If you’re looking for a new live TV streaming service, is Fubo or Sling TV a better choice? The decision may depend on what you value most. Both are excellent streaming options with lots of pros and cons. If you’d like a quick comparison, check out The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker. Let’s dig in to compare your options.
Winner on Price: Sling TV
Fubo is $91.99 / month for its base package.
Sling TV has a unique cost structure because it allows you to choose from two limited (but inexpensive) channel groups. A slightly more expensive subscription offers a combo package with a bigger channel lineup.
If don’t mind a narrower channel selection, you can go with either the Sling Orange lineup or the Sling Blue lineup for $40 / month. If you’d a wider selection of channels, you’ll need Sling Orange+Blue for $55 / month.
Winner on Overall Channels: Fubo
When it comes to the base tiers, both services are quite comparable. Sling TV includes 27 of the top 35 cable channels, which tops Fubo’s 25.
Fubo offers these channels that Sling TV doesn’t: Disney Junior, FXX, Hallmark Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, and VH1.
But Sling TV will be your choice if you like to watch A&E, AMC, Cartoon Network, CNN, History, Lifetime, TBS, TNT, and truTV
Overall, Fubo offers 213 channels while Sling TV offers 49.
Channel Upgrades
Both services allow you to upgrade to packages of additional channels.
Fubo offers an Entertainment add-on for $8/month. That addition gives you American Heroes, At Home with Family Handyman, BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, Cheddar, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, FXM, Great American Faith & Living, GINX Esports TV, Great American Adventures, GSN, INWONDER, JusticeCentral.TV, Law&Crime, LOGO, MLB Network, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, MTVU, Nat Geo Wild, NBA TV, NHL Network, Nick Music, Nicktoons, Outside Television, Pac-12 Network, PokerGO, Revry, Science, SEC Network, SEC Network+, Sony Movie Channel, TeenNick, Tennis Channel, and Zona Futbol.
In line with its a la carte efforts, Sling TV gives users a staggering menu of channel upgrades starting at $6/month. The channels available will vary, depending on whether your base is Sling Orange, Sling Blue, or the Sling Orange+Blue combo.
For example, Sling TV offers mini packages with titles like Comedy Extra, News Extra, Heartland Extra, Sports Extra, Kids Extra, Lifestyle Extra, and Hollywood Extra. You could choose them individually or get every bundle for $21-$27 / month.
Since Sling TV’s channel options are split into so many different packages, The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker is your best tool to identify what package works best for you.
| Fubo | Sling TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “fubo” | “Elite” | “Orange” | “Blue” | “Combo” | ||
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% Off | Get 50% Off | Get 50% Off | ||
| $91.99 | $101.99 | $40 | $40 | $55 | ||
| A&E | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| AMC | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cartoon Network | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CNN | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Disney Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Disney Junior | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | - | + $6 | |
| E! | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Food Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox News | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $6 | + $6 | |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | + $6 | |
| HGTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| History | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Investigation Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lifetime | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MSNBC | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | + $6 | |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | + $6 | |
| Syfy | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TBS | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TLC | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TNT | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Travel Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | + $6 | |
| WE tv | - | - | + $6 | + $6 | + $6 | |
Winner on Local Channels: Fubo
Fubo gives you ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, The CW, and Univision. However, Fubo lost access to 160 local CBS affiliates in early 2023. If this is a concern to you, other services like DIRECTV STREAM or Hulu Live TV would make sense.
Sling TV has some glaring omissions. Sling TV does not offer CBS, Telemundo, The CW, and Univision. But you can get ABC, Fox, and NBC.
Winner on Sports Channels: Fubo
Pro Sports Networks
NBA fans should take note that TNT is available on Sling TV, but not Fubo. MLB fans will miss out on TBS on Fubo. It is available on Sling.
Both services allow you to upgrade your package to add ACC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, NBA TV, NFL RedZone, NHL Network, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, SEC Network+, and Tennis Channel.
For $11/month, you can add Sports Plus to Fubo for Fight Network, IMPACT Wrestling, SportsGrid, Stadium, Stadium Plus, and Zona Futbol.
For $6/month, you can also add International Sports Plus to Fubo for Next Level Sports, ESPN Deportes, FOX Deportes, Fox Soccer Plus, GOLTV, TyCSports, and Zona Futbol.
Sling TV allows users to bolster their sports coverage with the Sports Extra package ($11-$15/month) with channels like beIN Sports, Fox Sports 2, and Golf Channel. The channels you receive in this add-on depend on whether you subscribe to Sling Orange, Sling Blue, or the combo.
Regional Sports Networks
Fubo has supercharged its offering with Altitude, Arizona's Family Sports, SportsNet Pittsburgh, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Oklahoma, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West, Bally Sports Wisconsin, Fox Sports Wisconsin, Marquee Sports Network, MASN, Monumental Sports Network, MSG, MSG Sportsnet, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Philadelphia+, NESN, Rockies.TV Channel, Root Sports Northwest, Space City Home Network, and YES Network.
Sling does not offer regional sports networks.
College Sports Networks
Only Fubo offers ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network in its base package.
To get college sports through Sling TV, you need Sports Extra ($11-$15/month), which gives you ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, Longhorn Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network
Winner on Included Features: Fubo
DVR
If you’re the kind of person who records a lot of TV, you will prefer Fubo and its 1,000-hour DVR.
Sling TV includes 50 hours of recording space with each subscription. That’s not nearly as much as most other services, but it will automatically delete the oldest watched shows, so it can continue to record the latest shows scheduled to be recorded.
For $5/month, you can add a Sling TV cloud DVR with 200 hours of recording space.
Sling TV has the most full-featured DVR of any of the streaming services. You can record individual episodes, all episodes of a series, or only new episodes of a series. You can also protect recordings to keep them indefinitely. If you cancel your service, Sling will keep your recording for up to 30 days in case you decide to return to the service.
Lookback
Fubo’s lookback feature lets you watch sports and entertainment shows that aired in the previous three days that aren’t available on demand. Some of these shows allow you to skip commercials.
Verdict
If you want the closest thing to a traditional cable package, Fubo is likely your choice. Sports fans will also find Fubo hard to beat. Your ability to load up on channel packages and cut them loose month-to-month is a tempting offer. With almost any upgrade package available, Fubo’s packages give you more bang for your buck. The DVR feature is also superior with Fubo.
Sling TV is a better bet if you’re price-sensitive, or if you don’t mind occasionally swapping packages from month to month. If you have a narrow group of channels you prefer, Sling may allow you access to those without some of the additional cost of other services. While the included DVR allows less space, certain users may find it just fine for their purposes. If you think Sling TV is right for you, be sure to run your favorite channels through The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker to be sure you can get them all at a reasonable price through the service.