10 Custom Streaming TV Bundles to Replace Cable and Fit Every Budget

Editor's Note: This story comes from CableTV.com.

On a whim, I tallied up the monthly payments for all the streaming TV services I currently get free through my job at CableTV.com. My calculator spat out a shocking figure: $619.28.

While cleaning up the coffee I spit out, I thought, What if I had to pay these bills myself? How much TV can I realistically afford? How much do I need? Have I become irretrievably accustomed to a certain standard of couch living?

I love TV. But I guess I don’t need all seven live TV streaming services, and 15 on-demand streaming services is probably a bit extravagant. So there was room for cuts — and some customization fun.

I dove down a rabbit hole, crunching numbers to construct a custom streaming service bundle just for me. I wound up with a solid, affordable lineup that met my needs.

As I worked, I imagined bundles for sports fans, movie lovers, binge-watchers, thrifty types, and budget-bound folks. Not traditional bundles, like the nearly extinct discounted internet-and-TV packages from telco companies like Spectrum or Xfinity.

Rather, these curated custom streaming TV bundles are a way to see your TV bill differently and find the sweet spot between “need” and “want.”

But first, I’ll explain the steps I used to create each bundle so, in case you don’t like these, you can create your own.

How I created these streaming bundles

I want to show you how I came up with these custom streaming bundles recommendations, along with ways to customize each bundle to fit your budget, taste, or whim. You can even create your own custom bundles from scratch using the following information. My tips on pricing, content, resolution, device compatibility, and more will guide you.

Following are the price ranges for the streaming services I used to create these bundles. Read on and you’ll find specific plans.

• AMC+: $7.99-$10.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Apple TV+: $12.99/month, 7-day to 3-month free trial
• Arrow Player: $6.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Brown Sugar: $3.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Criterion Channel: $10.99/month or $99.99/year, 7-day free trial
• Discovery+: $5.99-$9.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Disney+: $11.99-$18.99/month
• The Disney Bundles: $12.99-$54.99/month, 3-day free trial
• ESPN+: $12.99/month
• Fandor: $4.99/month or $49.99/year, 7-day free trial
• Full Moon Features: $6.99/month, 7-day free trial
• HBO Max: $10.99–$22.99/month, 7-day free trial via Prime Video
• Hi-YAH!: $3.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Hulu: $11.99-$18.99/month, 30-day free trial
• Hulu + Live TV: $88.99-$99.99/month, 3-day free trial
• Mubi: $14.99/month or $119.88/year, 7-day free trial
• Netflix: $8.99-$26.99/month
• Night Flight Plus: $5.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Paramount+ Premium: $8.99-$13.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Peacock: $7.99-$16.99/month
• Philo TV: $33.00/month, 7-day free trial
• Pluto TV: Free
• Prime Video: $8.99-$17.98/month, 30-day free trial
• Screambox: $6.99/month, 7-day free trial via Prime Video
• Shout! Factory TV: $2.99/month through Prime Video, 7-day free trial via Prime Video
• Shudder: $8.99/month, 7-day free trial
• Sling TV: $19.99-$60.99/month
• Troma Now: $4.99/month or $50.00/year, 30-day free trial
• Tubi: Free
• YouTube TV: $82.99/month, free trial varies

*Data as of post date.

Custom streaming bundle tips

• Ads: We recommend ad-free plans for the best experience, but there’s nothing wrong with saving a few bucks by selecting ad-supported plans.
• Content: Not all streaming TV services advertise their library size. I list approximate channel counts and library sizes for each bundle.
• Trials: Most streaming services have free trials lasting 3–30 days. Take ’em for a test drive!
• Customize: See my customization suggestions to save more money or add/drop content.
• Toggle: I strongly recommend toggling services — canceling and resubscribing — to ensure you don’t pay for services you don’t use. This is also a great way to save money throughout the year.
• Deals: To save even more money, search online for streaming TV coupon codes, deals, and promotions before you subscribe.

Now, to paraphrase a line from “From Dusk Till Dawn”: “Bundlers, let’s get bundlin’.”

Best streaming bundles in depth

Sure, you can go with “prefab” streaming bundles sold by some services (and even internet service providers), but my main goal with these custom bundles is to package services that meet specific needs and tastes, rather than promote partnerships between the services.

That being said, I do love some prefab bundles, so you’ll see some among my recommendations.

Read on to see the custom streaming bundles that we created for movie lovers, binge-watchers, sports fans, busy parents, and the budget-conscious.

You can get a lot for about the same cost as your average cable subscription — and avoid hidden fees and long-term contracts.

Best of the Best

The best live streaming service plus the best on-demand service:

Live channels: 100+
Total price: $115.98/month
Services/plans:

• YouTube TV ($82.99)
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (No Ads) ($32.99/month)

If you’re short on time to shop for TV plans, you can go right for the good stuff. CableTV.com named YouTube TV the Best of the Best live TV streaming service and singled out the Hulu/Disney+ bundle as the Best of the Best on-demand streaming service of 2025.

YouTube TV has 100+ live channels, three simultaneous streams, six user profiles, unlimited cloud DVR storage (recordings expire in nine months) and a healthy on-demand library (they don’t advertise its exact size).

Hulu adds 40,000 hours of on-demand movies and shows — and more, if you get it in the Disney Bundles, some of which also include ESPN Select or HBO Max (see customization options). That’s why I recommend the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle.

You’ll have plenty of live TV channels and premium movies and shows to watch with these four services — all for the price of a low-to-middle-tier cable or satellite TV package.

Customize it:

• Save $13.00/month by downgrading to Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max (With Ads).
• Choose ad-supported plans of Hulu, Hulu + Live TV, or the Hulu bundles and save up to $8.00/month.
• Get Hulu Live instead of YouTube TV and enjoy a single bill, most of the same channels and features, plus ad-free Disney+ and ESPN Select (adds $17.00/month)

The #10 Combo

Ten top streaming TV services for the couch potato who needs everything:

Live channels: 105+
Total price: $181.52/month
Includes:

• YouTube TV ($82.99/month)
• AMC+ ($7.99–$10.99/month)
• Apple TV+ ($12.99/month)
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (No Ads) ($32.99/month)
• Netflix Standard ($17.99/month)
• Paramount+ Premium ($13.99/month)
• Prime Video Annual ($11.58/month)

Are you the best couch potato? Do you derive energy from the cool, blue light of your TV? You probably splurge on your cable provider’s top-tier package to have every channel, even the premiums.

Our #10 Combo, made up of ten services, has you in mind.

With YouTube TV’s 100+ live channels (plus three streams and unlimited DVR) and the other services’ on-demand content, you’ll have an all-killer, no-filler menu of live TV channels plus a multitude of movies and shows to watch.

And you get all that for the same price as cable and satellite TV providers’ most stacked packages. Plus, you won’t have to worry about contracts, equipment rental fees and other cable hassles.

Also, AMC+ contains AMC, BBC America, IFC Films Unlimited, Sundance Now, and The Walking Dead Universe. So the #10 Combo is an outstanding value. But if the price is still too high, you don’t have to use YouTube TV. You can substitute a cheaper live TV streaming service (keep reading for a super-cheap suggestion) or even drop one or two of the on-demand streaming TV services to lower the Combo’s price.

Customize it:

• Try Philo ($33.00/month) instead of YouTube TV and get 70+ live channels, free AMC+, three streams and unlimited cloud DVR with a one-year storage limit — while saving about $55.00 monthly thanks to the price difference and included AMC+.
• If you’d rather get Hulu + Live TV ($95.99/month) instead of YouTube TV, it has 95+ channels, two streams, unlimited cloud DVR, and comes with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. But you’ll pay about $13.00 more monthly.
• Students save 50% ($7.49/month) on Amazon Prime and get a free six-month trial.
• Upgrade any service to its ad-free, premium counterpart (adds $3.00-$10.00 a month).

Binge-a-palooza

For users serious about their TV series:

Live channels: Up to 9
Total price: $105.44/month
Includes:

• HBO Max Ad-Free ($18.49/month)
• Netflix Standard ($17.99/month)
• Ad-Free Prime Video a la carte ($8.99/month)
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max bundle ($32.99/month)
• Apple TV+ ($12.99/month)
• Paramount+ Premium ($13.99/month)

Do you like movies but love devouring TV episodes like popcorn? Binge-a-palooza gathers the best streaming TV services for prolonged periods of popping.

All six services have stacks of highly rated licensed and original series, plus tons of movies for the times when you’re between series (if, Captains Couch Potato, the time ever comes).

And with all ad-free plans, the streaming of your gripping, immersive screen stories never has to stop.

Customize it:

• Upgrade to Netflix Premium for two more streams and 4K UHD support (adds $7.00/month).
• Go ad-free with Prime Video (adds $2.99/month).
• With Amazon Prime’s student discount, you get 50% off after a free six-month trial (saves $7.49/month)
• Add Philo to get 70+ live channels (adds $33.00/month).
• Add Peacock Premium Plus for live NBC shows and a larger on-demand library (adds $16.99/month).
• Pick up an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to get live local channels (one-time fee starting around $25.00 to $30.00).

Endless Film Festival

Because movies = life:

Live channels: 3+
Total price: $96.42/month
Includes:

• The Criterion Channel ($10.99/month)
• HBO Max Ad-Free ($18.49/month)
• Netflix Standard ($17.99/month)
• Mubi ($14.99/month)
• Ad-free Prime Video ($11.98/month)
• Paramount+ Premium ($12.99/month)
• Shudder ($8.99/month)

There are those among us who would eschew the sofa and spend all day in a darkened theater, losing ourselves in silver screen magic while reclined in leather loungers and shoving nachos into our gobs. For us, I suggest the Endless Film Festival.

With these services, you can catch obscure art-house gems, classics from all eras, cult films/midnight movies, newer releases, summer blockbusters and more.

And, just like the Binge-a-palooza, the price is right — but it can get even better.

Customize it:

• Choose annual subscriptions to save up to 33% on The Criterion Channel, Mubi, and Shudder.
• If you’re a student, you can get Mubi for $9.99/month.
• If you have Prime Video, you can add more cult films (and TV series) with Prime’s ad-free version of Shout! Factory TV (adds $2.99/month).
• Another cheap Prime Video add-on is Fandor, which gives you even more arthouse and cult films (adds $3.99/month).
• Students save 50% ($7.49/month) on Amazon Prime and get a six-month free trial.
• Upgrade to Netflix Premium for 4K UHD support plus two more streams (adds $7.00/month).

The Mondo Bundle

Keepin’ it (mostly) weird:

Live channels: 3+
Total price: $95.46/month
Includes:

• Arrow Player ($6.99/month)
• Brown Sugar ($3.99/month)
• Criterion Channel ($10.99/month)
• Fandor ($4.99/month)
• Full Moon Features ($6.99/month)
• Hi-YAH! ($3.99/month)
• Mubi ($14.99/month)
• Night Flight Plus ($6.99/month)
• Prime Video Annual ($11.58/month)
• Screambox ($6.99/month)
• Shout! Factory TV ($2.99/month)*
• Shudder ($8.99/month)
• Troma Now ($4.99/month)
• Tubi ($0/month)

*Requires Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Real movie hounds know there’s more to cinema than blockbusters and Oscar winners. You (we) frequent the local arthouse to screen the really good stuff, which comes in so many different flavors. And while you prefer to watch films in a theater, you have a massive collection of physical media and, of course, streaming services.

For you, we present the Mondo Bundle, a customizable world of streaming cult cinema, with some of the best (and best worst) movies around. It has action, animation, anime, arthouse, B-movies, bikers, classroom education films, concerts, documentaries, horror movies, martial arts, musicals, science fiction, westerns, and more.

With 15 on-demand streaming services, around 50,000 titles (40,000 from Prime Video), and even a few live TV channels, the Mondo Bundle is the biggest custom streaming bundle we’ve created.

Customize it:

• Choose annual subscriptions and save $2.00 to $4.00 per month per service. Note: This is practical only if you can afford the upfront cost.
• Use the free, ad-supported versions of Brown Sugar, Fandor, and Shout! Factory TV. You’ll save up to $12.00/month, but lose access to some titles — and have to watch ads.
• Drop Prime Video and save $11.58/month. Note: This will also cancel Fandor and Shout! Factory TV, but you can get separate subscriptions or use their free versions.
• Switch to the a la carte version of Prime Video and save $3.00/month.
• Students save 50% ($7.49/month) on Amazon Prime and get a 6-month free trial.
• For all the movies — not just cult classics — plus tons of original series, add HBO Max Ad Free (add $18.49/month), Netflix (add $17.99/month), or Paramount+ Premium (add $13.99/month).

The Babysitter

Neutralize the kiddos while you work from home:

Live channels: 45+
Total price: $96.47/month
Includes:

• Sling Orange ($45.99/month)
• Sling Orange 4 Extras Deal add-on ($13.00/month)
• Disney+ Premium ($18.99/month)
• HBO Max Ad Free ($18.49/month)

Are you a parent who works from home? That was me, once upon a time, so I know how tough it can be to balance work and parenting duties. I dedicate The Babysitter to you.

Yeah, TV isn’t Mary Poppins — but when you need a couple of uninterrupted hours of work time, that mesmerizing box, smartphone, or tablet is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

The Babysitter starts with Sling TV — CableTV.com’s Best for Channel Add-Ons. With the Sling Orange plan and its 4 Extras Deal add-on ($13 a month), which includes the Kids Extra Pack, you’ll have Baby Jr., Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Duck TV, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, and TeenNick. Yes, that creates some live-channel overlap with Disney+, but the reason you want Disney+ in this bundle is for its on-demand content.

HBO Max has loads of family-friendly movies and shows, all organized into age groups and even content “hubs” for networks and studios like Cartoon Network, Studio Ghibli, and Looney Tunes. You can also create a profile for each child, which lets you customize parental controls according to each kid’s age/maturity level/chore-completion status.

One drawback to this bundle is that Sling TV doesn’t carry a lot of local broadcast affiliates. But you can get those channels by purchasing an OTA antenna. You can get one for as little as $30.00.

Customize it:

• Sling Blue is the same price as Orange, but it doesn’t have Disney Channel — fortunately, you’ll still have that huge Disney+ on-demand library. And with Sling Blue, you can add the a la carte Kids Extra pack for $6.00/month instead of 4 Extras (saves $7.00/month).
• If your budget’s super tight, Sling Freestream has Cartoon Network, DuckTV, Kabillion, Pocketwatch, and Ryan Friends.
• Instead of Disney+, you can add the Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN Select bundle — or the same bundle with HBO Max instead of ESPN Select — for tons of additional on-demand content (adds $19.99–$29.99/month).
• Maybe you run a Nickelodeon household. In that case, you’ll want Paramount+ Premium for on-demand access to SpongeBob SquarePants, Blue’s Clues, and more (adds $13.99/month).

Sportsball Domination

The most sports for the best price:

Live channels: 66+
Total price: $75.99/month
Includes:

• Sling Orange + Blue ($60.99/month) with
• Sling Orange + Blue Sports Extra add-on ($15.00/month)

Sling TV is easily the most customizable way to get your live sports fix. The Sling Orange + Blue package ($60.99/month) alone gives you access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, FS1, NFL Network, TBS, TNT, and USA Network.

That’s a lot of sportsballs bouncing around, so you could stop there. But sports fans go hard, so they’ll probably want to add Sling’s Sports Extra Pack for Orange + Blue.

You’ll get 20 new sports portals — including beIN SPORTS, FS2, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL RedZone, NHL Network, Pac-12 Network, and Tennis Channel.

We outline more ways to stream your favorite leagues in our Watch Sports Without Cable guide.

You can also download the Pluto TV and Xumo Play apps to get free channels like beIN SPORTS Xtra, Big Sky, CBS Sports HQ, CBS Sports Golazo Network, FOX Sports, Fubo Sports Network, GolfPass, NBC Sports, NFL Channel, PGA Tour, Pluto TV Sports, and World Poker Tour.

LET’S GOOOOOOO! (Sorry for yelling.)

Customize it:

• Football fans could get only Sling Blue ($45.99/month) and its Sports Extra add-on for both NFL Network and NFL RedZone. You’ll lose ACC Network, ESPN, ESPNews, ESPNU, Longhorn Network, and SEC Network, among others, but save $19.00/month.
• Selecting only Sling Orange ($45.99/month) and its Sports Extra add-on won’t include FS2, Golf Channel, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone — but you’ll save $19.00/month.
• Add Peacock Premium Plus ($16.99/month) for more Premier League, Big Ten, WWE, IndyCar, NASCAR, PGA Tour, and Olympic coverage.
• Paramount+ Premium ($13.99/month) will level up your soccer experience with live UEFA Champions League, NWSL, and Serie A matches. You’ll also get content from the NFL, PGA Tour, and March Madness.
• If you love college sports and the NHL, a standalone ESPN Select subscription ($12.99/month) offers live games from the NCAA’s best conferences as well as out-of-market NHL matchups.

The Thrifty Bundle

For when times are tight:

Live channels: 261+
Total price: $33.00/month (plus antenna)
Includes:

• Philo ($33.00/month)
• OTA antenna (one-time cost of $25.00-$70.00)
• Tubi (free)
• Plex (free)
• Pluto TV (free)
• Xumo Play (free)

If you’re cutting the cord for financial reasons (I’ve been there; stay strong), you can get a ton of TV on the cheap with the Thrifty Bundle.

Philo has 70+ channels, three streams, and unlimited DVR for $33.00 a month. Tubi adds thousands of on-demand movies and shows — plus a good selection of live TV channels, including some local FOX affiliates.

And, if you add an OTA antenna (a one-time purchase starting around $25.00), you’ll get your local channels and subchannels at no extra cost per month.

Then, download Plex and Pluto TV for around 1,000 free live FAST channels, for a total of 1,260+ channels — plus whatever your OTA antenna picks up (I get around 60 channels on mine).

Customize it:

• Qualifying students — both new and existing subscribers — can get Hulu for $1.99/month.
• If there’s a bit more room in your budget, add Netflix ($17.99/mo.) or HBO Max ($18.49/mo.) for a ton of premium, often original, content.

Freebie the Love Bundle

For when times are really tight:

Live channels: 200+ (not including antenna channels)
Total price: Free (except for the antenna)
Includes: Various free streaming apps

If my budget ever gets super tight, I know I’ll be able to get by with all of the free streaming TV out there.

That’s how I came up with Freebie the Love Bundle, which takes advantage of free TV streaming services and public library offerings, while spending $30.00–$70.00 on an OTA antenna so you’ll still have your local channels and the accompanying news, sports, and network shows.

The ad breaks are the only drawback — but you’ll forget about them once you dive into all the free live and on-demand movies and shows.

• Crackle
• FilmRise
• Hoopla*
• Kanopy*
• Libby*
• Midnight Pulp
• Plex
• Pluto TV
• The Roku Channel
• Sling Freestream
• Stirr
• Tubi
• VUDU
• Xumo Play

*Library card required.

Besides ads, another downside of Freebie is that you’ll watch a lot of ads and do a lot of leapfrogging between apps on your phone and computer. But free is free.

Customize it:

• If you’d like to have your local channels, buy an OTA antenna ($30.00 and up).
• Many streaming devices support most of these free apps. The Roku Ultra is one such device.

Randy’s No. 1 Custom Streaming Bundle (aka Randy+)

Curated by the author for his personal tastes and circumstances — and shared FYI:

Live channels: 60+
FAST channels: 960+
Total price: $70.05/ month
Includes:

• OTA antenna: (Free with my smart TV)
• Samsung TV Plus (Free)
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max bundle ($32.99/ month)
• Netflix Standard ($17.99/month)
• Shudder annual ($7.49/ month)
• Prime Video annual ($11.58/ month)
• Tubi (Free)

In case you’re curious, or wanna be just like me (OMG thank you!), let’s review my personal bundle, which costs $70.50 monthly.

For live TV, I chose an over-the-air (OTA) antenna (60+ channels including locals), Samsung TV Plus (700 FAST channels), and Tubi (260+ FAST channels, with some out-of-market FOX affiliates).

For on-demand movies and shows, I have an embarrassment of riches: Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max (40,000+ hours of content), Netflix (7,000+ titles), Shudder (725+ horror titles), Prime Video (24,000 titles), and Tubi (52,000 titles). Samsung TV Plus also adds a substantial amount of on-demand content, but if I’m watching ads, I’ll do it on Tubi, which offers much more.

It occurs to me that I might have more TV than I need. That’s why I recommend toggling: I can see myself occasionally canceling and resubscribing to Netflix or the Hulu Bundle. This would drop my monthly payment to only $20.00–$50.00 but still leave me with a robust menu of channels, movies, and shows. I love that, ‘cause I love TV.

Customize it:

• Drop Shudder and get AMC+ annual plan ($7.99/month), which includes AMC, Sundance Now, BBC America, IFC Films Unlimited, The Walking Dead Universe — and Shudder! You won’t have access to the Shudder app, which is a better experience, but you’ll save $1.00/month and get a ton more on-demand content.
• For more live entertainment channels, add Philo ($33.00/month)