Sling TV vs DIRECTV STREAM: More content or a lower price?

Sling TV and DIRECTV STREAM compared

Sling TV vs DIRECTV STREAM content

When exploring the features of DIRECTV STREAM vs. Sling TV, it’s clear from the outset that the two platforms feature radically different channel lineups. The top-tier Sling plan, Sling Orange & Blue, has 40 channels, while DIRECTV STREAM features anywhere from 90 to more than 185 channels.

DIRECTV STREAM is largely made to mimic what’s offered on the company’s satellite TV service. The packages share the same names and have similar channel lineups and pricing. As a cable-like service, its plans strive to include a balanced mix of entertainment, news and sports programming from many of the top TV networks. With the Choice plan or above, you can add quite a bit of sports content, including regional sports networks (RSNs).

Sling TV, meanwhile, offers a more customizable experience that can work for both the budget-conscious cord-cutter and those who simply want to build a plan that fits their streaming preferences. Although it has a much smaller channel lineup, it still features some of the most popular networks, such as A&E, CNN, the Disney Channel, ESPN, NFL Network, TBS, TNT and USA. Sling also offers a wide range of add-on packages to add tons of extra channels and premium content to your plan.

Sling TV vs DIRECTV STREAM DVR

If you want to record a lot of shows or live events to watch later, there’s really no contest between Sling TV and DIRECTV STREAM. While both services make it easy to record single episodes or entire series, Sling only offers a meager 50 hours of cloud DVR storage, and you can upgrade to 200 hours for a small fee. The upside? Sling keeps your recordings as long as you’re an active customer — even if you pause your subscription for a few months.

DIRECTV STREAM, meanwhile, includes unlimited cloud DVR storage in all its plans, so you never have to worry about running out of space. Recordings do expire after nine months, so you can’t keep them indefinitely. Still, for hardcore recorders, DIRECTV STREAM is well ahead in this category.

Sling TV vs DIRECTV STREAM personalization and user experience

The overall user experience of these two platforms varies depending on the features you’re looking for. Sling offers a more modern and intuitive user interface. DIRECTV STREAM still suffers from a slightly dated look with menus that aren’t as obvious or as easy to navigate. 

Sling TV may be a low-cost streaming option, but it outshines DIRECTV STREAM in terms of personalization options. While DIRECTV STREAM offers no option to create user profiles and customize different viewing preferences for different members of your household, Sling allows you to create up to four user profiles. That said, it limits streaming to one to three screens at once, depending on your plan, while DIRECTV STREAM offers unlimited simultaneous streams at home.

The two services are fairly comparable when it comes to parental controls. Both allow you to create a PIN to set up controls, and you can restrict access to content based on maturity ratings. It would be nice to see more live TV streaming services follow the approach of these two platforms.

Sling TV vs DIRECTV STREAM for sports fans

As in many of the other categories, comparing DIRECTV STREAM vs. Sling in terms of sports offerings comes down to your streaming preferences. 

If you want a full slate of international, national and regional sports action all in one place, DIRECTV STREAM is a clear winner. You’ll need the Choice plan or higher and it’s not cheap. But you’ll get more than 15 major sports networks, plus your local channels and RSNs. This package includes most of the big names, such as ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network and SEC Network. 

Sling’s sports offerings are more limited, particularly given that it doesn’t offer any RSNs. However, it’s possible to build a fairly complete package of national and international coverage here. For instance, with Sling Orange & Blue and the Sports Extra add-on, you’d have many of the same sports channels you’d get with DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice plan, plus extras like NHL Network and FS2. 

Ultimately, Sling TV and DIRECTV STREAM differ enough that the choice between these two platforms is probably clear to you. For a full cable-like plan with plenty of regional sports coverage, you may want to put up the extra money for DIRECTV STREAM. For a nimble, customizable streaming plan that’s easy on your wallet, check out Sling TV.

What does the online community have to say?

Online forums make these points about Sling TV:

• Users reported poor picture quality and slow image sharpening
• Unreliable and glitchy DVR functionality
• Limited access to local channels and regional sports networks

Online forums make these points about DIRECTV STREAM:

• Familiar and comfortable user-interface
• Superior picture quality with little to no lagging or buffering
• Some users report good bundling options to improve cost efficiency

FAQ

Do you get local channels with Sling?

Sling only offers ABC, Fox and NBC in select markets. Enter your ZIP code on the Sling homepage to see which channels are available in your area.

Do you need internet for DIRECTV STREAM?

Yes, live TV streaming services like DIRECTV STREAM require an internet connection through Wi-Fi or a mobile data plan. This service is separate from the monthly subscription cost.

What is the most cost-effective TV streaming service?

Sling TV offers the most affordable packages for streaming some of the best of live TV. If you’re looking for a cost-effective streaming service with regional sports, check out Fubo.