YouTube TV is the top live-streaming service in the U.S., boasting over 8 million subscribers. Sling TV holds a smaller share, about a quarter of YouTube TV’s base.
Despite its smaller size, Sling TV offers unique features that differentiate it from its larger competitors.
YouTube TV offers a single plan with many channels, while Sling TV allows more customization and starts at a lower price.
The key factor in choosing a streaming service is having the channels you want at a reasonable price. Therefore, Sling TV might be your better option, but researching your options is essential.
YouTube TV vs Sling TV: Price Comparison
YouTube TV features a single plan with over 115 channels priced at approximately $73 per month (excluding taxes). Additionally, they provide a plan focused solely on Spanish channels.
Sling TV offers Sling Blue and Sling Orange. They overlap with 26 channels and have unique offerings.
Sling Blue adds 14 channels and allows streaming on three devices, while Sling Orange includes six channels but limits streaming to one device.
Each plan costs $40 per month (with a half-price discount for the first month), or both can be purchased together for $55. This provides fewer channels than YouTube TV but at a 28% lower cost.
Regarding additional features, YouTube TV offers unlimited recording, whereas Sling TV initially provides 50 free hours of recording.
For more recording space, Sling TV charges an extra $5 monthly for 200 hours. YouTube TV allows up to six free custom profiles linked to separate Google accounts, with individual recordings and recommendations.
YouTube TV vs Sling TV: Channels
For specific channel details, they can vary and are subject to change without notice.
Sling TV Programs
Here’s a randomized order of the channel information for Sling TV:
- Sling Orange: ESPN 2, and 3, Disney Channel, FreeForm, Motor Trend.
- Sling Blue: Bravo, Discovery Channel, E!, FS1, TruTV, FX, MSNBC, Fox News, HLN, NFL Network, National Geographic, SYFY, TLC, USA.
- General channels: CNN, Food Network, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, A&E, AMC, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg, Charge!, Fuse, HGTV, History Channel.
YouTube TV
- TNT, CBS, TYT Network, Univision, Discovery Channel, BBC News, TCM, Hallmark Channel, E!, Nickelodeon, Tastemade, Comedy.TV, Fox News, VH1, National Geographic, MTV Classic, SEC Network, ESPN, Food Network, FOX, NewsNation, TV Land, HSN, MTV2, IFC, Cheddar, Paramount, ABC, Fox Business, PBS, Nat Geo Wild, AMC, Oxygen True Crime, QVC,
Local Channels
Local channel availability differs between YouTube TV and Sling TV. YouTube TV offers major broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS across all its markets.
In contrast, Sling TV provides ABC, Fox, and NBC in some markets but only sometimes in some local areas. CBS is not available at all.
Sling TV offers an AirTV option, which includes a branded antenna and tuner to access local channels, integrated into the Sling TV guide.
Ultimately, YouTube TV offers more accessible local channels nationwide than Sling TV.
YouTube TV vs Sling TV: Add-Ons
Add-ons work differently with Sling TV due to how its plans are structured. While YouTube TV’s add-ons mainly provide extra premium content, Sling TV’s “Extras” enhance its smaller base plans.
To match the number of channels on YouTube TV with Sling TV, additional “Extras” are needed. Fortunately, these are optional, allowing users to choose which ones to add and how much extra to spend.
Both services offer many of the same premium add-ons, such as STARZ, Paramount+, Showtime, and AMC+. They also include NBA League Pass. However, YouTube TV holds a few significant advantages.
One advantage is NFL Sunday Ticket. This service provides all out-of-market NFL games every Sunday, unless blacked out in your area. It’s pricey, but exclusive to YouTube TV. Additionally, YouTube TV offers NFL RedZone.
Another advantage is the 4K Plus add-on. For an extra $10 per month, YouTube TV offers select live events, mainly sports, in 4K resolution.
It also provides on-demand content from networks like Discovery, FX, and Nat Geo. Additionally, 4K Plus allows unlimited concurrent streams at home.
YouTube TV vs Sling TV: Subscriber Count
In terms of subscriber count, there’s a clear winner. YouTube TV rarely shares its numbers, but by early 2024, it had over 8 million subscribers.
Sling TV shares its subscriber numbers quarterly. By the end of 2023, it had 2.06 million subscribers, a decrease from its peak of 2.686 million in the third quarter of 2019.
The subscriber trends for YouTube TV and Sling TV are very different. YouTube TV has gained more subscribers every year, partly due to adding NFL Sunday Ticket in 2023.
On the other hand, Sling TV has steadily lost subscribers over the past six years.