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Sling Blue vs Sling Orange: Which is the best option for you?

By Sean Jackson | Last updated 2/12/24

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Sling TV is one of the most affordable livestreaming services available. And similar to other streaming providers, they offer you a choice of plans. The difference resides in what each plan offers, as both offer a good mix of news, sports and entertainment channels. However, each package offers some overlapping channels and some specifically on each one.

With this in mind, our guide covers the differences between Sling Orange and Sling Blue. We’ll cover pricing, channel offerings, which one is better for sports fans and much more. Armed with this information, you’ll feel more comfortable finding the Sling TV plan that works with your viewing needs.

Sling Blue and Sling Orange compared

Below is a look at what each package offers:

	Sling Blue	Sling Orange
Starting monthly price	$40	$40
Simultaneous streams	3	1
Live channels	41	32
Add-ons available	65	65

Sling Blue vs Sling Orange content

Sling Orange comes with 32 channels. Some of the most popular options include ESPN, the Disney Channel, TBS, TNT, HGTV, CNN, AMC, ESPN 2, the History Channel, A&E, the Food Network, Lifetime, IFC, BBC America, the Travel Channel, the Cartoon Network, ESPN3 and Vice.

Meanwhile, Sling TV’s Blue package features more channels at 41. With this plan, you receive Fox News, MSNBC, Bravo, the NFL Network, Fox Sports 1, FX, USA, the Discovery Channel, TLC, National Geographic, truTV, CNN, TBS, TNT, AMC, Comedy Central, BET and HGTV.

When comparing the packages, you’ll notice some channels being on one plan but not the other. To demonstrate, ESPN is on the Sling Orange plan but isn’t featured on the Sling Blue plan. And while Sling Blue doesn’t have ESPN, it does have Fox Sports 1 and the NFL Network.

Other differences include that Sling Blue offers the Discovery channel, the USA Network, Fox News, MSNBC, Bravo, and TLC, channels you won’t find on the Sling Orange plan. With this in mind, comparing both plans ahead of time can help you identify the one that best fits your viewing preferences.

Sling Orange & Blue extras

When examining both packages, they both offer access to Sling TV’s full suite of extras. Sports fans will enjoy the Sports Extra package With Sling Blue and gain access to 11 channels like NFL RedZone Channel, NBA TV, the NHL Network, beIN Sports, the Tennis Channel, the Big Ten Network and MLB Strikezone. Meanwhile, with the Sling Orange plan, you receive 14 channels, including the SEC Network, NBA TV, the MLB Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, the SEC Network Plus and ACCN. Both plans are $11 per month.

Kids Extra

A great option for families is the Kids Extra plan for $6 per month. Both plans come with BabyTV, Boomerang, TeenNick and Nick Toons. With Sling Orange, you’ll also receive Disney Jr. and Disney XD, which you won’t find with Sling Blue.

Lifestyle Extra

Another option is the Lifestyle Extra package. Starting from $9 per month, the package comes with nine channels for Sling Orange streamers and 10 channels with Sling Blue. Each package comes with the Hallmark Channel, VH1, the Lifetime Movie Network and others. The only difference is Sling Blue offers the Oxygen Network.

Entertainment Extra

Reality TV streams will love the Entertainment Extra add-on for $6 per month. Sling Blue and Sling Orange customers gain access to MTV, CMT, MTV2, GSN, TV Land and more. The only difference between plans is that Sling Orange offers truTV. However, this is a standard channel on Sling Blue.

News Extra

Avid news streamers will enjoy the News Extra package for $6 monthly. Sling Blue comes with 11 channels including Fox Business and BBC News. By comparison, Sling Orange comes with nine news channels such as HLN and News Nation.

Hollywood Extra

Movie lovers will adore the Hollywood Extra package. For $6 per month, Sling Blue users receive 11 channels like Sundance TV, FXX and FX Movies. Sling Orange subscribers gain access to eight movie channels like TCM and Reelz.

Premium

With each Sling TV plan you also can add premium content from Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME, STARZ, AMC Plus, Discovery Plus, Shudder and many more. Occasionally, Sling TV offers promotional deals where you can try some add-ons for free, so be sure to pay close attention to this when you sign up for service.

International

Meanwhile, there are also international add-ons. Latino streamers can add on Sling Deportes, offering beIN Sports, TyC Sports and Nuestra Tele for $5 per month. There’s also a Mexico add-on containing nine channels for $5 per month.

Sling Blue vs Sling Orange for sports fans

Both Sling TV packages are great for sports fans for different reasons. The Sling Orange plan comes with ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPN 3. In turn, you’ll be able to stream nationally-televised college football, college basketball, NBA, MLB and other sporting contests. In addition, car enthusiasts can stream content on Motor Trend.

Alternatively, the Sling Blue package doesn’t come with any ESPN channels, but you do receive Fox Sports 1. This is a great channel for regionalized sports contests like college basketball, international soccer matches and more. On top of that, you receive the NFL Network. This allows you to catch abbreviated replays of games throughout the week, stream NFL news programming and watch classic programs.

Overall, Sling Orange is a better plan if you want to stream sports live because you receive three ESPN channels. Sling Blue, on the other hand, is good for football fans who want to stream classic NFL content or you want access to regional sports. Keep in mind that with both plans you can access more channels through the Sports Extra package.

Sling Orange vs Blue: Can I have both?

Along with buying Sling Orange or Sling Blue separately, you can combine the packages to form Sling Orange & Blue. Doing this gives you access to 46 channels for $55 per month. The only weird thing is with Sling Orange channels like ESPN, you can only have one stream going at the same time. By comparison, Sling Blue channels like Bravo allow you to have three streams at once.

With each plan, you also have 50 hours of recording space, or you can upgrade to 200 hours for $5 per month. Given that you receive a great mix of entertainment, sports, news, and kids' programming at a price lower than what other streaming providers charge, it makes the combo package one of the best streaming deals.

Which plan is best for you?

Sling Orange is a great plan if you want to stream live sports, access kid-friendly content and have a good mix of news and entertainment channels. Meanwhile, Sling Blue is perfect for streamers wanting more news and entertainment channels, with a few options for sports and kids’ content. If you are new to the service, starting with the combo package for a week is a wise way to see which channels you stream the most. Then, as your trial comes to a close, you’ll know which streaming option is a better fit for you.

FAQ

Is Sling Orange or Blue better for NFL coverage?

Sling Blue includes a dedicated NFL channel on the NFL Network. While you won’t be able to stream games live, you can catch replays of previous games, stay up to date with all the latest developments and access more NFL programming, making it a slightly better choice than Sling Orange.

What channels does Sling not have?

Sling TV doesn’t offer local networks in some areas. You can see which local networks (if any) are available in your area by going to Sling TV’s website and entering your zip code.