While many of the most popular streaming services focus on movies and TV shows that can be watched at your leisure, there are a number of services that replicate the experience of cable TV within the streaming model. While cable packages remain quite pricey and riddled with channels you'll never watch, TV streaming services are great alternatives worth considering, often times for considerably less money and no need for a cable box to be hooked up to your TV. One of the most popular TV streaming services is Sling TV.

　　Sling TV offers a tempting alternative to traditional cable. It allows you to pick the channels you want to pay for and doesn't require a cable box or a satellite dish. Instead, Sling TV offers an app-based approach to cable TV that feels right at home in the modern streaming landscape. To help you determine whether Sling TV is right for you, we're breaking down the different packages that Sling offers, how much they cost, where you can watch them, and more.

　　

What is Sling TV?

Sling TV is the streaming take on cable. By paying a monthly subscription, you can use the Sling TV app to access dozens of cable channels and DVR your favorite shows. The app is available through iOS, Apple TV, Xbox, Oculus, Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku, AirTV Mini, Windows, Samsung, TiVo Stream 4K, and LG. You can also watch Sling TV in browser with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. Basically, with the notable exception of the PlayStation family of consoles, Sling TV is available on most video streaming devices.

　　

Sling TV price

Sling TV offers two basic packages: Sling Blue and Sling Orange. Both cost $35 per month, but if you can only have one, Sling Blue is the superior option in just about every way. Sling Blue allows you to stream on up to three devices simultaneously and offers 44 channels out of the box, as opposed to the 33 offered with Sling Orange. Both packages come with 50 hours of free DVR, but you can up that to 200 hours for $5 a month.

　　Sign up for Sling TV

　　Get your first month for 50% off

　　See Sling TV plans

　　Sling advertises Sling Blue as ideal for news and entertainment, while Sling Orange is optimized for sports fans and families. To that end, Sling Blue includes Fox, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, SYFY, and USA. Sling Orange, meanwhile, offers Disney and Freeform for the kids, with ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, and MotorTrend on the sports front. That said, there is some puzzling crossover. Sling Blue has exclusive access to the NFL Network, a channel that sports lovers would obviously like to have.

　　For those interested in both sets of channels, Sling also offers Sling Orange + Sling Blue, together, for $50. This gains you access to all the channels in both packages.

　　

	Sling Blue	Sling Orange
Monthly price	$35	$35
Number of device streams	3	1
Number of channels	43	32
Free DVR limit	10 hours	10 hours
Popular channels	NFL Network, CNN, Fox News, TNT, HGTV, ID, History, AMC	ESPN, TNT, CNN, ID, Nick Jr., HGTV, History, AMC
Exclusive channels	Discovery, E!, Fox, Fox News, FS1, HLN, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBCSN, NFL Network, SYFY, truTV, USA	Disney, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, Freeform, MotorTrend

Sling TV deals and offers

If you need a new device for streaming video content, Sling is currently offering a free AirTV Mini when you prepay for two months of Sling TV. This option nets you access to Sling TV, plus all your local channels. The AirTV Mini remote allows one-touch access to Sling TV and Netflix, and it's also integrated with Google Play so you can download additional streaming services.

　　Right now (as of August 2021), your first month of Sling is $25 off across all available packages--so $10 for your first month of Sling Blue or Sling Orange, or $25 for the two services combined. For additional discounts, you can refer a friend to receive $5 off your next three bills. Your friend will get $15 cut from their first month and $5 from the next two months.

　　

Is there a Sling TV free trial?

Sling TV has offered three-day free trials in the past, but there's no free trial offer available via the Sling TV website right now. However, if you sign up through the Sling TV app on certain devices, you may still be able to get a three-day free trial. Sling TV, however, does have a free streaming option that lets you watch select content by simply signing up for an account. You won't get access to a lot, but it's not a bad idea to try the free option to see if the streaming quality works for you.

　　

Sling TV packages and add-ons

In addition to the basic Sling Orange and Sling Blue packages, extra channels are available in themed packages for added monthly fees. The Total TV Deal with Sling Orange + Sling Blue costs an additional $27 per month and gets you access to 200 hours of DVR for no added cost and access to all of the following:

　　Sports Extras ($15/month): NFL RedZone, FOX Sports 2, Big Ten Network, ACC Network, MLB Network, Golf Channel, ACC Network Extra, The Longhorn Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, Tennis Channel, ESPNU, SEC Network, SEC Network+, ESPNEWS, Tennis Channel, NBA TV, Pac-12, NHL Network, beIN SPORTS, Olympic ChannelComedy Extras ($6/month): CMT, Paramount Network, FETV, FETV, Laff, Laff, GSN, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Revolt, TV Land, Paramount Network, truTVKids Extras ($6/month): Disney Junior, Disney XD, NickToons, TeenNick, Boomerang, BabyTV, ducktvNews Extras ($6/month): Fox Business Network, CNBC, WGN America, Law & Crime, NewsMax, Science Channel, BBC World News, HLN, Weather Nation, Euronews, France 24, News18, NDTV 24x7, RT America, CGTNLifestyle Extras ($6/month): Cooking Channel, DIY, FYI, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Lifetime Movies, Oxygen, VH1, WE TV, Z Living HD, truTVHeartland Extras ($6/month): Nat Geo Wild, RIDE TV, Pursuit, World Fishing Network, Great American Country, American Heroes Channel, Sportsman Channel, Destination America, Outdoor Channel, RFD-TV, PixL, The Cowboy ChannelHollywood Extras ($6/month): FXX, Start TV, Grit, Cinemoi, FX Movies, Heroes & Icons, Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Grit, HDNet Movies, REELZ, SundanceTV, Turner Classic MoviesEach of those packages can be purchased individually or as part of the larger package. The AMC+ package must be added separately for $7 and includes AMC +, Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited.

　　In addition to the packages above, Sling TV also lets you choose from 49 premium channels à la carte, including Showtime, Starz, Epix, and many more.

　　Sports lovers will likely want either NBA League Pass ($29/month) or NBA Team Pass ($18/month). League Pass grants access to all out-of-market regular season games, and NBA Team Pass gives out-of-market fans access to every game their favorite team plays. So, if you want to see every big game, all season long, grab the League Pass. If you're a Warriors fan living in Iowa and only care about seeing the Warriors play, the Team Pass may be right for you.

　　

Is Sling TV worth it?

In the end, Sling TV is a great alternative for cable users who are tired of paying for channels they don't watch and want a more targeted approach. And if you're in your twenties or thirties and haven't had a cable package since you lived with your parents, Sling TV is an easy way to access cable channels in a way that fits neatly into your life. Cable may seem like a hassle, but Sling TV makes it just another app on your streaming device of choice, and you really can't beat that convenience.

　　Sign up for Sling TV

　　Get your first month for 50% off

　　See Sling TV plans