10 Best Indoor Antennas 2024 in the United States

A TV antenna can help you get more TV stations and improve your reception--and may even free you up from having to pay monthly cable fees. A TV antenna that you install on your roof will give you an even greater range of channels. But then you have to deal with installing the antenna on your rooftop. An indoor antenna allows for a much simpler setup. If it’s a flat panel antenna, you can simply maneuver it around your living room until you get the best reception. And if it’s rabbit ears antenna, you can play with the length of the antennas and the positioning, for best results. But, despite the easy setup, there are still other specs involved, that are worth inspecting before making a purchase.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting an indoor antenna. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of indoor antenna,

• See useful tips about that particular type of indoor antenna,

• Read reviews of different indoor antennas, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of the best indoor antennas, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

Indoor antennas attach to the back of your TV set by means of a cable. There are two major types of indoor TV antennas: flat antennas, and “rabbit ears” antennas that stand on your set-top box or TV monitor.

• Flat TV Antenna: These are flat antennas, not much thicker than a sheet of paper, small devices that you hook up indoors, near your television set. They can be attached to a wall or on a window by means of Velcro strips, or behind your TV set. An example is the Fosman Indoor HDTV Antenna. As illustrated below, it is essentially the size of a sheet of A4 paper. Some are supported on feet and sit on top of your TV or set-top box, such as the AliTEK J-001 TV Antenna.

Fosman Indoor HDTV Antenna

AliTEK J-001 TV Antenna

• Rabbit Ears TV Antenna: These have two telescoping antennas, which specialize in getting the VHF channels, as well as a circular antenna, which picks up the UHF channels. Cables Direct Digital Signal Booster Indoor TV Antenna is one example of an indoor TV antenna.

Cables Direct Digital Signal Booster Indoor TV Antenna

• Getting an antenna to match your home’s decor: The flat antennas usually come in either black or white. You can choose the color that you prefer, so that they don’t stand out too much in your living room. Fosmon even makes a clear plastic antenna, which is even less conspicuous when you attach it to your window!

• Inexpensive: A great thing about the indoor antennas is their affordability: many are available for only $10! You can experiment with one, and see if it satisfies your needs. If not, it’s not a big deal to try something more advanced.

• WiFi tuner adapter: There are WiFi tuner adapters, such as the device made by ClearStream, that you can hook up to your indoor TV antenna, and they will enable you to watch and even record TV shows by means of an app, onto a Smartphone or tablet. You just need this adapter, and a WiFi network available. These adapters will give you content from the major networks, as well as Fox, PBS, Univision, and more. You’ll be able to watch TV content, even without using your TV set!

ClearStream TV WiFi Tuner Adapter

• Identifying the channels available: For starters, you should try to identify the channels available in your region, and what you can realistically expect from your antenna. The FCC’s website has a DTV (=Digital TV) reception map, which allows you to type in your address, and look at the available channels. The channels in green give a strong signal, yellow is moderate, brown is weak, and red means that there is essentially no signal.

DTV Coverage Chart, listing available stations

• After you attach the antenna to the TV’s antenna port, turn on the TV and use its tuner to scan for available channels. The antenna will pick up digital signals only, and display the strength at which you receive each channel, depending on how close or far you are from a broadcasting tower. You should be able to get the major networks, plus PBS and a few more stations. If you want an even greater selection of stations, you can either reposition the antenna or resort to a rooftop outdoor antenna.

• Keep the antenna away from security bars: If you put a flat antenna on your window, make sure that it’s a window without any metallic security bars. The same goes for window frames that are made from a magnetic metal. These can compromise the antenna’s reception.

• Different configurations with the antenna: Accessing TV channels in your area depend greatly on your distance from where the broadcasting stations are located. For example, with the Fosmon Indoor Digital HDTV antenna, if you are located within 35 miles of a broadcast tower, your antenna should pick up the signals without any further hardware.  For stations from 35-50 miles away, it’s recommended to use an amplifier to boost reception. And for older televisions, you may also need to employ a Digital Converter Box to get HD television.

• Installing a booster: It’s advisable to install a booster, to extend the range of your indoor TV antenna. You simply screw it on in between the antenna and your TV set. The booster will usually take wall current and a USB adapter, to amplify the antenna’s signal. It can increase your antenna’s range to as much as 65-80 miles!  

• Durable wiring: Even though you use the antenna indoors, you’d prefer an antenna with durable wiring. The Fosman indoor antenna has a 3-meter long cable, which gives you lots of options where to set it up. The cable is a high-conductivity copper wire that is insulated and shielded to protect against electromagnetic interference. The cable is covered with a soft PVC coating, which ensures that it will withstand abrasion and scratches.

• Fosmon was founded in Woodbury, Minnesota in 2007. Fosmon makes electronic accessories for computers, gaming consoles, and smartphones, as well as equipment for TV, audio, and home theater. They make a selection of antennas, audio-visual cables, HDMI switches, optical and coaxial converters, and more.

• Cables Direct Online, located in Deer Park, New York, is a retailer of home security equipment, home theater, and networking accessories. They make indoor and outdoor antennas, satellite dishes, and digital satellite finders.