Sling TV Review 2023: Everything to Know About the Budget-Friendly Live TV Service

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Sling TV was the first major streaming-only live-TV service to compete with the cable companies, but that was a long time ago--these days, a lot of other, similar live-TV streaming services are battling with Sling and each other for streaming supremacy. But even as other companies rushed to get in on the streaming market, Sling still offers uniquely affordable options that none of the competition has even tried to match. Let's take a look at everything Sling has to offer in our Sling TV review.

What is Sling TV?

Sling TV is one of the more affordable live TV streaming services on the market today. Although it may not have the expansive channel lineup of some of its competitors, Sling offers a streamlined set of reasonably priced packages that many cord cutters find attractive.

With three plans and a variety of add-ons, Sling TV provides a customizable viewing experience that features a mix of sports, entertainment, news, and family programming. But is it right for you? Read on.

Sling TV Compared to Other TV Streaming Services

A great starting point is to compare Sling TV streaming services to other live-streaming platforms. This gives you an idea of how the service stacks up to its competitors so you can decide if it's the right fit for your household. 

To compare services, we took a variety of factors into account. When it comes to streaming quality, keep in mind that your internet connection will determine the quality of streaming you receive.

As you can see, Sling TV stacks up favorably with many of its live-streaming competitors. The only service that offers a better deal is Philo, which offers more channels and unlimited recording space for $25/mo. However, Philo has much more limited sports programming than Sling.

Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV have more extensive channel lineups and DVR space, not to mention higher picture quality. However, they also cost much more than Sling TV. All in all, Sling TV is a good bargain for viewers who want a scaled-back lineup with a decent amount of sports programming. If you only want live television for sports, this is as good a deal as you'll find anywhere else.

How Much is Sling TV?

One major advantage of using Sling TV is its affordability, as it is much less expensive than other live-streaming services. There are three Sling TV packages: Sling Orange and Sling Blue, each for $40/mo., or the combined Sling Orange & Blue package for $60/mo. 

With Sling Orange, you receive 31 channels with a heavier focus on sports. Most notably, the plan comes with ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. You also receive great family-friendly content with the Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nick Jr.

With Sling Blue and its local stations, you receive at least 39 channels, depending on where you live, but the lineup centers more on entertainment and news networks. This package includes Fox News, HLN, MSNBC, and NBC (in select markets). Entertainment fans will enjoy E!, SyFy, TruTV, USA, and FX. The bundle also takes care of some sports fans with NFL Network and FS1.

Unsure of which Sling TV streaming package to choose? You can combine both packages to get everything for $60/mo. This gives you every channel Sling offers in its Sling Orange and Sling Blue packages, 43 in total. And you still save money compared to other live-streaming platforms like Hulu + Live TV. 

Sling TV Channels and Add-ons

Sling TV offers many of the popular channels you'll find with other live-streaming services. You can watch your favorite shows and movies on AMC, watch Monday Night Football on ESPN, catch your beloved home-improvement shows on HGTV, and stay informed with news channels like CNN.

Sling TV also offers many add-ons to enhance your viewing experience. You can receive access to premium shows and movies on Showtime for $10/mo., Starz for $9/mo., and MGM+ for $5/mo. Unfortunately, Sling TV does not offer HBO or Cinemax.

However, there are a plethora of other entertainment choices available. Sling TV offers entertainment bundles ranging from sports to kids' programs to news to international packages. You can view the full list of Sling TV's entertainment bundles on its website.

Along with entertainment packages, you also can enhance your recording space. Each Sling TV package comes with 50 hours of DVR. Although it's a good starting point, it might not be enough to accommodate you. In this case, you can upgrade to DVR Plus and get 200 hours of recording space for an extra $5/mo. However, this is still well below the unlimited DVR standard of many of Sling TV's competitors.

Sling TV Compared

Sling TV offers much in the way of affordability and choices. However, as this table attests, it is limited in its local channel offerings.

*in designated markets

Overall, Sling TV does not compare favorably to other live-streaming networks in this regard. However, the service offers a free HD antenna when you sign up, and you can use that to access every local channel, including PBS and The CW. 

With the antenna, you will not have to pay for access to these channels. Therefore, even with the upfront costs, you save money in the long run, relative to other live-streaming services.

Sling TV Features

When you sign up for an account, you receive a wealth of unique features like:

DVR

Sling TV's DVR service allows you to record live content and watch it on demand. However, the recording space is limited relative to other live-streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Philo, which all offer unlimited DVR storage. Each Sling plan comes with 50 hours of recording space, and you can boost your storage to 200 hours for an additional $5/mo.

Simultaneous Streams

This is a vital consideration for households with multiple users who want to watch different things at the same time. With the Sling Orange package, you receive only one stream, so whether you're watching on a TV or mobile device, you can only have one show on at a time. With Sling Blue, you receive three concurrent streams, which will give everyone in your household more freedom to choose their own programs. If you go with the Sling Orange & Blue combined package, you'll also receive three simultaneous streams (but only for Sling Blue channels). 

Sports

The combined Sling Orange & Blue package includes NFL Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, FS1, and MotorTrend for $55/mo. Sling TV also offers the Sports Extra package, which varies slightly depending on which plan you have. 

With Sling Blue, the Sports Extra Package includes the Big Ten Network, FS2, NFL RedZone and eight more channels for $11/mo. With Sling Orange, you receive ESPNU, ACC Network, Longhorn Network, Pac 12 Network, SEC Network, and nine more channels for an additional $11/mo. Both packages offer the MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, NBA TV, NHL Network, and the Tennis Channel. With the combined Sling Orange & Blue package, you'll get 20 sports channels for $15/mo. 

Sling TV Supported Devices

Sling TV is available on many devices. The one notable exception is Sling TV is not available on Sony PlayStation gaming consoles. Below is a list of all the currently supported devices, though this list is subject to change:

• Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One
• iOS devices
• Mac computers
• Windows 10 and up 
• Chrome
• Google, Android, and Apple tablets and phones
• Amazon Fire TV, tablets, and sticks
• Smart TVs from brands like Vizio, LG, Samsung
• Apple TV
• Android TV (Google TV)
• AirTV mini
• Google Nest
• Google TV
• Tivo Stream
• Roku
• Chromecast and TVs containing built-in Chromecasts
• Cox
• Xfinity

Is Sling TV Worth It?

Sling TV is an affordable alternative to cable and other live-streaming platforms. With Sling TV, you receive some of the most popular channels available. You can also complement your viewing experience by adding channels from the many entertainment bundles the live-streaming service offers. If you're looking to save money while also having access to a wide array of entertainment and sports options, Sling TV is a smart choice. If you'd prefer a larger channel lineup, however, you may want to explore options from other streaming services.