Best OTA Antennas 2024

While cable and satellite packages once reigned supreme for television watching, rising prices have inspired a wave of cord-cutters. With both free and paid streaming services available, it’s easier than ever to watch movies, TV, and even live sports sans a pricey cable package. And one of the most essential items for any cord cutter is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Check out the best OTA antennas for 2024!

The Best OTA Antenna for Most Users – Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro

Although Mohu might not be the only antenna manufacturer on the market, its flat antennas prove incredibly popular. The Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro is an affordable indoor TV antenna that boasts excellent connectivity. Its 65-mile range is more than enough to pull in even weaker over-the-air signals. With UHF and VHF capabilities, this multi-directional antenna is a solid choice for mounting anywhere.

There’s a 12-foot long detachable coaxial cable and an amplifier onboard. A built-in LED signal indicator helps you find optimal antenna placement for the best possible signal strength.

Channel reception will of course vary a bit by area, but in my testing I was extremely pleased with the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro. The signal indicator is a nice touch that makes mounting the antenna indoors a breeze. I liked the option to use it as an amplified or unamplified antenna, and the detachable coaxial cable is helpful if you need to use a longer cable instead.

You may also consider the Mohu Leaf Plus with its 60-mile range, Mohu Leaf 50 with a 50-mile range, or the Mohu Leaf 30 with a 30-mile range. For the majority of cord-cutters, the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro should more than suffice.

Pros:

• 65-mile range
• Detachable 12-foot coaxial cable
• Great performance
• Unique design
• UHF/VHF multi-directional paper-thin antenna
• Includes an amplifier
• Built-in signal indicator with LEDs

Cons:

• Pricey

Best Value Indoor OTA Antenna – Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse

 

The Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse is an excellent over-the-air television antenna with an attractive design and top-notch performance that doesn’t break the bank. Foregoing the industry-standard flat rectangular design, the ClearStream Eclipse instead comes in a circular shape. There are 35- and 50-mile range versions with the latter including a 15dB amplifier. And it’s feature-packed. You’ll find adhesive included, plus a replaceable coaxial cable.

Unfortunately, the amplified version might actually cause interference. However, that’s more of an issue with amplified antennas and not the ClearStream Eclipse 50-mile variant directly. For an eye-catching OTA antenna, the ClearStream Eclipse is high-performing, consistently capable of pulling in loads of channels, and at a reasonable price.

Pros:

• Amplified and non-amplified versions available
• Attractive design
• Detachable coax cable
• Includes adhesive

Cons:

• 50-mile amplified variant may cause interference (but that’s true of most amplified antennas)

Best Cheap OTA Antenna – 1byone Digital Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna

1byone offers a good, cheap over-the-air antenna. It features an in-line amplifier for tough-to-reach stations. The amplifier is USB-powered, so if your TV has a USB port, you can plug the amplifier into your television instead of using the included power brick. There’s sticky tape included for easy mounting. Reception is pretty solid with the ability to reach stations up to 50-miles away.

Unfortunately, the coaxial cable isn’t detachable. While that should be fine for most users, if you need a longer coax cable, you’ll need to use a splitter instead of being able to swap out cables. Although reception is decent, it’s not quite as robust as premium over-the-air antennas such as the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro. Still, for the price, the 1byone is the best budget OTA antenna on the market.

Pros:

• Cheap
• Great build quality
• Good reception
• Mounting hardware included
• In-line detachable amplifier
• VHF and UHC
• 15-foot coaxial cable

Cons: 

• Coaxial cable is non-detachable
• Reception isn’t as good as the premium OTA antennas

Best High-end Indoor Antenna – Winegard Flatwave Amped Pro OTA Antenna

The Winegard Flatwave Amped Pro boasts smart capabilities. While there’s no built-in streaming support, the Flatwave Amped Pro does boast an integrated signal meter. As such, you can find a location inside with the best reception while installing the antenna.

What’s more, there’s a Bluetooth signal meter mobile app so you can easily find ideal antenna placement and view a real-time analysis of the number of channels available in a certain spot. An 18.5-foot long coaxial cable is more than enough to reach from your antenna’s mounting location to a TV or OTA DVR. You will pay a premium for the Flatwave Amped Pro.

With a standard retail price over $100, it’s about the same price as most long-range outdoor antennas. You may also consider the Flatwave Amped which offers essentially the same feature set sans the Bluetooth app connectivity. Or, the Flatwave non-amped iteration works well if you don’t need an amplifier. Overall, the Winegard Flatwave Amped Pro is a terrific budget pic.

Pros:

• Amplified
• Bluetooth mobile app signal indicator
• 18.5-foot long coax cable
• 60-mile reception
• Thin and attractive
• Good build quality

Cons:

• Expensive

Best-looking OTA Antenna – Mohu Curve

If over-the-air antennas held a beauty pageant, the Mohu Curve would probably win. Instead of adopting a window- or wall-mountable design, the Mohu Curve arrives in a curved tabletop design. It’s 4K-ready and bundles in a 10-foot detachable coaxial cable.

The Curve comes amplified and yields a generous 60-mile range. There’s a USB option for powering the in-line amplifier and performance remains impeccable. Hands-down the most aesthetically pleasing OTA antenna of the bunch, the Mohu Curve maintains the feng shui of any TV room. Although it’s not wall mountable and costs a premium, the Arc Pro is a fantastic choice that gets you free TV without tarnishing your aesthetic.

Pros:

• Lovely design
• Tabletop antenna
• USB-powered in-line amplifier
• 60-mile range
• Detachable 10-foot coax cable
• Helpful signal strength indicator

Cons:

• Not wall mountable
• Pricier than most flat antennas

Best OTA Antenna for Long Range – ClearStream 4V

Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the Antennas Direct ClearStream 4V sports an incredible 70-mile range. The multi-directional OTA antenna is 4K-ready and features an adjustable clamp as well as a mast with a pivoting base. Performance is generally superb, surpassing most indoor antennas.

With UHF and VHF support, the ClearStream 4Max can pull in virtually any channels around you. If you want the best-possible reception from a low-profile antenna, the ClearStream 4V is hands-down the greatest choice.

It can be mounted inside in an attic or on a wall in your living area just as well as outside on a roof or balcony. However, its decidedly industrial design isn’t as pretty as the majority of indoor-only options with flat designs. And it’s a fairly pricey antenna with a normal retail price over $100 USD.

Despite its stellar performance, the 4Max can’t pull in some low VHF channels, but for the majority of cord cutters, the ClearStream 4V is an exceptional choice. You may also consider the ClearStream 2V which yields similar performance with a 60-mile range.

Pros:

• 4K-ready
• May be used inside or outside
• Multi-directional
• Mast with pivoting base
• Adjustable clamp
• 70-mile range
• Excellent reception
• UHF and VHF

Cons:

• Not as attractive as indoor-only antennas

Best Outdoor Antenna – Winegard Elite 7550

Despite its fairly moderate size, the Winegard Elige 7550 can be used inside or outdoors and pulls in even weaker signals with aplomb. There’s an amplifier included, and the Winegard Elite 7550 nabs VHF-High and UHF signals easily. In addition to its amplifier, the Winegard Elite 7550 comes outfitted with an LTE filter to limit interference from 4G cell towers. Because of its exceptional signal reception and LTE filter, the 7550 is the best OTA TV antenna for rural areas. Especially if you’re planning to mount in an attic or on a rooftop, the Elite 7550 delivers best-in-class performance.

Pros:

• Excellent reception
• Inline signal amplifier
• Can be used indoors or outdoors
• LTE filter built-in
• Fantastic VHF and UHF performance
• Low-profile design
• 70-mile range

Cons:

• Not as attractive as indoor-only models

Why You Should Buy an OTA Antenna: Is Over-the-Air Television Dead?

Although OTA antennas may appear outdated, the adoption of over-the-air antennas has skyrocketed. Using a TV antenna, you can receive tons of free television stations. And pairing an OTA antenna with a TV tuner or one of the best OTA DVRs such as a Tablo or the WeTek Play 2 Android TV box lets you record live television for a DVR. Particularly for sports fans, an OTA antenna is a great means of watching local sports matches without shelling out for a pricey cable package.

Even if you subscribe to an over-the-top (OTT) live television service such as Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV, an over-the-air antenna is still worth it. Since many live television streaming options lack local channels, you can supplement an OTT program with an OTA antenna.

OTA Antenna Buying Considerations – What to Look for in an Over the Air Antenna

When you’re selecting an OTA antenna to fit your needs, there are several different factors to consider.

Antenna range: You’ll want to figure out what channels are available in your area, and the signal strength. This will determine if you can get by with an indoor or outdoor antenna. The maximum reception of most inside OTA antennas is about 50 miles.

Signal type: The majority of antennas available rock both VHF-High and UHF. VHF-Low is decidedly rare, though you can find antennas outfitted with it.

Antenna direction: You’ll find three main types of antennas: directional, multi-directional, or omnidirectional. A directional antenna is capable of picking up signals from a greater distance than multi-directional and omnidirectional devices with the caveat that it’s only in one direction. So if you want to watch multiple channels that are broadcast from different directions, you’ll need a multi-directional or omnidirectional unit. Multi-directional OTA antennas pick up more interference and noise but pick up more broadcasts over a shorter distance. And omnidirectional antennas can see all around.

Cost: Price can be a factor, although the majority of indoor antennas top out at around $50 USD and are cost-effective.

Amplified vs. unamplified: Depending on your signal strength, you might want an amplifier. An amplified antenna can improve reception, although an amplified OTA antenna can also boost interference and noise.

Detachable vs. fixed coaxial cable: A detachable coaxial cable might be necessary depending on how far you need to run the cable from your antenna to a TV or tuner.

Design: Let’s be honest, many over-the-air antennas are total eyesores. Decide what sort of style you want, like a flat antenna that hangs on the wall or modern tabletop design that sits on your TV stand.

OTA antenna buying considerations:

• Price
• Indoor vs. outdoor antenna
• Directional vs. multi-directional vs. omnidirectional
• Amplified vs. non-amplified
• Detachable vs. fixed coaxial cable
• Reception
• Design

Best Over the Air Antenna: FAQs

Best OTA Antennas 2024 – Final Thoughts

There are loads of over-the-air antennas to pick from. Most cord-cutters should get by with a simple flat, rectangular indoor antenna. With indoor OTA antennas like the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro, you can even pull in channels from 65 miles away. For better performance, a rooftop or attic-mounted antenna is best. Luckily, an OTA antenna is a one-time purchase and an incredible investment at that. Plus, you can benefit from the convenience of a DVR when pairing an antenna with a TV tuner.

Your turn: What OTA antennas do you recommend in 2024?