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Cheapest Live TV Streaming Service
I won’t mince words: Sling TV is confusing. It has, by far, the most confusing lineup of plans and add-ons out of any of the live TV streaming services I tested. There are a handful of core plans, none of which encompass the scale of Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, or DirecTV, as well as about half a dozen add-ons to bring the channel roster up to par. This modular approach is annoying while shopping, though it also means you can save quite a bit of money by only picking up what you need.
The core of Sling is Blue and Orange. The Blue plan focuses on news and entertainment, while the Orange plan cuts news like MSNBC and CNN in favor of an array of ESPN channels. It’s clear Sling wants folks to pick up the Orange & Blue plan that combines these channel lineups. It’s about 30 percent cheaper getting them together than it is purchasing them separately (and about $30 cheaper than most other providers).
The Orange & Blue plan, which I recommend for most people, covers the major bases, but it loses out on some of the secondary channels available elsewhere. For instance, you get ESPN channels and Fox Sports 1, but not Fox Sports 2 or the Big Ten Network. You’ll need an add-on for those.
Most of Sling’s add-ons are $6 extra per month, minus the sports add-on, which is $15. The add-ons fill in the gaps depending on what you’re most interested in. The entertainment add-on includes Cartoon Network and MTV, for instance, while the movies add-on comes with Grit, TCM, and FXX. You can pick up all of the extras for $27 per month with Blue & Orange or $21 per month with other plans. Even with the full package, however, Sling comes in a few dollars below YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV, and there are opportunities to get your monthly price even lower by cutting some packages.
For apps, Sling has just about everything you could want. Roku, Samsung, LG, Apple, and Google TV are all supported, as are boxes from Cox, Xfinity, and even TiVo Stream. Mobile apps are available, and there’s an app for the Xbox (though not the PlayStation 5).
Although not as responsive as YouTube TV, the app felt smooth on my TCL QM8K. You can create profiles, see upcoming games, and favorite channels in the guide so they’re easy to find.
WIRED
- Can save a lot of money
- Solid smart TV app
TIRED
- Missing several channels
- Confusing plan and add-on lineup
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Best Cable Replacement
If you want cable without the box, DirecTV is what you’re after. It’s only fitting that the only familiar satellite service on this list is the best cable replacement, and DirecTV lives up to its name—for better and worse. On the plus side, there’s a massive channel selection, particularly on the Choice plan and above. DirecTV includes most of the top 100 channels I looked at, along with major regional sports networks like FanDuel and NBC Sports.
And just like the satellite plans of yore, DirecTV charges a pretty penny. Plans climb all the way to $170 per month if you want movie channels like Starz and Showtime, and even DirecTV’s cheaper Choice and Entertainment plans come in $10 to $15 more than Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV.
Still, you get quite a bit for your money. In addition to a broad channel lineup, DirecTV includes ESPN Unlimited with every plan, along with ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu with the Choice plan and above. Unlimited DVR also comes standard, as does unlimited streams at home (and up to three outside of your home).
You can build your own plan with DirecTV’s Genre Packs, though the cost ends up being more expensive than just picking up one of the full plans from the get-go. For most people, the Choice plan is the best option. It includes quite a few more channels than the cheaper Entertainment plan, including the NFL and MLB Networks, along with truTV, Pop, and Science. The more expensive Ultimate plan has more channels, but they’re mainly secondary channels like Disney Junior and Nat Geo Wild.
The DirecTV app is available on Fire TV, Google TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Samsung TVs (2017 and newer), and you’ll also find apps on mobile devices and in your browser. Notably, there aren’t any apps for game consoles, which is a shame because DirecTV’s app feels sluggish. It’s great in the browser, but testing on my TCL QM8K TV, there was always a bit of a hang as I navigated through channels. I suspect this will only be exaggerated on less powerful devices, like a cheaper Roku Streaming Stick.
I don’t love the interface, but there are solid features. You can favorite channels and sports teams to easily find them, as well as turn on live scores. The most frustrating aspect is the home screen. It’s useful for seeing your favorite channels, but leaving a channel will return you to this home screen rather than the guide.
WIRED
- Massive channel lineup
- Unlimited local streams
- Full local affiliate and regional sports network coverage
TIRED
- The most expensive option
- Sluggish app
