Sling TV is perhaps the most a la carte streaming service. It offers two main channel suites that suit streaming needs for most, if not all TV audiences. Sling TV Channels suites comprise channels from both domestic and international offerings.
Deciding what your personalized channel package will be can be a little daunting. Luckily, we've put together a Sling TV Channels primer to make it a little easier.
Sling's two main channel suites are divided into Blue and Orange channel suites. Alone, they are $35, but you can nab both together for $50.
Cost: $35 per month
The Sling Orange channel lineup is fairly basic and considerably smaller than Sling Blue, with just 32 channels. That includes, however, three ESPN channels, AMC, Comedy Central, CNN, and the Disney Channel.
Once, Orange was less expensive than Blue, making that a factor in the Orange vs. Blue debate, but now the key differentiator is the ESPN and Disney quartet. If keeping your sports options open and your kids happy is important, you'll want to move toward either Orange or Orange + Blue. But read on to see what Blue offers for the same price as Orange.
| A&E | AMC | AXS TV |
| BBC America | Bloomberg TV | Cartoon Network |
| Cheddar Business | Cheddar News | CNN |
| Comedy Central | Comet | Disney Channel |
| EPIX Drive-In | ESPN | ESPN2 |
| ESPN3 | Food Network | Freeform |
| Fuse | HGTV | History Channel |
| IFC | Investigation Discovery | Lifetime |
| Local Now | Motortrend | Newsy |
| Stadium | TBS | TNT |
| Travel Channel | Vice TV |
Cost: $35 per month
The Sling Blue channel lineup has almost everything you’re looking for in a sports package—NFL Network, FS1 and FS2, NBCSN, TNT, and TBS—with the obvious exception of those aforementioned ESPN channels. With Sling Blue, you’re getting 47 channels, including FX and SyFy. The Blue package also includes all three major news networks, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox, while the basic Orange package just has CNN. Otherwise, there’s a lot of overlap with the Sling Orange package.
Sling Blue used to be a little more expensive than Sling TV’s other basic package, Sling Orange. While both now start at $20 for the first month, Sling Blue provides a much better value. That’s because it offers more exclusive channels and three times as many concurrent streams. If you’re looking for the biggest number of channels for the least amount of money, Sling Blue is rivaled only by the budget-minded streaming service Philo.
| A&E | AMC | AXS TV |
| BBC America | BET | Bloomberg TV |
| Bravo | Cartoon Network | Cheddar Business |
| Cheddar News | CNN | Comedy Central |
| Comet | Discovery Channel | E! |
| EPIX Drive-In | Food Network | Fox (in select markets) |
| Fox News Channel | FS1 | Fuse |
| FX | History Channel | HGTV |
| HLN | IFC | Lifetime |
| Local Now | MSNBC | Nat Geo |
| NBC (in select markets) | NBC Regional Sports Channels | NBCSN |
| Newsy | Nick Jr. | NFL Network |
| SYFY | TBS | TNT |
| Travel Channel | truTV | USA |
| Vice TV |
Cost: $50 per month
Sling Orange + Blue combines the two packages into one comprehensive lineup of more than 50 channels. It’s only six more channels than Sling Blue, so whether that spend is worth it is up to you. If you can live without ESPN and the Disney Channel, you may be better served by just Sling Blue. But that could be a big if, depending on your household.
| A&E | AMC | AXS TV |
| BBC America | BET | Bloomberg TV |
| Bravo | Cartoon Network | Cheddar Business |
| Cheddar News | CNN | Comedy Central |
| Comet | Discovery Channel | E! |
| EPIX Drive-In | Food Network | Fox (in select markets) |
| Fox News Channel | FS1 | Fuse |
| FX | History Channel | HGTV |
| HLN | IFC | Lifetime |
| Local Now | MSNBC | Nat Geo |
| NBC (in select markets) | NBC Regional Sports Channels | NBCSN |
| Newsy | Nick Jr. | NFL Network |
| Paramount Channel | SYFY | TBS |
| TNT | Travel Channel | truTV |
| Vice TV |
Sling TV needs work in the local channel department. That's something the service itself understands. Few other streaming services go out of the way to explain how to get over-the-air local channels. That’s because Sling only offers two local channels, Fox and NBC. Even then those channels are only available in select markets, and only if you’re a Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue customer.
Everyone else will need to either invest in an HD antenna to pick up The CW, ABC, and CBS, or you can invest in standalone apps like CBS All Access. You can check if Sling offers local channels in your area by going here and entering your ZIP code.
Then again, that's where AirTV comes in.
AirTV solves one of the Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge those local channels into your Sling TV, (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “It’s practically magic.”
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—gives Sling users the ability to access all local channels to add to whichever Sling package is the best fit for them.
When it comes to add-on channels, Sling TV has more options than basically anyone. Unfortunately, that means its add-ons can sometimes get confusing. Most of Sling TV’s add-on packages have different channels and sometimes different pricing depending on whether you’re adding onto a Sling Orange or Sling Blue package. Here's what you can add and what you need to know.
Sling TV has a robust set of international packages offering channels in a variety of language packs, featuring programming from all over the world.
Cost: Variable
Regions of the world with language-specific packages include:
There's also an International Sports trio of packages including World Sports (BeIn Sports and BeIn Sports Connect, Nautical TV, Outside TV, and Willow and Willow Extra), Cricket (Willow and Willow Extra), and Soccer.
There are a number of Spanish-speaking regions represented in Sling Latino. While the Best of Spanish TV package described below might have enough to satisfy the Spanish-speaking members of your household, you can also choose from one of these Extra packs for $5 a month to get region-specific or interest-specific programming:
There are also eight premium channels en Español to enhance a subscriber's bilingual or Spanish-only experience.
Cost: $10 per month (or $35 a month combined with Sling Orange or Sling Blue)
This is an awesome collection of Spanish programming that positions Sling TV to directly compete with FuboTV. Users looking for a more complete Spanish language package should look at Sling Latino.
Cost: $20 per month
The sheer number of add-ons that Sling TV offers can be daunting, but if you’re looking to enhance your package, you can bundle and save. Sling TV's Total TV deal is a $45 per month value for just $20 per month. It includes the enhanced Cloud DVR, along with the following channel packages: Sports Extra, Kids Extra, Comedy Plus Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Plus Extra, Heartland Extra, and Hollywood Extra.
For Sling Orange subscribers, that adds over 70+ channels to your overall Sling package for just $20 a month, including MTV, VH1, and Disney Jr. For Sling Blue subscribers, it's 67 extra channels with the Total TV deal.
Both Sling Orange and Sling Blue has separate channels in some of these packs. The only way to get everything Sling TV offers is to sign up for both Sling Orange + Blue and then add Total TV. Still, that adds up to just $65 per month instead of the $90 you’d pay for everything individually.
Cost: $12 per month
Don’t need everything that comes with the Total TV package? The Four Extras Deal might be for you. You get Comedy Extra, Kids Extra, News Extra, and Lifestyle Extra for just $12 per month. Each of those packages retails for $5 per month, so you’ll save $8 per month bundling them together. Remember there are slight differences between the channels offered in these packages, so continue reading to see what you get.
Cost: $10 per month
This package brings 15 sports channels to your Sling Orange plan.
Cost: $10 per month
This 11-channel package features the following sports channels.
Cost: $15 per month
Sports Extra for Sling Orange + Sling Blue comes with every sports channel available separately in both packages.
Cost: $5 per month
There’s a lot to like in this Sling TV package, but I don’t see why it’s labeled comedy. You’d expect some standup-specific programming.
Cost: $5 per month
This doesn't include TruTV, which is already included in the Sling Blue channel lineup. It does, however, include Paramount Network, a staple of the Sling Blue package before its Sept. 2020 migration.
Cost: $5 per month
A crash course in classic movies, full of movies you probably need to see but haven’t.
Cost: $5
Sling Blue’s Hollywood Extras offers more options than its Orange counterpart.
Cost: $5 per month
This is world news of varying quality.
Cost: $5 per month
Cost: $5 per month
A solid if random block of programming for retired moms and the Black community, most of which is available in Sling Blue.
Cost: $5 per month
Comparable to what’s available in the Sling Orange version, but with E! and VH1.
Cost: $5 per month
Rugged programming for rural America.
Like its Orange counterpart, but with Nat Geo Wild.
Cost: $5 per month
Cost: $5 per month
Sling TV has made huge strides since launching in its addition of premium channels. While the pricing is fairly standard from what you’ll find elsewhere, it’s convenient to bundle your services together. Unfortunately, HBO and Cinemax were pulled from the service in November 2018, but there are plenty of other premium options to choose from. Here's the complete listing of channels, including Showtime for $10 per month and Starz for $9 per month.
| Cinefest | Cinémoi | CON TV |
| Country Network Plus | Curiosity Stream | Docudrama |
| DOG TV | Dove Channel | Flix Latino |
| Genius Brand Networks | Grokker | Hallmark Movies Now |
| Here TV | Hopster | Outside TV Features |
| Pantaya | Showtime | Starz |
| Stingray Karaoke | UP Faith & Family | VSiN |
The post Sling TV Channels: Complete Sling Channels List and Add-ons appeared first on The Daily Dot.
