Hulu vs. Sling TV: Which Live TV Streaming Service Is Best for Cord-Cutters?
Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month and includes the service's live channels and on-demand library of cable shows, originals, and movies. Ad-supported Disney+ and ESPN+ are also bundled with the plan. However, you must deal with commercials when streaming on-demand content unless you upgrade to the $95.99-per-month Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV plan (though content from network partners will still contain ads).
Sling's Blue and Orange plans cost $51 per month and $46 per month, respectively. You can get both plans for a combined $66 per month, a price that is still significantly cheaper than Hulu + Live TV. Sling often bundles streaming hardware, such as the AirTV mini, AirTV 2, and indoor HD tuners, at a discounted price so long as you prepay for a few months. For example, if you prepay for two months, you can get the AirTV mini for free.
The prices may sound high, but that's typical for live TV streaming. Philo ($28 per month) is one of the few affordable alternatives.
Winner: Sling TV
In addition to watching Hulu via a web browser, you can download dedicated apps on mobile platforms (Android and iOS), media streaming devices (Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku), select smart TVs and TV boxes, and game consoles (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox).
Sling TV offers apps on many of the same platforms, but it's notably missing support for the PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles. However, SlingTV has an app for the Meta Quest virtual reality headset line, whereas Hulu dropped VR support.
Winner: Tie
For this section, we only considered local New York City channels that were available without any additional hardware or add-ons, such as an indoor antenna or a TV tuner. Note that the available local channels and regional sports networks (RSNs) vary based on your location. At the time of testing, Hulu + Live TV offers approximately 100 channels, while Sling TV is limited to roughly 70 channels.
Hulu + Live TV covers all the major broadcast networks, with local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and Telemundo channels. Sling TV's coverage is less impressive. It doesn't offer CBS or Telemundo in any market, while ABC is only available with an indoor antenna. However, Sling TV covers FOX and NBC affiliates in select markets.
Regarding news coverage, Hulu + Live TV lets you view ABC News Live, CBS News, Cheddar, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, FOX Business, FOX News, HLN, and MSNBC.
Sling TV's news lineup lacks ABC News Live, CBSN, CNBC, CNN International, and FOX Business, which are all notable omissions. However, it has BBC America and Local Now, which Hulu does not.
Many sports air on one of the major broadcast affiliates (ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX), but overflow coverage and commentary often happens on other channels. Some sports also air exclusively on specific cable channels. That's why it's important that sports streaming services carry RSNs. Our guide on how to stream every sport without cable can help you determine which channels you need to watch your favorite sports and teams.
Hulu + Live TV is a solid option for sports fans. It includes CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN U, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, and NFL Network.. Although, Hulu's lineup includes many NBC-owned RSNs, it no longer offers the FOX-owned RSNs.
Sling TV's sports coverage is decidedly less impressive. It only features ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1, and it doesn't include any of the FOX-owned RSNs.
Hulu + Live TV's entertainment and lifestyle lineup includes A&E, BET, Bravo, CMT, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, E!, Food Network, FX, FXM, FXX, HGTV, History, ID, Lifetime, MTV, NASA, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Oxygen, Pop, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, USA, and Vice.
Sling TV matches most of those channels and even features a few that Hulu doesn't, such as AMC, AXS TV, Epix Drive-In, and Fuse. However, it lacks Cozi and Pop.
Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV carry many of the same family-friendly channels, including Animal Planet, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Discovery, Disney Channel, Freeform, National Geographic, and Nick Jr. Hulu's advantage is that it offers PBS Kids and Smithsonian Channel, which Sling TV lacks.
Winner: Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV has separate Cinemax, , , and premium channel add-ons, along with two package add-ons: Entertainment and Español. The $7.99-per-month Entertainment package includes American Heroes Channel, BET Her, Boomerang Channel, Cooking Channel, Crime + Investigation, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Hallmark Drama, Military History Channel, Nicktoons, MTV2, MTV Classic, TeenNick, and Science. The Español package costs $4.99 per month and features CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, History Channel en Español, and Universo.
Likewise, Sling TV has many optional add-ons. The add-ons you get depend on whether you subscribe to Sling Orange, Sling Blue, or both. You can choose between Sports Extra, Comedy Extra, Kids Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Extra, Hollywood Extra, and Heartland Extra packages. Every package except for the Sports Extra add-on ($11 per month) costs an additional $6 per month.
In addition to the live TV packages, Sling TV offers premium channel add-ons for Allblk, BET+, Curiosity Stream, IFC Films Unlimited, MGM+, Paramount+ with Showtime, Up Faith and Family, Shudder, Starz, and Sundance Now. Sling TV also beats Hulu in terms of foreign-language programming with robust Latino plans.
Although Hulu + Live TV's offerings will likely meet the needs of many subscribers, Sling TV has far more flexible options. Many Sling TV add-ons simply aren't available on other live TV streaming services.
Winner: Sling TV
Most live TV streaming services have on-demand content. If you see a TV show or movie in a channel's programming lineup, you can probably watch it on-demand for some time after it airs. Both Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV offer such on-demand content. If there is a particular entertainment channel that you enjoy watching that is only available on one of these services, you should choose that service.
Hulu + Live TV has a huge advantage over Sling TV in that a subscription includes access to its extensive on-demand library of movies, TV shows, and original productions. Hulu's on-demand library of shows includes animation (Adventure Time, Bob's Burgers, and Futurama), comedies (Broad City, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Malcolm in the Middle, Parks and Recreation, and Scrubs), dramas (The Good Wife, Killing Eve, The Orville, and The X-Files). FX shows (both new and old) on Hulu have a special hub.
Some of Hulu's original shows, such as Castle Rock, Casual, Catch-22, Harlots, Ramy, The Handmaid's Tale, and the Veronica Mars reboot, are worth a watch, too. Just don't expect the same number of quality options.
Winner: Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV both support 1080p streaming at 60 frames per second. Impressively, they can also hit 4K resolution with select content on compatible devices.
Hulu's live TV content supports 2.0 stereo audio, but select on-demand programming is available in 5.1 Surround Sound. Sling TV's support for higher-end audio is similar. Live TV streams are available in standard stereo audio, but some on-demand content supports 5.1 Surround Sound audio.
Hulu + Live TV supports two simultaneous streams, which falls short of Sling TV's category-leading four simultaneous streams. If you opt for Hulu's $9.99-per-month Unlimited Screens add-on, you can stream on an unlimited number of devices at home and from up to three devices at the same time everywhere else.
Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV can record unlimited hours of DVR content at no additional cost and keep recordings for as long as they subscribe to the service. Sling TV only grants you 50 hours of DVR storage by default. It also keeps recordings for as long as you are an active subscriber. For $5 per month, Sling TV's Unlimited DVR add-on removes the limit (what you get by default with Hulu).
Winner: Hulu + Live TV
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