Who is writing: we sell Vivimate, an IPTV subscription, and we don't sell cable, satellite or any service named below. Each price comes from the provider's own page with the date we read it; the typical fee ranges come from industry guides, and we say so where they appear. This page reports no measurements of our own, and it names no winner.
Start with the fee lines
The advertised cable price is a package price, and the bill that arrives carries more lines than the advert. Three come up again and again: a broadcast TV fee for local stations you could receive free with an antenna, a regional sports fee charged whether or not you watch the network it pays for, and a rental for every box. Industry guides collected in this site's cost data, from August 2026, put the package at $100 to $120 a month and the three fees at the ranges below.
Added up with one box, that is about $133 to $195 a month before tax. A second and third TV each add their own rental. Those are typical ranges, not a quote: your ZIP code, provider and package decide the real figure, so take your latest bill and find each line on it. In Canada, cable and satellite companies itemise differently; ask yours for the all-in monthly figure before you compare anything.
Four kinds of TV, not two
"Cable" now covers several products. Some homes have a true cable line and a box; some have DIRECTV's satellite or streaming service; many have moved to a live TV app over their broadband. An IPTV seller is a fourth route.
The first three publish their lineups and sell channels under agreements with the networks. An IPTV seller's lineup is only as lawful as the rights that seller holds. The technology is legal; read what the law says about IPTV sellers before you buy from anyone, us included.
What providers listed, with dates
| Provider | Type | Monthly price | Note | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV Entertainment | Satellite or streaming | $94.99 list | $64.99 the first month, then $99.99 for months 2 to 24; $10 a month Gemini lease | November 10, 2026 |
| Spectrum | Cable | $100.00 | Plus a broadcast TV surcharge of about $25.75 a month and a receiver per TV | September 3, 2026 |
| Hulu + Live TV | Live TV streaming | $99.99 | With ads; includes Disney+ and ESPN Select | October 2026 |
| Xfinity | Cable | $90, $105 or $135 | All-in, on top of Xfinity internet; some prices rise from December 2026 | November 9, 2026 |
| YouTube TV | Live TV streaming | $82.99 | No box rental, DVR, broadcast or cancellation fees, per its page | November 10, 2026 |
A few things stand out. DIRECTV's page says "No annual contracts" and lists a Regional Sports Fee of up to $19.99 a month on Choice and higher packages, but its own figures for Entertainment differ between the card, the FAQ and a footnote, so read the checkout total. YouTube TV states there are no box rental, DVR, broadcast or cancellation fees, which is a useful list of what to look for on a cable bill. Xfinity's all-in prices assume you also take Xfinity internet. Our IPTV vs YouTube TV page goes further into that service, and how to choose TV for an American household covers Sling and Fubo too.
What cable still does well
- It leans less on your broadband. A traditional cable TV signal isn't sharing your Wi-Fi with every laptop and phone in the house.
- A published lineup with known rights. You can see which local stations and regional sports networks your package carries before you pay.
- Someone installs it. An installer visit suits households that don't want to set up apps.
- Recording. A rented DVR box records on its own drive; on IPTV, catch-up varies by channel and recording depends on the player app.
Which fits whom
Cable or satellite may suit a home with slow or capped broadband, one that needs its regional sports network or a specific local station, or one that wants an installer. A live TV app suits a US home that wants a published lineup without box rentals and is happy with monthly billing. A prepaid IPTV plan suits a home that already owns a Fire TV, smart TV or phone, wants to pay once for a term with nothing renewing, and is willing to test on its own screens first. Plenty of households mix them: an antenna for local news and a separate service for the rest. For your own sums, the streaming cost calculator adds up a mix of services.
Switching without a gap
- Read your agreement. Find any end date and early-cancellation charge in your account first.
- Price the internet alone. Dropping TV can end a bundle discount; ask what internet-only costs.
- Test while cable still works. Run a trial on your own TVs at your busiest hour. Our planning figure is about 10 Mbps per HD stream, 15 for Full HD and 25 for 4K; see the internet speed IPTV needs.
- Set up each screen. The installation guide for every device covers Fire TV, Android TV, smart TVs and phones.
- Return every box and get a receipt. An unreturned box can be billed long after you leave.
Vivimate's plans
One price per term, prepaid in US dollars, with no box, no fee lines, no contract and no auto-renewal:
| Plan | One device | Two devices |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | $19.99 | $31.98 |
| 3 Months | $29.99 | $47.98 |
| 6 Months | $39.99 | $63.98 |
| 12 Months + 2 free | $69.99 | $111.98 |
We don't promise any local station, network or sports channel, and we don't publish the rights agreements behind our channels. Start with the free 24-hour IPTV trial with no card, or message Ryan on WhatsApp. Your first plan has a 7-day refund window when a service problem you report can't be fixed; the refund policy lists the exclusions, and Vivimate plans and prices shows every option.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPTV cheaper than cable TV?
Usually, on the monthly price. Spectrum listed $100.00 plus a broadcast surcharge of about $25.75 when it was read on September 3, 2026, and DIRECTV listed Entertainment at $94.99 plus a $10 lease on November 10, 2026. Vivimate's one-month plan is $19.99. The products differ: pay-TV companies sell channels they have agreements to carry, while an IPTV seller's lineup depends on the rights it holds.
What fees does a cable bill add to the package price?
Commonly a broadcast TV fee, a regional sports fee and a rental for each box. Industry guides summarised in our cost data, from August 2026, put them at $15 to $25, $8 to $15 and $10 to $35 a month. Your own bill is the only exact figure.
Do I lose local channels if I cancel cable?
You lose whatever the cable package carried. An antenna can pick up free over-the-air local stations where the signal reaches you. We don't promise any local station or network on Vivimate, so search the trial's guide for the ones you watch first.
Can I keep cable internet and drop only TV?
Usually, yes, but dropping TV can end a bundle discount on the internet line. Ask the provider for the internet-only price before you cancel, and put it in your sums.
How fast does my internet need to be to replace cable with IPTV?
Our planning figure is about 10 Mbps for an HD stream, 15 Mbps for Full HD and 25 Mbps for 4K, per stream. Two 4K TVs at once need about 50 Mbps.
Sources
Read November 10, 2026: DIRECTV packages, fees and fine print; YouTube TV plans and FAQ. Read November 9, 2026: Xfinity TV plans. Read September 3, 2026: Spectrum cable TV. Hulu + Live TV: Hulu Help Center, How much does Hulu cost, October 2026. Typical fee ranges: CableCompare, How Much Does Cable TV Cost in 2026 and TVProz, Broadcast TV Fee Explained and TVProz, What is the Regional Sports Fee, August 2026 (secondary sources). Speed figures: our own IPTV internet speed guide.
Couldn't read: Hulu's help page returned an empty page today, so its row keeps the earlier date; spectrum.com and sling.com refused our reader on November 7 and 9; no Canadian cable or satellite provider's prices were read for this page.
New to the service? Start with our complete Vivimate guide — what it includes, what it costs and how to set it up.