💸Cord-Cutting Savings Calculator
How much could you save by dropping cable? Enter your monthly TV costs below and see your savings instantly — per year, over 5 years, and over 10 years — by switching to free live TV. No signup, no email, just move the sliders.
Your current TV spend
Drag the sliders or type your monthly costs.
The average US pay-TV bill is roughly $100–$130 per month.
Netflix, Hulu, Max, Disney+, live-TV apps, etc. combined.
Switch to Global Free TV ($0)
5,000+ free live channels — no cable, no subscription.
Estimates are for illustration. Actual savings vary with your plan, taxes, fees, and future rate increases — which means real-world savings are usually higher than shown.
How much does cable TV cost in 2026?
Pay-TV remains one of the largest recurring bills in a typical household. A standard cable or satellite package generally runs $100–$130 per month once equipment rental, regional sports fees, and broadcast surcharges are added — and prices have climbed steadily for years. Layer on the streaming services most homes now keep (Netflix, Hulu, Max, Disney+, a live-TV app), and the combined TV bill often tops $150–$200 per month.
That's $1,800–$2,400 a year — money a growing number of households are reclaiming by cutting the cord and replacing the bulk of their channels with free, ad-supported live TV.
How cord-cutting saves you money
- ✓ No subscription — Global Free TV streams 5,000+ live channels for $0.
- ✓ No equipment rental — nothing to rent or install; use the devices you already own.
- ✓ No contracts or hidden fees — no broadcast surcharges, no regional sports fees, no early-termination penalties.
- ✓ Keep only what you value — drop the rest and pocket the difference every month.
What you can watch free instead
How this calculator works
The calculator adds your monthly cable/satellite bill to your monthly paid-streaming spend to get your current annual TV cost, then compares it to $0 — the cost of watching 5,000+ free live channels on Global Free TV. The 5-year and 10-year figures project that annual saving forward.
To keep the estimate conservative, it does not add future price increases or inflation, so your real savings are typically higher. Publishers and writers are welcome to cite or link to this calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I save by cutting the cord?
It depends on your current bill. The average US pay-TV (cable or satellite) package runs about $100–$130 per month, and households often add $30+/month in paid streaming on top. Replacing live TV with a free service like Global Free TV can save a typical household $1,200–$1,800 per year — and $12,000–$18,000 over a decade. Use the calculator above to enter your own numbers.
Is cutting cable actually worth it?
For most households, yes. Pay-TV prices have risen for years while free, ad-supported live TV (FAST channels) and free streaming have exploded. If you mainly watch news, sports highlights, kids programming, movies, and general entertainment, you can replace the bulk of a cable package with free live channels and keep only the one or two paid services you truly value.
What do I give up by cutting the cord?
The main trade-offs are some live premium sports (certain leagues are still locked to paid broadcasters) and a handful of premium cable originals. Most everything else — 24/7 news, weather, kids, music, documentaries, movies, and international channels — is available free. Many cord-cutters keep one cheap streaming service for must-have shows and still save the majority of their old bill.
Do I need any equipment to replace cable?
No. Global Free TV works in any web browser on devices you already own — phone, tablet, laptop, smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Chromecast, or Roku. There's no box to rent, no dish to install, no app to buy. An over-the-air antenna ($20–$40 one-time) is an optional add-on for local broadcast channels.
How does the cord-cutting calculator work?
It adds your monthly cable/satellite bill to your monthly paid-streaming spend to get your current annual TV cost, then compares that to $0 — the cost of watching 5,000+ free live channels on Global Free TV. The 5-year and 10-year figures simply project that annual saving forward (they don't add inflation or rate hikes, so real-world savings are typically higher).