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Sling TV added two new budget tiers in 2026 alongside its existing Orange and Blue plans, making it one of the cheapest ways to get live ESPN or cable news. Here’s the full breakdown, including which plan is actually worth it.

What Is Sling TV?

Sling TV is a live TV streaming service from EchoStar (DISH’s parent company) that lets you build a channel lineup around your priorities – sports, news, or general entertainment – without a cable contract. It’s also the parent brand behind Sling Freestream, a separate completely free product.

Visit Sling TV Official Site ↗

Sling TV Plans & Pricing

Sling now runs six plans, from a $19.99/mo skinny bundle up to a full combo package:

Sling Essentials
$19.99/mo
ESPN, ESPN2, Disney Channel, Freeform, and more
Sling Select
$19.99/mo
Fox News, FS1, NFL Network, National Geographic, and more
Essentials + Select bundle
$34.99/mo
combines both skinny bundles
Sling Orange
$45.99/mo
30+ channels, 1 stream, includes ESPN, CNN, TNT, TBS
Sling Blue
$45.99/mo
40+ channels, 3 streams, includes Fox News, MSNBC, USA, Bravo
Sling Orange + Blue
$60.99/mo
50+ channels combined, 4 streams
$4.99
Day passes also available from for short-term access

Sling TV: Channels & Content

Sling Orange is built around ESPN and Disney-family channels, while Sling Blue skips ESPN in favor of a broader entertainment and news lineup (Fox News, MSNBC, Bravo, USA). The new Essentials and Select tiers pare either lineup down to a smaller, cheaper core of channels for viewers who don’t need the full package.

Sling TV Features & Bonuses

✓Simultaneous streams: 1 on Orange, 3 on Blue, 4 on Orange + Blue
✓Cloud DVR: 50 hours included on all plans, upgradable for $5/mo more
✓No contract – cancel anytime, plus short-term day passes for one-off events
✓Add-on packages (Sports Extra, News Extra, and others) available for specific channel groups

Where Is Sling TV Available?

Sling TV is only available in the United States. There’s no official way to sign up or stream from outside the country.

How to Watch Sling TV Outside the United States

Sling TV checks your location and blocks streaming entirely if you’re outside the U.S. If you’re traveling and want to keep your channels, connecting through a VPN server based in the U.S. is the standard workaround.

  • Sign up for IPVanish (link includes our exclusive discount)
  • Download and install the IPVanish app on your phone, streaming device, or router
  • Open the app and connect to a VPN server in the United States
  • Open or sign up for Sling TV and start streaming as if you were in the United States
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Is Sling TV Worth It?

Sling Orange is the best value if ESPN is your priority; Blue makes more sense for news and general entertainment. The new $19.99 Essentials and Select tiers are worth considering if you only want a handful of specific channels and don’t need a full live-TV replacement – just don’t confuse them with Sling Freestream, which is a separate, completely free product with no subscription required at all.

More Streaming Options

Looking for something free instead? Check out our full list of free streaming sites, or browse our other paid streaming service reviews.

What’s the difference between Sling Orange and Sling Blue?

Orange includes ESPN and Disney-family channels but only allows 1 stream at a time. Blue skips ESPN for a broader news and entertainment lineup and allows 3 simultaneous streams.

Is Sling Freestream the same as Sling TV?

No. Sling Freestream is a separate, completely free ad-supported service from the same company, with no subscription or payment required – it’s not part of the paid Orange, Blue, Essentials, or Select plans.