Cut the cord in 2026.
Most US homes already live without a traditional pay-TV sub. The job now is not proving cord cutting is possible. It is building a stack that does not quietly climb back to a cable-sized bill.
01
The market already moved
Industry tallies put cord-cutter and never-sub households around two-thirds of US homes by late 2025. That is the backdrop. You are not early. You are late to a crowded party where the punch got more expensive.
YouTube TV sits at $82.99/mo. Hulu + Live TV at $89.99/mo. Sling Orange or Blue at $45.99, combo at $60.99. If your “savings calculator” still uses 2024 numbers, throw it out.
02
Do the bill math
- US cable TV ballpark
- $80-$150
- YouTube TV
- $82.99
- Lean Sling
- $45.99
- Gloam entry
- $13.99
Varies by bundle
Full live replacement
Fewer channels
Broad live catalogue
Write last month's cable TV line item. Add DVR fees and the sports tier you forgot. That number is the budget ceiling for your replacement stack. Everything above it is a failed cut.
03
Five moves
- 01
List the five channels you touch weekly
Not the 200 you scroll past. If a channel is not on the list, it does not get to veto the cut.
- 02
Fix broadband before video
Upgrade Wi-Fi, not just the modem plan. A $10 mesh node saves more marriages than a premium DVR tier.
- 03
Pick one live TV spine
vMVPD or a broad IPTV product. Two spines means you are collecting subscriptions again.
- 04
Add league apps only for gaps
Out-of-market sports and exclusives. Delete them in the off-season.
- 05
Cancel, then watch for two weeks
Keep the cable login alive only if you need a number port or a return window. Otherwise cut clean.
04
What to keep
Keep the broadband account in your name. Keep an antenna if locals matter and reception works. Keep one password manager so the new stack does not become five forgotten trials.
Read the IPTV legality guide before you buy any “full sports pack” from a stranger on Telegram. Cord cutting is not a synonym for piracy.
05
FAQ
How much internet speed do I need to cut the cord?
Plan for 25 Mbps per simultaneous 4K stream, and more headroom if two people watch at once. A 100 Mbps plan covers most apartments. Congested Wi-Fi causes more pain than raw Mbps on paper.
Should I keep broadcast antenna TV?
If your locals come in clean, an antenna is free sports and news insurance. If you live in a valley or a thick apartment core, test before you buy a fancy mast.
Is cord cutting cheaper than cable?
It can be. It is not automatic. Stacking YouTube TV at $82.99 with two league passes and Netflix can beat a fat cable bundle, or match it. Audit the stack every six months.
Start watching on Gloam
47,000+ live channels, plans from $13.99/mo. Cancel anytime from your account.
Last reviewed 2026-07-09. Prices and laws change; check the cited sources before you decide.