Hulu + Live TV vs. Sling TV: How do they compare?
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
ew BUY IT
ew BUY IT
If you're one of the millions of people with subscriptions to multiple streaming services, you may be spending a small fortune trying to appease the TV viewing preferences of everyone in your family. To help you avoid paying for duplicate content, EW has put together a series of comparison guides so that you can find the best streaming services for your household. Two platforms that overlap in more than one category are Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV.
Both streamers offer a variety of live and on-demand options across entertainment, news, sports, and kids programming. I tested the Hulu + Live TV bundle as well as Sling TV's two base packages (the company gifted me a one-month free trial of the Orange and Blue plans) to determine the type of customer each service is built for.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
On This Page
Key specs
Pros and cons
Cost of Hulu vs. Sling
Does either service have a free trial?
Hulu vs. Sling TV channels
Hulu + Live TV bundle
What is Sling Free?
Hulu vs. Sling TV add-ons
How does YouTube TV compare?
Final Verdict
Methodology
Hulu + Live TV vs. Sling TV
Pros and cons
Cost of Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV
The Hulu + Live TV bundle, which includes access to Disney+ and ESPN+, costs $69.99 per month for the ad-supported plan and $82.99 per month for the ad-free version, though "ad-free" only refers to on-demand content since live TV is always accompanied by commercials. Sling TV offers three ad-supported packages at two different price tiers:
Sling Orange ($40/month) — 31 channels including Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3
Sling Blue ($40/month) — 41 channels including the NFL Network, NBC, Fox, FS1, Bravo, and TLC
Sling Orange & Blue ($55/month) — includes all 47 channels found in the above two plans
Hulu doesn't provide a discount for new subscribers, but Sling always comes with a price cut during the first month of service, though the amount off depends on the current promotional period. While Hulu + Live TV is more expensive than all of Sling's packages, the fact that it includes two additional streaming services, as well as more than 75 channels for less than $70 per month, is a great deal when compared to other services, like DirecTV Stream, which costs the same for the same amount of channels, but doesn't offer the same quality of on-demand content.
As for add-ons, both Hulu and Sling's channel bundles cost an additional $9 per month on average. Sling has a much longer list of individual channel add-ons, which are priced between $1.99 and $10 per month, but the monthly fees can easily balloon past Hulu's base price if you opt for just a handful of these extras.
Does either service have a free trial?
Sadly, neither Hulu + Live TV nor Sling TV offer free trials. Hulu does have a 30-day free trial for its on-demand content, but you won't be able to test out the live TV channels during this period. Still, the free trial gives you an opportunity to explore Hulu's original programming and extensive archive of TV shows and movies to determine if it's worth a subscription.
Channels: Hulu + Live TV vs. Sling TV
Hulu's live TV plan includes more than 75 channels in comparison to Sling's 30+. When looking at the numbers, Hulu may seem like the obvious choice, but Sling is a better fit for customers who don't want to pay for content they won't watch. For instance, with the inclusion of Disney Channel, Freeform, and three ESPN channels, the Sling Orange package is ideal for families and NCAA sports fans. On the other hand, Sling Blue includes a whole host of reality TV channels (Bravo, TLC, Discovery Channel), as well as the NFL Network and Fox and NBC in select markets.
In my opinion, the comprehensiveness of Hulu's live TV package can't be beat. It has a little something for everyone, and you can watch any title in Hulu, Disney+, or ESPN+'s streaming libraries (Hulu has some of the best original documentaries of any platform).
When testing the two services, I found both interfaces to be user-friendly. The guides are similar to a traditional cable layout, with scrolling panels showing the different time slots. It's easy to toggle between live and on-demand options, but Hulu was the only one to provide custom program recommendations during the setup process. Unlike Hulu, Sling offers rentable movies in addition to its on-demand titles, but I stuck to content included in the flat monthly rate.
Hulu + Live TV bundle
One thing that sets Hulu's live TV package apart from other services' is the inclusion of Disney+ and ESPN+, which saves you about $18 per month, or $216 per year, when you bundle all three. With Disney+, you get Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic titles all in one place — and all ad-free. Meanwhile, ESPN+ hosts thousands of live sporting events, from MLB games to UFC fights. One example of how useful this bundle can be: Hockey fans are able to stream over 1,000 out-of-market NHL games on ESPN+, but in order to watch the Stanley Cup Finals they need TNT, which happens to be one of Hulu's featured channels. Win-win.
What is Sling Free?
Sling Free is Sling TV's free streaming service. It offers over 150 live TV channels across news, entertainment, and sports. You can also access 40,000 on-demand movies and TV shows, and that selection changes periodically. Though there is a large variety of titles, the content tends to be a bit more niche. For instance, QVC, Bon Appétit, beIN Sports Xtra, PlayKids, and AFV Family are examples of channels that can be streamed for free.
While Sling Free isn't equivalent to a paid live TV streaming service, it does provide those on a tight budget with some viewing options. One thing I found frustrating about the service: Just because a TV show is on the platform doesn't mean that every season is available, meaning you may find yourself scrambling to find the remaining episodes on a different streamer.
Add-ons: Hulu + Live TV vs. Sling TV
Add-ons allow you to tailor a service's base plan to your interests, and both Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV offer an array of bundles. Here's a quick breakdown of the available extras.
Before deciding on a streamer, calculate the monthly cost with every add-on you'd want included. Even though Sling TV may seem like the more affordable option, the single channel add-ons can increase the price significantly. But Sling takes that into account by offering a couple of comprehensive bundles:
Total TV Deal ($21/month) — includes all seven entertainment, sports, and news add-ons
4 Extras Deal ($13/month) — includes the Kids Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Extra, and Comedy Extra add-ons
How does YouTube TV compare?
YouTube TV is a powerhouse among live TV streamers, and it has similar channel coverage to Hulu + Live TV (85+ vs. 75+ channels). That's nearly triple the channels included in Sling TV's lower-priced packages. Spanish speakers also get their own plan with YouTube TV for $34.99 per month — on Sling TV, in particular, Latino content is lacking.
New YouTube TV subscribers receive a total of $30 off during their first three months, bringing the cost down to $54.99 per month. YouTube TV also offers a five-day free trial of everything on its platform. I've tested all three streamers, and while I think YouTube TV has the best live TV options, Hulu's on-demand programming is far and away superior. In terms of value, Sling TV comes out on top with its $40-per-month price tag.
Final Verdict: Hulu + Live TV vs. Sling TV
At the end of the day, the service you choose should depend on your and your family's TV preferences. Though Hulu + Live TV is more expensive than Sling TV, you're paying for more programming, including Disney+ and ESPN+'s full streaming libraries. However, if you're trying to cut back on spending, Sling TV still nets you a few dozen major TV channels for a full $30 less per month than Hulu.
Methodology
In order to provide thorough and unbiased reviews, our writers test each of the streaming services highlighted. When possible, we try out the platforms using a free trial, but will pay for a subscription if a trial period is not offered.
Comparing each service to its competitors is an important part of the research process so that we can help readers make the smartest buying decisions. Our research team collected data on more than 40 different streamers, allowing us to compare and contrast platform features, price, available channels, and more.
Related content:
