Sling Blue: what is it, how much does it cost, and what’s available to watch?

Sling TV is one of the most popular OTT live streaming services available, coming in just behind YouTube TV with around 2.5 million subscribers, with many opting for its Sling Blue plan. It’s really the only option for media-hungry viewers looking for a great value alternative to cable, because, not only does it provide plans that are half the price of competitors like Hulu + Live TV, but it furnishes subscribers with an extensive number of customization options that allow them to create a TV line-up that truly meets their viewing needs.

Once you’ve decided Sling TV is your preferred streaming service - with its solid line-up of major networks, live sports, and on-demand entertainment - all at an affordable price - there’s just one question that remains: is Sling TV Blue the right choice for you? Our guide below breaks down how it compares to the Sling Orange plan, the type of content you can expect to enjoy, and optional extras available to purchase with Sling TV.

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Sling Blue explained: what is the package and how does it differ from the Orange plan?

There are two plans available to every Sling TV subscriber, each with a slightly different composition of networks. Sling Blue has a greater number of channels at around 45, focusing more on news and entertainment programming. Meanwhile Sling Orange has just over 30 which lean towards families and sports aficionados.

Sling TV Blue is definitely one for the grown-ups. Instead of the Disney Channel and Freeform, which are only available via the Orange plan, there’s a heavier weighting of networks providing reality TV, documentary, and true crime programming, plus lot of live news coverage and channels offering more adult TV shows and movies. Of the 17 channels exclusive to Sling Blue, they include Bravo, FX, Discovery, E!, National Geographic, Syfy, and Tru TV.

Sports fans shouldn’t fear being short-changed with a Sling Blue plan though. Its overall more comprehensive line-up includes FS1, the NFL network, and NBCSN - guaranteeing viewers plenty of live action across the sporting spectrum.

Unfortunately, the three popular ESPN channels – boasting thousands of hours of live programming over dozens of sports – aren't available on this plan. On the flip side, though, you can only catch Premier League matches with NBCSN on Sling Blue.

Not only does Sling Blue have more channels and more entertainment, it has more streams too. Unlike Orange’s paltry one stream per account limit, Sling Blue lets you stream to three devices simultaneously. That means cheering on your home team while your partner watches The Real Housewives of Atlanta on their iPad and someone else watches John Wick on-demand – all at the same time.

Finally, if you want local programming from Fox and NBC, pick the Sling TV Blue plan. You’ll need to check if you’re in a Designated Market Area first, however, and you can do that here.

How much does Sling Blue cost?

A subscription to Sling Blue will cost you $35 a month. It’s incredibly affordable next to the more premium Hulu + Live TV price and FuboTV, both of whose IPTV offerings begin at a hefty $65 a month. But Blue equally outperforms Sling Orange as far as value for money is concerned, delivering a dozen more networks in addition to all the extra content that comes with their respective on-demand libraries.

If you’re looking to improve your core Sling TV Blue plan, for $21 more you can purchase the Total TV deal and bump up the number of channels at your disposal to about 114 - on a par with Fubo’s Starter plan but for roughly $10 less. Heck, you’ll even get 200 hours DVR storage thrown in.

Check out our Sling TV price and packages guide for more information on everything a Sling TV plan has to offer. And, although there isn’t an active Sling TV free trial available right now, new subscribers can currently snatch up their first month for only $10 – saving them $25 off the usual fee.

What else can I watch on Sling TV?

No matter whether you pick Sling Blue or Sling Orange, your core plan can be tweaked with themed channel bundles, a la carte options, and international programming like Sling Latino. That way you can bulk up your base plan without having to spend a fortune.

There are eight generic Extras available: bundles of channels that provide Sports, Comedy, News, Lifestyle, and Kids content. If you picked Sling Blue but would like more programming for younger viewers, Kids Extra adds five networks, for example, NickToons and Boomerang, for $6 a month. If you’re clamouring after increased live game coverage, Sports Extra is only $11 a month for a great value 14 channels, and which features the MLB Network, ESPNU, the Tennis Channel and NBA TV.

However, even the constitution of your Extra options can be differently weighted, depending on whether you picked Sling Blue or went for the Orange plan.

Premium add-ons, meanwhile, are perfect if you’re a fan of a specific network or are looking for some more niche programming. You can purchase from over 30 channels, with each costing between $3 and $10 a month.

Showtime comes packed with iconic TV series, documentaries, and award-winning movies, including the US iteration of Shameless, Penny Dreadful, and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Then there’s The Country Network for country music fans, Here TV for LGBTQ TV shows and films, horror-genre channel Monsters and Nightmares, and even Stingray Karaoke for anyone that loves to belt out a tune!

You can find a comprehensive list of everything Sling TV can provide with our Sling TV channels guide.

More on this:

You can find more information about how to sign up to Sling here. We also have dedicated guides on how to get Sling TV on Fire Stick and Sling TV on Roku. If you’re still unsure whether it’s the ideal choice for you, we’ve also compared the best TV streaming services currently available in more detail.