⚖️ Streaming vs. Cable Cost Comparison Calculator
Enter your total monthly streaming subscription cost and your cable/satellite TV bill to see how much you'd save (or spend more) by switching.
One subtraction, held for a year
The comparison is deliberately simple - the work is in the two numbers you feed it:
monthly difference = cable bill - streaming total
annual difference = monthly difference × 12The defaults, $45 of streaming against a $120 cable bill, give $75 a month and $900 a year. When cable is the cheaper side the wording flips to "Streaming costs $x/mo more" and the summary turns amber. Type the same figure in both boxes and you get that amber "costs $0.00 more" line, which is just the tool's way of saying there is nothing in it.
Use the bill, not the advertised price
Cable pricing is where this comparison usually goes wrong. Take the total at the bottom of the bill, which typically carries several things the headline rate does not:
- Broadcast TV and regional sports fees, often $20-30 a month between them.
- Box or DVR rental, charged per television.
- Franchise fees and taxes, which streaming services also charge but at a much smaller base.
- A promotional rate that expires. Compare against the rate you will be paying in month 13, not month 3.
Frequently asked questions
Is streaming actually cheaper than cable?
For a handful of on-demand services, usually yes - $45 against a $120 bill is $900 a year. The gap narrows fast once you add a live TV service, since those are priced close to cable on purpose.
What does the average cable bill come to?
Once fees, box rental and tax are added, considerably more than the plan price people quote. Read the total off your own statement rather than the rate on the contract - that difference is the whole point of the exercise.
How do I compare if I need live sports?
Add the cost of the live TV service or league pass that carries your games to the streaming side before comparing. Sports is the reason most people who run this calculation end up staying with cable.