The Best Sling TV Bundles Money Can Buy

Don't be fooled by the $19.99 price tag on Sling Essentials. Beyond ESPN and ESPN2, the 12-channel lineup leans on Disney Channel, Freeform, and a shelf of classic TV (MeTV, startTV, GRIT, Heroes & Icons) that feels made for a weeknight rerun binge. It's easy to see the appeal: this is the cheapest way we know of to keep ESPN without paying for 30 other networks you'll never open. But it's not perfect by any means. You get one stream at a time, no local channels, and none of the big cable names like CNN, HGTV, or TNT. Pair it with Sling Select and the two run $34.99 a month together, adding NFL Network and Fox Sports 1 to the mix. For the sports fan who only needs the basics, it's as lean as it is sensible.

At first glance, Sling Select looks like a stripped-down Sling Blue, and for the most part, it is. For $19.99 a month you get NFL Network, Fox Sports 1, Fox News, and National Geographic, plus Lifetime Movie Network and a cozy run of nostalgia (MeTV, Heroes & Icons, GRIT). But the price moves with your ZIP code: where Sling carries local ABC, NBC, or Fox, it climbs to $24.99 for one or two stations and $29.99 for all three. It's easy to read this as Sling's answer to cable creep, a small bundle for people who only ever watched a handful of channels anyway. There's no ESPN here (that lives on Sling Essentials, and the pair costs $34.99 together). For football fans and Fox viewers on a budget, it's as narrow as it is useful.

Sling TV has always been the affordable live TV option, but in case you're looking for something more premium, you'll be happy to know that the platform is now offering HBO Max as an add-on for $18.49/month, on top of any base Sling TV subscription.

These bundles are perfect if you want to combine the accessibility of local news and sports coverage with the entertainment value of a heavyweight streamer like Max. It comes with HBO shows like Game of Thrones and Succession; WB classics like Friends and the Big Bang Theory; blockbusters like Harry Potter and Barbie; and of course, on-demand content from sister channels like HGTV, TLC, CNN, and TCM. If you purchase the Sling + HBO Max bundle, you'll also have access to the following HBO channels: HBO East, HBO West, HBO 2, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Latino, HBO Zone, and HBO Comedy. Lastly, you can access the Max app separately using your Sling credentials.

Sling TV may be an affordable live TV streaming option, but because of its limited local channel offerings, it tends to be ignored by hardcore sports fans (especially football fans) hoping to cheer for their team. Thankfully, Sling's Sports Extra bundle, which costs $11/month, adds about 10-20 more channels depending on your plan. Popular channels include NHL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, and of course, NFL Redzone. Redzone requires the NFL Network, so it's not available with Sling Orange, but it is available with Sling Blue, Orange & Blue, and Select. If you want even more concentrated content, Sling TV also has a football season pass that allows users to pre-pay $219 for Sling TV Orange and Blue + Sports Extra, which lets you watch all the major league games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox (though notably no CBS).

If you get the Sling TV's AMC+ extra, you're signing up for one of the most cost-efficient bundles of the cord-cutting era. For $8.99, you'll get AMC+ (which costs $6.99 as a standalone service), plus Shudder ($6.99 standalone), plus Sundance Now ($6.99 standalone), plus IFC Films Unlimited ($5.99). Name a better bundle deal. We'll wait.