Best Cable TV and Internet Bundles 2019

We picked the best cable TV and internet bundles based on speeds, data caps, and channel counts. We steered toward services available to people nationwide, but we provided alternates in each category too.

Having no-contract options, or options with equipment included and no extra fees made some brands stand out more. What can we say? We want freedom and savings when it comes to our bundles.

Xfinity: Best for most people

The nation’s largest provider excels at combining TV and internet.

Xfinity’s works for most people’s needs, whether you’re an individual working from home or part of a large family that streams shows and plays online games. For a decent price, you get fast speeds, plenty of data, and the channels you want to watch.

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What we like

Depending on where you live, Xfinity’s speeds can go upward of 2 Gigs (you may have to sign up for a triple play package). And if not, 150 Mbps is more than most people need, anyway.

We’ve used XFINTY’s TV and internet service for years, and the free on-demand library is big and diverse enough to keep everyone happy. The X1 DVR also has a voice control remote, which makes it easy to pull up a Jazz game or catch up on Rick and Morty.

Plus, Xfinity covers most of the country, so just about anyone can find a plan that works for them.

What we don’t like

The 1,000 GB data cap is more than enough for most, but we don’t like the idea of data caps in general. With Xfinity, you’ll be charged $10 for every 50 GB of data you go over, up to $200—yowch.

Xfinity has a way of sneaking extra fees into your monthly price with equipment leasing and HD fees. Double-check your monthly total before signing up. If it’s too wack, check out CenturyLink, or Verizon.

And Xfinity, like other providers, slouches when it comes to upload speeds. That’s not a huge deal for most people, but if you’re a videographer or file-sharer, it can kill your momentum.

CenturyLink: Fastest speeds

Gig speeds are perfect for streamers, gamers, and big families alike.

Paired with DIRECTV, CenturyLink’s bundles are a good bang for your buck compared to other high-speed internet providers.

As Ricky Bobby once said, “I wanna go fast!”

CenturyLink’s fastest speeds are fiber, not cable internet, but we still considered it a viable option for most. If you need a cable TV and cable internet option, look toward Xfinity, RCN, or WOW!.

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What we like

CenturyLink’s fast speeds work for both downloading and uploading. Even though other providers may offer the same download speed, they might stiff you with a 10 Mbps upload speed, so you’ll be waiting forever next to your computer to upload your last wedding photo shoot.

DIRECTV isn’t a cable TV provider—it’s satellite. We know a lot of folks mean “TV service” when they say “cable,” but if it’s a deal breaker for you, check out other options like Cox, RCN, or Windstream.

DIRECTV is one of the better TV services out there with good channel selection, one of the best DVRs (the Genie), and plenty of live sports. A lot of plans include premium channels like HBO for a few months, too.

What we don’t like

You probably won’t hit your 1,000 GB data cap, but if you do, you may get an excessive use notice. Nothing bad really happens right away. It won’t charge you a fee, nor throttle your speeds, but if you keep getting this slap on the wrist, your service may be disrupted.

Since it’s not exactly clear what that means, we like the idea of no data caps because you don’t even have to think about it

CenturyLink is available to a lot of people across the US, but if the gig speed isn’t in your area, you have other options: Verizon, Frontier, and AT&T.

RCN: Best cheap cable TV and internet bundle

RCN is perfect for budget-minded renters who don’t need no stinkin’ contracts.

Despite its lack of availability, RCN gives users fast speeds and decent channel counts on the cheap. It’s geared toward metro-area folks who don’t want to get locked into a contract.

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What we like

Young city-slickers who aren’t sure where they’re going to be next month, let alone in two years, can vibe with RCN’s lack of contracts, laid-back attitude, and low prices.

You can get gig speeds for less than most providers. RCN is two-to-three times cheaper than other gig speed plans. And you get access to over 280 channels on the higher plans—which means plenty of channels to surf.

Unlimited data means you won’t get charged extra for downloading a lot of HD videos and games. And no-contract options give you the freedom to switch services without facing early termination fees—but RCN is one of the better deals out there, so unless you’re moving somewhere without RCN, we’d say stick with it.

What we don’t like

Your downloads may be blazing fast, but your upload wait times might suck (sorry for the language, mom). Compared to your 1,000 Mbps downloads, upload speeds only go to about 20 Mbps, which can feel really sluggish if you’re uploading your hour-long Game of Thrones commentary video to YouTube.

RCN isn’t available all across the US, which is a bummer because it’s a solid service with low prices. But if it’s not in your area, you still have other options like WOW!, Suddenlink, and Xfinity that can fit your budget.

Spectrum: Best for big families

Unlimited data, fast speeds, and no contracts.

Despite its lack of availability, RCN gives users fast speeds and decent channel counts on the cheap. It’s geared toward metro-area folks who don’t want to get locked into a contract.

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What we like

On top of fast speeds, big families or apartments with multiple roommates will want unlimited data without overage charges or speed throttling. Multiple users downloading pictures, music, or HD videos can add up quickly, but you don’t have to worry about that with Spectrum.

Some providers charge a $10 per month HD fee, but Spectrum includes it in the price. Makes sense to us that paying for TV pays your HD shows too. Some plans also include HBO, CINEMAX, and SHOWTIME—and other providers charge $15 a month or more for each of those channels.

Without a contract, if you and the fam (or your roomies) need to up and move, you won’t have to pay early termination fees.

What we don’t like

We wouldn’t say Spectrum has low prices, but it’s also not the worst offender. You might be able to find a cheaper provider in your area, but it might not have the speeds or data you need.

You don’t have a lot of options with your Spectrum internet speeds, which depend on where you live. Other options you may have are Optimum and Frontier.

Suddenlink: Best no-contract option

Renters and frequent movers don’t have to worry about early termination fees.

Don’t want to be tied down by a contract? Welcome to Suddenlink’s no-contract options, which free you from having to pay money to cancel your TV and internet.

Other providers often charge you upwards of $240 to get out of your contract, which is a quick way to kiss goodbye to those sick Donovan Mitchell sneakers you’ve had your eye on.

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What we like

Suddenlink speeds go as high as anyone else’s (except for a few lucky, high-paying Xfinity customers with access to 2 Gig speeds). Also, Suddenlink is widely available, and even its lower-tier plans still handle the needs of most people.

And you won’t have to worry about speed throttling or overage charges for data, since your speeds and monthly price stay consistent.

You’ll also get a lot of TV for your money with some of the highest channel counts in the land—live sports, hit movies, and TV shows galore.

What we don’t like

Suddenlink isn’t the cheapest provider, but it’s not the most expensive either. We always want to find a good deal, and sometimes that means picking a no-contract option instead of getting stuck in a 2-year agreement with rising prices. If it gets bad with Suddenlink, or you need to move, you can bail without the extra fees.

If it’s not in your neck of the woods, scope out RCN or Xfinity.

Recap: What are the best cable TV and internet bundles?

Finding the right fit for TV and internet bundles is a matter of priorities, and we focused on speeds and prices over data caps, channel counts, and wide availability.

• Fastest internet and TV bundles: If you can access the gig speeds, CenturyLink also comes with DIRECTV—one of the best TV services out there.
• Best cheap TV and internet bundle: We like RCN for a lot of reasons, but we just wish more people had access to it.
• Best TV and internet bundles for most: The almighty Xfinity can be found almost anywhere and hits a good middle ground for pricing and channel counts.
• Best for big families: Spectrum gives you plenty of speed, channels, and no data cap, so everyone can keep doin’ their thing online or on the couch.
• Best no-contract option: Check out Suddenlink if you don’t want to get roped into a year-long contract.

You always have options. If you still need help finding a provider, plug your digits into our ZIP finder, or leave us a comment below.