UK TV market · May 2026
£9.99
cheapest live-channel package (NOW Entertainment)
£26+
Sky Stream Essential (cheapest Sky live entry)
£174.50
UK TV licence 2025/26 (separate from any subscription)
5+
streaming apps in the average UK home (Ofcom 2025)
Sources: provider websites verified May 2026; Ofcom Media Nations 2025; TV Licensing 2025/26 fee. All prices subject to change.
How to actually compare TV packages in 2026
Comparing TV packages on price alone misses the two questions that actually decide which one is right for you: what kind of content do you watch most, and do you want the convenience of one box for everything versus paying for streaming apps separately. Get those two answers first, and the price comparison becomes much shorter.
There are now four shapes of UK TV product:
- ✓Streaming-first boxes from a pay-TV brand, Sky Stream, Sky Glass, EE TV Box Pro, Virgin Media's 360 box and Stream box. All run a streaming OS, all need broadband, all add the major streaming apps into one universal search.
- ✓App-only streaming services, NOW, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, discovery+ (which includes TNT Sports). No box, no contract.
- ✓ISP-branded TV boxes, TalkTalk TV, Vodafone TV, both running on Netgem hardware. Cheap, but tied to that ISP's broadband.
- ✓Free, Freeview Play (any modern TV or Freeview box) plus the catch-up apps. 100+ channels, zero subscription, only the TV licence to pay.
Which UK TV package fits how you watch?
Pick what matters most. We'll match you to the right shape of TV product and tell you what it costs in May 2026.
Pick the one your TV time is built around.
Exclude broadband cost from your TV budget.
Rolling contracts cost more per month.
Best match
Approximate cost
Watch out for
Check before signing up.
Guidance, not advice. Prices verified May 2026 and subject to change. Add-ons, sports passes and 4K upgrades are usually extra.
Entertainment TV packages compared
Drama, comedy, news, lifestyle: this is what most UK households actually use a TV package for. Here's how the live-channel options compare in May 2026.
| Provider | Live channels | Streaming apps included | From | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NOW Entertainment |
19+ Sky channels | HBO content via Sky | £9.99/month | No contract |
 Sky Stream Essential |
130+ channels | Netflix Standard with ads | £26/month | 18 months |
 EE TV Box Pro |
80+ Freeview + IPTV | All major apps (Netflix, Disney+ etc. via subscription) | £10/month + EE Fibre | 24 months |
 Virgin TV 360 / Stream |
190+ channels | App access (subscription separate) | From £35/month bundled | 18 months |
 TalkTalk TV |
80+ Freeview + Netgem | Major apps integrated | £5-£10/month add-on | Per TalkTalk Fibre contract |
 Vodafone TV |
100+ Freeview + Netgem | Netflix, Prime, Disney+ apps | £7/month + Vodafone Fibre | 24 months |
Headline prices May 2026. Streaming app subscriptions usually separate unless explicitly bundled. Always confirm with the provider.
If you only need live entertainment and don't care about the box: NOW Entertainment. If you want everything in one place with Netflix included: Sky Stream Essential. If you're already on EE broadband: EE TV Box Pro. The rest are mostly there for households who happen to be on that ISP's broadband already.
Sports TV packages compared
UK live football rights are split: Sky Sports shows Premier League, EFL, Premiership rugby and Formula 1; TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport, now on discovery+) shows the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League weekend games, Premiership rugby and the Premier Boxing Champions. To follow your team across all competitions, you usually need both.
| Route | Sky Sports | TNT Sports | Combined cost (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOW + discovery+ |
£25.99/month rolling | £30.99/month (discovery+ Premium) | ~£57/month, both cancellable |
| Sky Stream + Sky Sports + TNT |
£28/month add-on | £30/month add-on via Sky | ~£84/month all-in 18-month contract |
| EE TV Sport Add-on |
Not available | TNT Sports bundled at £18/month | TNT only via EE |
| Virgin Media TV + Sports |
£32/month add-on | £18-£25/month add-on | ~£75-£90/month bundled |
Prices May 2026. Most contract deals include broadband, so headline figures vary depending on bundle structure.
For pure sport without a contract: stack NOW Sports and discovery+, cancel during the close season. For a polished one-box experience and existing Sky customers: Sky Stream Sports. Avoid Virgin's sports bundle unless you already use Virgin Media for broadband.
TV + broadband bundles
Most TV deals are cheaper bundled with broadband
A 5-minute call to our team is the fastest way to find out which TV + broadband combo at your address actually saves money versus buying both separately.
Movies TV packages compared
If new-release movies are what you watch most, three routes are worth comparing in 2026: NOW Cinema (Sky Cinema, streaming, no contract), Sky Stream + Sky Cinema (the whole library plus app integration, 18-month contract), and stacking streaming services (Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+) for their first-window exclusives.
- ✓NOW Cinema Membership, £9.99-£11.99/month. Every Sky Cinema channel, 1,000+ films on-demand, no contract. Cheapest legitimate route to Sky's library.
- ✓Sky Stream + Cinema, ~£40-£50/month. Sky's full TV lineup plus the cinema library plus Netflix with ads. 18-month contract.
- ✓Stack streaming exclusives, £20-£35/month combined for Netflix + Prime + Apple TV+ + Disney+. Best for original-content fans, weakest for first-window Hollywood theatrical releases.
If you only watch a few movies a month, stacking individual streamers and renting the rare must-see via Apple TV or Amazon (£4.49-£15.99 per rental) is often cheaper than any contracted Cinema subscription.
Selectra's 2026 TV package verdict
- ✓Cheapest credible package: NOW Entertainment at £9.99/month. No contract, no box, instant cancel.
- ✓Best one-box convenience: Sky Stream Essential at £26/month. Sky channels + Netflix + universal search; 18-month contract.
- ✓Best for sport without a contract: NOW Sports + discovery+ at ~£57/month combined.
- ✓Best for movies: NOW Cinema at £9.99/month if streaming-only; Sky Stream + Cinema if you want everything integrated.
- ✓Best free option: Freeview Play + free catch-up apps. £0/month above the £174.50/year TV licence.
Selectra's TV expert answers your questions
The questions UK households ask most often when picking a TV package.
No. Sky stopped requiring a dish in 2022 when it launched Sky Stream, a small puck-shaped streamer that plays Sky's full TV lineup over your broadband. Sky Glass (an integrated 4K TV with Sky built in) launched at the same time. Both work on any decent fibre connection (~25 Mbps minimum). Traditional satellite Sky Q is still supported for existing customers but no longer sold as a new install.
It rebranded to EE TV in 2023 alongside BT's broader move of all consumer products to the EE brand. The product itself is the puck-shaped EE TV Box Pro, which runs on Android TV and combines live channels (where you subscribe), iPlayer, ITVX, All 4, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime and NOW in one search bar. You still need EE Broadband to subscribe.
Yes, but its consumer business now operates almost entirely through partnerships. The Netgem 4K Soundbox is sold under various ISP brands (TalkTalk TV, Vodafone TV, plus several altnets) rather than as a standalone product. Channel and price details depend on which ISP you go through.
For live channels with sport, movies, and entertainment in one place, NOW Entertainment Membership at £9.99/month (no contract) is the cheapest mainstream option. For Premier League and Champions League football, TNT Sports via discovery+ at £30.99/month standalone is cheaper than any Sky Sports route. If you only care about catch-up and free-to-air, every Freeview box plus the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 apps gives you 100+ channels for free.
You need a TV licence (£174.50/year for 2025/26) to watch any live TV as broadcast (Sky, EE TV, NOW Live, Freeview live, terrestrial), and to watch BBC iPlayer on demand. You do not need one for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+ or other on-demand-only services that aren't iPlayer.
Sometimes, but not always. Bundles save money when you genuinely want all the components: BT/EE's combined fibre + EE TV + Netflix/discovery+ is usually £10-£15/month cheaper than the same components bought separately. NOW + Netflix + Disney+ stacked individually is often cheaper than Sky Stream's broadest pack. The honest answer: list what you actually watch, then price both routes for that exact list.