FETV The Complete Guide to Cutting the Cord in 2025
The Complete Guide to Cutting the Cord in 2025
Nearly half of all American internet households have already dropped cable TV, and another 12 percent are cord-nevers who skipped it entirely. By 2028, analysts project that over 76 percent of homes will no longer subscribe to traditional pay TV. If you have been thinking about canceling cable, 2025 is the easiest year to do it. Here is a step-by-step plan that covers everything from your first call to the cable company through building a streaming setup that replaces every channel you actually watch.
Step 1: Audit What You Actually Watch
Before you cancel anything, spend two weeks writing down every channel and show you watch live. Most households discover they regularly use five to ten channels out of the 200 they are paying for. Identify your must-haves: local news, specific sports leagues, particular cable networks like HGTV or CNN, and any premium channels like HBO.
This list determines which streaming services you need. If sports is not a priority, you can cut your cord for under $30 per month. If you need full NFL, NBA, and college sports coverage, expect to spend $80 to $100 per month on a live TV streaming service, still less than most cable packages.
Step 2: Get an Antenna for Local Channels
An indoor digital antenna costs $20 to $40 and pulls in ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and CW broadcasts for free in high definition. In most metro areas, you will receive 30 to 60 channels including subchannels that carry classic TV, movies, and local programming.
Mount the antenna near a window or on an interior wall facing the nearest broadcast towers. Use a site like antennaweb.org to find which direction to aim it. This single purchase eliminates the need to pay for local channels through any streaming service.
Step 3: Choose Your Live TV Streaming Service
If you need a cable-like channel lineup, a live TV streaming service replaces your cable box. The main options:
YouTube TV at $83 per month offers over 100 channels with unlimited DVR, the broadest sports coverage, and the cleanest interface. It is the default recommendation for most cord-cutters.
Hulu + Live TV at $90 per month includes Disney Plus and ESPN along with 95 or more live channels. Better value if your household also watches Disney and Hulu content.
Sling TV starting at $40 per month offers a budget-friendly option with fewer channels. The Orange plan covers ESPN and Disney channels. The Blue plan covers FOX and NBC sports. Combine both for $55.
Fubo at $80 per month is the sports-focused option with regional sports networks and international soccer coverage that other services lack.
Philo at $28 per month is the cheapest option for entertainment channels like AMC, Comedy Central, Discovery, HGTV, and Hallmark, but it carries zero sports or news networks.
Step 4: Add On-Demand Services
Layer one or two on-demand services on top of your live TV choice. Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus each cost between $7 and $18 per month. Most households do well with two on-demand services at a time, rotating every few months to catch up on each platform’s new releases.
Check our streaming bundles guide for ways to combine services at a discount.
Step 5: Set Up Your Streaming Device
If your TV is not a smart TV, you need a streaming device. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K at around $30 and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K at a similar price are the most popular choices. Apple TV 4K at $130 is the premium option with the best interface and AirPlay support.
Plug the device into your TV’s HDMI port, connect to Wi-Fi, download your streaming apps, and you are done. The entire setup takes 15 minutes.
Step 6: Call and Cancel Cable
Contact your cable provider and tell them you want to disconnect TV service but keep internet. They will almost certainly offer you a retention deal. Evaluate it honestly: if the discounted rate is genuinely cheaper than your streaming plan for the first year, it might be worth keeping temporarily. But retention deals always expire, and the price jumps are designed to catch people who forget.
If you are renting a cable box and DVR, return the equipment to avoid ongoing rental fees that can add $15 to $25 per month.
Step 7: Optimize Your Internet
Streaming requires reliable internet, but you do not need gigabit speeds. A 50 Mbps connection comfortably supports three simultaneous 4K streams. If you are paying for gigabit internet, consider downgrading to a 100 or 200 Mbps plan and saving $20 to $40 per month on top of your cable savings.
Buy your own modem and router instead of renting from your ISP. The upfront cost of $100 to $200 pays for itself within a year compared to the $10 to $15 monthly rental fee.
What You Will Save
The average cable bill in 2025 exceeds $100 per month before internet. A typical cord-cutter setup of YouTube TV plus two on-demand services plus internet costs around $150 total, saving roughly $50 per month or $600 per year. Households that do not need live TV save even more: two on-demand services plus internet can run as little as $80 per month.
For a breakdown of which live TV service fits your needs, see our YouTube TV vs Hulu Live comparison and complete streaming services comparison.