- Sling TV remains one of the most affordable live TV streaming services on the market, starting at just $30 a month.
- They offer two streaming options, Orange or Blue, which contain many of the same channels but have some key differences in what they offer.
- Sling Orange subscribers can access ESPN and Disney, while Sling Blue offers channels like Bravo, USA, a suite of Fox channels, and in certain regions, local NBC and Fox channels.
- Though the Disney networks are nice to have, Sling Blue simply provides a better overall value with a larger selection of channels.
- If you can't decide between services, you can combine the two for $45 a month and receive a small multi-service discount.
For the money-savvy cord-cutter, Sling's live TV streaming service can't be beaten. At $30 a month for over 30 channels, it's easily one of the most affordable streaming services on the market, beating competitors Hulu + Live TV ($54.99/mo.), AT&T TV Now ($65/mo.), and YouTubeTV ($50) by a wide margin.
Sling TV offers two different streaming packages, Orange and Blue, each for the same $30 monthly charge following a discounted $20 fee for the first month.
Many of the channels on Orange and Blue overlap, but there are some service differences that could sway you toward one package or the other. You can combine the two services for $45 a month, but that creeps up in cost approaching the competitors', so you wouldn't be saving nearly as much money as you could. It's best to choose between the two Sling services, and for me, there's a clear winner.
What are the channel differences between Sling Orange and Sling Blue?
The main difference is that Sling Orange offers Disney and other Disney-owned channels like ESPN, several ESPN secondary channels, and Freeform. While the Disney content is valuable — I streamed "Halloweentown" the moment I discovered it among Sling's on-demand offerings — with Disney Plus now in the picture, its inclusion with Sling is no longer the draw it once was. If you're a true Disney fan, Disney Plus might be your best bet anyway.
For my money, I think Sling Blue has a more robust channel offering as well as simply a larger one.
Orange tacks six additional channels onto the base offering, while Blue gets you an additional 21 channels. While you have to say goodbye to Disney and ESPN, you do gain access to Nick Jr. for the kids who might miss Disney — I was always more of a Nickelodeon kid anyway — and a host of sports channels including Fox Sports 1 and 2, the NFL Network, and in some markets NBC Sports Network. In addition to these, Blue offers some lifestyle channels you don't get with Orange like USA, Bravo, TLC, E!, and BET.
Can I watch local channels on Sling Orange and Sling Blue?
If you're attached to your local channels, Blue is also the clear choice, as Orange doesn't offer local channels at all.
Blue offers a suite of local NBC and Fox channels, though you do have to live in an Designated Market Area to gain access to them. Sling lists all of the supported areas for NBC and Fox on its website. If you live outside of these regions, you unfortunately won't have the NBC and Fox channels as part of your slate.
Multi-streams
While the channel choices are likely going to be your main motivator for choosing Orange or Blue, they also differ in how many simultaneous streams you can watch. With Orange, you can only stream on one device at a time, while Blue allows you three, so if you have a large household or plan to share an account with a friend, Blue is your best bet.
Sling provided me a login to test the service, and while I was watching on Orange, I kept getting kicked off because someone else was trying to stream on the same account. It was so annoying that I immediately knew that once I committed to cord-cutting full time, I was going with Blue and keeping my password closely guarded.
The bottom line
With two services that each cost $30 a month, I wanted to opt for the one that gave me the most content for my money. For me, Blue wins over Orange in every category. Sure, Orange gets you Disney and ESPN, but if you're worried about kids' content, Blue makes up for it with Nick Jr. If you're worried about sports content, Blue includes four sports channels. With Blue, you get over a dozen more total channels, including local channels if you live near most major cities. Blue also allows you three simultaneous streams while Orange allows you just one, so you don't have to worry about keeping your password locked away in a safe.
Blue simply offers more value for your money. But if you absolutely must have Disney and ESPN on top of all the channels Blue offers, you can always combine the services for $45 a month and you won't have to worry about missing a thing.
Though I don't think nearly doubling your cost is worth it just for ESPN and Disney, especially with Disney Plus now on the market, which you can bundle with ESPN+ and Hulu for just $12.99 a month. I'm sticking with Blue for now, and I'll be over here streaming "Good Eats" on Sling On-Demand for the next several days.
Read more about Sling TV on Insider Picks:
- New Sling TV subscribers can get 40% off their first month — here's how to sign up
- A full breakdown of what channels you get with every Sling TV package, plus all the add-ons
- A full price breakdown for Sling TV packages
- Sling TV vs. FuboTV: We broke down how the 2 streaming services compare in pricing and packages