Cord cutting is one of the biggest TV buzzwords in recent times. After years of having to pay hundreds of pounds a year to cable/satellite companies such as Sky and Virgin Media, you can now watch great programmes on your telly at a lower cost, without the need for a traditional pay-TV subscription.
But how do you cut the cord? What devices do you need, what are the best streaming services, and how much money can you save? I’m here to help, with the ultimate guide for UK cord cutters looking for alternatives to Sky and the like. So get your scissors out – and let’s start this journey.
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Table of Contents
What Does “Cord Cutting” Mean?
Until a few years ago, the only way to watch anything beyond the free, over-the-air channels (like the BBC or ITV), was to get an expensive, 12-month (or more) contract with a premium pay-TV company such as Sky, Virgin Media, BT, etc. You would pay anywhere from £30 to £80 a month, sometimes even more, and get a “package” of channels.
The more you paid – the more channels you got in your package. That, unfortunately, did not necessarily mean more good things to watch – as many of those channels were often useless to the average viewer. However, you would still get them all as part of that unbreakable expensive “package”.
Back in the day, when you wanted to watch a show, you had to sit down and watch it live – exactly when it was broadcast on the channel. Then we had VCRs, and then we had digital recorders such as TiVo, which were basically glorified VCRs – you could record shows and watch them whenever, but the actual recording still took place at the exact time the programme was broadcast.
Things started to change once fast broadband came into the picture. Now, you can watch TV via your internet connection – and no, not just cat videos on YouTube. There’s no need for “channels”, or telly guides listing broadcast times – now, you subscribe to a cheap (and legal!) streaming TV service such asNetflixorDisney+, and get your programmes streamed directly to your TV (or phone, or tablet) via the internet.
The added plus – broadcast timings are a thing of the past with streaming TV services. The programmes are there in the cloud, waiting for you to watch when you want. And, in many cases, once a show is available on your streaming service, the whole series is already there for the taking, and you can watch the entire thing in one, long sitting (that’s called Binge-Watching). Don’t forget the crisps!
To sum up, by becoming a cord cutter, you can:
- Watch TV on your own time, wherever you want and on any device
- Save hundreds of pounds a year
- Ditch those annoying 12/18 months contracts
What Do I Need For TV Cord Cutting?
If you want to watch TV without Sky or the other traditional pay-TV companies, here are the things you need:
1. Fast Broadband
Once you cut the cable/satellite cord, most of your TV programmes will be streamed to you via the internet. And for that, you need broadband at a decent speed. The faster broadband you get, the more streaming you can do – and on more devices at the same time.
Netflix’s official “speed recommendations”list a minimum of 5 Megabits per second for HD quality streaming, and 15 Megabits for 4K streaming.
In the real world – that’s usually not enough. Sure, the streaming might WORK with a 5 megabits broadband connection, but you will probably get a lot ofbuffering, and there won’t be any internet bandwidth left for other online activities in your house (while streaming TV is being watched).
What Is Buffering?
Streaming TV is downloaded to your device in real time. To prevent disruption in the middle of the programme or movie you’re watching, a small portion of it will be preloaded onto your device.
Then, while you’re already watching, the device will keep downloading the next chunk and the one after that, with you still watching the previous chunk that was already downloaded.
If your broadband connection is too slow, the streaming device can’t keep up – you will ‘finish’ watching the preloaded part before the next one has enough time to download, and your programme will STOP, until the device can fill the buffer again – i.e., download the next chunk.
What Broadband Speed Do I Need For TV Cord Cutting?
For HD streaming on ONE DEVICE at a time and no one else at your house doing anything “heavy” on the internet, the common17Mbbroadband package is usually enough.
If you have a bigger household, with more than one person intending to watch streaming TV simultaneously (or use the internet for other heavy needs such as gaming or video calls), you should get a speed of at least38Mb.
For 4K streaming on one device (and the possibility of HD streaming on other devices simultaneously), I would recommend a speed of at least50Mb.
Important Tip:
Get a broadband package with no monthly limits. Streaming TV downloads A LOT of data via your internet connection.
For example, An hour of HD content on Netflix will download up to3GBof data. An hour of 4K content is up to7GBof data. That means that even if you watch only 3 hours of HD TV a day, you will download279GBsof data over a month.
So skip those broadband packages that limit your monthly data usage. As a cord cutter, you would reach those data caps pretty quickly.
2. A Streaming Device
So you have a fast enough broadband connection, you have a TV, now you need a device that will stream the programmes and movies you want to watch from the internet to your telly.
You can, of course, settle for watching everything on your computer, your smartphone or your tablet – if you have any children at home, you know that’s what many of them do these days.
But most cord cutters still want to watch at least some of the content on their TV, while sitting on the sofa with a bag of crisps. For that, you need a streaming device connected to your TV.
Alternatively, most TVs sold today are “Smart TVs” that already come with streaming apps. It’s a decent solution in many cases, but if you want a faster experience with a better user interface and more options – standalone streaming devices are still usually better.
There are many devices out there – from small ones that hide behind your TV (such as the Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick or the Roku 4K Stick), to full-featured set-top boxes like theRoku Express 4K,or gaming consoles (PS4/5, Xbox) that also function as TV streamers.
All these devices have pros and cons, but if you want to jump right in, our recommendation for an all-around good streamer is the Amazon Fire TV 4K Stick, with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K being another great option.
For a detailed comparison, see our Best TV Streaming Device In The UK.
3. Streaming Services
Before you cancel your current pay-TV package (assuming you’re not undercontract), you need to subscribe to a video streaming service that offers content on demand.
The main paid options in the UK are:
- Netflix (See our Review), at £10.99/month for the HD package with up to two simultaneous streams (to separate devices), or £17.99/month for the 4K package with up to four simultaneous streams. There’s also a cheap ad-supported tier at £4.99/month.
- Amazon’s Prime Video (See our Review), at either £5.99/month for the video service or £95/year forthe full Amazon Prime servicewhich includes Prime Video. Unfortunately, they’ve also added adverts – which you can remove by paying an extra £2.99/month.
- NOW (Formerly NOW TV, See our Review): Sky’s monthly subscription service for cord cutters, at £9.99/month for the TV (and Kids) package, £9.99/month for the Cinema package and £34.99/month for Sky Sports.
- Disney+ (See our review): Disney’s streaming service, with content from the worlds of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic, as well as more ‘mature’ content under the Star category. There are several tiers now – from the £4.99/month ad-supported plan, to the £10.99/m Premium 4K plan.
The streaming services all differ in their content offerings – Netflix and Amazon’s strong points are “box-sets” of programmes, where you get every episode of the series at once. (Note that there’s also a way to watch the American version of Netflix in the UK – here’s how.)
NOW has some of those, but focuses more on its catch-up service, with episodes coming up week-to-week. The plus side is that you get newer programmesas they’re being broadcast.
If you want to jump right in, some streaming services still have a free trial (a month on Amazon, and sometimes seven days on NOW. Netflix and Disney+ no longer offer free trials in the UK) – so you might as well check all of them and see which one’s better for you.
Of course, serious cord cutters might join more than one service at a time (that’s what I usually do) – and you would STILL pay less than you would for a comprehensive satellite/cable TV package. Plus, there are also many places where you can stream movies for free.
But remember – unlike a long-term Sky/VM/EE contract, with a streaming service you can easily cancel each service when you want to save some money, or just don’t have enough time to watch TV. And then, just as easily resubscribe – so there’s no need to pay for ALL the services ALL the time.
In addition to the Big Four, there are several smaller streaming services in the UK that you might want to consider, such as:
- Paramount+ (See our review): A streaming service that offers content from CBS, Showtime and Paramount Pictures, as well as exclusive, original programmes and films, at £6.99/month.
- Apple TV Plus (See our guide): The streaming service from Apple, which you can get for free when you buy an Apple device (up to 3 months), or by paying £8.99/month. It’s made up entirely of original shows and films – but the number of titles is lower than on some of the other services.
- Discovery+: A streaming service that focuses on lifestyle, reality TV, nature and sports. Some of the content is available for free, and the top tier also includes a variety of sports from Eurosport. Last year, they also added a “Premium” tier, which includes TNT Sports – the new name of BT Sport. You can subscribe directly – or via Amazon Prime Video Channels.
In light of this competition from streaming services, Sky also offers its own line of streaming devices/services: Sky Glass (see our review) is a streaming TV from Sky that lets you stream Sky’s content via broadband, without needing a dish – and it also lets you sign up to Sky without a long-term contract (but you do have to buy a new TV).
Sky Stream is similar to Sky Glass, but it’s just a small set-top box that lets you stream Sky’s content – without having to buy a whole TV (see our Sky Stream review).
How Can I Watch The Free Channels, Such As BBC One and Channel 4?
If you’re used to getting your TV from Sky or one of the other pay-TV companies, then that’s where you’ve been getting your free channels as well (the BBC channels, ITV, etc.). When you cut the cord, can you still keep watching these channels?
Of course!
There are several ways to watch the free, over-the-air channels – online via the internet, with theFreeviewservice, theYouViewservice, theFreesatservice, or the new Freely service.
Most streaming boxes (and certainly the ones I’ve mentioned here) already come with dedicated apps for the big UK free channels, or you could use your laptop. Some of the free content available online:
With these apps and websites, you can stream programmes from your favourite free channels, directly to your TV, via the internet (just like with Netflix).
The selection usually includes both catch-up programmes (aired week-to-week) and box-set packages offering a whole series. (Keep in mind that on channels with adverts such as ITV, you would need to watch adverts on their streaming apps/websites as well.
What’s Freeview And How Can I Watch It?
Freeview, a joint venture of the BBC, Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, is the United Kingdom’s digital terrestrial television platform. It lets you watch over 80 free, over-the-air channels, without any subscription fees (except foran annual TV licence).
Freeview is perfect for cord cutters, because it complements your streaming services with live channels. While it’s true that with Freeview, you still need to follow TV schedules and watch stuff on THEIR time (unless you use a Freeview Recorder or their 7-day catch-up service with Freeview Play), sometimes you just want to watch the news or a major live event, or just sit back and flip some channels – so Freeview is perfect for that.
To get Freeview, you need two things:
- An aerial(either an outdoor one on your roof/outside wall, or an indoor aerial connected directly to your telly) – See ourBest Indoor Aerial For Freeview review roundup.
- A Freeview receiver– If you have a newish TV, manufactured and sold in the UK after 2010, it should already have a Freeview tuner built-in. Otherwise, or if you want more advanced features, you would need a dedicated tuner – see ourFreeview Boxes review roundup.
With the right box (such as the Manhattan T4-R), you can also get Freeview Play – a combination of over-the-air channels and programmes on-demand via the internet, giving you access to the BBC’s iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and My5, all in one device. Of course, if you already have a decent streamer, you would already have these apps on that device.
- See our full Freeview guidefor all the information you need to start watching over-the-air channels for free.
In 2024, Everyone TV (the company behind Freeview and Freesat) finally launched Freely – a broadband-based version of Freeview, where the channels are streamed to you via the internet, instead of over-the-air.
However, for now, Freely is only supported on new, next-gen Smart TVs, with set-top box support possibly being added in the future.
Furthermore, Freely only streams channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and STV for now (and you still need an aerial for the rest) – so, until that list expands – Freely is far from being a broadband-based replacement for Freeview/Freesat.
On the other hand, you can also stream Freeview channels with one of the pay-TV boxes – Sky Stream, Virgin Media Stream, the EE TV Pro Box and EE’s Apple TV box.
Two other options for free channels are YouView, which is a similar service to Freeview, but requires a different box (see ourYouView recommendations here), and Freesat, which uses a satellite dish and usually offers better reception (and more channels) –see our Freesat guide right here.
… And that’s it! Once you have fast broadband, a streamer box with a streaming TV subscription, and a Freeview aerial and tuner – you’re all set to cutting your TV cord!
How Much Money Can I Save With Cord Cutting?
It really depends on your circ*mstances and how much telly you’re going to watch – the more streaming services you subscribe to, the more you will pay. Still, you will pay less than you would have for a cable TV contract in almost every case.
Let’s look at a typical example. We’re not including broadband prices as part of the comparison, since we’re assuming every household is paying for broadband these days, whether you use it for TV or not.
The Sky Entertainment+Cinema HD bundle, which currently includes:
- Sky’s movie channels
- 300 Basic TV channels
- 35 entertainment channels including Sky Atlantic (but some are simply a part of Freeview)
- HD Upgrade
- A Sky Q set-top box
This package typically costs around£50/month for new customers,+£20installation fee at the time of this writing – with an 18 months contract. Keep in mind it’s impossible to follow all the packages and deals traditional pay-TV companies offer – but this is a typical price as of 2024.
Plus, remember that these are prices for new customers. Once your contract is up, the prices usually jump up considerably (unless you haggle).
A similar cord cutter’s package includes:
- Netflix–£10.99/monthfor the HD package – you get TV programmes + movies
- NOWEntertainment Pass for Sky’s TV channels including Sky Atlantic –£9.99/month
- Amazon Prime Video–£5.99per month for the video-only tier
This comes down to a total of£27 per month. (Even if you add a ONE TIME cost of a streamer – even a more expensive one – the effective price across the first 12 months would still be around£30 per month.)
Even if you add an indoor TV aerial for Freeview, or a Freeview box, it would still come out cheaper than most comparable TV packages.
Now, keep in mind, cord cutting is not JUST about cost. If you shop around enough, you might find pay-TV deals that include cheaper broadband and mobile phone SIMs, for example, where the price ends up closer to a cord cutter’s price.
But by being a cord cutter, you get the freedom of choice: There are no contracts. You can add or remove streaming services whenever you want, depending on what you want to watch or your financial situation on that month.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favourite series isn’t on a subscription service – what can I do?
First, make sure the programme really isn’t available on any of the subscription services. You can use a site likeJustWatch, where you pick a show, and the site shows you where it’s available.
If you do find it on a subscription service, the beauty of cord cutting is that you can join that service for a single month, just to watch that one programmeyou’re interested in (and possibly find out other programmes to watch while you’re there).
Still no luck? In most cases, you will be able to buy that specific programme directly, on VOD stores such as the Google Play Store or the Amazon Video Store.
You pay for the entire series (even if it’s still being broadcast – you will get a message each time a new episode is available), and watch it on your TV using the relevant store’s app. An entire series can cost anywhere between £4 and £25.
Can I watch sports as a cord cutter?
Sports used to be a bit of a problem for cord cutters, but there are quite a lot of streaming sports options these days:
- A lot of sporting events are broadcaston the BBC, so you can watch them onBBC iPlayer.
- TNT Sports (which used to be BT Sport) has a Monthly Pass that offers sports fans a flexible way of watching TNT Sports (and Eurosport) on a month-by-month basis.
- You can get Eurosport via the Discovery+ streaming service (it’s cheaper to get it without TNT Sports).
- You can subscribe to theNOW Sky Sports Pass– they offer day and monthly passes. Learn how to get NOW for cheap with this guide.
Do I need to pay a TV licence fee?
The short answer is –Yes, for most people.
In the past, you only needed to pay a yearly licence fee to watch live TV, but since September 2016, you also need to pay the fee if you watch anything on BBC iPlayer and, as before, if you watch any live TV channels.
So, the only way to avoid the licence fee is to not watch (or record) any live channels or BBC shows on any device. See our complete TV Licence Guide right here.
Can’t I just Torrent/download everything I want to watch, for free?
Technically, perhaps. But there are at least two excellent reasons not to do this:
- It’s illegal, and it could get you in trouble. Sure, a lot of people do it without legal consequences, but why take the risk when there are so many excellent, cheap and LEGAL options out there?
- If you like to watch a lot of telly, it’s only right that yousupport the folks who create your favouriteprogrammes. When you go to a restaurant, you pay for your food, because the chef had to buy the ingredients, he had to learn how to prepare your meal, and he had to stand there all day and actually make it for you – so you don’t have any problem with paying him. So why would you not want to pay the people involved with creating the TV programmes you’re watching?
I’m still under contract with my cable/satellite TV. Can I cut the cord?
If you have several months left on your Sky / VM / EE contract, you’re in a bit of a pickle, as you would have to wait until the contract is done.
However, I recommend youstart your cord cutting journey BEFORE the official end of the contract. When you have two or three months left on your contract, start testing the waters.
Get a cheap streaming device, join Netflix (or you might already have Amazon Prime), and start checking out the programmes and movies, so you can see if the selection – and technology – is good for you.
That way, when IT IS time to leave your cable company, you will already know it’s a good option for you. Then, when the contract’s up, be sure to CANCEL it. Your cable company will kick and scream and offer you anything from a discount to a toaster made of gold (OK, I’m making that one up… I think) – Be strong!
Remember – if you decide this isn’t for you after a month or two of being a cord cutter for whatever reason, the cable company will be THRILLED to take you back. But at least give it a go first, before you sign up for another 12 months.
I assure you – most people who cut the cord, never look back.
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