Short answer: the cheapest way to watch live TV in the US is free: an indoor or roof antenna for your local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS stations, plus free ad-supported streaming services such as Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Sling Freestream for hundreds of other live channels. After that, the cheapest paid option depends entirely on what you're missing. Entertainment channels start around $25–$33 a month with Philo; sports and cable news push you into the $46–$65 range. The catch is that most people overpay by buying a full package for two or three channels they could get more cheaply one at a time.
At a glance
The cost ladder (Sept 2026)
| $0 | Antenna + free streaming channels |
| A few dollars | Day or weekend passes for one event |
| ~$25–$33 | Philo: entertainment, no sports or locals |
| ~$46–$65 | Sling, YouTube TV genre plans |
| ~$80–$100 | Full cable-style replacement |
Start from your list, not a package
The cheapest setup is never found by comparing packages. It's found by writing down the channels you'd genuinely miss, then covering them one layer at a time, starting with free.
Most households' real list is short: local news, two or three entertainment channels, perhaps one sport. A 100-channel package priced at $83 costs less than a dollar per channel, which sounds efficient, but if you watch six of them you're paying about $14 per channel you use.
So before anything else, write your list. Then work down this page and cross channels off as you cover them.
The free layer
An antenna. Local broadcast stations are free over the air and usually look better than any stream, with no delay. In most metro areas an indoor antenna costing $20 to $60 picks up the main networks; rural homes may need a roof or attic antenna. Check which stations reach your address with the FCC's reception maps before buying. Choosing and placing an antenna.
Many markets now also carry NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) broadcasts, which need a compatible tuner. Standard broadcasts continue alongside them for now, though the FCC has been considering how and when stations can phase out the older standard, so it's worth checking your TV or tuner supports both if you're buying new.
Free ad-supported streaming (FAST). Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, Plex and Sling Freestream together carry hundreds of live channels: news, classic TV, films, some sports networks, many international channels. They're licensed, paid for by ads, and need only an app.
For some households, antenna plus FAST covers everything on the list. That's a $0 monthly bill.
Channels you may already pay for
Before subscribing to something new, check what's already on your card statement.
- Paramount+ includes your local CBS station live on its higher tier in most markets.
- Peacock streams a lot of NBC live sport and, on its premium tier, your local NBC station in many markets.
- Prime Video carries Thursday night NFL games and other live sport.
- Your broadband provider may include a basic TV app or free channels with internet.
- Library cards can unlock free streaming apps in some areas, mostly on-demand but occasionally with live channels.
Tier details and local availability change, so confirm each on the service's own site.
Passes for one-off events
If you only need paid channels for a specific event, a monthly subscription is the expensive way to get it. Sling has sold day and weekend passes for a few dollars, and many services offer a short free trial or a cheap first month. Buy for the weekend, then cancel.
This works especially well for occasional sport: a big fight night, a tournament final, a single game. Set a reminder to cancel the moment the event ends.
The cheapest paid packages
If the free layer leaves gaps, these are the lowest-cost licensed options as of September 2026. Prices change often and promotions are common.
| Service | Approx. monthly price | Good for | Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philo | $25–$33 | Entertainment, lifestyle, reality, kids | Local channels, sports, most cable news |
| Sling (Orange or Blue) | From ~$46; first month often discounted | Cable news, some sports, entertainment | Most locals (use an antenna) |
| YouTube TV Entertainment Plan | ~$55 (intro offers lower) | Cable entertainment channels, unlimited DVR | Sports and news channels |
| YouTube TV Sports Plan | ~$65 | Local networks plus ESPN channels and FS1 | Most entertainment channels |
| Fubo | From ~$65 | Sports, including some regional networks | Some Turner and Warner channels |
The full packages from YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV sit at roughly $80 to $100 a month, and make sense only if your list is long. The full US price comparison.
Combinations that work
Most savings come from pairing a free layer with one small paid service.
"Mostly entertainment": antenna + Philo. Locals free, cable entertainment for about $25–$33. Total around $30.
"News junkie": antenna + Sling Blue for cable news, plus FAST news channels. Around $46.
"Weekend sport": antenna for network games + Peacock or Paramount+ for their sport, adding a pass for the odd big event. Often under $20.
"Football season only": YouTube TV Sports Plan from September to February, then cancel. Month-to-month billing makes seasonal subscribing easy.
Rotating services seasonally is the single most effective habit for cutting cost. Nothing on this page needs a contract. What a subscription actually commits you to.
Where "cheap" costs more
$10 "IPTV" with every channel. These aren't licensed, because no one can buy those channel rights at that price. They're shut down regularly and usually push long prepaid plans. The cheapest option that disappears in March isn't cheap.
Forgotten subscriptions. Services that renew quietly after a trial are the biggest hidden cost in cord cutting. Review your statement every few months.
A device that can't cope. An old smart TV with a slow or missing app leads people to add a second service or give up. A $30–$50 streaming stick is usually the fix. Which device to buy.
Bundle loss. If you're leaving cable, check the standalone price of your internet first.
What a year actually costs
Monthly prices hide the real comparison. Looking at a full year shows how much the choices above add up to.
| Setup | First-year cost (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Antenna + free streaming | $20–$60 | One-off antenna purchase only |
| Antenna + Philo | $320–$460 | Entertainment channels year-round |
| Antenna + Sling Blue | ~$570–$610 | Cable news and some sport |
| Sports Plan, football season only | ~$390 | Six months of YouTube TV Sports Plan |
| Full live TV package, all year | ~$1,000–$1,200 | YouTube TV base or similar |
| Typical cable bill with fees | ~$1,560–$2,040 | $130–$170 a month |
The gap between the top and bottom of that table is well over $1,500 a year. Most households land somewhere in the middle, but even moving from a full package to a well-chosen partial one typically saves several hundred dollars.
Two things change these numbers in practice. Promotions can cut the first months substantially, especially for new subscribers. And price increases are routine: most live TV services have raised prices at least once a year recently. Check your statement in January, which is when many increases land, and reconsider your setup then.
A final tip: whoever in the household cares most about a channel should be the one to check it's covered before you cancel anything. It saves arguments.
If you do only one thing after reading this, make it an audit: list every TV-related charge on last month's statements, including streaming services, add-ons and device rentals, and ask of each one whether someone in the house watched it in the past month. Most people find at least one they can cancel today, and that saving repeats every month from then on.
Quick answers
What is the cheapest way to watch live TV? An antenna for local channels plus free streaming services like Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Sling Freestream costs nothing per month.
What is the cheapest live TV streaming service? Philo, at roughly $25–$33 a month in 2026, though it has no local channels or sports.
What is the cheapest way to get local channels? An antenna. It's a one-off purchase of about $20–$60 and has no monthly fee.
What is the cheapest way to watch live sports? Use an antenna for games on network TV and buy passes or single months for the rest. YouTube TV's Sports Plan at about $65 covers the main networks and ESPN channels.
Can I watch live TV for free without cable? Yes. Antenna broadcasts and free ad-supported streaming apps are legal and free.
Are $10 IPTV services a good cheap option? No. They can't be licensed at that price, get shut down regularly, and often require irreversible prepayment.
Prices, tiers and free channel lineups change frequently and vary by market. Confirm current details with each service. Checked September 2026.