Should I Cancel My Cable TV?
Answer a few honest questions and our Decision Guide will tell you whether cord-cutting is a real win, a wash, or a mistake given how you actually watch.
Published
For the majority of households, yes — cord-cutting saves real money. Pew Research found that as of 2025, only 36% of US adults still subscribe to cable or satellite TV, down from 76% a decade earlier. The average cable bill has climbed to around $147 a month once you include the roughly $450 a year in hidden fees Consumer Reports documented (box rentals, broadcast surcharges, regional sports fees), so the savings from cutting are substantial — cord-cutters average $40-$85 a month back in their pockets. Consumer Reports' own replacement stack of Disney+/Hulu/Peacock/Paramount+ clocks in around $30 a month, and a $30-$80 indoor antenna restores free local broadcasts. The math flips if you're a heavy sports viewer tied to a specific regional network (streaming replacements like YouTube TV and Hulu+Live TV now cost $83-$96 a month, essentially matching cable), if your cable is nearly free because of a big bundle discount on your internet, or if someone in the household needs the one-remote simplicity a streaming stack can't quite replicate. For everyone else — casual sports viewers, modest watchers, or anyone willing to spend an afternoon setting up a replacement stack — cutting cable is one of the easiest $500-$1,000 a year wins you'll find.
Sources
- 83% of U.S. adults use streaming services, far fewer subscribe to cable or satellite — Pew Research Center
- Cable Company Fees Add $450 to a Typical Annual TV Bill — Consumer Reports
- How to Replace Cable TV for Less Than $35 a Month — Consumer Reports