12 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting

cord-cutting › cheapest live tv services • March 27, 2025 • The Staff

In the age of streaming price hikes and expensive bundled packages, there are still some havens of affordability.

The cheapest live TV services are of course the free ones like Pluto and Sling FreeStream. There are also some streaming services that cost very little like Philo, Sling TV (Orange and Blue plans), and Frndly TV.

Below, we list affordable streaming TV options to help you decide which one is for you. We also include newcomers like NOW TV and on-demand services like Max and Peacock which are pivoting towards live content as well.

Our recommended three cheapest live tv streaming services for cord-cutting:

Sling Orange ESPN & 32 channels included	~~$45.99~~ $25.99	Watch

Sling Blue FOX & 39 channels included	~~$45.99~~ $25.99	Watch

Philo Lifetime & 86 channels included	$28/month	Watch

Sling Orange

Sling Orange sits at the top of this list for being the cheapest way to get the ESPN sports channels. It is no secret that sports are what is keeping live TV alive, so despite not being the absolute cheapest, this package from Sling offers great value. This is espcially true when you consider you'll also get TNT and TBS, as well as non-sports channels like Comedy Central, AMC, and Lifetime.

Go to Sling Orange

Price: ~~$45.99~~ $25.99

Channels for every dollar spent: 0.7

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Xbox One

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg TV+, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Disney Channel, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, Freeform, Fuse, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MotorTrend, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, Vice

Sling Blue

At $45.99 (and a current 50% off the first month offer) Sling Blue is the cheapest way to get most local channels like ABC, NBC, and FOX. Speaking of FOX, the Fox Sports bundle is also included here. Technology moves so fast but it helps to remember that a package like this back in the cable days was unheard of.

Go to Sling Blue

Price: ~~$45.99~~ $25.99

Channels for every dollar spent: 1

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg TV+, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, Food Network, FOX, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, FS1 4K, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NFL Network, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA Network, Vice

Philo

At $28, Philo is one of the most affordable cable alternatives out there, second only to Frndly TV which we cover more below. The premise is simple: if you can do without sports, why pay for them? Instead, you get AMC, Lifetime, Hallmark, WETV, Comedy Central, and much more for a budget-friendly monthly price.

Go to Philo

Price: $28/month

Channels for every dollar spent: 3.4

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, iPhone, LG Smart TV, Roku, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, AccuWeather Network, AMC, AMC Plus, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, aspireTV, AXS TV, Baywatch, BBC America, BBC News, BET, BET Her, Catchy Comedy, Cheddar News, Cleo TV, CMT, Comedy Central, Cook’s Country, Cooking Channel, Crackle, Crime-Investigation, Dabl, Deck the Hallmark, Destination America, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, FETV, Food Network, FYI, Game Show Network, GetTV, Great American Family, Great American Living, Gusto TV, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, IFC, INSP, Investigation Discovery, KIN, Law&Crime, Lifetime, LMN, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MeTV Toons, Motor Trend, MSG SportsZone, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Oprah Winfrey Network, Overtime, Paramount Network, Perform by LIFETIME, PlayersTV, pocket.watch, Pop TV, RetroCrush, REVOLT, Revry, Ryan and Friends, Scares by Shudder, Science Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, Story Television, Sundance TV, Tastemade, TeenNick, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, TV One, UPtv, Vevo 80s, Vevo 90s, Vevo Country, Vevo Hip-Hop, Vevo Holiday, Vevo Pop, VH1, Vice, WE tv, Xtreme Outdoor by HISTORY

Peacock

I know what you're thinking: what is Peacock doing here? Well, what was once an on-demand Netflix competitor is now moving more and more into live TV. You get local news, Bravo shows, NBC shows live like SNL, sports events like the Olympics live, and many custom channels like Vanderpump Rules. All of this for the small price of $7.99, and the best part: you'll still get a Netflix-type service with a big catalog of on-demand movies and shows.

Go to Peacock

Price: $7.99/month

Channels for every dollar spent: 9.4

Device availability: Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Visio TV, Xbox

Frndly TV

Frndly gets its name from "family-friendly" but it also might as well come from "bank account friendly". For the small price of $6.99 you get the Hallmark suite, Lifetime, the Weather Channel, and 40 others. Recently they've extended their app availability to Samsung, so it's just as practical to get as it is affordable.

Go to Frndly TV

Price: $6.99/month

Channels for every dollar spent: 7.3

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Vizio

Channel lineup: A&E, ASPiRE TV, BabyFirst, Bounce, BYUtv, Catchy Comedy, Circle, Court TV, Cowboy Way Channel, Crime-Investigation, Dabl, Dove Channel, Dove Family Movies, Dove Kids, FETV, FMC, FYI, Game Show Network, GetTV, Great American Family, Great American Living, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies Now, Hallmark Mystery, Heartland TV, Heroes & Icons, Holiday Scapes, INSP, ION, ION Mystery, JusticeCENTRAL.TV, Laff, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Local Now, MeTV, MeTV Toons, Military HISTORY, Movies!, Outdoor Channel, PixL, QVC, Recipe.TV, Sportsman Channel, Start TV, StoryTV, The History Channel, The Weather Channel, UPtv, VICE TV

Tubi

What's cheaper than free? Tubi is owned by FOX, and after airing the superbowl, it should be no surprise that the Network is serious about making it a solid cord-cutting service. If you don't mind the ads, you'll get FOX channels, USA Today, ION, REELZ, and many themed channels like the Bob Ross Channel and The Dick Van Dyke show.

Go to Tubi

Price: free for 78 channels available

Channels for every dollar spent: 86 (free)

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sony, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox One

Channel lineup: 21 Jump Street, ABC Localish, ABC News, ACC Digital Network, AFV Family, All Real, Baywatch, Bein Sports XTRA, bein Sports Xtra en Espanol, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Quicktake, Bounce XL, Brat TV, BUZZR, Caught in Providence, CBC News, Cheddar, CINEVAULT: 80's, CINEVAULT: Classics, CINEVAULT: Westerns, Circle, Comedy Dynamics, Cosmos, Deal or No Deal, Dove Channel, El Rey, Estrella News, EuroNews English, Fear Factor, FilmRise Classic TV, FilmRise Westerns, Forensic Files, FOX, Fox Deportes, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, fubo Sports Network, Game Show Central, Gordon Ramsay, Heartland, ION, Johnny Carson TV, live now from Fox, LOL-Network, Lone Star, Masked Singer Channel, Maverick Black Cinema, MLB, Moviesphere Free, My Time Movie Network, Mystery Science Theater 3000, NASCAR Channel, Nash Bridges, NBC News Now, Newsy, NFL Channel, NHRA TV, Nosey, Pac-12 Insider, Pattrn, People TV, Real Madrid TV, REELZ, Revolt Mixtape, So Real, Sports Wire, Stadium, Supermarket Sweep, The Biggest Loser, The Bob Ross Channel, The Carol Burnett Show, The Conners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Grio, The Looney Tunes Show, the NFL Channel, The Only Way is Essex, TMZ, TODAY All Day, Tubi Originals, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, Vice, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Weather Nation, Wipeout Xtra

Max

First, there is the B/R add-on that is currently free for all Max subscribers and is a fantastic way to get TBS, TNT, and TruTV content. Second, there is a wide suite of Warner Bros. Discovery channels available like CNN, Animal Planet, HGTV, Food Network, and more. All of this for $9.99 / month.

Go to Max

Price: $9.99/month

Channels for every dollar spent: 0.4

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

NOW TV

Over 120 channels, plus Peacock premium, for just $20 a month? That's what we call cheap. The only catch is that you need an Xfinity internet plan, so if you already have one or you're shopping for one, this is a good deal. It has has no annual contract and includes big-name channels like AMC, A&E, Lifetime, NBC, TLC, and WE TV.

Go to NOW TV

Price: $60/month

Channels for every dollar spent: 1.9

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, iOS

Channel lineup: A&E, AccuWeather Now, ACL Cornhole TV, Afro, AMC, America’s Test Kitchen, American Crimes, AméricaTevé, Animal, Are We There Yet?, Aspire, At Home with Family Handyman, BBC America, BBC World, Billiard TV, Bravo Vault, Buzzr Let’s Play, Cine Romántico, Circle TV, Cleo TV, Comedy TV, Cooking, Crime + Invest., Dateline 24/7, Discovery Channel, Discovery Life, E! Keeping Up, Ebony TV by Lionsgate, Estrella News, EstrellaTV, FILMEX Clasico, Food Network, FYI, GAC Family, GAC Living, Get TV, GSN, Hallmark, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies, HGTV, History, ID, IFC, Justice Central, Kevin Hart’s LOL! Network, Kevin Hart’s LOL! Standup, Latino Vibes, Lifetime, LMN, Love Nature, Magnolia, Military HISTORY, Million Dollar Listing, MotorTrend, MovieSphere by Lionsgate, Murder, NBC local channels, NBC News Bay Area, NBC News Boston, NBC News Chicago, NBC News Connecticut, NBC News Dallas Fort Worth, NBC News local channels, NBC News Los Angeles, NBC News New York, NBC News Now, NBC News Philadelphia, NBC News San Diego, NBC News South Florida, NBC News Washington D.C., NBC Sports, Noticias Telemundo Ahora, OuterSphere by Lionsgate, OUTtv Proud, OWN, Oxygen True Crime Archives, PBS | Antiques Roadshow, PGA Tour, PowerNation, Pursuit, Real Housewives Vault, Recipe.TV, Science, Shades of Black, She Wrote, Sky News, SNL Vault, Sony Movies, Stingray Holidayscapes, Sundance, Tastemade in Espanol, Telemundo Acción, Telemundo Al Día, Telemundo local channels, Telemundo Noticias California, Telemundo Noticias Florida, Telemundo Noticias Noreste, Telemundo Noticias Texas, Telemundo Romance, The Jamie Oliver Channel, The Weather Channel, The Weather Channel en Espanol, TLC, TODAY All Day, Travel, TV One, Universal Crime, Unsolved Mysteries, Up TV, Vice, WE tv, World Poker Tour, Xumo Free Channels

Pluto TV Live

Another free option is Pluto TV, which includes shows from CBS, BBC, CNN, ET, MLB, and AMC. If you don't mind the ads and are just looking to have a TV playing live content, this is a good option.

Go to Pluto TV Live

Price: free for 33 channels available

Channels for every dollar spent: 53 (free)

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Virgin Media, Vizio SmartCast, webOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Channel lineup: 60 minutes Pluto, BBC Food, BBC Home, Bein Sports XTRA, Bloomberg TV+, Bodas+, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, Check with Pluto TV for the full channel lineup, Cheddar News, CNN Headlines, CNN Originals, Crimen, DAZN Ringside, ET Live, Family Feud, Food TV, Fox desportes, Fox Sports, Hallmark En Espanol, Hip Hop Family, Hip Hop Family VH1, Hit Sitcoms by WBtv, La Familia del Barrio, Love & Hip-Hop VH1, Major League Soccer, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, MLB, MotorTrend FAST TV, Mythbusters by WBtv, NBC News Now, Newsmax, NFL Channel, NFL Super Bowl Classics, No Reservations by WBtv, Nosey, People TV, PGA Tour, Pluto Channels, Queens of Reality, Real Disaster, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sky News, Smithsonian Channel, Stories AMC, TBN, The Twilight Zone, Today, TuDiscovery, TuWarner, TV Land Drama, WeatherNation, WOW – Women Of Wrestling, WPT

Spectrum TV Stream

Spectrum has been dabbling in the cord-cutting world for a while now with Spectrum TV Choice, a no-commitment bundle that includes a choice of 15 channels as well as live streams of local stations. TV Choice is now over $50, so here is a cheaper alternative: "TV Stream" for $40. A&E, FX, CNN, HGTV, the Hallmark Channel, and TLC come included, and so does an on-demand library of over 85,000 titles.

Go to Spectrum TV Stream

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

Spectrum TV Choice

With Spectrum TV Choice you can pick 15 channels out of a long lineup, so you're only paying for the channels you watch. You'll also get most local channels for a "flat tax" of $23.20, bringing the total monthly cost to $53.19. For folks looking to watch ESPN, Fox Sports, ABC and other local channels, this is a more than reasonable price.

Go to Spectrum TV Choice

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

Sling TV Freestream

"Freestream" is a Tubi-style free live TV streaming service from Dish, the owner of Sling TV. If you're looking to keep your cord-cutting spend at exactly $0, this is a decent app to get and combine with The Roku Channel or Pluto TV. I say that because it's a new service and the lineup is still slowly expanding, so for the time being this is probably not a service that's enough on its own. Also interesting: free DVR comes included.

Go to Sling TV Freestream

Price: free for 43 channels available

Channels for every dollar spent: 75 (free)

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox, Xfinity Flex

Channel lineup: AajTak International, ABC News Live, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera English, All Reality by WEtv, Always funny, Anthony Bourdain A Cook's Tour, Architectural Digest: Open Door, ARY News, Asian Crunch, BBC Comedy, BBC Earth, BBC Game Shows, BBC Top Gear, Bein Sports XTRA, Bizarre Foods with Anthony Bourdain on WBtv, Buzzr: Family Feud, CBS News, Cheddar News, Christmas Plus, Court TV, Craftsey TV, Crunchyroll, Defiance, Dilemma, Documentary Plus, Drag Race Universe, Electric Now, EntrepreneurTV, ESPN On Demand, ESR, FailArmy, Fear Factor, FilmRise: Hell's Kitchen, Forensic Files, Formula TV channel, Fox Weather, France24, Fubo Sports, Glewed TV, GoTraveler, Grit extra, Heartland, ION, ION Mystery, ION Plus, Just for Laughs Gags, Just for Laughs TV, Life OK, Maverick Black Cinema: Boxed In, Military Times, Nash Bridge Channels, National Lampoon, Noticias Univision 24/7, Real Wild, Rick Steves Europe, Rig TV, Scripps News, Shout TV, SonyKal, SportsGrid, TD Ameritrade Network, Teen Vee, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Pet Collective, The Price Is Right: The Barker Era, The Walking Dead Universe, Travel and Adventure, TVP World, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, VH1 I Love Reality, Willow Channel, World Poker Tour, Zona TUDN

What is the cheapest live TV streaming service for sports channels?

The most affordable streaming service for sports viewing is Sling TV. Out of its two available plans, Sling Orange has the most coverage since it carries ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, but Sling Blue is also a formidable option as it carries NFL Network and FS1. Each costs around $45.99/month and only $60.99 together as Sling Orange + Blue. These channels may be enough for casual sports fans, but if you're looking for more, you can always pay extra for the sports bundle and add up to 11 more sports channels in your lineup.

What is the cheapest live TV streaming service for news channels?

For news, Sling still offers a pretty good deal with the $45.99 Blue, which has MSNBC, CNN, Bloomberg Television, and Fox News. You can also pay an extra $6 for the news bundle, which gives you access to nine more channels including BBC World News and CNBC. But if you're looking for an even cheaper option, Philo should do. For $25/month, it gives you access to BBC America, BBC World News, and Cheddar News.

What is the cheapest live TV streaming service with local channels?

While YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream have great offers in this regard, the cheapest live TV streamer with local channels is Paramount+, which offers CBS affiliate channels in most markets for only $9.99. If you want more information on accessing local channels on live TV, we wrote a dedicated article on the topic.

What is the cheapest Youtube TV Alternative?

Again, YouTube TV is a great and comprehensive option for cord-cutters, but with the monthly price now at $83, it's understandable to look at alternatives. The cheapest YouTube TV alternatives are Sling TV ($45.99), Philo ($28), and Frndly TV ($6).

What are the cheapest cord-cutting bundles?

The cheapest streaming bundle is probably the Disney+ Bundle Trio (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+) for $14.99. Another option is the new the Xfinity Now TV "Streamsaver" bundle for $55.

Which live TV streaming services are completely free?

Plenty of live TV streaming services are completely, wholly, and no-strings-attached free. The most popular three are Tubi and PlutoTV.