Sling vs. Fubo: Prices, channels, and more compared in 2024

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

As traditional cable contracts have gone out of style and month-to-month live TV streaming packages have grown in popularity, Sling TV and Fubo TV have emerged as two top contenders. While the two might seem similar at the outset, they notably vary in coverage and price, two of the most important factors when picking a streaming service.

We have tested both of these services extensively, watching both live and recorded content several times across both streamers. We've also tested the service on multiple devices, including Samsung televisions, Amazon Fire TV Stick, iPhones, Android phones, iPads, and MacBooks.

We'll break down all of the necessary info to decide whether Sling or Fubo might be a better fit for you, including comparisons of price, channels, devices, DVR, and on-demand options, among other important specs. Ultimately, Sling vs. Fubo comes down to what you're looking for in a live streaming package, so we'll dig into the relative merits below.

Prices

Sling's base plans, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, cost $40/month each. The combo plan, Sling Orange + Blue, costs $55/month. Additional smaller channel packages are available as add-ons for each (or either) plan. Sling add-ons and extras include the Entertainment Extra for $6/month, the Sports Extra for $11/month, and the Kids Extra for $6/month.

Fubo's base plan, Fubo Pro, costs $79.99/month. Fubo also offers an Elite with Sports Plus plan for $99.99/month and a Deluxe plan for $109.99/month. Fubo add-ons include Sports Lite for $9.99/month, NBA League Pass for $16.99/month, and Fubo Extra for $7.99/month, among others.

Both Sling and Fubo also have plans for select international offerings. Fubo has Latino for $32.99/month, which carries specific Spanish-language channels, like TUDN, ESPN Deportes, and much more. Sling's Desi plans range from $10-$45/month and cover a variety of Hindi shows and sports.

Another thing to keep in mind when comparing prices is how often and by how much each streaming service raises its rates. Fubo's prices have jumped more drastically over the past few years. In early 2020, Fubo's base package cost $54.99. At the time of writing (September 2024), this option is now $79.99. In that same 2020 time period, Sling Orange + Blue cost $45. Now, it costs $55.

Channels

Sling's Orange plan comes with 35 channels, while the Blue plan offers 43 channels. Several of these channels overlap between plans, so Sling Orange + Blue carries 46 in total. Orange carries ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN3, ESPN4K, and Disney Channel, among others. Blue offers FX, MSNBC, Bravo, FS1, USA, the NFL Network, and more. Both plans have CNN, AMC, TNT, and TBS, among others.

Sling has most of the essentials, although the availability of local channels (including NBC, ABC, and FOX) varies from region to region (and no Sling plans carry CBS). Local channels are pretty essential for news, sports, and network television series, but you can get these through an over-the-air antenna. Sling will send you an HD antenna for free (along with an AirTV device) if you prepay for three months of service.

Sling also offers several add-ons. Some of the most enticing extras include the Sports Extra, Entertainment Extra, and News Extra. The exact channel makeup varies depending on whether it's an add-on for the Blue or Orange plans, but Sports Extra offers the addition of NBA TV, MLB Network, and the Tennis Channel for both plans, among other extra networks. The same goes for the Entertainment Extra — which offers the Paramount Network, MTV, and Laff across both plans — in addition to other channels specific to each plan.

Fubo's Pro plan has 150+ channels, but the exact number varies from region to region and is often much more. Fubo was originally a sports-centric streaming service with a focus on soccer, so it carries most sports essentials, including ESPN and ESPN2. Fubo also offers robust local channel coverage, including ABC, NBC, FOX, The CW, and CBS.

However, Fubo is missing a few key channels — like AMC, CNN, TNT, TBS, and truTV — and there is no add-on that can grant access to them. While every live TV package is missing something, the omission of the Warner Bros. channels, especially TNT and TBS, are particularly notable gaps for a sports-centric live TV package since this rules out a number of NBA games for the upcoming season.

Fubo's other plans and add-ons can get subscribers well over 200 channels in total. The handiest and most affordable of the add-ons is Fubo Extra, which beefs up a subscription with over 50 extra channels, including ESPNU, NBA TV, MLB Network, and TeenNick, among other options. The service also offers other specific additional options centered on sports or news, but there is overlap between many add-ons.

On-demand and DVR

While Sling and Fubo might be best known for their live TV channels, both services also offer on-demand content. The on-demand content for both services varies from day to day, but it includes recent episodes of TV shows and notable sports events.

Both Sling and Fubo also have ample DVR offerings, with most channels able to be recorded, although Fubo wins out on the amount of storage. Fubo comes with Unlimited Cloud DVR. Sling's base plans start with 50 hours of space, but you can upgrade to 200 hours by adding DVR Plus for an extra $5/month.

Although Fubo is superior when it comes to storage, the actual DVR usability is a different story. The interface is easy enough to navigate, but fast-forwarding and rewinding recorded events often throws off the app to the point where you have to exit the recording and click back in to get it to start playing again. Usually, the recording will keep its place, but occasionally it starts over.

Keeping a recording paused for longer than a few minutes will also sometimes cause it to have this issue. Often, when dealing with these problems, an error message will appear like the one below. The "try again" button often doesn't work, forcing you to exit the recording. This has not been an issue with Sling.

Display, interface, and user-friendliness

The TV guide display for both services mimics that of a traditional cable package. Fubo's TV guide is a little bit easier to navigate, namely because it has both the channel logo and a thumbnail image for the current programming. So, if you're scrolling through the TV guide in a hurry, it's a little bit easier to spot your desired programming on Fubo. Overall, both are intuitive and easy to adjust to, especially if you're a recent cord-cutting convert from cable.

The services offer similar shortcuts when you open the app or log in on your browser: Fubo lets you "favorite" a channel, and Sling allows you to "heart" it. Upon opening the app, they both prompt you with live programs you're likely to watch from channels you've recently used.

Devices

Fubo and Sling TV offer similarly broad compatibility across most major streaming devices. Specific compatible device models can be found on Fubo and Sling's websites. Neither streaming service can be played through PlayStation or Nintendo.

Sling's supported devices include all of the big hitters, like Amazon Fire and Echo Show, Samsung, Chromecast, Cox, AirTV, Google TV and Nest, LG, Roku, Tivo, Vizio, LG, Xfinity, Xbox, and both browser and app availability for Apple and Android products (including phones, TVs, and tablets).

Fubo's list of compatible devices has grown in recent years and has become comparable to Sling's, with availability across Amazon Fire TV, Hisense, LG, Roku, Vizio, Samsung, Chromecast, Xbox, and Apple and Android products (TVs, tablets, and phones), among others.

When it comes to streaming on multiple devices, Fubo definitely wins out. Sling Orange allows for streaming on one device, Sling Blue permits two, and Sling Orange + Blue lets you stream on up to four devices. Fubo, on the other hand, lets you watch on up to 10 devices from within your home network. Additionally, you can watch three streams outside your home via mobile or web, adding up to 13 total streams.

Free Trials and deals

Sling doesn't offer free trials, but it always has an introductory offer for a discounted first month. Over the past half-year, we've seen this offer range from anything from $10 to $25 off your first month.

Fubo offers a seven-day free trial. Recently, the streaming service also began offering $20 off your first month of service following the conclusion of the free trial period.

Neither Fubo nor Sling offers savings through annual plans since they don't have yearlong or long-term contracts, hence the appeal of month-to-month services. Sling, however, sometimes offers perks when prepaying for a few months (usually 2-3 months), especially when it comes to getting a free AirTV device or HD Antenna. Sling's deals page has a full rundown of current offers, including the NFL season pass and discounts on streaming service add-ons, including Paramount+ with Showtime, AMC+, MGM+, and more.

Sling vs. Fubo: The bottom line

As mentioned above, Sling vs. Fubo ultimately comes down to what you're looking for in a streaming service. For a true cable replacement with tons of extra channels and easy-to-access local network offerings, Fubo has its merits. But if you're just looking to replace the essentials and fill in some gaps, Sling might be the better choice. Most people cut the cord because prices are getting out of hand and they feel like they're paying for a bunch of channels they don't need; Sling's specs take this into account.

Bogged down in the nitty gritty (DVR hours, number of channels, etc.), Fubo seems superior, but when it comes to practical use, function, and affordability, Sling wins out (as long as you're able to leverage Sling's antenna option and hone in on local channels, which are necessary parts of any TV package).

For more information on prices and plans, you can check out the Sling TV or Fubo TV websites.