Movies and TV shows
If you are into movies and TV shows, there are quite a few options you can opt for – and even subscribing to multiple ones will leave you with more cash in your pocket at the end of the month. Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now combined will most likely cover all the fresh content – and perhaps the old one – that you want to watch each month, and for far less than an average cable contract.
Netflix (with no HD or Ultra HD, and for one screen only) will cost you $7.99 a month. Hulu will cost you the same if you choose the “limited commercial” plan, while HBO Now will set you back $14.99 a month (after a free month at the beginning of your usage). All this rises to a total of about $31 – around half of what you pay for a basic cable contract.
All these are available worldwide, except for HBO Now that is currently a US exclusive.
Sports
Sports are a different matter altogether, though. The majority of major sports leagues sign exclusive contracts with TV channels to broadcast their events, which makes it far harder – if not impossible – to stream them online. Yet there are alternative – streaming – services to cable TV that will cost you less but still provide you with the sports content you crave for.
Sling TV, for example, is a TV streaming service for cord-cutters with an extensive list of channels to choose from. Its basic streaming service will cost you $20 a month (for one device only) and it includes over 20 TV channels. And the list includes ESPN and ESPN 2, too. For an extra $5 a month, you can also subscribe to its “Sports Extra” package, with channels like NHL Network, Motorsport TV, NBA TV, and Campus Insiders in the package.
Sling TV is currently only available in the US.