Top Streaming Services That Can Replace Your Cable Cheaper – What’s On?

The last few years have seen a revolution in TV. It is no longer necessary to be tied to a cable provider with a long contract. There are many live TV streaming services that are as good, or better, than what the cable companies provide. All this for a lot less money.

In a hurry? There’s lots of information below, but if you just want to start enjoying TV more while spending less money, you can’t go wrong with these services:

• Fubo (formerly FuboTV): Known for its outstanding sports coverage, Fubo’s 150+ live TV channels provide a broad selection that appeals to most people. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
• Sling TV: Offers 40+ channels, including a couple of local network affiliates, for just $40.00/mo. Save 50% on Sling TV now!
• DIRECTV STREAM: The king of RSNs, this is the streaming service for MLB, NBA, and NHL fans. Check out its Choice Plan if you want to watch every game! A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
• Hulu + Live TV: This industry leader in on-demand streaming offers 85+ live channels, covering a broad range of sports, entertainment, and family content. Try one month for $76.99.

2024 NBA Play-In!

The NBA playoffs have started with the Play-In:

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NHL Playoffs This Weekend!

The NHL playoffs start this Saturday. Don’t miss out!

What’s Streaming Now?

We provide simple but detailed information for cord-cutters to get the best possible experience without cable. You will learn where and how to stream different channels, what individual streaming services offer, and how to be cost-effective with your chosen streaming device.

Whether you’re a sports fan, movie buff, parent with curious kids, or just a general TV consumer, we provide you with everything you need to leave your cable contract behind.

Here’s the stuff we think deserves attention. It’s by no means complete, however! All times are Eastern.

Sporting Events This Week

You are going to have to make some decisions this weekend because the NBA playoffs and the NHL playoffs start on Saturday and will continue for the next month.

Let’s start with the NHL this weekend:

• Sat Apr 20 5:00 pm: Islanders vs Hurricanes (TBS/truTV)
• Sat Apr 20 8:00 pm: Maple Leafs vs Bruins (TBS/truTV)
• Sun Apr 21 12:30 pm: Lightning vs Panthers (ESPN)
• Sun Apr 21 3:00 pm: Capitals vs Rangers (ESPN)

And the NBA:

• Sat Apr 20 1:00 pm: Magic vs Cavaliers (ESPN)
• Sat Apr 20 3:30 pm: Suns vs Timberwolves (ESPN)
• Sat Apr 20 6:00 pm: 76ers vs Knicks (ESPN)
• Sat Apr 20 8:30 pm: Lakers vs Nuggets (ABC/ESPN3)
• Sun Apr 21 1:00 pm: TBD vs Celtics (ABC/ESPN3)
• Sun Apr 21 3:30 pm: Mavericks vs Clippers (ABC/ESPN3)
• Sun Apr 21 7:00 pm: Pacers vs Bucks (TNT)
• Sun Apr 21 9:30 pm: TBD vs Thunder (TNT)

Sorry about those TBDs. We have to wait for the second round of the Play-In on Friday. You can watch all these games with Sling Orange for just $20. And you can watch every game of both series with Sling Orange & Blue (select markets).

Other Sports Streaming

• FA Cup: Watch two iconic Premier League teams, Manchester United and Chelsea, compete on ESPN+ on Saturday, April 20th at 12:30 pm EDT.
• NCAA Football: There are a bunch of NCAA football games this weekend. Of special interest in the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, April 20th at 1:00 pm on Peacock.
• NCAA Baseball: There a lot of great college ball this weekend but check out #1 ranked Texas A&M against Alabama on Friday, April 19th at 12:00 pm on SEC Network+.
• Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia: Watch two of the best compete for the WBC super-lightweight title on Saturday, April 20th at 8:00 on DAZN.

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Other Sporting Events This Week

• Oct 10 – Apr 18: NHL Regular Season (NHL Guide)
• Apr 15 – Apr 21: Barcelona Open, Barcelona -ATP (Tennis Guide)
• Apr 15 – Apr 21: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart -WTA (Tennis Guide)
• Apr 15 – Apr 21: RBC Heritage (Golf Guide)
• Apr 17: La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (Belgium) – UCI Women’s World Tour (Cycling Guide)
• Apr 17: La Flèche Wallonne (Belgium) – UCI Men’s World Tour (Cycling Guide)
• Apr 18 – Apr 21: Chevron Championship (LPGA Guide)
• Apr 18: Premier League Darts: Night 12 – Rotterdam (Darts Guide)
• Apr 20: Ivana Habazin vs Jessica McCaskill (Boxing Guide)
• Apr 20: Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (Boxing Guide)
• Apr 20: Cain Sandoval vs Angel Rebollar (Boxing Guide)
• Apr 20: Hernan David Perez vs Jacob Bank (Boxing Guide)
• Apr 20: Ag-Pro 300 (NASCAR Xfinity Series Guide)
• Apr 20: West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame 150 presented by NAPA Auto Parts (NASCAR ARCA West Series)
• Apr 20: General Tire 200 (NASCAR ARCA Series)
• Apr 20 – Apr 21: Semifinals – first leg (Women’s UEFA Championship Guide)
• Apr 20 – Apr 25: Matchday 34 (Premier League Guide)
• Apr 21: GEICO 500 (NASCAR Cup Series Guide)
• Apr 21: Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes (Belgium) – UCI Women’s World Tour (Cycling Guide)
• Apr 21: Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium) – UCI Men’s World Tour (Cycling Guide)

Save 50% on Sling TV Now

Movies and TV Shows This Week

Spring is in full swing, and adventure is in the air! So it’s not surprising that two celebrities are taking us along for voyages that take them around the world.

First up, former late-night host-turned-podcaster Conan O’Brien travels to Norway, Ireland, Argentina, and Thailand. At each location, he’ll surprise fans of his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. If you liked Conan Without Borders, you’ll love Conan O’Brien Must Go. Stream all four episodes starting this Thursday on Max!

Not nearly as funny, but a lot more intense, Orlando Bloom undertakes an odyssey of self-discovery through extreme sports. He’ll wingsuit over the Pacific Ocean, free dive in the Bahamas, and rock climb in Moab. Orlando Bloom: To the Edge will be streaming all three episodes on Peacock, also starting Thursday.

Also Streaming This Week

• Going Home with Tyler Cameron (Prime Video): Second-place Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron embarks on his dream of starting a home construction / renovation company in his hometown of Jupiter, Florida. Going Home With Tyler Cameron premieres on Amazon Prime Video Thursday.
• The Never Ever Mets (OWN): Seven couples, some of whom have been together for years, will find out if their connection online survives meeting face-to-face. Hosted by Ta’Rhonda Jones, you can watch The Never Ever Mets this Friday at 8:00 pm on OWN.
• High Hopes (Hulu): Belarusian brothers running one of Hollywood’s oldest dispensaries want to launch their own cannabis brand and go national. Get an inside look at what has become a staple California business with High Hopes, streaming on Hulu starting Saturday.
• The Proof Is Out There: Military Mysteries (History Channel): From the weird and controversial to the completely unexplained, veterans Rudy Reyes and Ronnie Adkins cover strange phenomena from World War I to the Gulf War and beyond. The Proof Is Out There: Military Mysteries debuts at 9:00 pm Monday on The History Channel.

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Why Get Rid of Cable TV?

Some reasons for getting rid of cable are obvious. But there are some that may not have occurred to you.

• Time: Too much television is a waste of time. If you cancel cable and only watch your favorite TV shows, you can spend more time with your friends and family.
• Money: A cable or satellite subscription costs many times more than it does to grab a simple on-demand plan with Hulu and Netflix. Cable is also more expensive than online cable replacement services with live TV channels, like Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
• Technology: Video streaming is the future of TV. Soon, all video entertainment will be via an online connection. You might as well get on board now, learn the tricks, and save money in the process.
• Information: Be more informed. Rather than be at the mercy of local news anchors, you will revert to more reputable news feeds like PBS, Bloomberg, CBS News, and LinkTV. For example, Fubo provides 13 news and information channels, along with all the local affiliates in its base plan.
• Freedom: Cable and satellite providers normally tie you into a long contract, only to give you prices that are still higher than comparable streaming services. Getting rid of cable means getting rid of the contract. Go month-to-month and be flexible.
• Dignity: Stop getting ripped off! Calling up the cable company and canceling your cable will simply make you feel good.

Looking for missing conservative news channels? Check out Sling TV!

Best Streaming Services

Choosing the right streaming service is probably the most important decision that a cord-cutter will make. There is no absolute “best” streaming service. It all depends on what you want with your live TV streaming plan.

Some streaming services are free, like Peacock TV (although they have a premium plan). Sling TV offers value plans that are low-cost but offer a lot. And the full-featured plans of Fubo, Hulu Live TV, and DIRECTV STREAM) provide what you would expect from a standard cable plan, but with different bonus features designed to appeal to all sorts of viewers’ needs.

Get access to all our detailed and up-to-date reviews of the major streaming services. You will also get links to free trials so you can make sure a service suits you before you buy.

Internet Without Cable?

Most cable TV subscribers also get their internet access from the same place. In many cases, there are other options for the internet. In some cases, cable is literally the only game in town.

We’ve put together everything that cord-cutters need to know about getting internet service. Even if your cable provider is tied in with your internet, you can probably get a reasonably-priced internet-only plan via a downgrade.

Cord-Cutting Wisdom

There are a lot of aspects of cord-cutting that newbies may be faced with. These range from what’s worth watching, to getting access to particular channels, to buying and installing specialized streaming and recording devices.

We discuss it all. Here are some of our most popular articles:

• How to Watch Local News Without Cable
• Setting Up your Streaming Service Parental Controls
• The Best DVR Without Subscription Fees
• The Best Ways to Get Internet Without Cable for Cord Cutters
• Watching Television in Spanish Without Cable.

Stream Major Events

Major TV events are still a big part of our social lives — just look at Facebook and Twitter during the Super Bowl or Academy Awards. Cord cutters have full access to these events.

For those just starting out, we have primers on how to stream the biggest happenings:

Stream Sports

Most major streaming services offer good access to live sports. The standout is Fubo. But a good low-cost newcomer to the industry is Vidgo. We have articles about everything related to live streaming sports like:

Stream TV Shows

With live TV streaming, you never have to miss your favorite shows, mini-series, and films when they are broadcast live. Here are some of our articles about streaming some recent must-see TV titles:

• American Idol
• Better Call Saul
• Empire
• Into the Badlands
• Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD
• The Walking Dead.

Get Started Now

We understand that dumping cable is intimidating. So we’ve written a detailed step-by-step guide to the process on How to Watch TV Without Cable.

It also gives you an overview of all the top streaming services, desirable features to look for, and answers to the most frequently asked questions from to-be cord-cutters.

What are you waiting for? Get started now!

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Frank Moraes

Frank Moraes is Content Editor at HotDog.com. He specializes in streaming, sports, and technology. You can see his writing on low-budget and "weird" film at Psychotronic Review — and many other places.

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