableTV.com. We do all of the research for you so that you can find the best cable TV providers fast.
We don’t just point out the best overall TV providers. We also tell you the ones that have the best value, cheapest packages, best kids’ content (and parental controls), and best sports content. That way, you can find quality couch entertainment that’s right for you.
Of course, you can still do your own research to flesh out what you’ve learned here.
What are the best cable TV providers near me?
To find cable and satellite TV providers near you, enter your zip code below.
Disclaimers:
* Spectrum TV® Select Signature: Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Spectrum TV Select Signature promotion price is $59.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr 1. Taxes, fees, and surcharges (broadcast surcharge up to $23.20/mo) extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra. General Terms: TV: TV equipment required; charges may apply. Channel and HD programming availability based on level of service and location. Account credentials may be required to stream some TV content online. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. Enter your address to determine availability.
