Sling vs Spectrum TV Choice: which is better?

Cable company Spectrum has a cord-cutting offering that allows you to pick 15 channels from a wide array of networks.

Sling TV is also the work of a cable company - Dish - but it offers a different approach. You get to pick from two base packages (blue and orange), each with a set of channels, and then add on packs of extra channels.

You can also combine both packages from Sling. Blue and Orange each cost $35 / month, combining them will cost $50, or $20 less.

Accessibility: Sling's offer is easier to understand

To decide which service to get, first you have to understand the offering.

Sling TV is more of a pure cord-cutting service with clear prices and a clear channel lineup. Spectrum TV choice might still be too attached to the company's cable ways: you have to be "localized" to know which "offer" you're eligible to. The service is not available everywhere and the pricing will depend on where you are based.

Usability: Sling has a better interface

Spectrum is notorious online for having a horrible DVR interface. This makes it hard (or impossible) to rewind or forward live programming. When you record shows, they don't seem to offer thumbnails which makes it difficult to figure out what is what.

With Spectrum watch out for the "local broadcast" fee

Spectrum TV has a very attractive price offer, allowing you to pick 15 of your favorite channels for $30 / month. However, depending on your location, they might also charge you $13 which is what's called a "broadcast tv surcharge", and which they themselves pay to local CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, and PBS affiliates.

With Sling TV, you might not get many local channels (if any)

Sling does not charge a "local broadcast" fee but they have solved the problem in a less than ideal way: they just don't offer many local channels. They only have NBC and FOX in select markets.

Go to Sling Orange + Blue

Go to Spectrum TV Choice

Summary

Comparaison	Sling Orange + Blue	Spectrum TV Choice
In a nutshell	Disney-owned channels + ABC local stations	Pay only for the channels you watch
Price	$60/month	$53.19/month
Trial	No	7 days
Our rating	9/10	7/10
Number of channels	47	61
Parental controls	Yes	No
Disney Channel	Yes	Yes
ESPN	Yes	Yes
ESPN2	Yes	Yes
Fox Sports 1 (FS1)	Yes	Yes
History	Yes	Yes
Lifetime	Yes	Yes
NBC	Yes	Yes
Paramount Network	No	Yes
TNT	Yes	Yes

Channels on Sling Orange + Blue and not Spectrum TV Choice

The channels that Sling Orange + Blue has and which are not available on Spectrum TV Choice:

ABC
AXS TV
Bloomberg TV+
Charge!
Comet
EPIX Drive-In
ESPN3
FOX
Freeform
FS1 4K
Fuse
IFC
Local Now
MGM+
MotorTrend
NBC
NBC local channels
Nick Jr.
QVC
Sling Scapes
Vice

Channels on Spectrum TV Choice and not Sling Orange + Blue

The channels that Spectrum TV Choice has which are not available on Sling Orange + Blue:

Animal Planet
ASPiRE TV
BBC World News
Bein Sports
Cleo
CNBC
CNN en Espanol
ESPN Deportes
Fox Business Network
Fox Deportes
Fox Sports 2
Galavision
Golf Channel
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Mystery
LMN
MTV
Nickelodeon
OWN
Oxygen
Paramount Network
REVOLT
Smithsonian Channel
TCM
The Weather Channel
TV Land
TV One
Univision
VH1

Price: Spectrum TV Choice is cheaper than Sling Orange + Blue

Spectrum TV Choice's costs $53 whereas Sling Orange + Blue costs $60. Getting Sling Orange + Blue instead of Spectrum TV Choice will set you back $7 more every month.

Why get Sling Orange + Blue?

Sling is a great option if you want to cut the cord but keep access to many channels. If you don't watch sports, you don't have to get the package for them.

Go to Sling Orange + Blue

Why get Spectrum TV Choice?

Low price: Priced at $53.19, Spectrum TV is good value for money compared to other internet TV services (like, for example, Youtube TV which starts at $64.99).

Non-live programming: If you love sitcoms, dramas and other pre-recorded programming and are not so interested in live broadcasts, Spectrum TV offers a great array of choices. Note: ESPN is back on Spectrum!

Go to Spectrum TV Choice

Devices: Sling Orange + Blue is more widely available than Spectrum TV Choice

Sling Orange + Blue is available on AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV Streamer, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox or Xbox One.

Whereas Spectrum TV Choice is available on Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV or Xbox. That's 13 less devices than Sling Orange + Blue.

Channel count: Spectrum TV Choice has 14 channels more than Sling Orange + Blue

Spectrum TV Choice's lineup includes 61 channels whereas Sling Orange + Blue has only 47 channels. Getting a subscription to Spectrum TV Choice will give you access to 14 more channels than Sling Orange + Blue. That's quite a bit of channels.

Trial: Sling Orange + Blue does not offer a trial

Sling Orange + Blue does not offer a free trial.

Find out more on Sling Orange + Blue

Trial: Spectrum TV Choice offers a trial

Spectrum TV Choice has a trial. The trial duration is 7 days.

Find out more on Spectrum TV Choice

Sling Orange + Blue's specialty

The specialties of Sling Orange + Blue are: Baseball, Lifestyle, News, Science fiction, Soccer, Sports, True Crime.

Spectrum TV Choice's specialty

The specialties of Spectrum TV Choice are: Lifestyle, News, Sports.

Sling Orange + Blue's accepted payment methods

Sling Orange + Blue accepts: Amazon Pay, Apple App Store, Apple Pay, credit card, debit card, Google Pay, Google Play Store, Mybundle.tv, Paypal, Retailer gift card, Roku Channel Store, Roku Payment Method (RPM).

Spectrum TV Choice's accepted payment methods

The payment methods that Spectrum TV Choice accepts are: credit card, debit card, Paypal, Postepay.

Channels on both Spectrum TV Choice and Sling Orange + Blue

The channels that are available on both Spectrum TV Choice and Sling Orange + Blue are:

If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.