2024-2025 TV Price Increases
The 2024-2025 TV price increases span most TV service providers – the worst being cable and satellite. If you are a customer of Comcast Xfinity, Dish or DirecTV, you are likely seeing the highest price increases for your channel bundles and more channel blackouts. But, some Live Streaming TV providers are following suit.
Unfortunately, TV subscription prices have been going up 10-15% per year for the past decade. For some, prices go up annually in December or January. Live Streaming TV providers sometimes change their prices sporadically throughout the year too.
We’ve compiled a concise recap of price increase announcements across all TV providers including cable, satellite and live streaming services. Our goal is to help you cut the cord and save the most money every month without sacrificing a great TV experience.
Skip to:
- Xfinity | Dish | DirecTV
- YouTube TV | DirecTV Stream | Sling | Hulu Live | Fubo TV | Philo | Frndly | Hulu
Why do TV prices go up every year?
TV prices start with the TV content providers (broadcasters like CBS, FOX, Disney (including ABC, ESPN), NBCUniversal, etc.). And Pay TV providers (ex. Comcast Xfinity, DirecTV, Dish, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, etc.) pay to distribute that content in the form of re-transmission fees (aka broadcast & regional sports fees).
Content providers’ expenses rise as professional athletes’ salaries keep going up, actor fees and production costs of shows and movies keep going up. And other operational expenses keep going up too. Bottom line: these expenses are passed directly to the consumer’s TV prices via fees. The Xfinity 2025 monthly price for the Broadcast TV Fee increased to $39 in the Denver Metro area. That is just 1 fee of many. Its now estimated that 40% of your Cable TV bill is fees.
Why Cable TV prices will keep rising
In short, Cable TV prices are never going back down, they will continue to exponentially increase like they have been for decades. Ongoing Cable TV price increases can be simplified into a math problem.
- TV content prices continue to rise, this is nothing new, its been happening for decades.
- 7 million people per year are Cutting The Cord and cancelling Cable or Satellite. This is new in the last 3-5 years and it’s getting worse year over year.
- Comcast Xfinity, DirecTV and Dish have a lot less subscribers in 2025 to pay for all of these ongoing TV content price increases – they have no choice but to increase prices for remaining customers. Sadly they do this with misinformation, bait and switch pricing and using sneaky fees, a long with channel blackouts. THIS WILL GET WORSE!
Which TV channels are most expensive?
Local Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX), RSNs, Cable Sports & Cable News (in this order) continue to be the most expensive channels. Repeatedly, disputes on the cost of these broadcast (aka re-transmission) fees result in permanent or temporary channel blackouts.
Live TV Streaming Services with locals will raise prices too
Some think that Live TV Streaming options like YouTube TV, Hulu Live, DirecTV Stream are the answer to save money. They are not. Any Live TV streaming service that has local channels is going to be more expensive, since local networks are the most expensive channels…
The FCC gives you Local Network TV for Free!
IMPORTANT: The FCC sponsored program and the Communications Act, protects consumers so that all major local network channels remain free via an Antenna. In the Metro Denver area, 80+ local network channels are 100% free forever with a properly installed and configured whole home HD Antenna! StreamWise Solutions understands this, which is why we offer solutions that focus on maximum freedom, flexibility and savings.
Cable & Satellite 2024-2025 TV Price Increases
In January, Comcast Xfinity raised TV prices by an average of 18%. January 2025 you can expect another $10-$20 per month price increase for all customers. Some discounts for bundling Mobile are ok, but TV & Phone discounts are not worth it.
As of October, 2024, Dish is raising prices by an $5/month per package for the 2024 year. This is exactly the same thing they did a year ago. Sling also increased their prices by $6 per month for every package in December 2024.
For the second time in 2024, in November, DirecTV jacked up prices. DirecTV is going up as much as $10/mo. Add-ons are increasing. Also they have had 2 major blackouts this year too. This is especially bad when combined with a 2 year contract.
Streaming Provider 2024-2025 TV Price Increases
YouTube TV
In December 2024 YouTube TV announced a price increase of $10/mo. to $83. The price increase started Dec 12, 2024 for new customers and will go into effect Jan 13, 2025 for existing customers.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream increased prices by $7 /mo, up to $87/mo. as of November, 2024. While a OK service for sports lovers, DirecTV Stream is one of the more expensive streaming service providers.
Fubo TV
fubo TV bumped prices with a $14 RSN fee in February 2023 and they bumped the price again by $5 in January 2024. Altitude Sports add-ons cost an additional $14 Regional Sports Fee so $94/ mo.
Hulu Live
Hulu Live TV increased prices in October, 2024. Live (with ads) is up to $83/mo and without ads is up to $96/mo. Bundling Disney+ & ESPN+ helps a little, but is well over $100/mo.
Sling
On December 20 2024, Sling’s $6 price increase went into effect. Read more about the Sling TV price increase & alternatives. Sling does not include local network TV channels. Add Free Local channels with an Antenna!
Philo
Philo increased their price by $3 /mo in June 2024. Sans Local Networks, Cable Sports and News, they have a much higher probability to keep that low price of only $28/ mo. Add Free Local channels with an Antenna!
Frndly
Frndly has yet to do any major changes to their channel lineup. Thus, we do not expect any major price increase in 2025. They are the least expensive live TV service at $7 /mo. Add Free Local channels with an Antenna!
Hulu Basic
The two basic Hulu packages (just on demand, no Live TV) also had price increases effective October 2024. Hulu with Ads is $10/mo. Hulu Ad-free subscription is $19 /mo. more. Basic Hulu is not recommended.
How to avoid 2024-2025 TV Price Increases
Before you endure another price increase, take back control over your provider(s). Hundreds of Live Cable and Local Network channels are available for as low as $7/ month when you incorporate a Whole Home HD Antenna with today’s F.A.S.T. providers and live streaming micro-bundles. Save your sanity and save up to $1,500/ year with the help of our experts and get it done right the first time.
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