How much will it cost to subscribe to the ever-expanding streaming universe?
This story is part of a Times series on the great streaming wars of 2019. Click here to read the rest of our coverage of Disney +, Apple TV +, HBOMax and more.
Viewers who top off their cable or satellite bills with streaming subscriptions are paying more than ever for TV. Cord cutters can save, but they still must pay internet fees and usually add a separate digital live TV service if they love sports or want the streaming equivalent of basic cable. We tallied the monthly subscription costs of TV streamers that provide original or repackaged programming — with the caveat that we’ve inevitably missed some in the flood of new services coming online — to determine what a person can spend to stream TV.
Netflix basic: $8.99
Up to $15.99 for HD and multiple screens
Hulu (with ads): $5.99
$11.99 with no ads
Amazon Prime Video: $8.99
Or included with $119 annual Prime membership
Apple TV+: $4.99
Disney+: $6.99
$5.83 with $69.99 annual fee
Quibi (with ads): $5
$8 with no ads; launches in April
CBS All Access: $5.99
$9.99 with no ads
Peacock (NBC Universal): TBD
Price speculated to range from free with ads and a pay-TV provider to $10 or $12; April launch
HBO Max: $14.99
May 2020 launch
Showtime: $10.99
Starz: $8.99
Cinemax: $9.99
As Hulu or Amazon Prime add-on
Epix: $5.99
ESPN+: $4.99
WWE Network: $9.99
DC Universe: $6.25
(based on $74.99 annual fee)
BET+: $9.99
Acorn TV: $4.99
BritBox: $6.99
Criterion Channel (movies): $10.99
Or $99.99 per year
Mubi (movies): $10.99
Or $95.88 per year
Kanopy (movies): Free
With public library card or university login
Fandor (movies): $5.99
Sundance Now: $6.99
PBS Passport: $5
Membership benefit for those who contribute $5 or more per month
History Vault: $4.99
Hallmark Movies Now: $4.99
Based on $59.99 annual fee
BroadwayHD (theater): $8.99
AMC Premiere: $4.99
Requires subscription to cable or other TV provider, i.e. Xfinity
Shudder (horror from AMC Networks): $4.99
B/R Live (Bleacher Report): $9.99
NFL Sunday Ticket: $24.50
Free with several DirecTV packages; $293.94 or $395.94 per season
MLB.TV (out-of-market baseball): $24.99
Requires a pay-TV provider
NBA Team/League Pass: $17.99
$119.99 per year for one team, $199.99 per year all teams, $249.99 per year all teams with no ads
NHL.TV: $24.99
$115.99 for a single-team pass, $144.99 for league games; blackouts apply
Fox Soccer Match Pass: $19.99
YouTube Premium: $11.99
$17.99 for family — up to 5 members; $6.99 for students
VRV Premium (ad-free): $9.99
Niche streamers consortium includes anime site Crunchyroll; Rooster Teeth, the home of “HarmonQuest”; and Boomerang cartoon classics
Tubi (ad-supported): Free
Sony Crackle (ad-supported): Free
Streaming-alone subtotal: $353.43 per month
Baseline internet: $44.99
Digital live TV or basic cable: $49.99
Total: $448.41 per month
Note: All prices based on current quotes at press time and are subject to change. Internet fees can ranges from $29.99 to $74.99. Digital live TV services include the largely free PlutoTV; Philo, $20; Sling TV, $25 to $50; AT&T Now, $49.99; Fubo TV (includes Fox and NBC regional sports networks, but no Dodgers), $54.99; PlayStation Vue, $49.99; Xfinity, $39.99 to $59.99; Hulu, $44.99 (with ads ) to $50.99 (no ads); YouTube TV, $49.99. Unbundled cable subscriptions can cost $44.99 for 125 channels, $84.99 for 175 channels with HBO and Showtime and $104.99 for 200 channels. Add equipment, maintenance, FCC and utility fees; a broadcast TV surcharge, plus internet access and monthly bills typically grow to more than $200. Satellite TV packages can run $59.99 to $134.99 for TV alone, with similar equipment costs and fees.
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