To some of you, comparing cable TV providers might be like comparing Coca-Cola to Pepsi. If you’re not ready to cut the cord and want to find the top cable TV provider, let us guide you in finding the best provider for you. And the channel lineup must have most of the popular channels, even in its entry-level package, to be a strong competitor. A cable provider will also want no-contract options for those who don’t want to be tied down or move a lot. But if they require their customers to sign a contract, it better be for an excellent deal. And lastly, you’ll want an easy-to-install set-top box that has a sufficient amount of DVR storage for you and the family to record everything you’d like. Xfinity TV’s Popular TV plan gives you more than 125 channels, including every one of the most popular 25 cable TV networks (ESPN, AMC, The CW, USA, TNT, Discovery, etc.) except Univision. We also named it the best cable TV option for watching NBA games so you won’t have to miss one Golden State Warriors game. Xfinity also delivers some pretty great DVR equipment, like a voice-controlled remote and a cable box. Just say “Frozen” or “Billions” and the remote will grant your wish. The Xfinity X1 DVR is one of the best in the cable TV industry, if not the best. Xfinity’s prices recently increased but they eliminated their 1-year contract! Now, that’s what we like to see, Xfinity! We don’t like additional fees, and Xfinity has quite a few. There’s a broadcast TV, regional sports, DVR service, and TV box fee. We’d rather have the fees included in the monthly service price, but almost all TV providers do this, so we can’t fault Xfinity. Check out our Xfinity TV Review for the prices of the fees so you know what you’re walking into. And since Spectrum increases the price on you after a year to $77 per month, you may want to if it doesn’t fit your budget. Considering you don’t have to sign a contract, the price for Spectrum is not too bad overall. No one wants to be tied down when you may have other options in the future. And in case you didn’t know, ending contracts early is always an ugly process that ends up costing you too much money. But we have some tips on how to avoid TV cancellation fees. Compare that to Xfinity, where you can record up to six programs at once and get 150 hours of HD or 300 hours of SD storage. According to Spectrum, a DVR that records 150 hours and can record six shows at once (instead of two shows) is available. But we were uncertain as to why we couldn’t find this option at checkout. We’d suggest calling this cable TV provider and asking to get this enhanced DVR if you know 35 HD hours is too little for your family. Spectrum TV is available in more than 41 states, so it’s very possible either Xfinity or Spectrum will be available in your area. In fact, Fios offers more channels than any other cable TV provider. (Optimum TV comes close, and it’s $5 less. Just double-check to see if it’s available in your area.) We really like Verizon Fios TV, and it could be higher on our list, but it lacks one key component: wide availability. Fios is only available in a few eastern states, like Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Check if Verizon Fios TV is available in your state, or use the little zip finder near the top of this page. If you’re one of the lucky ones who can get this excellent cable TV provider, we’ll give you a little breakdown for each plan you could choose: Just be aware that the DVR maxes out at 75 hours of HD storage. So yes, you can record everything at once, but you might have to watch and delete your recording ASAP. Optimum is based out of NYC, so it hooks all the Big Apple residents up with HD sports channels for every New York sports team. (Seriously, all nine of them.) Sadly, though, we can’t guarantee the Giants will magically get better with your Optimum TV cable subscription. Sorry if we got your hopes up about this cable TV provider. Optimum’s service area covers only New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and random cities in the US. Check out this availability map to see if you’re one of the chosen ones. If you are, we’re jealous. No other cable TV provider offers over 200 channels for only $75 per month! After you choose the right TV plan for you, you can then select the best internet, home security, and landline plan for your home. This process includes many steps as Cox looks to give you the ultimate customized service you’ll be happy with. Cox’s Record 6 DVR costs $19.99 a month and it stores 340 HD or 1,000 SD hours. Xfinity’s X1 DVR stores less than one-third of that ($7.50/month). Both DVRs can record six shows at once. But Cox might be the only TV provider in your area, and it’s still a reliable option (it did make our top 5). We recommend you check your availability, since Cox TV is available only in 19 states. Also, there’s a 2-year contract (eye-roll). One of the downsides to cable TV is contracts, and Cox TV has one (unlike Spectrum). If you choose to cancel your service within 30 days of your sign-up date, you get out of your plan for free. If you wait until after that 30-day window, you’ll be charged a $240 fee to cancel. If you’re still unsure which TV provider to sign up with, check out our Best TV Providers of 2023 review to compare more options. And if you’d be interested in cutting the cord, we have a list of the best live TV streaming services to do so. To decide which cable TV providers are best for you, we ranked each on these five important factors. We also consider reliability, customer service, and bill simplicity. We don’t always get to take these companies for a test drive, but we do loads of research to give you the best recommendations possible. We got your back when it comes to getting the most out of your money (because who doesn’t want to save money for summer trips and festivities?). Xfinity is the top pick because, compared to the other providers on the market, it has the best dollar-to-channel ratio, it’s the most widely available across the country, and it doesn’t require you to sign a contract. Xfinity’s entry-level package is the cheapest at $20 for 10+ channels (although we’ve noticed that in some areas, you could potentially get 10x more channels than advertised). The next cheapest TV package is Sparklight TV’s Economy Cable package at $42 for up to 20 channels. Xfinity makes it easy to find out if you can watch your current program in 4K by saying “4K” or “device settings into your X1 voice remote.
