Sling TV vs Hulu Live 2026: Price & Channels
Sling TV offers more flexible, affordable entry-level streaming starting at $15/month with customizable channel packages, while Hulu Live provides a more comprehensive cable-replacement experience at $85/month with a larger channel lineup (90+ channels) and integrated on-demand content library.
Sling TV
Affordable live TV streaming service with customizable channel packages starting at $15/month.
Cost-conscious cord-cutters, international viewers, and people who want to build custom channel packages without paying for unwanted content.
Hulu Live
Premium live TV streaming service with 90+ channels, on-demand library, and integrated Disney+ bundle options.
Cord-cutters wanting a complete cable replacement, Disney/Marvel/Star Wars fans, sports enthusiasts, and viewers who value on-demand content alongside live TV.
Quick Answer
AI SummarySling TV offers more flexible, affordable entry-level streaming starting at $15/month with customizable channel packages, while Hulu Live provides a more comprehensive cable-replacement experience at $85/month with a larger channel lineup (90+ channels) and integrated on-demand content library.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Sling TV if you're budget-conscious, want flexibility with customizable channels, and don't need a massive live lineup. Choose Hulu Live if you're seeking a comprehensive cable alternative with 90+ channels, substantial on-demand content, and don't mind paying premium pricing for convenience and breadth.
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Choose Sling TV if
Best pickCost-conscious cord-cutters, international viewers, and people who want to build custom channel packages without paying for unwanted content.
Choose Hulu Live if
Cord-cutters wanting a complete cable replacement, Disney/Marvel/Star Wars fans, sports enthusiasts, and viewers who value on-demand content alongside live TV.
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Starting Price:✓ Sling TV wins($15/month vs $85/month)
- Live TV Channels:✓ Hulu Live wins(90+ channels vs 30-50 channels)
- On-Demand Library:✓ Hulu Live wins(10,000+ titles included vs Limited (varies by package))
Key Facts & Figures
56 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Sling TV | Hulu Live | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Starting Price(USD) | $40 | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $20.00 | — | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (single account)(streams) | Up to 3 | — | — |
| Household Accounts(accounts) | Up to 3 | — | — |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 7 days | 3 days | |
| Cost Per Channel(USD per channel) | $0.57 | — | — |
| Total Channels(channels) | 30-50 channels | — | — |
| Local Channel Coverage(percent of US) | Limited regional availability | — | — |
| DVR Storage (Standard)(hours) | 50 hours | — | — |
| Price Difference vs Cheapest Option(USD per month) | $0 (baseline) | — | — |
| Live TV Channels(channels) | 30-50 channels | 90+ channels | |
| On-Demand Titles(titles) | Minimal (DVR-dependent) | — | — |
| Simultaneous Streams(devices) | 1-3 | 2 devices | |
| Free Trial Period(days) | 7 days | 7 days | |
| Total Available Channels(channels) | 40-50 | — | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (Standard Plan)(devices) | 3 | — | — |
| Cloud DVR Storage (Included)(hours) | 50 (upgradeable to 200) | — | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD) | $191.88 | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $40/month | — | — |
| Live Channels (Base Plan)(channels) | 40 channels | — | — |
| Sports Channels(channels) | 20 sports channels | — | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (Base Plan)(streams) | 1 stream | — | — |
| Base Monthly Price(USD) | $15 | $85 | |
| On-Demand Content Library(titles) | Varies by package (limited) | 10,000+ titles | — |
| Live TV Channels Included(channels) | 30-50 channels | — | — |
| Maximum Simultaneous Streams(screens) | 4 screens | 2 screens | |
| Channel Customization Options(package types) | 3 options (Orange/Blue/Combo) | — | — |
| Cost Difference for Annual Service(USD per year) | $479.88/year | — | — |
| Live TV Channels (Base Plan)(channels) | 30-50 | — | — |
| Free Cloud DVR Storage(hours) | 50 hours | — | — |
| Major News Networks Included(count) | 3-4 networks (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC) | — | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | — | — |
| Max DVR Storage (Paid Upgrade)(hours) | 200 hours ($6.99/month) | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Price (Entry Plan)(USD) | $15.99 | — | — |
| Base Plan Channel Count(channels) | 30 channels | — | — |
| Cloud DVR Storage (Standard Plan)(hours) | 50 hours | — | — |
| Sports Channels in Base Plan(channels) | 15-20 channels | — | — |
| Annual Cost (Entry Plan)(USD) | $191.88 | — | — |
| Base Channel Count(channels) | 30-50 channels | — | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (Base Tier)(devices) | 1 device | — | — |
| On-Demand Library(titles) | 3,000+ titles | — | — |
| Maximum Monthly Cost (All Tiers)(USD) | $75/month | — | — |
| Included Live TV Channels(channels) | 30-50 channels | — | — |
| Cloud DVR Storage (Free Tier)(hours) | 50 hours | — | — |
| Default Simultaneous Streams(streams) | 1 stream | — | — |
| Cost for 3 Simultaneous Streams(USD/month) | $52.00 (base $40 + $12 add-on) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Base Plan 2026)(USD) | $76.99 | $76.99 | |
| DVR Retention Period(days) | 30 days | 30 days | |
| Concurrent Streams Allowed(streams) | 2 streams | 2 streams | |
| Number of User Profiles(profiles) | 2 profiles | 2 profiles | |
| On-Demand Content Library Size(titles) | 10,000+ titles (Hulu) | 10,000+ titles (Hulu) | |
| Monthly Base Price(USD) | $49.99 | $49.99 | |
| User Profiles Per Household(profiles) | 4 profiles | 4 profiles | |
| Monthly Subscription Price(USD) | $76.99 | $76.99 | |
| Concurrent Streams(streams) | 2 | 2 | |
| Annual Cost (if paid monthly)(USD) | $923.88/year | $923.88/year |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
- $15/month(winner)Starting Price$85/month
- 30-50 channelsLive TV Channels90+ channels(winner)
- Limited (varies by package)On-Demand Library10,000+ titles included(winner)
- 50 hours (free tier)Cloud DVR Storage200 hours(winner)
- 1-4 screens (depends on plan)(winner)Simultaneous Streams2 screens
- 40+ language options available(winner)International ContentLimited international channels
- Month-to-month, no commitmentContract RequirementsMonth-to-month, no commitment
- Starting Price
Sling TV
$15/month(winner)
Hulu Live
$85/month
- Live TV Channels
Sling TV
30-50 channels
Hulu Live
90+ channels(winner)
- On-Demand Library
Sling TV
Limited (varies by package)
Hulu Live
10,000+ titles included(winner)
- Cloud DVR Storage
Sling TV
50 hours (free tier)
Hulu Live
200 hours(winner)
- Simultaneous Streams
Sling TV
1-4 screens (depends on plan)(winner)
Hulu Live
2 screens
- International Content
Sling TV
40+ language options available(winner)
Hulu Live
Limited international channels
- Contract Requirements
Sling TV
Month-to-month, no commitment
Hulu Live
Month-to-month, no commitment
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Sling TV | Hulu Live |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Starting Price(USD) | $40 | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $20.00 | — |
| Free Trial Length(days) | 7 days(winner) | 3 days |
| Price Difference vs Cheapest Option(USD per month) | $0 (baseline) | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD) | $191.88 | — |
Show 10 more attributesStarting Monthly Price(USD) $40/month — Base Monthly Price(USD) $15 $85 Cost Difference for Annual Service(USD per year) $479.88/year — Monthly Subscription Price (Entry Plan)(USD) $15.99 — Annual Cost (Entry Plan)(USD) $191.88 — Maximum Monthly Cost (All Tiers)(USD) $75/month — Monthly Cost (Base Plan 2026)(USD) $76.99 — Monthly Base Price(USD) $49.99 — Monthly Subscription Price(USD) $76.99 — Annual Cost (if paid monthly)(USD) $923.88/year — | ||
| DVR Storage Capacity(hours) | Unlimited recordings | 50 hours |
| DVR Retention Period(days) | 30 days | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (single account)(streams) | Up to 3 | — |
| Household Accounts(accounts) | Up to 3 | — |
| DVR Storage (Standard)(hours) | 50 hours | — |
| Customizable Channel Selection(yes/no) | Full à la carte customization | — |
| No-Contract Cancellation(yes/no) | Yes, anytime | — |
Show 14 more attributesSimultaneous Streams(devices) 1-3 2 devices Simultaneous Streams (Standard Plan)(devices) 3 — Cloud DVR Storage (Included)(hours) 50 (upgradeable to 200) — 4K Streaming Not supported — Simultaneous Streams (Base Plan)(streams) 1 stream — Cloud DVR Storage(hours) 50 hours 200 hours Maximum Simultaneous Streams(screens) 4 screens 2 screens Cloud DVR Storage (Standard Plan)(hours) 50 hours — Cloud DVR Storage (Free Tier)(hours) 50 hours — Default Simultaneous Streams(streams) 1 stream — Concurrent Streams Allowed(streams) 2 streams — Number of User Profiles(profiles) 2 profiles — User Profiles Per Household(profiles) 4 profiles — Concurrent Streams(streams) 2 — | ||
| Cost Per Channel(USD per channel) | $0.57 | — |
| Bundled Premium Services(services) | None | — |
| 4K Streaming Available | No (1080p max) | No |
| 4K Streaming Support | No | — |
| 4K Content Available(titles) | Limited to select content | — |
| Total Channels(channels) | 30-50 channels | — |
| Local Channel Coverage(percent of US) | Limited regional availability | — |
| Live TV Channels(channels) | 30-50 channels | 90+ channels(winner) |
| On-Demand Titles(titles) | Minimal (DVR-dependent) | — |
| Total Available Channels(channels) | 40-50 | — |
Show 15 more attributesLive Channels (Base Plan)(channels) 40 channels — Sports Channels(channels) 20 sports channels — On-Demand Content Library(titles) Varies by package (limited) 10,000+ titles Sports Network Coverage(major networks) Limited (ESPN, Fox Sports not in base tier) Comprehensive (ESPN, Fox Sports, regional networks) Live TV Channels Included(channels) 30-50 channels — Live TV Channels (Base Plan)(channels) 30-50 — Base Plan Channel Count(channels) 30 channels — Base Channel Count(channels) 30-50 channels — On-Demand Library(titles) 3,000+ titles — Included Live TV Channels(channels) 30-50 channels — Major Sports Channel Inclusion(channels) Requires Sports Extra add-on ($11/month for 10 sports channels) — On-Demand Content Library Size(titles) 10,000+ titles (Hulu) — Included On-Demand Streaming Yes (Hulu with ads included) — Sports Channel Access(null) Extensive (ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, NFL RedZone) — Local Broadcast Channels(null) Included (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) — | ||
| Free Trial Period(days) | 7 days | 7 days |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | — |
| Supported Devices(count) | 50+ devices | — |
| ESPN Included | Yes (Orange tier) | — |
| NFL RedZone Access | Not included | — |
| Sports Channels in Base Plan(channels) | 15-20 channels | — |
| Contract Requirement | Month-to-month | — |
| Contract Length(months) | Month-to-month | Month-to-month |
| Channel Customization Options(package types) | 3 options (Orange/Blue/Combo) | — |
| Free Cloud DVR Storage(hours) | 50 hours | — |
| Max DVR Storage (Paid Upgrade)(hours) | 200 hours ($6.99/month) | — |
| Major News Networks Included(count) | 3-4 networks (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC) | — |
| Simultaneous Streams (Base Tier)(devices) | 1 device | — |
| Cost for 3 Simultaneous Streams(USD/month) | $52.00 (base $40 + $12 add-on) | — |
Sling TVHulu LiveShow 10 more attributes
Show 14 more attributes
Show 15 more attributes
Pros & Cons
10 pros·8 cons across both
Sling TV
Pros
- Starting price of $15/month (Orange package) is industry's most affordable
- True à la carte customization—add specific channel packs to core package
- Support for up to 4 simultaneous streams on higher tiers
- 40+ language options for international audiences
- No long-term contract or hidden fees
Cons
- Smallest live channel selection (30-50 channels) among major competitors
- Free tier offers only 50 hours of cloud DVR storage
- Limited on-demand content compared to cable-replacement services
- Less robust sports coverage than Hulu Live or YouTube TV
Hulu Live
Pros
- 90+ live TV channels covering all major networks and popular cable channels
- 10,000+ on-demand titles integrated into one app (no separate subscription needed)
- 200 hours of cloud DVR storage included
- Seamless bundle options with Disney+ and ESPN+ at discounted rates
- Stronger sports content including ESPN, Fox Sports, and regional networks
Cons
- Starting price of $85/month is 5-6x more expensive than Sling TV's base tier
- Only 2 simultaneous streams included (less flexible than Sling's higher tiers)
- Heavy ads in standard tier (ad-free tier costs extra at $108/month)
- Less customizable—cannot remove unwanted channels to reduce cost
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Sling TV's base Orange package costs $15/month ($180/year) compared to Hulu Live's $85/month ($1,020/year). That's a potential annual savings of $840 with Sling TV. However, Sling TV requires adding channel packages to match Hulu Live's breadth, which brings it closer to $40-50/month, still 40-50% cheaper than Hulu Live.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
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