Best cable TV provider of 2023
Xfinity is our pick for the best cable TV provider. It offers a great channel selection, solid prices, a powerful DVR, and excellent internet bundles. Others came close, but there can be only one.
Best cable TV providers
- Plans starting at $19.99 - $600.00
- 10+ channels
- 20+ DVR storage hours
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, visit the provider's website.
- Plans starting at $15.00 - $195.00
- 420+ channels
- 150 DVR storage hours
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
- Plans starting at $20.00 - $218.99
- 250+ channels
- 50–1000 DVR storage hours
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
- Plans starting at $24.99 - $139.99
- 170+ channels
- 150 DVR storage hours
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
Methodology
To determine the best cable TV providers, we primarily considered price, channel count and quality, and the quality of the DVR system. We also looked at fees, internet service bundles, sports content, and availability. In the end, the winner was clear.
#1: Xfinity TV
- Extensive availability
- Reasonable pricing
- Good bundle options
- Premium entertainment costs extra
- Lots of fees
- Low channel count on cheapest tier
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, visit the provider's website.
Xfinity offers a strong channel lineup, reasonable prices, and wide availability, plus the best DVR system on the market.
Xfinity isn’t just the best cable TV provider—it’s one of the best TV providers, period. A solid channel lineup with all the most popular options, reasonable pricing, and excellent availability make Xfinity easy to recommend.
Xfinity also brings the X1 DVR system, which was our pick for the best DVR system. The X1 system packs up to 300 hours of HD content storage, so you can easily hoard all your favorite shows and movies. It has useful voice controls, and cloud storage means you can watch your content on any of your devices using the Xfinity Stream app.
Finally, Xfinity also offers one of the best internet services on the market, with fast speeds and reasonable bundle pricing. This means you don’t have to suffer through terrible internet just to get great TV. You can put all that speed to good use with the X1’s built-in streaming apps, too.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and Xfinity has one major downfall—fees. Expect a significant portion of your bill to be various equipment and service fees. However, we think it’s worth it for the excellent day-to-day experience that Xfinity provides. Another minor gripe is that Xfinity requires a 12-month contract. However, this is in line with most of Xfinity's competitors, so we can forgive it.
Oh, and that old reputation for terrible Comcast customer service? It’s largely a thing of the past in our personal experience. We think most users will be more than happy with both Xfinity internet and TV.
#2: Optimum TV
- No contracts
- High channel count
- Excellent value
- Some areas can't get fiber internet
- High fees
- Second-year price hikes
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
Optimum packs a huge channel count and excellent internet service in a limited service area.
Our number-two pick, Optimum, actually scores higher than Xfinity in our overall rankings. Compared to Xfinity, Optimum offers significantly more channels, along with faster internet speeds. Optimum crushes in the value department—you get a lot for your money. It’s also contract-free, which is rare among Optimum competitors and a big plus in our book.
Two things prevent Optimum from being our top cable TV provider. First, the DVR is mediocre at best. This is the main way you interact with TV service, and it makes a bigger difference than many people realize.
More important, though, is availability. Optimum is available only in New York, New Jersey, and a select few areas of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. As much as we love Optimum's pricing and service, it’s hard to recommend simply because most people will never have it as an option. Bummer.
#3: Cox TV
- Large number of premium channels
- Tiered DVR storage and recording
- Searches streaming apps too
- Pricey plans and hidden costs
- Padded channel lineup
- No free DVR storage
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
Cox brings tons of sports content and a powerful DVR, but it’ll cost you.
Cox is our third choice for cable TV provider. Generally, we’d recommend going with Optimum (if it’s available) or Xfinity. Cox is great, but it's expensive, and the channel lineup is inflated by music channels, so it isn’t quite the value it seems.
The provider does have some solid offerings, though. First, there are a ton of sports and premium channels available, so if your viewing habits mostly take you there, Cox may be better than its competitors.
Second, the DVR system is actually really good (our number-two pick, in fact). If you spring for Cox’s Ultimate plan, you can record up to 24 shows and movies simultaneously and store up to 1,000 hours of HD content—both these numbers blow the competition out of the water. To put it in perspective, 1,000 hours is six weeks of continuous, round-the-clock viewing. You still can’t save every episode of House Hunters, but you’ll get closer with Cox than any other DVR.
#4: Mediacom TV
- Solid prices
- Lots of bundle options
- Nice TiVo set-top box
- Must bundle TV with internet
- Lack of sports channels
- Lots of fees
Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers
Mediacom is a decent TV service, but high fees and a lack of sports content put it in fourth place.
Finally, if none of the above options are available in your area, Mediacom may be worth considering. This provider brings solid pricing and lots of bundle options to the table, with internet speeds up to 1 Gbps. This is good because you can’t get Mediacom TV without Mediacom internet.
Mediacom service just kind of is, if you know what we mean. It’s not bad, but it’s also not great. The best thing about the service is probably its DVR. It uses TiVo, which sounds like a blast from the past but is actually quite good.
We have two cautions with Mediacom. First, expect fees. Lots of fees. Installation is expensive, and you’ll pay fees for DVRs, extra set-top boxes, cable modems, and the wireless router. Second, sports content is available only in the top-tier package, so you could end up paying for a ton of channels you don’t care about. Mediacom's competitors don't do this (to our knowledge), and it’s a weird move that we don’t like at all.
What to consider when choosing a cable TV provider
We considered a variety of factors to determine the best cable TV provider, with special attention given to price, channel selection, and the DVR system.
Price
Price is, of course, a major part of the equation. When looking at TV providers, there are two aspects of price to consider: overall cost and cost per channel.
The overall cost is simple enough—how expensive is the service? Is the price unusually high or low? How does it compare with other providers?
Cost per channel is a bit different. With this metric, we take the price of a package and divide it by the number of channels included. This helps give a better idea of relative value. For example, one provider might be more expensive in terms of absolute cost, but if it has double the channels, it might actually be a better value than the cheaper provider.
Fees
Fees are an unavoidable part of the cable TV equation. It’s exceedingly rare to find a provider with no fees at all, though some do have fewer than others. If there’s a notable difference from the norm, we consider it in our rankings.
Some of the most common fees you’ll encounter:
- Set-top box fees. Many providers include your first TV box at no additional charge, but extra boxes (for other rooms, for example) will typically cost you.
- DVR fees, particularly for extra storage space. This seems like it should be included with the set-top box, but it’s usually not.
- Other equipment fees. If you bundle with internet service, you may have charges for your modem and router.
- Broadcast TV and regional sports fees. The cable provider has to pay for access to local broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, etc.) and local sports programming. These costs are often passed on to consumers in the form of these two fees.
That’s not even considering taxes! Fees can often make up a significant portion of your total bill, which is unfortunate. Equally unfortunate is that there’s rarely anything you can do about them.
Check out our guide to understanding your TV bill to learn more about how different fees can affect your total monthly service cost. Then consider these ways to save on your TV bill.
Channel count and selection
Overall channel count is important. Most providers offer between 125 and 200 channels, but there are a handful of cable companies that carry 400+ channels. This is generally good—it’s easier to find something to watch when you have a big selection. However, it’s worth noting that sometimes a significant chunk of these channels are things like music stations—they’re technically channels, but they’re included mainly to bump up the number.
For that reason, it’s also important to consider the actual selection of channels. Pay particular attention to how those channels are spread across the different packages—some providers keep certain content locked to the higher-tier (and higher-priced) plans to encourage you to upgrade.
DVR
The quality of the DVR system is an important consideration. On the surface, it might seem like a DVR is a DVR, but there’s quite a bit of variation in the experience of using different systems. This is generally how you’ll interact with the cable service, so it does matter.
Aside from the user interface, there are two DVR stats you should pay attention to: storage space and simultaneous recordings. Storage space is pretty obvious—more is better, although it may cost you.
Simultaneous recordings are more important than you might think. The “standard” number is around six—meaning you can record up to six shows or movies at once. That sounds like plenty, and to most, it probably is.
However, some systems can handle as many as 16 or 24 recordings at once. This essentially makes recording conflicts a thing of the past, so we personally like to see as many simultaneous recordings as possible, even if it seems excessive.
Sports content
Sports fans should pay special attention to both the selection of sports channels and which package tiers they’re included in. Some providers (*cough* Mediacom) have sports content only in the higher-tier packages, which means you may be paying for a lot of content you don’t want just to get them.
Most providers offer a premium sports package that can be added to any plan. In most cases, these are more niche channels that only true aficionados or fans of uncommon sports will need. However, some companies put basic sports channels behind this paywall, so pay attention to this.
Other considerations
There are a few other small things to consider when choosing a cable TV provider:
- Apps. Most providers have a smartphone and/or tablet app that can be used to watch DVR recordings and stream live TV. They all generally do the same thing, but it’s worth exploring if you use these features a lot, as some are better than others.
- Contracts. It’s 2023, and the cable contract is still a thing. Thankfully, more and more providers are moving away from these service agreements to a month-to-month model. Be sure to check the terms for any provider and promotion you’re considering.
- Bundle options. Most cable companies offer both TV and internet, and bundling is usually more affordable than going with separate providers for each. For that reason, you have to consider the quality of internet service offered.
Dave Schafer is a freelance writer with a passion for making technical concepts easy for anyone to understand. He’s been covering the world of gadgets, tech, and the internet for over 8 years, with a particular focus on TV and internet service providers. When he’s not writing, Dave can be found playing guitar or camping with his family and golden retriever, Rosie.
Bri Field has a background in academia, research writing, and brand marketing. She has edited scientific publications, conference papers, digital content, and technical communications. As Assigning Editor, she enjoys ensuring all content is accurate, clear, and helpful. In her free time, you can find her in the kitchen trying a new recipe, out on a hike, or working through her massive TBR list.