Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Xfinity's Now TV are some of the most cost-effective live TV streaming plans right now, but how do they compare to one another? Well, for starters, as alluring as Now TV's package is (apart from the usual live channels, it also comes with Peacock Premium), it's exclusively available to Xfinity Internet customers. And while you can cancel Now TV anytime you want, the internet subscription requires at least a year-long contract, unless you're willing to pay more for the monthly fee. For their part, Sling Orange and Sling Blue require no contracts whatsoever, although they do cost double the amount for almost the same number of channels as Now TV (around 40). All three plans have their pros and cons, so below, we try to compare their features to help you decide which is the best fit for your viewing needs.
Sling Orange vs Sling Blue vs Now TV
Which is cheaper?
The cheapest of the three streaming service in order are: Now TV ($20), Sling Orange ($40), and the most expensive of the bunch, Sling Blue ($45).
Sling Orange vs Sling Blue vs Now TV channel lineups
| Channel | Sling Orange $40/month |
Sling Blue $45/month |
Now TV $20/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&E | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AMC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Animal Planet | - | - | Yes |
| AXS TV | Yes | Yes | - |
| BBC America | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BBC News | - | - | Yes |
| BET | Yes | Yes | - |
| Bloomberg | Yes | Yes | - |
| Bloomberg Television | Yes | Yes | - |
| Bravo | - | Yes | - |
| Cartoon Network | Yes | Yes | - |
| Charge! | Yes | Yes | - |
| CNN | Yes | Yes | - |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes | - |
| Comedy TV | - | - | Yes |
| Comet | Yes | Yes | - |
| Cooking Channel | - | - | Yes |
| Discovery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Discovery Channel | - | Yes | Yes |
| Discovery Life | - | - | Yes |
| Disney Channel | Yes | - | - |
| E! | - | Yes | - |
| EPIX Drive-In | Yes | Yes | - |
| ESPN | Yes | - | - |
| ESPN2 | Yes | - | - |
| ESPN3 | Yes | - | - |
| Food Network | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News | - | Yes | - |
| Fox News Channel | - | Yes | - |
| Fox Sports | - | Yes | - |
| Fox Sports 1 | - | Yes | - |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | - | Yes | - |
| Freeform | Yes | - | - |
| FS1 | - | Yes | - |
| Fuse | Yes | Yes | - |
| FX | - | Yes | - |
| FYI | - | - | Yes |
| GetTV | - | - | Yes |
| Great American Family | - | - | Yes |
| Great American Living | - | - | Yes |
| GSN | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark Channel | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark Family | - | - | Yes |
| Hallmark Mystery | - | - | Yes |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| History | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| History Channel | - | - | Yes |
| HLN | - | Yes | - |
| ID | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Investigation Discovery | Yes | Yes | - |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | Yes | Yes | - |
| Justice Central | - | - | Yes |
| Justice Central TV | - | - | Yes |
| Lifetime | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LMN | - | - | Yes |
| Local Now | Yes | Yes | - |
| Magnolia Network | - | - | Yes |
| MotorTrend | Yes | - | Yes |
| MSNBC | - | Yes | - |
| National Geographic | - | Yes | - |
| NBC | - | Yes | Yes |
| NFL Network | - | Yes | - |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | Yes | - |
| OWN | - | - | Yes |
| Pursuit | - | - | Yes |
| QVC | Yes | - | - |
| Recipe.TV | - | - | Yes |
| Science | - | - | Yes |
| Science Channel | - | - | Yes |
| Sony Movies | - | - | Yes |
| SYFY | - | Yes | - |
| TBS | Yes | Yes | - |
| The Weather Channel | - | - | Yes |
| TLC | - | Yes | Yes |
| TNT | Yes | Yes | - |
| Travel Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| truTV | - | Yes | - |
| USA | - | Yes | - |
| Vice | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| W | - | - | Yes |
| Weather Channel | - | - | Yes |
| WEtv | - | - | Yes |
Device availability comparaison
Where each streaming service has an app:| Device | Sling Orange $40/month |
Sling Blue $45/month |
Now TV $20/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 | - |
| Apple TV | Yes | Yes | - |
| Chromecast | Yes | Yes | - |
| Cox | Yes | - | - |
| Fire TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LG | Yes | Yes | - |
| LG TV | Yes | Yes | - |
| Mi Box | Yes | - | - |
| Roku | Yes | Yes | - |
| Samsung | Yes | Yes | - |
| Samsung TV | Yes | Yes | - |
| TiVo | Yes | - | - |
| Vizio | Yes | - | - |
| Windows 10 | Yes | - | - |
| Windows 11 | Yes | - | - |
| Xbox | 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.
Trial: Now TV does not offer a trial
Now TV is currently not offering a trial.
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 Now TV?
Now TV is the new cable alternative from Comcast (owner of Xfinity). For $20/month, you get over 40 live channels, 20 hours of DVR, and watch on up to three devices. You also get Peacock Premium included. And of course, no minimum commitment and you can cancel anytime.
To get it, you have to first subscribe or already be a subscriber to Xfinity internet. You can then add it at checkout.
At $20, it is one of the cheapest cord-cutting services out there, especially considering the channels that it offers.
Now TV is the new cable alternative from Comcast (owner of Xfinity). For $20/month, you get over 40 live channels, 20 hours of DVR, and watch on up to three devices. You also get Peacock Premium included. And of course, no minimum commitment and you can cancel anytime. To get it, you have to first subscribe or already be a subscriber to Xfinity internet. You can then add it at checkout. At $20, it is one of the cheapest cord-cutting services out there, especially considering the channels that it offers.
Price: $20/month
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, iOS
Channel lineup: A&E, Afro, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC News, Comedy TV, Cooking Channel, Discovery Channel, Discovery Life Channel, Food Network, FYI, GetTV, Great American Family, Great American Living, GSN, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, History Channel, ID, IFC, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, LMN, Magnolia Network, Military History Channel, MotorTrend, NBC, OWN, Pursuit, Recipe.TV, Science Channel, Sony Movies, Sundance Channel, The Weather Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, Vice, WEtv
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.