Sling is one of the best live TV streaming services on the market for essential networks, making it a good option for anyone who wants a cheaper alternative to cable without compromising channel selection. The service has two main packages with over 30 channels each, starting at $46 monthly. You can combine them or get add-ons to access extra channels.
Though Sling offers fewer channels in its base package, the service is less expensive than competitors like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo. You can access the Sling TV app on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and many of the best TVs from popular brands.
Below, we’ve detailed all the ins and outs of Sling’s different channel offerings so you can decide which plan is best for your needs. It’s important to note that channel lineups are always subject to change on live TV streaming services, especially when it comes to local networks, so you should check the final details on any service’s website before subscribing.
Be sure to check out our full Sling TV review for detailed impressions, and if you try it and don’t like it, you can always follow our guide on how to cancel Sling TV. If you’re looking to see how Sling compares when it goes head-to-head with Fubo, a popular competitor, you can explore our comprehensive Sling vs. Fubo guide.
Sling TV Subscription
For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you’re looking for. It’s more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members often get a chunky discount on their first month.
What channels are included with Sling Orange and Sling Blue?
Sling’s two main offerings are Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Channels largely overlap between the two plans, but there are a few differences that might push you to choose one over the other.
Sling Orange has 34 channels, including several Disney and ESPN networks you won’t find on Sling Blue. Meanwhile, Sling Blue makes up for its lack of Disney and ESPN with up to 46 channels, including a collection of Fox-owned and NBC-owned networks like USA and Bravo. Blue also comes with local NBC, Fox, and ABC networks, but only in select markets, so some regions might just have access to 42 channels.
Each plan is available to stream for a starting price of $46 a month, or you can combine the two for a starting price of $61 a month, giving you access to up to 50 channels. Sling Blue sometimes costs an extra $5 per month, depending on your location and access to local channels. Sling also has genre-based add-ons starting at $6 a month. Each add-on offers a mini-bundle of related channels. There are also several premium add-ons, including Paramount Plus with Showtime ($10/month) and Starz ($11/month).
Sling Orange and Blue (and Sling Orange + Blue) can be purchased in five-month-long season passes, which are prepaid options ranging from $199 to $274. These offer some savings compared to what you’d pay after five months of a standard monthly subscription. Sling Orange also has short-term plans, including day-long ($5), weekend-long ($10), and week-long ($15).
Sling also recently introduced a light Sling Select plan, which has a handful of channels (about 10+), most of which are traditionally found in the Sling Blue lineup. Sling Select costs $20 to $25, depending on you’re region and/or local channel availability.
Sling doesn’t offer a free trial right now, but they have a separate ad-supported “Freestream” service and frequent deals for new members. You may want to compare these deals and services with other platforms that show free movies online. Some Sling add-ons, like the Spanish-language option, allow you to try them free for seven days.
See below for a full breakdown of Sling’s offerings and add-ons. It’s important to note that in addition to the specific channels found in the paid packages, subscribers will also gain access to channels found on Freestream. If you still can’t tell which plan might be right for you, you can consult our Sling Orange vs. Blue guide for a detailed comparison of the two services.
Sling Orange ($46/month)
Sling Orange features under 10 exclusive channels and more than 20 channels that are shared between all plans. The following channels are included with Sling Orange:
Sling Blue ($46+/month)
Sling Blue starts at $46 a month but costs an extra $5 a month in markets that include ABC, NBC, and Fox. Sling Blue carries about 15 (sometimes more, depending on local availability) exclusive channels and more than 20 channels shared between every plan. The following channels are included with Sling Blue:
Sling Orange + Blue ($61+/month)
Sling Orange + Blue starts at $61 a month but costs an extra $5 a month in markets that include ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan carries all exclusive channels from both Sling Orange and Blue in addition to all of the shared channels. The following channels are included with Sling Orange + Blue:
Sling Select ($20+/month)
Sling Select carries about 10 specific channels, many of which are found in a Sling Blue subscription. Viewers in select areas might also be able to access certain local channels.
Add-on bundles (monthly prices vary)
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Sling offers two discounted bundles that let you add multiple packages of extra channels to your base subscription. There’s also an expanded DVR add-on you can sign up for.
Total TV Deal ($21/month) — This bundle includes seven of Sling’s extra channel packages: Sports, Entertainment, Kids, News, Lifestyle, Hollywood, and Heartland. It also includes Unlimited DVR. The package features a total combined value of $45, so you save $24 a month with the bundle. In total, this is about 68 extra channels.
4 Extras Deal ($13/month) — This option gives you four of Sling’s most popular extras: Kids, News, Lifestyle, and Entertainment. The bundle costs $13 a month, which is about half of the regular combined price of all four add-ons. In total, this is about 35 extra channels.
Unlimited DVR ($5/month) — Though all of Sling’s plans come with 50 hours of DVR storage, you can pay an additional $5 a month for unlimited DVR. Previously, Sling’s add-on capped DVR space at 200 hours, but it’s now truly unlimited storage (for nine months).
The following channels are available in the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Orange:
The following channels are available in the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Blue:
The following channels are available in the Entertainment Extra add-on:
The following channels are available in the Kids Extras package:
The following channels are available in the News Extra add-on:
The following channels are available in the Lifestyle Extra add-on:
The following channels are available in the Hollywood Extra add-on:
Heartland Extra ($6/month)
The following channels are available in the Heartland Extra add-on:
Max ($17/month)
You can sign up for Max, HBO’s streaming counterpart, under your Sling plan. The add-on grants subscribers access to the Max app and on-demand offerings, as well as HBO channels. Max is best known for its on-demand HBO programming, original series, and Warner Bros. films.
Discovery Plus ($5/month)
You can now sign up for Discovery Plus through Sling TV. The service offers access to original programs and favorites from Discovery networks like TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Animal Planet, and more. Ad-supported ($5/month) and ad-free plans ($9/month) are available.
AMC Plus ($9/month)
AMC Plus is not a live TV channel, but it does give you access to on-demand series and movies. The following on-demand services are available in the AMC Plus add-on:
Paramount Plus with Showtime ($10/month)
The following channels are available in the Showtime add-on:
MGM Plus ($5/month)
The following channels are available in the MGM+ add-on:
STARZ ($11/month)
The following channels are available in the Starz add-on:
Spanish-language add-ons ($10/month)
For viewers who want more Spanish-language options, Sling offers a Sling Latino package that costs $10/month, as well as plans with content from specific countries. If you combine two or more, you can save $5 a month.
Other premium add-ons (monthly price varies)
The following channels are available à la carte:
Sling Orange
You can access 34 live channels with Sling Orange, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN4K.
Sling Blue
Sling Blue carries 40+ channels, including FS1, FX, and the NFL Network. It also has local networks (like FOX, NBC, and ABC) in select regions.
Sling Orange + Blue
Sling TV offers some of the best cable channels for $61 or less. There are three different tiers to choose from, plus several sports and entertainment-specific add-ons, but the Orange + Blue combo is the best way to get the most major sports channels. Plus, you can usually get about half off your first month.
Steven Cohen
Senior Tech Editor
Steven is a home entertainment product expert with over a decade worth of service journalism experience. He oversees coverage around home entertainment products, including TVs, streaming devices, headphones, and soundbars.ExperienceSteven is a Senior Tech Editor for Business Insider’s Reviews team. He is responsible for developing buying guides, reviews, and deals coverage for all of the latest TV, video, and audio products. Steven works with a team of experienced freelancers to establish testing methodologies, test products, and select the best of the best for our buying guides. He also has a background in film criticism, having reviewed over 400 movies and TV shows. Steven studied filmmaking and uses his knowledge of video and audio production workflows to help inform his testing parameters when reviewing home entertainment devices. Before joining Business Insider in 2019, he was High-Def Digest’s Gear Editor. His work has appeared on Ben’s Bargains, Steve’s Digicams, Big Picture Big Sound, and Consequence. Why you can trust StevenSteven is not only passionate about TVs, he is also one of the industry’s foremost experts in display quality. In 2019, he was one of a select number of journalists invited to get a hands-on first look at LG’s debut 8K OLED TV. He was also among the earliest journalists to demo Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies for home theaters in 2014 and 2015, respectively.In 2018, Steven served as a judge for TV Shootout, the premier annual display competition that crowns the best TVs of the year. He also attends yearly industry launches and reviewer workshops for new TVs and audio products from top brands, like LG, Samsung, Sony, and Sonos.Steven knows that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by tech jargon and premium prices on high-end gear, which is why he is passionate about recommending quality options for all price ranges and explaining which features are really worth the money. ExpertiseHis expertise includes:
Televisions
Soundbars
Speakers
Streaming devices
Headphones
HDR video formats
Spatial audio technologies
EducationSteven holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Central Florida.Outside of workSteven lives in Orlando, Florida, with his girlfriend, their dog, and cats. When he’s not covering tech products, Steven loves to explore the theme parks of Orlando and watch movies on his dream home theater setup, complete with the biggest Dolby Atmos speaker system he could fit in an apartment.Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.Learn more about how we test tech and electronics.
Sarah Saril
Editor, Deals and How to Watch
Sarah is a Deals Editor for Business Insider’s Reviews team. She also supports our how-to-watch and streaming coverage. She never pays full price if she can help it and is an expert at finding and vetting the best discounts. ExperienceSarah joined the Business Insider Reviews team in 2020, starting as a deals reporter covering the best deals and steals daily. She later migrated to the tech team, where she researched, tested, and reviewed a variety of devices, from gaming mice to Kindle e-readers. Now, she’s returned to her origins, serving as the deals editor to curate only the best discounts and buying advice for readers. She began her career in service journalism in 2018 at Wirecutter as a deals writer, where she absorbed the history of the most frequently discounted products. This has informed her impeccably high standards for what makes a good deal. Ever since her Wirecutter days, Sarah has been an expert deals curator for tentpole sale days like Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Following her weekly contributions to Business Insider’s Newsletter will illuminate new ways to get the best value on products you use every day. Why you can trust SarahSarah doesn’t recommend any deal she wouldn’t pay for herself. She is skeptical about the advertising language brands use to tout their sales and utilizes all the price-checking tools to ensure they deliver savings.Expertise
Deal hunting and vetting
E-readers
Gaming accessories
Smart home devices
Concert tickets
Travel bookings
Streaming services
EducationSarah graduated from the California State University of Fullerton with a degree in Marketing. She lives in Southern California and is the proud pet parent of two German Shepherds and one chihuahua. She loves traveling to try delicious food, is skilled in crocheting and sewing, and enjoys reading horror novels (as long as they don’t keep her awake).Say hi (or send a picture of your pet) to Sarah at ssaril@businessinsider.com, or reach her on Twitter at @sarahhahr. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Business Insider here.
Lillian Brown
Senior Associate Editor of Streaming
Lillian Brown is the Senior Associate Editor of Streaming at Business Insider. A lifelong entertainment and media buff, she specializes in helping you find how to watch your favorite shows, movies, and sporting events.ExperienceLillian has been writing about entertainment, sports, TV, and film for over six years, starting her career in the Living/Arts department of The Boston Globe. She went on to write entertainment features, roundups, and conduct celebrity interviews for publications like Vulture, TV Guide, Esquire, Time, and The Daily Beast before joining Business Insider as a streaming specialist on the Reviews team.In her current role, she writes about everything from finding the right VPN for watching overseas soccer games to choosing between the endless number of streaming services out there. When she’s not writing, she is editing stories from freelancers or fellow Reviews team members. Lillian is also an expert deal hunter. She loves the thrill of sharing an amazing discount with readers, whether it be on her favorite streaming services or on products she knows our team loves and recommends. She plays an active role in writing about sales and deals for the Reviews team.Why you can trust LillianWhether she’s testing streaming platform interfaces or actively comparing channel offerings between services, Lillian always has her finger on the pulse of what’s new in entertainment. She has tested nearly every streaming service and is an expert when it comes to VPNs. She is the first person to know when a streaming service has changed its price, and whether or not it’s still worth paying for. As a sports fan, she also knows exactly where the next big playoff game is streaming, what time it starts, and where they’re playing. Expertise
Streaming services
How to watch your favorite films, TV, sports
VPN services for legal streaming
Deals
Outside of workMost of the time, you can find Lillian watching a horror movie, WNBA game, or long-distance running. She is located in Boston.
