Leaving Xfinity in Houston: What You Really Pay and Cheaper Ways to Watch

What Xfinity publishes for Houston

Xfinity publishes its Houston internet prices and its NOW TV price, but not its cable TV package prices. TV packages appear only after you enter a street address. Here is what Xfinity's Houston page and its NOW TV page showed on October 17, 2026:

Xfinity service in Houston	Published price	Conditions
Internet, 300 Mbps	$45 a month special offer; $75 a month everyday pricing	New customers; shown with a 5-year price guarantee, offer ending October 25, 2026. Autopay with a bank account and paperless billing required.
Internet, 500 Mbps	$60 a month special offer; $85 a month everyday pricing	Special-offer conditions apply
NOW TV	$20 a month	Requires Xfinity Internet; taxes extra
Cable TV packages	Not published	Shown only after an address check

One detail in the fine print matters. Xfinity notes that without autopay and paperless billing, an additional $10 a month applies. Taxes and fees are also extra and subject to change.

What NOW TV includes, and what it leaves out

NOW TV is Xfinity's low-cost streaming plan. It costs $20 a month for 270+ channels, if you have Xfinity Internet. It includes Peacock Premium with ads, 20 hours of cloud DVR, three streams at once and one Xumo Stream Box at no extra cost. Xfinity advertises it with "no fees" and "no annual contracts".

The gap is in the channel list. We opened the full NOW TV channel list on Xfinity's site and searched it.

Our finding: We checked NOW TV's channel list on October 17, 2026. It has no ABC 13, CBS 11 or NBC 2 Houston station. It also has no ESPN, TNT, CNN or Space City Home Network. It does list "FOX 26 Houston", next to FOX streams from 16 other cities. That pattern points to FOX's local news streams, not the full broadcast channel.

So NOW TV works for movies, reality shows and lifestyle channels. It does not replace cable for Houston locals, the Texans on CBS, or the Astros and Rockets.

Why cable bills keep growing

Cable bills grow because the package price is only one line of the bill. The root cause is usually one of these, and often all of them at once:

1. The promotion ends. Introductory TV and internet prices step up after the promo period, which is why everyday pricing matters more than the offer.
2. Equipment. Each TV box can add a monthly charge on top of the package.
3. Fees for local and sports channels. Many cable bills list separate charges for broadcast stations and regional sports networks. Check the "other charges" part of your bill.
4. Bundles that hide the internet price. Removing TV can change what you pay for internet, so ask for the internet-only price before you cancel.

Texas viewers on Reddit describe where that ends up. In an Austin thread, one household listed a cable bill of $246 a month. In a San Antonio thread, a reader wrote they were paying $300 a month for everything, then cut to internet and antennas. Those were Spectrum bills, but the structure is the same at every cable company.

Your options in Houston, compared

Every option except an antenna needs home internet, so compare what each one costs on top of it. Prices are from YouTube TV, DIRECTV, Xfinity and our own plans page, all checked October 17, 2026.

Option	Price	Houston locals	Astros and Rockets	ESPN
Keep Xfinity TV	Depends on your address and package	Yes	Depends on the package	Depends on the package
Xfinity NOW TV	$20 a month with Xfinity Internet	Partial: a FOX 26 Houston news stream, no Houston ABC, CBS or NBC station	Not listed	Not listed
YouTube TV	$82.99 a month	Yes	No	Yes
DIRECTV streaming, Entertainment	$89.99 a month	Yes	Carried on DIRECTV streaming; check the package	Yes
Antenna	One-time purchase	Yes, if you receive them	No	No
IPTVZ	$74.99 for 12 months, or $29.99 for 3	Yes, all main stations	Yes, Space City Home Network	Yes

A full year of YouTube TV at its regular price is $995.88. A full year of DIRECTV Entertainment is $1,079.88. A year of IPTVZ is $74.99, about $6.25 a month. Our guide to IPTV in Houston compares the yearly costs in more detail.

From a technical perspective, one trade-off is fair to name. Cable and the big streaming brands offer polished DVR features and a single bill. IPTVZ is the budget route: one payment, no contract and no box rental.

How to drop Xfinity TV and keep the internet

Switch in this order. Check your agreement, ask for a better price, test the replacement, then cancel TV and return the box. Doing it the other way round is how people end up without TV on game day.

1. Check your agreement. A term agreement is a contract for a fixed period, usually in exchange for a lower price. If you signed one, an early termination fee may apply. Your account or the original order shows the end date.
2. Ask for the internet-only price. Removing TV can end a bundle discount. Get the new internet price in writing before you decide.
3. Ask about retention offers. A retention offer is a discount a provider gives to keep a customer who wants to leave. Readers in a Corpus Christi thread report providers matching a competitor's price when they called to cancel. It is not guaranteed, but it costs one phone call.
4. Test the replacement first. Run a free trial on your own Wi-Fi at the time you usually watch, with the channels you actually use.
5. Cancel TV and return the equipment. Xfinity's Houston page lists stores such as the one at 9930 Katy Freeway. Keep the return receipt.
6. Check the next bill. Make sure the TV charges and box fees are gone and the internet price matches what you were told.

IPTV on an Xfinity connection

An Xfinity 300 Mbps connection is far more than IPTV needs. Plan for about 15 Mbps per HD screen and 25 Mbps for 4K. Three TVs streaming HD at once use roughly 45 Mbps.

What's actually happening when IPTV buffers is usually Wi-Fi, not the plan. A router two rooms away, behind a wall, loses more speed than the plan ever gives you. Put the router near the main TV or use an Ethernet cable. Setup takes a few minutes on a Firestick or a Samsung or LG Smart TV.

You also do not need Xfinity for IPTV. Any home internet works, including fiber and 5G home internet. The channels you keep are listed in our Houston TV stations guide.

Leaving Xfinity FAQ

Why are so many people leaving Xfinity?

Mostly price. TV bills rise when promotions end, and box rentals and channel fees add up. Streaming options now carry most channels for less, so many Houston households keep the internet and drop the TV package.

Can I cancel Xfinity TV but keep Xfinity Internet?

Yes. You can drop the TV service and keep internet. Ask for the internet-only price first, because removing TV can end a bundle discount.

Does Xfinity NOW TV include local channels?

Not the main Houston stations. NOW TV's channel list, checked October 17, 2026, has no Houston ABC, CBS or NBC station. It lists "FOX 26 Houston" among FOX streams from many cities, which points to FOX's local news stream.

How much is Xfinity in Houston?

Xfinity's Houston page lists 300 Mbps internet at $45 a month for new customers and $75 at everyday pricing, and NOW TV at $20 a month. Cable TV package prices are shown only after an address check.

Will Xfinity lower my bill if I say I am canceling?

Sometimes. Texas readers on Reddit report retention offers that match a competitor's price. It is not guaranteed, so test your replacement first and decide on the numbers.

Does Xfinity have a 55+ plan for seniors?

We did not find a senior TV plan on Xfinity's Houston page, so ask Xfinity directly. If you want a fixed price with no box fees, a prepaid streaming plan is a simple alternative.

Do I need Xfinity internet for IPTV?

No. IPTV works on any home internet with about 15 Mbps per HD screen, from fiber to 5G home internet.

The short version

• Keep Xfinity Internet if the price works; drop the TV package.
• NOW TV costs $20 a month but lists no Houston ABC, CBS or NBC station and no ESPN.
• A year of YouTube TV is $995.88; a year of IPTVZ is $74.99, with the Houston locals and Space City Home Network.
• Test first, cancel second, return the box, and check the next bill.

Understand the bill first, then fix it. A free 24-hour IPTVZ trial takes a couple of minutes, and plans start at $29.99 for 3 months.