IPTV vs Cable: a Worksheet to Work Out What You Would Really Save
Part of our Before You Buy series. Use the free trial properly, size your plan and work out what you will really save.
Headline comparisons put a cable bill next to an IPTV price and declare a winner. Your situation is different: what you pay, what you actually watch and what you would still need to keep. This worksheet takes five minutes and uses your own numbers. Get last month's TV bill before you start.
The worksheet
| Line | What to enter | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| A | Your monthly TV bill, including add-on packs, box rental and multiroom fees | Your latest bill, not the advertised price |
| B | Any one-off fees spread over a year (installation, upgrades) ÷ 12 | Your contract or past bills |
| C | Streaming apps you would keep anyway, per month | Bank statement |
| D | IPTV plan price ÷ months in the plan | Our pricing page |
| E | One-off device costs for IPTV (a stick, an Ethernet adapter) ÷ 24 | Only if you need new hardware |
Your current monthly cost is A + B + C. Your IPTV monthly cost is C + D + E. The difference is your real saving per month. Multiply by 12 for the year.
A worked example
These figures are illustrative, not a quote from any provider. Say your bill (A) is $85 a month including a sports pack and a second box. There was a $60 installation fee two years ago, so B is $2.50. You keep one streaming app at $15 (C).
- Current: $85 + $2.50 + $15 = $102.50 a month.
- IPTV on a 12-month, 2-connection plan: $115 ÷ 12 = $9.58 (D). You buy one streaming stick for the bedroom at $40, so E is $1.67.
- IPTV total: $15 + $9.58 + $1.67 = $26.25 a month.
- Saving: $76.25 a month, or about $915 a year.
Your numbers will be different. Someone on a basic $25 cable package who would need two new sticks saves far less, and that is exactly why the worksheet is worth doing.
Costs that comparisons leave out
On the cable and satellite side
- Price rises after an introductory period. Use your current bill, not the one you signed up for.
- Exit fees if you leave a contract early. Add them to the first year's IPTV cost if they apply, or time the switch with your contract's end.
- Broadband bundles. If your internet is bundled with TV, dropping TV can raise the broadband price. Ask before you cancel.
On the IPTV side
- Broadband quality. If your line cannot carry HD reliably at peak times, you may need a faster package. Test with the free trial before assuming.
- Player app fees. Some Smart TV players charge a small one-off fee to their developer.
- Your time. An app install and occasional troubleshooting is a real, if small, cost.
When the numbers say stay
If your saving comes out small, or you rely on the things cable does better (working through a broadband outage, minimal delay on live sport), stay where you are. Our Aero IPTV guide has an honest comparison table that includes the rows cable wins.
If more than one person watches at once, size the plan first with the connections guide, because line D depends on it.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPTV always cheaper than cable?
Usually, but not always. A very basic cable package with no extras, or a household that needs new hardware for every room, may save little. The worksheet shows your real figure.
Do I need to keep my broadband package?
Yes. IPTV runs over your internet connection, so you need a stable broadband line. Check whether dropping TV changes your broadband price.