TV streaming is the brand new way to watch TV service via the internet instead of an old TV antenna cable or a satellite dish connection. If you wish to stream TV, you’ll need a high-speed internet connection with a download speed of at least 25 Mbps, if you wish to stream content on multiple devices in your home. If you’re willing to cut the cord and switch to a TV streaming services then you need to know what is TV streaming and how does it work? In this article, we will discuss the TV streaming guide and all the pros and cons of streaming TV.
The sudden growth of TV streaming has had a huge impact on Cable TV services. The best live TV streaming services 2021 are affordable and reliable for consumers. If you don’t wish to be stuck to a cable TV box, then the best TV streaming services for 2021 are the ideal choice for you. Streaming services provide the users with the option of choosing the price and the number of channels they want.
Even the best live TV streaming services 2021 can’t offer you everything that cable or satellite TV services would offer, but they are cheaper and made specifically keeping your needs in mind.
Pros and Cons of Streaming TV
The best thing about the best live TV streaming services 2021 is they are relatively cheaper and you can easily avoid long-term commitments. That’s not all, other factors make the live TV streaming services greater than cable or satellite TV services.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Cheaper than cable or satellite | Incomplete channel lineup |
Access to more movies and shows on-demand | High-speed internet required |
Free trials | Limited simultaneous streams |
No contracts | Limited live sports coverage |
No equipment rental or installation charges | Handful of local channels |
You want to know what is TV streaming and how does it work? Well, the first thing that you should know is that all the best TV streaming services for 2021 are dependent on internet connectivity. If the streaming service of your choice supports 4K then you will need a connection over 25 Mbps to achieve the full quality. If you can’t access speeds slower than that then you will experience buffering regularly.
Another downside of all the best live TV streaming services 2021 is the channel availability. Unlike cable TV services, you can’t access all the channels, a few streaming services tend to come close but not a single TV streaming service will offer you a complete channel lineup.
Finding live sports and local network channels can also be difficult even in 2021, one of the biggest sports channels “PBS” is only available on a single streaming service named “YouTube TV”.
Best TV Streaming Services For 2021
As of right now, there are over 100 streaming services available in the market. These services include the big three of on-demand streaming like Netflix, Hulu & Prime Video. If you want cable-like TV streaming platforms then you should check out Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV to the network-owned streaming apps like HBO Max, ESPN Plus, and Peacock.
Because there are so many TV streaming service options out there, you can have a hard time comparing major streaming services side by side. That’s where we come in, below we have compared some of the best live TV streaming services 2021.
Streaming Service | Price | Multiple Streams | Known For |
Netflix | $8.99 – $17.99/mo. | 1-4 | Original shows and movies |
Amazon Prime Video | $12.99/mo. | 3 | Movies, original shows |
Peacock | Free- $9.99/mo. | 3 | Original and classic shows, movies |
ESPN+ | $5.99/mo. | 5 | Sports and documentaries |
Disney+ | $6.99/mo. or $69.99/mo. | 4 | Families |
Hulu | $5.99 – $11.99/mo. | 2 | Original shows, Post-broadcast network shows |
HBO Max | $14.99/mo. | 3 | Premium shows, movies |
Paramount+ | $5.99 – $9.99/mo. | 2 | CBS shows, Paramount movies |
Apple TV+ | $4.99/mo. | 6 | Exclusive originals |
Shudder | $4.75 – $5.99/mo. | 1-3 | Horror originals and exclusives |
Discovery+ | $4.99/mo. | 4 | 55,000+ hrs of content |
VRV | $9.99/mo. | Unlimited | Several anime channels |
A lot of consumers are confused about whether they should get Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video or should they get all three services? In the end, it all comes down to your preference of content.
For those who prefer original shows and movies, we suggest you get the original streaming service i.e Netflix. Those who prefer popular classics and shows should opt for Amazon Prime Video.
The best part about getting streaming services is that they are extremely cheap in comparison to cable TV services. Hopefully, our TV streaming guide will help you understand your preference and what kind of service you need.
Best Live TV Streaming Services 2021 Comparison
Streaming Service | Price | Channels | Known For |
YouTube TV | $64.99/mo. | 85+ | Unlimited DVR |
Hulu + Live TV | $64.99 – $70.99/mo. | 70+ | Hulu experience with live channels |
Philo | $20.00/mo | 60+ | Lifestyle channels |
fuboTV | $64.99 – $79.99/mo. | 109 – 156+ | Soccer international sports |
Sling TV | $30.00 – $45.00/mo. | 30-45+ | Kids packages |
One of the best pros and cons of streaming TV is that you get access to live news and sports but you also have a limited channel count in both areas. Hardcore TV fans also get to watch all the big events such as the Golden Globe and series premiers live.
If you’re sure to get a live TV streaming service then you should make sure that you get the channel lineup you actually want to see. There are some channels that you can’t get with any streaming service, one of the biggest examples of that is the channel “Hallmark”.
We would also suggest that you start to compare the pricing of the services, sometimes your local cable provider may even be cheaper than the best live TV streaming services 2021.
Best Live TV Streaming Devices
Most of the TV streaming apps are easily available on smart TVs and Blu-Ray players, although the best way to watch is via a dedicated streaming device. It’s much easier and more affordable to upgrade to a streaming device than to upgrade your smart TV.
Streaming devices come in either an HDMI dongle or a small set-top box shape. Either way, it’ll take a limited amount of space on your entertainment center as there is no physical DVR device. You can still record live shows, movies, sports through a cloud-based DVR service. Although total recording depends on the streaming service you choose.
Relationship Between Internet & Live TV Streaming
If you live in a household that needs high-speed internet connectivity then a live TV streaming service is definitely going to add the load. Let’s take an example of a streaming service like Netflix, if you want HD streaming on Netflix then you need at least 5 MBPS of download speed.
Although we would suggest you get as much speed as you can get for seamless streaming and multitasking. If you want HD and 4K viewing then you need at least 25 Mbps to download speed. Some DSL internet connections can reach those numbers, but if you want the best connection then cable or fiber optic internet should be your choice. Hopefully, all the information that we have provided above is enough to answer your question ‘what is TV streaming and how does it work?”
Conclusion: Cord or Cordless?
The process of Cord-Cutting isn’t like switching from one provider to another one. There are some expectations to be adjusted and some compromises that you have to make. TV streaming doesn’t cover everything that cable or satellite TV service can, not yet anyway.
Although live TV streaming services can already offer much better features. Even if you have to subscribe to more than one streaming service to catch up with all the channels and features. So you need to go through the streaming services by yourself to take your pick.