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

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Sling TV is an excellent option for anyone who is looking to make a break from expensive cable subscriptions. With over 2 million subscribers and a low price point, Sling delivers a stellar experience without requiring hefty contracts or fees. Sling Blue is built for folks who are looking for news and entertainment channels, but don't mind if they miss the latest game, and we have the details for you here!

Save 50% on your first month of Sling Blue

Sling TV is a great value alternative to cable, providing plans that are half the price of competitors like Hulu with Live TV, and hosting an extensive number of customization options that allow them to create a TV line-up that truly meets their viewing needs. Our guide below breaks down how Sling Blue compares the service's Orange plan, the type of content you can expect to enjoy, and optional extras available to purchase with Sling TV.

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

There are two plans available on Sling TV. Sling Blue has a greater number of channels 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 built with more programming in mind instead. They've got tons of options from documentaries to reality TV, live news coverage, cartoons, stand-up comedy, and more! With more than 40 channels to choose from including favorites like AMC, CNN, Comedy Central, and more, there is something here for everyone.

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

Not only does Sling Blue have more channels and more entertainment, it includes more streams as well. Unlike Orange’s paltry one stream per account limit, Sling Blue lets you stream to three devices simultaneously.

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 from $40 a month - though new subscribers can save 50% on their first month. With the inclusion of ABC in some regions of the US, those able to get the channel will pay an additional $5 a month.

It’s incredibly affordable next to the more premium Hulu + Live TV and FuboTV cost, both of whose IPTV offerings begin at a hefty $74.99 a month. But Blue equally outperforms Sling Orange in value, 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 $30 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, or see if there are Sling TV promo codes for Blue subscribers. And, although there isn’t an active Sling TV free trial right now, new subscribers can currently save that aforementioned 50% off in the current best streaming deal available.

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:

Total TV Deal - $21
4 Extras Deal - $13
Sports Extra - $11
Comedy Extra - $6
Kids Extra - $6
News Extra - $6
Lifestyle Extra - $6
Hollywood Extra - $6
Heartland Extra - $6
AMC+ - $7

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. These include Acorn, Showtime, Shudder, and more.

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.

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.

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