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Sling TV vs Hulu + Live TV: Which is the best option for you?
When shopping for a live TV streaming platform, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV are two of the better options to consider. Both offer on-demand libraries and live streaming TV, but their features, pricing and packages differ substantially.
With this in mind, our guide on Hulu Live vs. Sling examines each service’s offerings. In this vein, we’ll cover pricing, DVR capabilities, user experience and which one is the best option for sports fans.
Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV compared
This table covers some of the most important features each live streaming platform offers. That way, you can see which one suits your needs better:
|
Sling TV |
Hulu + Live TV |
|
|
Starting monthly price |
$40 |
$76.99 |
|
DVR |
50 hours |
Unlimited |
|
Simultaneous streams |
1-3* |
2 |
|
Number of live channels |
32-40+ |
95+ |
|
On-demand library |
Yes |
Yes |
| Free trial | No | 3 days |
| *Sling Orange comes with one simultaneous stream while Sling Blue comes with three | ||
Sling TV vs Hulu + Live TV content
Both Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV have live streaming content. On Sling TV’s end, you have three packages you can select. The Sling Orange package includes ESPN, the Disney Channel, TBS, TNT, CNN, the Travel Channel, A&E, Lifetime and HGTV for $40 per month. This package gives you a fantastic mix of sports, news, entertainment and children’s content.
Sling also has a Blue package for $40 per month. With it, you get the USA Network, FX, Fox Sports 1, the NFL Network, AMC, TNT, Nick Jr, Fox News and the Food Network. The Blue package includes eight more channels than the Orange and you receive three simultaneous streams instead of one. Best of all, you can combine both packages for $55 per month to give you the best of both package offerings.
The main drawback with Sling TV is you won’t have access to local channels in many markets. While it’s improving these offerings in larger cities, mid-size and smaller cities won’t have access to ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC. You would need to buy a digital antenna to have local channel availability.
Meanwhile, Hulu + Live TV comes with one base package featuring over 95 channels. With this plan, you receive CNN, FOX News, ESPN, the CW, HGTV, FX, Lifetime, MTV, NBC, Nickelodeon, TBS and the Weather Channel.
Overall, Hulu + Live TV’s package gives you a diverse array of content choices. And its base package more than doubles the channel offerings than what you receive with Sling TV’s base plan. However, with Hulu’s base TV package starting at $76.99, you’ll pay more for it.
Sling TV vs Hulu + Live TV DVR
If you plan to use your service’s DVR, both Hulu and Sling have options for you. Sling TV comes standard with 50 hours. With this, you can record as many shows as you want at the same time, provided it doesn’t exceed your storage space. You also have the ability to upgrade to DVR Plus, giving you 200 hours of recording space for another $5 per month.
Most importantly, you have access to your recordings as long as you’re a Sling customer. And when you become tight on space, you can lock some recordings. Doing this prevents them from being deleted to create more room for you.
Meanwhile, Hulu + Live TV offers unlimited recording space. Similar to Sling TV, you can record as many shows as you want with Hulu. The difference is Hulu erases all content recorded after nine months on its Cloud DVR.
Therefore, while Hulu + Live TV offers you unlimited recording space, it does come with some caveats, like you’ll only have nine months to keep them. With Sling TV, you won’t have access to as much recording space, but you’ll be able to keep what you record as long as you remain a customer. With this in mind, it’s a toss-up between the two services based on your recording needs.
Sling TV vs Hulu + Live TV personalization and user experience
Both streaming services are easy to use. Sling TV’s clean design enables you to find everything you want quickly. The home screen also contains recommended titles based on what you add to your library and your viewing behaviors, along with tabs for your recordings and live TV.
Additionally, Hulu + Live TV is simple to use as well. If you’re familiar with using its on-demand service, the live TV works similarly. When you launch the TV service, you’ll find sections for Live, TV, My Stuff (this includes your recordings and on-demand content you favorited), TV, Movies, Sports and Hubs. The Hubs is essentially a channel category, breaking down titles based on genres.
One little snag you might encounter with Hulu + Live TV is when it comes time to record a program. Unlike other services where you just add it from the guide, with Hulu + Live TV, you must go into the program to record it. Ultimately, both are among the more user-friendly streaming options available.
Sling TV vs Hulu + Live TV for sports fans
Hulu + Live TV is a great choice for sports fans. You can stream sports on ESPN, all of your local channels, the CBS Sports Network, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, TNT, the NFL Network, the SEC Network and the Big Ten Network. This makes the streaming platform perfect for football, basketball, NHL, soccer and baseball fans. Moreover, with Hulu + Live TV carrying the USA Network, TNT, and the CW, you can stream your favorite wrestling content weekly.
Best of all, Hulu + Live TV makes it easy to record your favorite sports teams. When you set up the service, it’ll ask you for your favorite teams from multiple sports. Upon choosing all of your favorite teams, Hulu will automatically record all content involving them. With unlimited DVR, you can record as many games as you want and watch them back for up to nine months.
Meanwhile, Sling TV is perfect for avid sports fans looking to save a little coin. Sling TV’s Orange package features Motor Trend, ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPN 3. Sling’s Blue package gives you sports content from Fox Sports 1, TNT (for MLB and NBA content) and the NFL Network.
Sling TV also has its Sports Extra package for another $11 per month. This allows you to stream regionalized content from the Big Ten and Pac-12, along with watching live tennis matches and hockey matches from the NHL.
Additionally, it includes the RedZone Channel. This runs every Sunday and streams content from every NFL game, where one team is approaching or in scoring position. This is a fun way for football fans to see their favorite teams in their most exciting moments without commercials.
Overall, Sling TV is a great choice for football, racing, basketball, baseball, NHL and collegiate sports fans. While you won’t have access to all the channels found on Hulu’s service, the sports add-on package is fantastic in that it gives you a ticket to the action not found on regular networks.
FAQ
Is Sling TV or Hulu + Live better?
Sling TV is better for cord cutters on a budget. Hulu + Live TV works better for households who want more channels, unlimited DVR and don’t mind paying more for content.
What is the least expensive way to watch live TV?
The cheapest way is to buy a digital antenna to stream TV on local networks. You can also try free trials with livestreaming platforms like Hulu + Live TV to see which one works best for your needs.
Do you get local channels with Sling?
You only receive local channels with Sling TV in select markets. You can find out whether or not Sling TV carries local networks in your area through its website. If they don’t, you can buy a digital antenna to watch them.
