In a time of price hikes, Sling TV is looking to maintain its position in the hierarchy of the best cable TV alternatives. While I’m not entirely sure about the service, we still rate it as the best in this category, due to its customization options.
However, summer, with its warm weather and time for vacations, makes us think twice about all of our monthly bills. So, we thought now was a good time to give potential cord-cutters and switchers a chance to see if they should get Sling TV. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Sling is the most affordable (second) live TV service
Starting at $40 per month, Sling TV is relatively cheap in the current landscape. Popular competitor YouTube TV is $73 per month, while Hulu + Live TV is less expensive at $70 (or $69 if you don’t want Hulu originals). Fubo and DirecTV Stream start at $75, making them the most expensive options. However, Fubo commands a higher price if you have any regional sports networks in your area, getting you at least $11 per month, regardless of whether you want them.
But you might be interested in what I meant by saying that Sling is only the second cheapest option. For $25 a month, Philo offers over 70 live channels, including AMC, Comedy Central, Food Network, VH1, and Paramount Network (the place you watch Yellowstone online). There aren’t any broadcast networks (like ABC, FOX, NBC) and ESPN, though, which is likely why Sling charges more.
| Header cell – column 0 | Starting at the monthly price | channels |
|---|---|---|
| sling tv | $40 | 31 (orange), 42 (blue) |
| Hulu + Live TV | $69 | over 90 |
| YouTube TV | $73 | more than 100 |
| DirecTV Stream | $75 | over 75 |
| fobo | $75 (before regional sports network fees) | 164 channels |
2. Sling Blue & Orange differs in more than just channels
Besides the regional price difference, which we’ll explain below, Sling Orange & Blue varies mostly based on which channels are included. Blue includes 42 channels while Orange Sports has 31 channels.
How can Sling charge people the same price with fewer channels? Sling Orange ($40 per month) includes six channels that Blue ($40 and up) doesn’t: Disney Channel, Freeform, MotorTrend and — most importantly — ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3.
Sling Blue’s list of exclusives is even longer, starting with local affiliates, then Bravo, Discovery Channel, and E! and FX, Fox News, MSNBC, NFL Network, TLC, and USA.
Then there is the other difference. Sling Orange only lets you watch on one device at a time, while Sling Blue gives you up to three simultaneous streams. Do you have a Sling Orange & Blue ($55 and up)? Well, you can only watch Sling Orange channels on one device at a time, and Sling Blue channels on three devices simultaneously.
| Header cell – column 0 | sling blue | orange sling |
|---|---|---|
| Channels exclusive to their category | Fox, NBC, Bravo, Discovery Channel, E! FX, Fox News, MSNBC, NFL Network, TLC, USA. | Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Freeform, MotorTrend |
| simultaneous streams | 3 | 1 |
3. Sling TV added ABC this year — and it’s complicated
Until 2023, Sling TV only had two local broadcast channels, Fox and NBC – both only in the Sling Blue and Orange & Blue tiers. Then, in March, Sling acquired ABC to Sling Blue, but only to subscribers in the following markets:
- Chicago (WLS)
- Fresno (KFSN)
- Houston (KTRK)
- Los Angeles (KABC)
- New York (WABC)
- Philadelphia (WPVI)
- Durham Raleigh (WTVD)
- San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose (KGO).
Annoyingly, it gets a lot more complicated. Everyone—except those in Fresno, Houston, and Raleigh—now pays an extra $5 a month. Why do these three regions get ABC for free? unknown.
So, this means that ABC has pushed Sling Blue to $45 per month and Sling Orange & Blue to $60 per month for select users. There is no way to opt out
4. Sling Cloud DVR is filling up quickly
My biggest complaint with Sling TV right now is its paltry DVR capability. The rest of the industry—even the super-cheap Philo—has accepted that either unlimited DVR is standard, or you have a Fubo, which offers 1,000 hours by default.
Instead, Sling gives you 50 hours of cloud DVR for free, and will give you another 150 hours if you pay another $5 per month. I know Sling’s affordable entry price means it can’t compete with its competitors as much, but I can accept that more about channels than I can about a DVR.
| service | DVR capability | Paid upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| sling | 50 hours | 200 hours costs $5 per month |
| fobo | 1,000 hours | unavailable |
| Philo | Unlimited (9 months limit) | unavailable |
| YouTube TV | Unlimited (9 months limit) | unavailable |
| Hulu + Live TV | Unlimited (9 months limit) | unavailable |
| DirecTV Stream | Unlimited (9 months limit) | unavailable |
5. Sling’s LANs don’t travel
Just because you have FOX, NBC, and maybe ABC when you’re at home with Sling TV doesn’t mean you’ll get those channels everywhere. I learned this the hard way when I went up for the weekend.
I never thought of the small town I was staying in as so remote, though, until I learned it didn’t have a local NBC affiliate when I tried to watch SNL one weekend. I later learned of a workaround for this problem: Set your Sling account to pre-record the shows you want to watch, and watch them from your DVR.
6. Sling’s competitors challenge it on value, beat it with special features
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV may be more expensive than Sling, but they also offer more. Hulu, for example bundles on Hulu Originals, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus – $12.99 per month value. Consider how ABC makes Sling Orange & Blue starting at $60 in some markets, and you’ll start to believe that Hulu offers more channels and more services for $3 less — provided you use the Disney bundle.
On YouTube TV though, multiple shows are making their debut. Something of a power user multiview feature lets you watch up to four channels at once, and you can select the audio you want to hear. Right now, though, they don’t let you choose which channels you can stream at the same time, although that feels like an upgrade eventually. This feature is still in beta.
7. Sling’s interface isn’t actually the worst
You’ve probably heard people complain angrily that Sling apps seem outdated and outdated. In ways, it’s true. But after testing them all out, I actually found one that I liked the least.
That’s Hulu + Live TV, because it gets you clicking even more to get to your TV guide, buried inside the “live” show. In this way, you should watch something in order to then access the directory. It gets worse on the Apple TV 4K, where you have to click an onscreen menu (hidden under the “live” bolt icon) to find the clue.
However, I wish Sling was as snappy and stylish as YouTube TV. I really.
Future Outlook: Sling’s pricing is its strongest suit
The more I think about Sling, the more I realize that its future lies with competitors’ higher prices — because it’s going to be harder for Sling to keep the same price tag, too. It beats channels, DVR and special features, and defies value.
But if you’re looking for the lowest entry price, Sling TV is still the best cable TV alternative for you. Personally, I’m waiting until I find a way to only use it on Sling Blue, because the Blue & Orange vs Hulu pricing just doesn’t work.
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