Costs vary and this of course depends on the service you choose to have. It is similar to basic cable, however, there are a variety of different packages you can choose from. Hulu Live prices itself at $44.99/month, while Sling TV has more variety when it comes to price point and can vary from $20 for basic channels to $40 for a larger channel package. AT&T TV Now currently a variety of packages: AT&T TV Now Plus at $50 per month for 45-plus channels and AT&T TV Now Max at $70 per month for 60-plus channels, right up to their Ultimate package at $135 for 125 channels. YouTube TV is also $50 a month for 70+ channels.
When you compare the above costs with traditional cable costs there is, without doubt, a great deal of difference in price. Depending on the traditional cable company you choose it can vary substantially. However, when you examine the cost of the Verizon FIOS TV plan, the cheapest plan is $65 and the most expensive can be anywhere up to $89.99+. Add in the extras fees and equipment hire, and the prices jump to between $100 and $125/month.
This data on pricing proves to me that there is an incredible price difference between cable TV and Live Streaming TV. There is also a clear signal to me that the attractive price of Internet TV has led to a lot of people and some businesses to cut the cord. The vast amount of channels available online usually include the main channels people like to watch.
You can get 1000+ channels from some cable providers but, on the whole, these aren’t the main channels that people are watching. A BusinessInsider article citing a Citi analysts report suggests that of 200 channels, the average consumers only watch 17, or 8.5%. And that number is falling over time while the cost of cable increases. The Citi report suggests that cable companies are over profiteering.
Cable therefore seems to offer a massively better cost per channel, but with very little extra value to the consumer. Therefore, when companies offer people the convenience of accessing their television from any device, at a reduced price, and also being able to access the channels they most care about, is it any wonder that these online companies are winning the race for live television.
Live TV - Streaming Services 