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Sling TV plans, price and how to cancel

Sling TV starts at $19.99 a month in the US (Sling Essentials). Sling TV is the build-your-own live TV service: small, cheap base plans and add-ons instead of one big bundle. Essentials and Orange center on ESPN and family channels; Select and Blue on FOX News, FS1 and NFL Network, with local channels in some markets. The bundles combine both sides. There’s no free trial and no contract — and prices start at the amounts shown, depending on your ZIP code.

Compare streaming servicesHow to cancel

Tomas StankevičiusChecked 2026-11-11Facts from the Sling website and help center, with dates

What it costs

  • Sling Essentials$19.99/mo
  • Sling Select$19.99/mo
  • Sling Essentials & Select$34.99/mo
  • Sling Orange$45.99/mo
All plans and termsCheck on the official website
Price per month
$19.99–$60.99
Per year from
$239.88
Shortest term
monthly
  • Small, cheap plans. Essentials and Select have about 10 channels each for the lowest prices.
  • Pick a side, or both. Orange for ESPN and family, Blue for news and FS1 — or Orange & Blue.
  • Pause instead of cancel. Up to 6 months, with your recordings saved.
  • FOX One app access. Select and Blue include sign-in to the FOX One app for the FOX channels in your plan.
  • Freestream. 600+ free channels, no account needed.

Most important before you pay

Sling has no free trial, and fees are charged a month in advance with no refunds for partial months. Orange and Essentials stream on one device only, and local channels are available only in some markets.

At a glance

Plans
Essentials, Select, Orange, Blue and two bundles
Streams
1 (Essentials, Orange), 3 (Select, Blue), up to 4 (bundles)
DVR
50 hours free; unlimited as an add-on
Local channels
FOX, ABC and NBC in select markets
Free trial
None
Contract
None

Plans and offers change — check the provider’s own page before you pay.

Prices in charts

Figures from the same checked prices as the plan table.

Show plan in charts:

Sling Essentials: $19.99 per month, $239.88 per year.

Fig. 1

Plan steps: what each price step adds

Sling Essentials$19.99
Sling Select$19.99
Sling Essentials & Select$34.99
Sling Orange$45.99
Sling Blue$45.99
Sling Orange & Blue$60.99

Column height shows the monthly price. Between the columns: what the pricier plan adds over the cheaper one.

Sling EssentialsOur score 4,4/5
$19.99/mo

Plus sales tax where applicable

Source · Checked

Choose a plan

Billed monthly.

Prices with dates

Every price has a source and the date it was checked.

From the Sling website

Plans, streams and cancellation rules as sling.com and its help center show them from the US.

Affiliate links are labeled

If a link is an affiliate link, we say so right next to it.

Short summary

Sling TV is the cheapest way into live cable channels if you know what you watch: Essentials or Orange for ESPN, Select or Blue for FOX News and NFL Network. The trade-offs are real — one stream on Orange and Essentials, only 50 hours of DVR, and local channels in select markets only. Check your ZIP code price before you subscribe.

Low entry price

Small base plans you can grow with extras.

Split lineups

ESPN is on the Orange side, FOX News and NFL Network on the Blue side.

Our top pick:
Cord cutters who want a few specific cable channels for less.
With caveats:
Families who stream on several TVs at once, or who need local channels everywhere.

Who Sling TV is for, and who it isn’t

Cheap if your channels sit on one side.

A good choice

  • If you mainly want ESPN

    Essentials is the cheapest Sling plan with ESPN and ESPN2.

  • If you mainly want FOX News or NFL Network

    Select or Blue, with FOX One app access.

  • If you take breaks

    Pause for up to 6 months instead of canceling.

A weaker choice

  • If you want a free trial

    Sling doesn’t offer one — Freestream is the free option.

  • If several people stream at once

    Orange and Essentials allow one stream; the bundles up to 4.

  • If you need local channels everywhere

    FOX, ABC and NBC are available only in select markets.

Six plans

Prices are in the block above.

Six plans
Sling EssentialsWhat it means in practice10+ channels including ESPN, ESPN2, Disney and Freeform. 1 stream.
Sling SelectWhat it means in practice10+ channels including FOX News, NFL Network, FS1 and National Geographic. 3 streams; FOX One app access.
Sling Essentials & SelectWhat it means in practice15+ channels from both. Up to 4 streams.
Sling OrangeWhat it means in practice30+ channels including ESPN, TNT, CNN and Disney Channel. 1 stream.
Sling BlueWhat it means in practice40+ channels including FS1, USA, Bravo, Discovery, CNN, FOX News and NFL Network. 3 streams; FOX, ABC and NBC in select markets; FOX One app access.
Sling Orange & BlueWhat it means in practice50+ channels from both. Up to 4 streams.

ESPN → Essentials or Orange; FOX News and NFL Network → Select or Blue; both, or several screens → a bundle.

Our score and what it’s made of

This is our own assessment based on checked facts. It isn’t an average of user reviews or the provider’s claim. Below you’ll find every criterion with its weight and source.

4,5

out of 5 · average of 6 plans · 9 of 12 criteria checked

The score is calculated from the criteria you see below: each criterion shows its weight, what exactly we found and where. Where we have the provider’s page, there’s a link with a check date; where the number comes from our catalog, we say so. “Not found” means we didn’t find the data and the criterion isn’t counted. “Provider doesn’t say” means we went through the provider’s pages but the information isn’t there; that criterion isn’t counted either. If you disagree with the weights, the methodology shows all the parts, so you can weigh them your own way. App store ratings are shown only as text, and we don’t pass them to search engines as our own rating.

Scores for individual plans: Sling Essentials 4,4 · Sling Select 4,5 · Sling Essentials & Select 4,5 · Sling Orange 4,4 · Sling Blue 4,5 · Sling Orange & Blue 4,5

The same for all Sling TV plans

Criteria that are the same for all of this provider’s plans
CriterionWhat we foundScoreSource
Content you can’t get for free(18 %)content only with a subscription5,0our catalog
Fit for US viewers(15 %)US channels, network libraries and local originals5,0source
Advertised price is the final price(10 %)sales tax is added at checkout3,0our catalog
Free way to try it(10 %)permanent free version available5,0our catalog
Maximum resolution(7 %)provider doesn’t say—source
What else is included(9 %)2 extra content types at no extra cost4,0our catalog
Offline viewing(7 %)provider doesn’t say—source
Profiles(4 %)up to 43,0our catalog
App rating(3 %)4,6 out of 54,6our catalog
Spatial audio and HDR(2 %)provider doesn’t say—source

Depends on plan

Criteria that differ between plans
CriterionSling EssentialsSling SelectSling Essentials & SelectSling OrangeSling BlueSling Orange & Blue
Price compared with others(10 %)19,99 USD/mo5,019,99 USD/mo5,034,99 USD/mo5,045,99 USD/mo5,045,99 USD/mo5,060,99 USD/mo5,0
Simultaneous streams(5 %)1 screen at the same time2,03 screens at the same time4,04 screens at the same time5,01 screen at the same time2,03 screens at the same time4,04 screens at the same time5,0

Availability in the US

The final price in the US is clear

You pay in dollars, and the price is the one the provider lists — sales tax, where your state charges it, is added at checkout.

  • price in dollars
  • tax terms are known
  • shared international price list — the price depends on your account’s country

Content

What you actually get to watch: catalog, languages, sports and events.

What Sling TV is, and what it isn’t

Sling TV streams live cable channels with a cloud DVR and an on-demand library. It isn’t a full cable bundle: channels are split between plans, and extras are sold separately.

  • Sports

    ESPN on Orange and Essentials; FS1 and NFL Network on Blue and Select; Sports Extra adds more.

  • News

    CNN and FOX News; News Extra adds more news networks.

  • Add-ons

    Premium networks such as HBO Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and STARZ.

Local channels are available only in select markets — check your ZIP code.

Why your Sling price may differ

Sling lists most plans with a starting price. The price for your billing ZIP code can be higher — when we checked in October 2026, the Sling home page for a Denver ZIP code showed higher prices for Select, Blue and both bundles than the starting prices on the comparison page.

Check your ZIP code

Enter your billing ZIP code on sling.com before you buy.

Local channels

FOX, ABC and NBC are included in select markets only.

Taxes

State and local taxes apply on top.

Use the price on your own sling.com checkout, not the starting price.

How Sling rates on the US App Store

On October 23, 2026, the Sling app had 4.6 out of 5 stars from about 252,300 ratings on the US App Store.

What the number covers

The iPhone and iPad app over its lifetime, not the service on your TV.

How to use it

Try Freestream on your own devices first — it’s free and needs no account.

A strong app rating; test the app with Freestream before you pay.

Quality and devices

What picture and sound depend on, and where it works.

Where you can watch

Where you can watch
Streaming devices, smart TVs, phones, tablets and computersExamples20+ supported device typesCaveatAt least 3 Mbps; Sling recommends 25 Mbps for watching on several devices. Available only in the US.

App ratings in the stores

These are ratings from store users. They rate how the app works; they say nothing about whether the subscription price is fair.

App Store

iOS and iPadOS
4,6out of 5

252,406 ratings

Source

Ratings change constantly and often drop after price increases or removed features. We show the value from the check date together with the number of reviews, because 4.8 from two hundred and 4.5 from two million ratings aren’t the same thing.

Account and household

Profiles, downloads, sharing and how to cancel.

Streams by plan

  • Sling Essentials and Sling Orange: 1 stream.
  • Sling Select and Sling Blue: 3 streams.
  • Essentials & Select and Orange & Blue: up to 4 streams.

The channel matters too

Sling says how many devices can watch at once depends on your base plan and the channels you’re watching.

DVR and recordings

DVR and recordings
Cloud DVRHow it works50 hours included
Unlimited DVRHow it worksPaid add-on, with Replays
WhereHow it worksAnywhere in the US
Local Now, Pluto and channels from an antenna can’t be recorded.

Canceling

Sling TV has no contract and is billed monthly in advance. Cancel in your account on sling.com — deleting the app doesn’t cancel the subscription.

Monthly, no contract

Access lasts until your next bill date; no refunds for partial or prepaid months.

Through a third party

Pause isn’t available for subscriptions billed through Apple Pay, Google Pay or other third parties.

Deleting the app isn’t canceling

Sling says you still need to sign in and cancel your subscription.

Separate page: how to cancel this subscription →

Streams, DVR and pauses

The Sling rules that catch people out.

Streams, DVR and pauses
StreamsLimit1, 3 or up to 4What it depends onDepends on the plan and the channel
DVRLimit50 hoursWhat it depends onUnlimited DVR is a paid add-on
PauseLimitUp to 6 monthsWhat it depends onNot with promotions or third-party billing
Recordings after cancelingLimitKept 90 daysWhat it depends onUnavailable until you resubscribe
Free trialLimitNoneWhat it depends onFreestream is free instead

Only in the US

Sling works anywhere in the US with a reliable connection, but not outside it.

What we don’t claim

Common claims about Sling TV, next to what Sling says.

  • Sling has a free trial.

    Sling says there’s no free trial; Freestream offers 600+ free channels instead.

  • Every Sling plan includes local channels.

    FOX, ABC and NBC are available only in select markets.

  • Sling Orange and Sling Blue have the same channels.

    No — ESPN is on Orange, FOX News and NFL Network on Blue.

This list isn’t an accusation against the service. If you find something on our page that doesn’t match the official source, write to us.

When Sling TV is a good choice

  • ESPN for less

    Essentials has ESPN and ESPN2.

    Compromise: One stream.

  • News

    Select or Blue for FOX News; Orange or Blue for CNN.

    Compromise: News Extra costs more.

  • Seasonal watching

    Pause for up to 6 months between seasons.

    Compromise: No pause with promotions or third-party billing.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Low entry price

    Small base plans.

  • Pause

    Up to 6 months.

  • No contract

    Monthly billing.

Cons

  • No free trial

    Per Sling’s FAQ.

  • 50-hour DVR

    Unlimited costs extra.

  • One stream on Orange and Essentials

    Bundles allow up to 4.

Per year: Sling TV and alternatives

Price of the cheapest paid plan for 12 months as the provider lists it; below it, with VAT where VAT is not included. Bar length is the price with VAT.

ServicePrice
Netflix$107.88
Amazon Prime Video$107.88
HBO Max$109.99
Disney+$149.88
YouTube Premium$159.99
Sling TVthis page$239.88

Sling TV compared with YouTube TV and Fubo

Three live TV services with different trade-offs.

Sling TV compared with YouTube TV and Fubo
Streams at onceSling TV1–4 by planYouTube TV3FuboUp to 10 (Pro, Elite)
DVRSling TV50 hoursYouTube TVUnlimitedFuboUnlimited
Local channelsSling TVSelect marketsYouTube TVYes, by ZIP codeFuboYes
Free trialSling TVNoneYouTube TV10 daysFubo5 days
ContractSling TVNoneYouTube TVNoneFuboNone

If you want the lowest entry price — Sling TV

Small plans for ESPN or FOX News.

If you want cable without the box — YouTube TV

100+ channels, locals and an unlimited DVR.

If you watch lots of sports — Fubo

Locals, ESPN Unlimited and up to 10 screens.

Final verdict

Sling TV is the budget live TV service: pick the side with your channels, add only the extras you need, and pause between seasons. Check the price for your ZIP code, and remember there’s no free trial.

Choose it if

You want a few specific cable channels for the lowest price.

Think twice if

Several people stream at once — Orange and Essentials allow one stream.

Skip it if

You want local channels everywhere and an unlimited DVR included.

YouTube TV and Fubo cost more but include locals, an unlimited DVR and more streams.

Sling TV prices

Six plans as the Sling plans page lists them — most as “from” prices.

Add-ons

Sling lists most plans with a starting price; the price for your billing ZIP code can be higher, so enter your ZIP code on sling.com before you buy. Sling is billed monthly, in advance, plus taxes. Extras, premium networks and Unlimited DVR cost more.

How to cancel

Sling TV deals and discounts

We have no confirmed deals or promo codes for Sling TV right now. When the provider publishes one and we have checked it, the dates and terms will appear here — we never list made-up promo codes.

Track price and deals

Sling TV free trial

We found no free trial for Sling TV on the provider’s website right now. If one appears, we will mark it here and in the free trials list.

All free trials

How to pay less for Sling TV

There is no cheaper option we can confirm right now: among the confirmed Sling TV plans there is no cheaper annual version of the same plan and no family or student plan.

Compare the price with alternatives: Disney+ price · HBO Max price · Netflix price

We only show the provider’s official options — no shared accounts and no region switching.

Related articles

What subscribers complain about: a study of 26,598 reviewsStudent Discounts on Streaming and Subscriptions in the US (2026)Which Streaming Services Have Local Channels? ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC (2026)

FAQ

It’s worth it if you want a few specific cable channels for the lowest price. Think twice if several people stream at once — Orange and Essentials allow one stream. Skip it if you want local channels everywhere and an unlimited DVR included.

Orange has 30+ channels including ESPN, TNT, CNN and Disney Channel, with 1 stream. Blue has 40+ channels including FS1, FOX News, NFL Network and Bravo, with 3 streams and local channels in select markets.

Smaller, cheaper plans with 10+ channels each: Essentials has ESPN and Disney (1 stream); Select has FOX News, NFL Network and FS1 (3 streams).

No. Sling says there’s no free trial; Freestream has 600+ free channels with no account needed.

FOX, ABC and NBC are available on Select and Blue plans in select markets — check your ZIP code.

One on Essentials and Orange, three on Select and Blue, and up to four on the bundles.

Select and Blue include sign-in to the FOX One app to watch the FOX channels in your Sling plan.

It depends on who charges you: Apple, Google, your carrier or TV provider, or the service itself. The guide walks through each channel step by step. How to cancel a subscription

How we work

This page is a comparison, and for every claim we say where it comes from.

The provider’s sources

The facts come from the Sling website (sling.com), its plan pages and the Sling help center.

We keep prices out of the text

Prices are in the price block, in the currency of the provider’s price list, with a source and a date.

How we check the data

If anything on this page has gone out of date, write to us — we’ll fix it and note the date.

The order in the comparison is decided by the type of service; commission size doesn’t affect it.

Some links to providers are affiliate links: if you subscribe through them, we may earn a commission. It affects neither the price nor the placement in the comparison. Affiliate links are always labeled next to the link itself.

Track the price

Get an email when the price drops to the level you choose.

We’ll let you know when the price of Sling TV drops to the amount you set or lower.

We compare the regular monthly price after promotions and free trials.

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