Hulu with Live TV is one of the most in-demand live TV services right now, and for good reason. It has plenty of live and local channels, plus it already comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and unlimited DVR storage. But it's also getting increasingly hard to afford, especially at a time when streamers keep hiking up their prices.
Enter Sling Blue and Sling Orange. Separately, they're nearly half the price of Hulu with Live TV, and they each carry basic live channels that are easy to add to and customize, depending on your needs. You'd be surprised to know they also carry channels that Hulu doesn't have, like AMC, BBC America, and IFC.
But then again, Hulu casts a wider net when it comes to local channels (it has PBS and The CW; Sling doesn't) and sporting events (you'll have to purchase Sling's sports add-on to get the same channels). In the end, it all comes down to your needs. So below, we've rounded up everything we could find about the three popular live TV plans to help you decide what you should go for.
Sling Orange vs Sling Blue vs Hulu with Live TV
Which is cheaper?
The cheapest of the three streaming service in order are: Sling Orange ($40), Sling Blue ($45), and the most expensive of the bunch, Hulu with Live TV ($75.99).
Sling Orange vs Sling Blue vs Hulu with Live TV channel lineups
| Channel | Sling Orange $40/month |
Sling Blue $45/month |
Hulu with Live TV $75.99/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&E | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ABC | - | - | Yes |
| ABC Localish | - | - | Yes |
| ABC News | - | - | Yes |
| ABC News Live | - | - | Yes |
| ACC Network | - | - | Yes |
| Adult Swim | - | - | Yes |
| AMC | Yes | Yes | - |
| Animal Planet | - | - | Yes |
| AXS TV | Yes | Yes | - |
| BBC America | Yes | Yes | - |
| BET | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Big Ten Network | - | - | Yes |
| Bloomberg | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bloomberg Television | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bravo | - | Yes | Yes |
| Cartoon Network | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | - | - | Yes |
| CBS local channels | - | - | Yes |
| CBS News | - | - | Yes |
| CBS Sports Network | - | - | Yes |
| Charge! | Yes | Yes | - |
| Cheddar | - | - | Yes |
| Cheddar News | - | - | Yes |
| CMT | - | - | Yes |
| CNBC | - | - | Yes |
| CNN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CNN International | - | - | Yes |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy TV | - | - | Yes |
| Comet | Yes | Yes | - |
| Cozi TV | - | - | Yes |
| CW | - | - | Yes |
| Dabl | - | - | Yes |
| Discovery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Discovery Channel | - | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Channel | Yes | - | Yes |
| Disney Junior | - | - | Yes |
| Disney XD | - | - | Yes |
| E! | - | Yes | Yes |
| EPIX Drive-In | Yes | Yes | - |
| ESPN | Yes | - | Yes |
| ESPN College Extra | - | - | Yes |
| ESPN2 | Yes | - | - |
| ESPN3 | Yes | - | - |
| ESPNews | - | - | Yes |
| ESPNU | - | - | Yes |
| Food Network | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FOX | - | - | Yes |
| Fox Business | - | - | Yes |
| Fox News | - | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News Channel | - | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Sports | - | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Sports 1 | - | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | - | Yes | Yes |
| Freeform | Yes | - | Yes |
| FS2 | - | - | Yes |
| Fuse | Yes | Yes | - |
| FX | - | Yes | Yes |
| FXM | - | - | Yes |
| FXX | - | - | Yes |
| FYI | - | - | Yes |
| Golf Channel | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark Mystery | - | - | Yes |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| History | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HLN | - | Yes | Yes |
| ID | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IFC | Yes | Yes | - |
| Investigation Discovery | Yes | Yes | - |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | Yes | Yes | - |
| Justice Central | - | - | Yes |
| Justice Central TV | - | - | Yes |
| Lifetime | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lifetime Movies | - | - | Yes |
| Local Now | Yes | Yes | - |
| Localish | - | - | Yes |
| Motor Trend | - | - | Yes |
| MotorTrend | Yes | - | - |
| MSNBC | - | Yes | Yes |
| MTV | - | - | Yes |
| Nat Geo Wild | - | - | Yes |
| National Geographic | - | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | - | Yes | Yes |
| NBC local channels | - | - | Yes |
| NBC News Now | - | - | Yes |
| NBCLX | - | - | Yes |
| News Nation | - | - | Yes |
| NFL Network | - | Yes | Yes |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nickelodeon | - | - | Yes |
| OWN | - | - | Yes |
| Oxygen | - | - | Yes |
| Paramount Network | - | - | Yes |
| Pop | - | - | Yes |
| QVC | Yes | - | Yes |
| SEC Network | - | - | Yes |
| Smithsonian Channel | - | - | Yes |
| Start TV | - | - | Yes |
| SYFY | - | Yes | Yes |
| TBS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Telemundo | - | - | Yes |
| The Grio | - | - | Yes |
| TLC | - | Yes | Yes |
| TNT | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Travel Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| truTV | - | Yes | Yes |
| Turner Classic Movies | - | - | Yes |
| Universal Kids | - | - | Yes |
| USA | - | Yes | Yes |
| VH1 | - | - | Yes |
| Vice | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| W | - | - | Yes |
| Weather Channel | - | - | Yes |
Device availability comparaison
Where each streaming service has an app:| Device | Sling Orange $40/month |
Sling Blue $45/month |
Hulu with Live TV $75.99/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airplay | Yes | Yes | - |
| Airplay supported | Yes | Yes | - |
| AirTV | Yes | Yes | - |
| Amazon Fire TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chromecast | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cox | Yes | - | - |
| Fire TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | - | - | Yes |
| LG | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LG TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mi Box | Yes | - | - |
| Nintendo Switch | - | - | Yes |
| Roku | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku TV | - | - | Yes |
| Samsung | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Samsung TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TiVo | Yes | - | - |
| Vizio | Yes | - | Yes |
| Vizio Smart TV | - | - | Yes |
| Windows 10 | Yes | - | - |
| Windows 11 | Yes | - | - |
| Xbox | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Xbox 360 | - | Yes | - |
| Xbox One | Yes | - | - |
Trial: Sling Orange does not offer a trial
Sling Orange is currently not offering a trial.
Trial: Sling Blue does not offer a trial
Sling Blue is currently not offering a trial.
Trials: Hulu with Live TV includes a free trial
Hulu with Live TV has a free trial of 3 days.
Why get Sling Orange?
Get Sling Orange if you watch ESPN or Disney channels, which are not available on Sling Blue.
Why get Sling Blue?
If you like channels such as Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and TBS, Sling Blue is a cheap alternative to cable - costing only $40 a month.
Why get Hulu with Live TV?
In 2020, Hulu updated their interface to a much neater version, allowing for one of the easiest and most intuitive Live navigation systems around.
Hulu, being owned by The Walt Disney Company, started their Live TV service in May 2016, starting with Disney's other subsidiaries like ESPN. The service was priced at around $40, but after a series of other raises, in December 2022, the cost of the platform was raised to $75.
Price: $75.99/month
Free Trial: 3 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV, Vizio Smart TV, Xbox
Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC Localish, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS News, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN College Extra, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FS1, FS2, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, Hallmark, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, History, HLN, ID, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Localish, Military History Chanel, Motor Trend, MSNBC, MTV, NASA, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBCLX, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, Telemundo, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, TVLand, Universal Kids, USA, VH1, Vice, Weather Channel
Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.
More lists
Lists on how to save money by cutting the cord.
The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. 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.