Image Source: PS Photography | Marisa Petrarca
I haven’t had cable television since I left for college in 2013, which, yes, has come with its fair share of struggles. (Like cycling through every email I’ve ever created just to keep up with “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” during their respective seasons.) One live-streaming service I hadn’t touched during my era of desperate free trials was Sling TV, a platform that lets you stream your favorite TV channels with more intentional, personalized channel lineups. The brand, smartly, doesn’t offer one – perhaps to keep people like me from logging in and out until the next on-demand binge. That said, it’s a platform I’ve actually enjoyed using in my day-to-day life since testing it out for work. Below, I break down everything to know before downloading it.
About Sling TV
Sling launched in 2015 as the first streaming service to offer live TV in more customizable packages than most.
There are three core pricing tiers: Orange, Blue, and an Orange and Blue combo.
You can watch your favorite cable TV shows live or stream some of them via Sling’s interface.
Sling Freestream is completely free and gives you access to over 400 live and on-demand channels.
All paid plans include 50 hours of cloud DVR.
What I Like About Sling TV
What I like most about Sling TV is that it makes me feel connected again. I love the convenience of on-demand streaming, but there’s something surprisingly grounding about having live news on in the background – especially in today’s world. It gives me a weird sense of calm. Not because the news itself is calming (it’s not), but because it makes me feel like I’m tuned in. And being able to watch a show I’m emotionally invested in live (hi, “Love Hotel” and “Next Gen NYC”) is so much more exciting than catching up later and trying to dodge TikTok spoilers.
More specifically, I love that Sling doesn’t overload you with channels you’ll never use. Unlike traditional cable, it’s set up in smaller, more curated packages, so you can choose which matches what you’ll watch. It’s also a lot more affordable. After falling down a Reddit rabbit hole, I found that most people are shelling out at least $100 a month for cable. Sling’s base plans, by comparison, start at $23 for your first month. For me, that’s a win.
Personally, I went with Sling Blue, which, like Sling Orange, costs $46 a month. The difference is that Sling Blue is more entertainment-focused, with reality TV galore (I need to watch my Bravo shows live, OK?), while Sling Orange leans more into live sports. You can also combine the two for a more complete lineup for $61 a month.
As for what it’s like to actually use the service, the interface is straightforward. Sling feels like cable, just cleaned up. It’s not the flashiest, but it’s intuitive and easy to navigate. The channel guide looks like the one I grew up with, with added filters for favorites, sports, kids’ shows, and more, so you can find what you want to watch without scrolling forever. You can even see when your show is scheduled to air live, so you can take a seat and watch, record it, or stream it on-demand when it’s added the next day.
Image Source: PS Photography | Marisa Petrarca
What to Consider About Sling TV
Sling is best for people who want the live-TV-watching experience, whether that’s catching a game in real-time or watching “The Bachelor” engagement as it happens, because, obviously. That said, it’s important to do a little research before subscribing. Sling Orange and Sling Blue each have different channel lineups, and neither may include everything you’re looking for. Some key sports and entertainment channels require you to add extra packages, such as the Sports Extra add-on ($11 per month), which can increase your monthly cost.
Another thing: Sling does offer some shows on demand, but it’s mostly recent episodes, usually from the last three to eight days. So if you want full seasons of your favorite series, you’ll probably still need a second subscription to Hulu, Peacock, or Netflix to supplement Sling. That said, even with one or two extra subscriptions, you’re still likely spending less than you would on traditional cable and a separate streaming platform.
Where Is Sling TV Available?
You can purchase a Sling subscription via its website at watch.sling.com. It’s available to download on pretty much any device you already own: smart TVs, streaming sticks like Roku and Fire TV, Apple TV, gaming consoles, your phone, tablet, or even just your internet browser. It’s currently only accessible in the States.
Marisa Petrarca (she/her) is a contributing editor for PS Shopping and has over seven years of experience writing and editing beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. She was previously the senior beauty editor at Grazia USA and the style and beauty editor at Us Weekly. Now freelancing, her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Allure, Marie Claire, and more.
