The difference between Sling TV and Sling Freestream, explained
Breaking down Sling's various streaming options.
Credit:
Freestream
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If you've looked into streaming as a way to replace your cable costs, you've likely heard of Sling TV. The service is designed to replace your cable subscription by offering access to primetime live channels and on-demand viewing, as well as access to premium channels like AMC+ and Starz as add-ons.
Sling TV has another service, however, that is actually free for users, called Sling Freestream. We've broken down the differences between Sling TV and Freestream, so you can decide whether or not you want to sign up for the paid service.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV's subscription tiers are designed to set you up with enough live channels and on-demand options to duplicate the benefits of a cable subscription, without breaking the bank. There are two basic tiers and one combined tier, all of which offer 50 hours of DVR storage.
How much is Sling TV?
The Orange tier is the most barebones package from Sling TV, starting at $40/month for access to 31 channels. The Blue tier starts at $45/month and hosts a wider array of channels. The biggest difference between the two is the inclusion of channels like FOX, NBC, and ABC within the Blue subscription and the omission of ESPN, which you can access with the Orange tier. You can also watch across three devices with the Blue tier, compared to one with the Orange tier.
If you want to take advantage of all Sling TV has to offer, you can also go for the combined Orange + Blue tier for $60/month, which has all the channel options available between the two and streaming across three devices.
How to cancel Sling TV
You can cancel Sling TV at any time from the My Account page, by following the instructions in the Cancel Subscription link. When you cancel, you'll pay the duration of your billing cycle or any prepaid period. It's worth noting that Sling TV does not offer refunds for prepaid months or partial months of the subscription.
What is Sling Freestream?
Sling Freestream is Sling's version of a free streaming service, similar to Amazon's Freevee. The ad-supported Freestream library has over 335 live channels and access to over 41,000 on-demand titles. You don't have to sign up for Freestream at all if you want to watch the live channels and free-to-stream content, but you can also sign up with your email address if you prefer.
When you sign up, you can use your account to create watchlists, set parental controls, and customize your experience as you would many other paid streaming services.
How much is Sling Freestream?
Freestream is free! You can use Freestream without signing up to pay for a Sling TV subscription, regardless of whether or not you make an account.
How to cancel Sling Freestream
Because Sling Freestream is not a subscription service, you won't need to cancel. You can access the Freestream channels at any time, and if you cancel Sling TV you'll still be able to watch free content with Freestream.
What can you watch on Sling TV that you can't watch on Freestream?
Sling TV and Freestream's catalogs differ mainly in terms of breadth. Sling TV has more well-known live channels than Freestream, including popular primetime channels like ABC, AMC, CNN, Comedy Central, ESPN, FOX, Freeform, History Channel, NBC, National Geographic, TLC, and more (depending on the tier you select). With Sling TV you can also get access to channels you might tack onto other streaming services or cable, like Showtime and Starz, for an additional fee. The full list of channels available through Sling TV can be found on the website.
Freestream's catalog includes 335 live channels, but many of them wouldn't feature within the scope of a cable subscription, or be found behind a paywall in other venues. You can however get access to a wide array of ad-supported on-demand titles, like "The Walking Dead" and "Key & Peele."
Sling TV channels
- Disney Channel
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- Freeform
- MotorTrend
- Bravo
- Discovery Channel
- E!
- FOX Sports 1
- FX
- Fox News
- HLN
- MSNBC
- NFL Network
- National Geographic
- SYFY
- TLC
- USA
- truTV
- A&E
- AMC
- AXS TV
- BBC America
- BET
- Bloomberg Television
- CHARGE!
- CNN
- Cartoon Network
- Comedy Central
- Comet
- Food Network
- Fuse
- HGTV
- History Channel
- IFC
- Investigation Discovery
- Lifetime
- Local Now
- MGM+ Drive-In
- Nick Jr.
- TBS
- TNT
- Travel Channel
- Vice
Sling Freestream channels
Sling Freestream is home to over 230 channels, including channels that you can find on YouTube, but we've pulled a few that you should know about:
- ABC News Live
- CBS News
- Judge Nosey
- Willow Extra
- Nick Jr. Pluto
- Forensic | Files
- FSTV
- MTV Pluto
Is Sling Freestream just a Sling TV free trial?
Sling Freestream is definitely distinct from a Sling TV free trial. Both have different catalogs, and you won't be able to access the premier Sling TV library with a Freestream subscription.
On the other hand, there are episodes of many series that you can watch on Freestream for free, so if you're looking to browse new shows and series you could potentially use Freestream as an entry point to Sling TV's channel offerings, but not to the extent that a Sling TV free trial would allow.
If you have Sling TV, do you still need Freestream?
Since Sling TV is designed to function as a replacement for a cable subscription, it really can't be compared to Freestream in terms of its perks. Your decision to sign up for either service depends primarily on what you're looking to achieve, and your streaming needs. If you want to replace your cable subscription, Sling TV can help you do that; if you simply want to broaden the landscape of what you can stream for free, Freestream can help you do that.