Basic Cable Packages and Channels Guide
Our experts spent hundreds of hours looking into basic cable, how to get it, and whether or not it's actually worth your money.
How do you get basic cable?
You don’t have to pay a premium for cable. State-approved local franchising authorities (LFAs) require cable companies to offer low-priced basic cable packages with only local broadcast channels and subchannels. In this article, we highlight some of the best basic cable plans from Cox, Xfinity, Optimum, and Sparklight.
But you can do better than basic cable—especially if you’re looking to save money. You can get all of the same channels with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. They’re easy to install and much more affordable at a one-time cost of $30–$70—compared to $20–$70 a month.
Not only that, but streaming services are a reasonably cheap alternative to basic cable, with more live cable channels and loads of on-demand content.
Best basic cable packages
Basic cable TV packages will include ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and other public-access local channels. Some expanded plans come with fancy cable channels—like Disney Channel, ESPN, MTV, or Fox News Channel—but they’re still stripped down compared to advertised cable packages.
Again, we don’t recommend basic cable TV plans—but you’ll find brief editorial opinions of each basic plans mentioned in this article. To read more about any of these providers, click the review link in the box.
| Plan | Price | Channel count | Download speeds up to | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cox Contour TV Starter |
$71.00/mo.* | 75+ | N/A | Read Cox review |
|
DishLATINO DishLATINO Clásico |
$76.99/mo. | 55+ | N/A | Read DishLATINO review |
|
Optimum 300 Mbps Internet + Basic TV |
$80.00/mo.‡ | 50+ | 300 Mbps | Read Optimum review |
|
Sparklight Economy Sparklight TV Plus |
$54.00/mo. | Up to 20 | N/A | Read Sparklight review |
|
Verizon Fios Fios Local TV |
$69.00/mo. | 60+ | N/A | Read Verizon Fios TV review |
|
Xfinity Choice TV |
$20.00–$25.00/mo.** | 10+ | N/A | Read Xfinity review |
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* No Term Agreement. 2 Year Price Guarantee. Pricing, packages, and policies are subject to change, including when adjusting or removing services or equipment. Prices do not include applicable taxes, surcharges, usage-based charges (such as data, toll usage, pay-per-use service), and other fees. After any promotional period, regular rates apply (see www.cox.com).
** Plans and pricing vary by Xfinity region.
‡ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
Xfinity Choice TV
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Xfinity’s basic cable channel count is 10+. If we don’t see why anyone would pay any amount monthly for Cox’s 75+ channels, imagine how shocked we are by Xfinity’s handful of channels. As with Cox above, we’re recommending the OTA antenna over this Xfinity package.
Note: We list a range of prices for Xfinity basic cable packages because Xfinity pricing is different in each of its three regions. We have information about each region and its pricing in our Xfinity TV review.
Cox Contour TV Starter
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. No Term Agreement. 2 Year Price Guarantee. Pricing, packages, and policies are subject to change, including when adjusting or removing services or equipment. Prices do not include applicable taxes, surcharges, usage-based charges (such as data, toll usage, pay-per-use service), and other fees. After any promotional period, regular rates apply (see www.cox.com).
At first, 75+ channels in a basic cable package might seem pretty generous. You can get pretty much the same channels with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna and you’ll pay only once as opposed to monthly, which is just bad.
Optimum 300 Mbps and Basic TV
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
‡ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.
This Optimum internet-and-TV bundle is one of the only ways to get a basic cable package from Optimum since the provider doesn’t sell standalone TV plans. While $80 is a decent price for 300 Mbps internet speeds and a basic cable package, you can do better. We recommend getting only the standalone internet plan (Optimum 300, $40.00/mo.) and using an OTA antenna—that you’ll pay for only once ($30–$70)—to get the local channels and subchannels you wanted a basic cable package. Then you’re paying only $30 a month for internet and TV.
Economy Sparklight TV Plus
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Sparklight’s Economy TV Plus plan is yet another barebones TV package. You’ll get your local channels, and that’s it. Can you imagine paying $54 a month for this TV plan when you can pay the same amount for an OTA antenna once and never pay for TV service again?
Yeah, that boggles our minds too.
Verizon Fios Local TV
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
While its basic cable package, Local TV, is a bit pricey at $69.00 monthly for 60 channels (set-top box included), Verizon Fios’ fiber optic network reliably delivers channels with pristine picture quality. And Verizon has some of the best new-customer offers around.
If you also need high-speed internet service, you can combine Local TV with Verizon’s Fios 300 Mbps internet plan ($49.99 monthly w/ Auto Pay) for a nice little bundle costing $118.99 a month. And if you choose a faster internet plan, you’ll pay only $20.00 or $40.00 more per month (for 500 Mbps or 1 Gig, respectively). Although there isn’t a bundle discount, Verizon offers speedy and reliable TV and internet that work great together.
DishLATINO Clásico
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Dish Networks’ Spanish-language product, DishLATINO, is available almost everywhere in the U.S. DishLATINO Clásico (4.1 monthly for 55+ channels) is the best satellite TV basic cable package—from our Editor’s Choice pick for the best overall TV provider. And you’ll pay only $5–$10 per month for a receiver/DVR.
Basic cable TV channels
Like we said before, you’ll get different channels based on where you live and the cable company you choose. Keep in mind that most basic cable packages do not include actual cable channels, just local over-the-air channels.
Basic cable channel lineup
- ABC
- CBS
- FOX
- PBS
- Telemundo
- Univision
- Additional government and public-access channels
Expanded basic cable channel lineup
- Disney Channel
- ESPN
- MTV
- Food Network
- FOX News Channel
Basic cable vs. streaming services
If you love a lot of different channels, you might want to try out streaming TV instead of basic cable. You’re probably familiar with on-demand streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but you can stream live TV with services like Sling TV.
On-demand services usually cost between $5 and $20 per month, and live TV streaming services can be anywhere from $25 to a whopping $160 per month.
These services work on a lot of devices, which makes on-the-go viewing a natural part of the experience. Just make sure there’s Wi-Fi at your on-the-go locations, since you’ll need internet to support your streaming.
Pro tip: There are a lot of free streaming services out there, too. They won’t get you live cable channels per se, but they do deliver TV shows and movies—and feature live news and sports in some cases.
Cheap live TV streaming options
Live TV streaming services don’t have basic cable packages. However, the services’ normal packages tend to have smaller channel lineups with the most popular cable channels and, in most cases, the local channels you seek from a basic cable package.
Sling TV
Sling TV has three packages: Sling Blue, Sling Orange, and Sling Orange + Blue have 30–48+ for only $45.99–$60.99/mo.—and they include several popular cable channels plus at least some of your local channels (depending on your market).
If Sling TV doesn’t have the local channels you want, hear us out: You can always supplement Sling TV with an over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna that’ll pick up all of the local broadcast affiliates and subchannels in your area. After you buy the antenna ($30–$70), you pay only for the already immensely affordable Sling. That’s a lot of content for $60.99/mo. or less.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
While you won’t get all of your local channels with Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($7.99–$12.99/mo.), you’ll get one. Your live local CBS affiliate is one of four live channels on Paramount+. The other channels are CBSN—24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ—around-the-clock sports analysis and live games, and ET Live—Entertainment Tonight on a loop. You’ll also get 31,000 hours of on-demand content from both Paramount+ (current and catalog content from CBS and other channels owned by Viacom) and SHOWTIME.
Philo
If you want to save, Philo is a snazzy $28.00/mo. plan with 70+ entertainment and lifestyle channels. Just keep in mind it doesn’t have any local or sports channels.
Basic cable vs. OTA TV antennas
All these cable TV plans and streaming alternatives come with monthly payments. If you want to keep things simple—local channel access for a one-time fee—over-the-air (OTA) TV is the way to go.
TV antennas look a little different now than the rabbit ears of yesteryear, with flat wall panels or little set-top boxes. Sure, they’re missing the charm of dressing your TV up to look like an alien, but they also don’t take up much space or throw off your interior decor.
You can pick OTA TV antennas up on Amazon and install them yourself. Most antennas cost $25–$60—we recommend the Mohu Leaf.
Be careful to choose an antenna that will pick up all your locally broadcasted channels. The FCC has a handy dandy map to help you locate how far different TV towers are from your home so you can make the best choice for you.
Is basic cable worth it?
We don’t think basic cable TV is worth it because basic cable deals come with only local channels and (maybe) a few cable TV favorites, and they cost $20–$70 per month.
Also, be cautious of any fees attached to your basic cable plan. Providers may waive these fees on their (otherwise more expensive) advertised plans, but leave them on basic plans.
Basically (pardon the pun), basic cable isn’t the only way to get cheap. Some streaming TV services are free (but they don’t include local channels). And, again, you pay for an over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna only once—and basic cable as a monthly payment.
Still, if you’ve set your heart on basic cable, go ahead and give your local cable TV provider a call. Just type in your zip code below, and we’ll hook you up with the TV folks in your area.
Basic cable TV FAQ
Is basic cable TV free?
No, basic cable TV prices cost $20–$70 per month. But if you want only local TV channels, you can pick up an OTA TV antenna for a one-time purchase of about $30–$70 and avoid a basic cable plan’s monthly payment.
How much does basic cable TV cost?
Basic cable TV plans run $20–$70 per month, but you probably won’t see them advertised on your TV provider’s website.
To get cheap basic cable TV plans, you may need to call and ask a customer rep about them.
What are basic channels?
Basic channels are primarily locally broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and Telemundo. Some providers even include higher-tier cable TV channels like Disney and MTV in their basic cable TV packages, but those channels aren’t the norm.
How can I get local channels?
The simplest way to get local channels is through an OTA TV antenna, which usually costs $20–$70. Traditional TV packages also come with local channels, and you can get a basic channel package for as low as $30–$70 per month. It’s better to go with the antenna because you’ll get the same channels without a monthly payment.
Most live TV streaming services offer local channels, but not in all areas. Luckily, most streaming services give you a free trial, so you can see which local channels you’ll get before you commit.
What is the best option for TV without cable?
Live TV streaming services let you skip out on yearly contracts but still enjoy your favorite cable TV channels. But if you want only local channels, buy a TV antenna and avoid monthly payments altogether.
What does Xfinity basic cable include?
Xfinity basic cable plans include the following local broadcast affiliates like ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX as well as local government channels and educational channels like PBS.
How much does basic cable cost with Xfinity?
Xfinity basic cable costs $20–$25 a month. To find a more specific plan price, visit our Xfinity TV review. We’ve set it up so that the information you get corresponds to the Xfinity region where you live.
Do I have to pay for cable TV to get internet?
You can skip on the basic cable TV package and get your internet solo instead. To learn more, check out our standalone internet FAQ.
What is the cheapest basic cable?
The cheapest basic cable package belongs to Xfinity, which usually costs $20–$25 per month depending on your location. However, you’d be better off buying a cheap OTA antenna and skipping the monthly fees.
Why you should trust us
At CableTV.com, we’re experts on getting the most bang for your buck. Our experts have spent thousands of hours researching every basic cable plan and OTA antenna to bring you the most accurate and honest information about accessing local channels. For more information on our process, head over to How We Rank.
