Sling TV Review

8

Great

Price 9 out of 10

Interface 7.5 out of 10

Compatibility 9.2 out of 10

New Shows 8 out of 10

Sling TV offers live TV streaming with two plans, orange and blue. You can subscribe to both plans and receive a $10 discount. There are also many extras and premiums you can add on to your subscription to create a highly customised package. This streaming service is ideal for cord cutters who want to watch live TV without paying for a huge library of channels.

Sling TV was first unveiled in 2015 at the Consumer Electronics Show, with an aim to complement on demand streaming services for cord cutters. A number of major cable channels and OTT originated services can be streamed using smart TVs, digital media players and apps. The service has just over 2.5 million subscribers as of February 2020.

The platform was first begun as DishWorld in 2012, providing access to over 50 ethnic and international TV networks. It was primarily made available for Roku digital media players. When deals were struck with A&E Networks, The Walt Disney Company and more, they were able to launch a mainstream OTT service.

The service has only continued to expand since then. In 2015, they reached a deal with AMC Networks, which allowed the streaming of AMC, IFC, BBC America and SundanceTV. Later on, they landed an agreement with Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

A few months later, they landed a deal to add HBO as an add-on pack, and further add-ons including the Sling Latino service and Spanish language programming tiers were added.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Benefit from lower prices compared to others. Sling TV prides itself on being able to provide a skinny bundle to subscribers, where users can customise their channel lineup.

No contract. Cord cutters benefit from being able to cancel their streaming subscription at any time, instead of signing up for a lengthy contract.

Benefit from multiple add-ons. There is a huge range of add-ons to enhance the Sling TV experience, from DVR to premium channels.

Cons

Some gaps in channel offering. As the platform is a skinny package, there will naturally be some channels missing which users may want to have access to.

Billing issues. Some customers have complained that they have been charged in error after cancelling their free trial for the service.

Technical issues. From time to time, users will register reports that they have experienced glitches with the app or website while streaming content.

Genres and channels

Sling TV places a focus on providing its users with channels they will make use of every day. For those who want access to reality TV, there are channels such as TLC, TNT and CBS. For niche interests, there is the History Channel, DIY Network and Travel Channel. As for kids, they are covered with Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and so on. By picking the right bundle for your needs – Orange or Blue – you can customise your lineup perfectly.

This streaming platform also provides thousands of movies and TV shows on demand to keep people entertained when there is nothing they want to watch on live TV.

Top Sling TV shows and movies

True Detective  – Originally airing on HBO, this series focuses on a murder case which is returned to after nearly two decades.

Finding Bigfoot – People who form part of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organisation take on a mission to find the mysterious creature.

John Wick 2 – Although John Wick wants to return to a quiet life, his plans go out of the window when an Italian gangster shows up on his doorstep.

Get Out – It’s time for Chris to take the next step in his relationship by going on a weekend getaway with his girlfriends and her parents, but things don’t go as planned.

17 Girls – A French movie which focuses on 17 teenage girls who make a pregnancy pact. It was screened at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Montreal World Film Festival.

Our Nixon – A history documentary which looks at home movies of Richard Nixon which were filmed by his closest aides.

The Great Wall – A warrior finds himself imprisoned inside the Great Wall and uncovers a huge secret about this global landmark.

Streaming library

The channel guide with Sling TV is comprehensive and easy to navigate. Furthermore, the DVR feature has the most to offer compared with other streaming services. On the home screen, you’ll see horizontal lists detailing which channels are live, the recordings you have recently made, your recently watched list and shows you have favorited. There is a standard channel guide available on Fire TV, Android devices and Roku. You can search for shows, channels or people using the bar located on this menu. When you go to view show details, you’ll be able to see all episodes available on demand, and they will be grouped by season. While most of the live channels don’t allow users to pause, rewind or fast-forward, some of them let you rewind to the start of a show if you’ve tuned in late. If you’ve recorded content, you can skip forward for 30 seconds at a time or scrub through the timeline of the show.

Streaming quality

There is not detailed information available on whether Sling TV supports 4K. The resolution of most titles have been commonly agreed by users online to average out at around 720p. It does not look like an average subscription to Sling TV will result in the ability to watch content in this high resolution.

Customer support

Sling TV subscribers who want to get in touch with the platform due to experiencing some kind of issue can use the help center as a first port of call. This searchable database features key topics such as Supported Devices, Getting Started, Managing your Account and Subscription, Watching Local Channels, Install Sling TV and more.

If the help center does not resolve a user’s issue, they can contact Sling TV directly. Their hours of operation are between 8am and 1am ET, seven days a week. Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook support is available, plus there is a phone number to call and live chat on the site to make use of.

Free trial

Sling TV makes use of regular offers on its site, and from time to time one of these offers is a free trial. There is no guarantee you will be able to make use of one, but fingers crossed you will!

Plans and pricing

Sling offers three plans – Sling Orange, Sling Blue and Sling Orange + Blue. Sling Blue is $30 a month, as is Sling Orange. To combine the two packages, you’ll be paying $45 a month.

With the Sling Blue package, the focus is on news and entertainment. Channels which prove popular with users are Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, Bravo, FS1, TLC, HGTV and TBS. There is also access to A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Cheddar, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery, E!, Epix Drive-In, Food Network, Fox, Fox News, Fuse, History Channel, HLN, National Geographic, Newsy, NFL Network, Paramount Network, SyFy, TBC, TNT, Trvl Channel, TruTV, USA Channel and Vice.

With the Sling Orange package, the focus is on sports and families. The channel package is similar, except it includes channels like Lifetime, Local Now, Motortrend and the ESPN channels.

There are also several extras you can sign up for, as detailed below.

  • Cloud DVR ($5 a month) – Enjoy the ability to record up to 50 hours of movies, TV shows and more. Fast forward through commercials.
  • Sports Extra ($5 a month) – Access to channels such as NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, ESPN Goal Line and the Tennis Channel.
  • Comedy Extra ($5 a month) – Access to channels including MTV, truTV, Paramount Network, Logo, Revolt, GSN and TV Land.
  • Kids Extra ($5 a month) – Customise your channels with programming from Disney Junior, Nick Jr, NickToons, TeenNick, Disney XD, Boomerang, BabyTV and ducktv.
  • News Extra ($5 a month) – Add channels such as BBC World News, NewsMax, Weather Nation, Fusion, Euronews, Science Channel, Free Speech and TheBlaze.
  • Lifestyle Extra ($5 a month) – Enjoy life experience shows from channels like VH1, BET, Cooking Channel, Hallmark Channel, WE TV, Z Living HD and Afro.
  • 4 Extras Deal ($10 a month) – Purchase the Kids Extra, Comedy Extra, News Extra and Lifestyle Extra bundles at a rate of 4 for the price of 2.
  • Hollywood Extra ($5 a month) – Add channels such as SundanceTV, The Film Detective, Cinemoi, Turner Classic Movies and REELZ.
  • Heartland Extra ($5 a month) – Add further channels to your package with choices such as World Fishing Network, Destination America, American Heroes Network and The Cowboy Channel

The premium channels available to subscribe to as an addition to your content are as follows:

  • Showtime ($10 a month) – Enjoy movies, documentaries, sports, comedy specials and more, completely commercial free, plus access to seasons of several TV series on demand.
  • Starz ($9 a month) – Original programming and hit movies, along with classic favourites from the Encore channel. A bundle of channels for those who like top movies and binge worthy TV.
  • Cinefest ($5 a month) – A range of movie favourites, from classic flicks to those on the festival circuit. Ideal for the film fanatic or movie critic.
  • Epix ($5 a month) – You’ll have access to original series and recent movies with Epix and Epix 2, plus classic content on Epix Hits.
  • Cinemoi ($3 a month) – 24 hour programming featuring films, original content, global events and specials across film, high fashion and international lifestyle.
  • Comedy Dynamics ($5 a month) – The hub for comedy fans, with stand-up comedy specials, feature films, documentaries and TV shows.
  • The Country Network ($3 a month) – Country music videos from a range of artists, whether they’re up and coming talent or international superstars.
  • ConTV ($5 a month) – Catering to the fandom lifestyle, with retro and pop culture shows, along with hit movies, original series, live panels and series from the convention floor.
  • Docurama ($5 a month) – Enjoy access to award-winning documentaries, films and TV shows, along with a selection of true life stories.
  • CuriosityStream ($3 a month) – Created by the founder of the Discovery Channel, expect content relating to science, space, tech, health, history, nature and civilization.
  • Dove Channel ($5 a month) – Make the most of channels which offer hundreds of movies and TV series reflecting the standards of The Dove Foundation.
  • DogTV ($5 a month) – A TV channel for dogs, featuring programming designed to be relaxing and stimulating in order to cater to the daily routine of dogs who are inside during the day.
  • FlixLatino ($3 a month) – Over 250 movies, series and documentaries which were originally produced in Spanish, with new titles each month and weekly premieres.
  • Genius Brands Network ($4 a month) – Shows directed towards kids which encourage them to think and explore. Topics include sports, history, dinosaurs and more.
  • Hallmark Movies Now ($6 a month) – A selection of programming that won’t be found on the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, or Hallmark Drama.
  • Hopster ($5 a month) – Educational preschool shows designed to be compatible with a special early years curriculum and expose children to books, videos and songs.
  • Here TV ($8 a month) – America’s first LGBTQ+ TV channel, with LGBTQ+ movies, series and short films. These hits have won Academy Awards, GLAAD Awards and been nominated for Emmy Awards.
  • Pantaya ($6 a month) – A varied selection of Spanish movies available to stream, including critically acclaimed titles across a range of genres.
  • Outside TV Features ($5 a month) – Full-length feature films, documentaries and series centering around the adventure sports world.
  • Up Faith & Family ($5 a month) – Over 1000 high quality dramas, comedies, exclusive original series, and more.
  • Stingray Karaoke ($7 a month) – 10,000 songs are available to sing in either English or Spanish. There are chart hits, playlists, classics and Disney songs.
  • VSIN ($4 a month) – Short for the Vegas Stats & Information Network, this is the central news hub for the sports betting industry. Find out more about sports books across the US.

Competitors

Sling TV has a number of competitors in the streaming sphere, such as Hulu with Live TV, fuboTV and AT&T Watch TV. These services are both similar and different in many ways. While many will use Hulu due to its on demand library being popular, and fuboTV offers many titles to stream after they have aired, Sling is a good option for those on a budget.

Is Sling TV worth it?

Sling TV is a popular and well known streaming services package due to its simple yet effective offering and highly customisable plans. It’s perfect for cord cutters who don’t want to be forced to pay for channels they won’t be using, and the add-ons and premiums means that no two subscriptions are the same. Competitively priced and widely compatible on various devices, Sling TV is well worth checking out.

FAQ

How to cancel my Sling subscription
  1. Navigate to the Sling TV website.
  2. Sign in to your account.
  3. Navigate to your account settings.
  4. Click on the option to cancel your subscription.
  5. Select a reason for cancellation.
  6. Press continue.
  7. Click on cancel my subscription.
  8. Enter your password.
  9. Press cancel my subscription.
How to login to my Sling account

  1. Navigate to the Sling TV website.
  2. Click on the Sign In button located in the top right hand corner.
  3. Enter your email address.
  4. Enter your password.
  5. Click on Sign In.
  6. Start streaming!
How to delete my watch history on Sling

This option does not currently appear to be available.

How to restart my Sling subscription later

  1. Navigate to the Sling TV website.
  2. Click on the link to sign in where there is a blue banner saying Restarting your account? Sign in here.
  3. Enter your email address.
  4. Enter your password.
  5. Choose a subscription plan.
  6. Start streaming!
How to get a refund on Sling?

Sling will not provide refunds for prepaid or partial months of service. Users are advised to cancel their account, and they will not be charged again at the next billing cycle.

Are there any good alternatives to Sling?

There are a number of live TV streaming services available to subscribe to. Examples include Philo, Hulu with Live TV, AT&T WatchTV and fuboTV. If your concern is budget, the best option will be Philo, as this is the other skinny bundle service on the market.

Can I use my Sling account in another country?

As Sling is only available in the USA, users attempting to log in from another location will not be successful.

How to sign up to Sling TV
  1. Navigate to the Sling TV website.
  2. Click on Buy Now, located at the top of the homepage.
  3. Enter your email address and a password.
  4. Choose your price plan, premiums and extras.
  5. Enter your billing information. You will be informed of how much your monthly bill will be, plus when your next billing date is.
  6. Proceed to your account and start streaming content.

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