THE FUTURE OF TV IS ALREADY HERE
Over 77 million American households have already said goodbye to cable. Here’s how and why to join them.
U.S. Households Cord-Cut
Avg. Annual Cable Bill
TV Viewing Now Streaming
THE BASICS
Cord cutting is the practice of canceling a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription and replacing it with internet-based alternatives streaming services, over-the-air antennas, and on-demand platforms.
The term comes from literally cutting the cord of your coaxial cable. But in practice, it’s a wholesale shift in how you consume media: from scheduled, bundled programming to on-demand content you control.
Cord cutters still watch TV often more of it. They just pay far less and have far more flexibility about what, when, and where they watch.
THE CASE FOR IT
The average cable bill is $100–200/month. Streaming runs $30–60/month — saving $500–1,500/year.
Works on smart TVs, phones, tablets, laptops. Your content follows you everywhere.
On-demand libraries let you binge entire seasons whenever you want.
Every streaming service is month-to-month. Cancel anytime.
One account, multiple household members with their own recommendations.
Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV+ invest billions in award-winning originals.
YOUR OPTIONS
Pluto TV, Tubi, Peacock Free, Crackle, Plex, Roku Channel — all free
ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, CW — all free forever with a digital antenna
THE PLAYBOOK
List every TV-related charge: cable TV, premium channels, DVR fees, equipment rental. Know exactly what you’re paying.
Need 5 Mbps for HD, 25+ Mbps for 4K. Run a speed test at fast.com to confirm you’re ready.
Choose 2–3 services that cover what you watch. Add a live TV service if you need local channels or sports.
Roku ($30–50), Fire Stick ($30–50), Apple TV ($130+), or a smart TV with built-in apps. Most modern TVs work great.
Test your streaming setup for a week first, then call your cable company to cancel. Watch for promotional retention offers.
COMMON QUESTIONS