Sling TV Blue vs Orange – What’s the Difference?

Sling TV is one of the best traditional cable television alternatives that’s available through monthly subscription packages. There are three main offerings of Sling TV- Blue, Orange, and Blue & Orange. New users are often confused about Sling TV Blue vs Orange as there are minor differences that make it difficult to figure out which plan is better and which one should they select.

Sling Blue vs Sling Orange

Choosing the Sling TV Blue & Orange combination is the easier choice but not for someone who doesn’t want to spend extra for channels that they wouldn’t watch. It’s wiser to pick one between blue and orange as they both offer a different selection of channels, and features and have a different price tag.

Sling TV Blue Package Details

The Sling TV Blue is a perfect package for families looking for constant entertainment and news. It offers a wide range of unique channels including Fox News, Discovery, FX, MSNBC, Syfy, and USA Network. You’ll also have access to the NFL and FOX to get the much-needed dose of live sports.

There is also reality television on Bravo, E!, and TLC, and local ABC and NBC access in select regions. If you’d like to add more channels, you can opt for Sling Extra for an additional price. The Sling Blue package offers a bigger range of channels than Orange but also comes with a higher monthly subscription price.

Sling TV Blue vs Orange

Pros of Sling Blue:

  • 10+ more channels than Sling Orange (42 channels in total)
  • Provides 3 simultaneous streams
  • Access to NFL, FOX, and reality television shows

Cons of Sling Blue:

  • A limited number of local channels based on location
  • Costlier than Sling Orange
  • No ESPN

Channels Available with Sling TV Blue

Here is a full list of channels available with the Sling TV Blue package:

  • A&E
  • ABC* (select markets)
  • AMC
  • AXS TV
  • BBC America
  • BET
  • Bloomberg Television
  • Bravo**
  • Charge!
  • CNN
  • Cartoon Network
  • Comedy Central
  • Comet
  • Discovery Channel**
  • E!**
  • Food Network
  • Fox* (select markets)
  • Fox News**
  • Fox Sports 1**
  • Fuse
  • FX**
  • HGTV
  • HLN**
  • History Channel
  • IFC
  • Investigation Discovery
  • Lifetime
  • Local Now
  • MGM+ Drive-In
  • MSNBC**
  • NBC* (select markets)
  • NFL Network**
  • National Geographic**
  • Nick Jr.
  • SYFY**
  • TBS
  • TLC**
  • TNT
  • Travel Channel
  • truTV**
  • USA**
  • Vice

Note: Asterisk (*) signifies that the channel is exclusively available with Sling Blue. You should also remember that the local channels of ABC, NBC, and FOX, are available in select markets where Sling Blue is $5 costlier than its standard price.

Sling TV Blue Price & Free Trial

The Sling TV Blue pack costs $45 per month ($50 in select markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose). Currently, Sling is offering the Blue pack for only $22.50 for the first month (the regular subscription price continues after that).

See also  Is Crunchyroll Free Still Good or Should You Get Premium?

Unfortunately, there is no free trial available on Sling Blue as of this writing. Previously, they offered a seven-day free trial but it was discontinued later. If you’d like to try the live TV service, you can get your first month at half the standard price. There won’t be an issue if you cancel after that as there are no annual contracts.

Sling TV Orange Details

Sling TV Orange is more suitable for sports fans and viewers interested in Disney-owned content. You’ll find NBA and NCAA programming alongside access to ESPN, ESPN2, Disney Channel, and more. There is also Freeform and the Food Network and the price is also cheaper than Sling Blue.

Unfortunately, Sling Orange only offers a single stream at a time and doesn’t support multiple simultaneous streams. The package also provides fewer channels than Sling Blue. Other than that, the features are similar as you’ll get 50 hours of free DVR space just like the other plans.

Sling TV Orange vs Blue

Pros of Sling Orange:

  • Access to Disney channels, ESPN, and Freeform
  • $5 cheaper than Sling Blue
  • Focused on sports fans

Cons of Sling Orange:

  • Only 1 stream at a time
  • Absence of NBC and FOX

Channels Available with Sling TV Orange

Here is a full list of channels available with the Sling TV Orange package:

  • A&E 
  • AMC
  • AXS TV
  • BBC America
  • BET
  • Bloomberg Television
  • Charge!
  • CNN
  • Cartoon Network
  • Comedy Central
  • Comet 
  • Disney Channel*
  • ESPN*
  • ESPN2*
  • ESPN3*
  • Food Network
  • Freeform*
  • Fuse 
  • HGTV
  • History Channel
  • IFC
  • Investigation Discovery
  • Lifetime
  • Local Now
  • MGM+ Drive-In
  • MotorTrend*
  • Nick Jr.
  • TBS
  • TNT
  • Travel Channel
  • Vice

Note: Asterisk (*) signifies that the channel is exclusively available with Sling Orange.

Sling TV Orange Price & Free Trial

The Sling TV Orange pack costs $40 per month (or $45 in select markets like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose). Currently, Sling is offering the Orange pack for only $20 for the first month (the regular price continues after that).

There is no free trial with the Sling Orange plan either as the company discontinued it earlier this year. If you want to try the pack, you can start your first month at half of the subscription price. In case you don’t like it or want to switch to Sling Blue, you can easily do that as there won’t be any annual contract.

See also  How Many Devices Can Stream Amazon Prime Video?

Sling TV Blue vs Orange: Which is Better?

Sling TV’s Blue and Orange plans often put viewers in a dilemma as they are left confused about which one to pick. Many wonder which one is better between the two packs. However, the ultimate choice is going to be yours. The Blue pack seems to have an obvious edge over the Orange one but it also has its downsides.

Sling Blue comes with a collection of entertainment, news, family shows, and sports. There are also local channels from ABC, NBC, and FOX in selection markets but there is no ESPN, CBS, The CW, PBS, and some other channels that aren’t available with Sling Orange. It’s also $5 costlier than Orange.

Sling Blue vs Orange

On the other hand, Sling Orange offers ESPN and Disney-owned content, and some exclusive channels but allows only a single stream at a time. It’s $5 cheaper than Blue but has 10 channels less than it. There are also no local channels on Sling Orange. You’ll have to consider these things to make a choice.

Generally, Sling Blue is more suitable for viewers looking for entertainment and news while the Orange pack is more preferred by sports fans and families. If you’re still unable to make a decision, I’d recommend going with the Sling Blue & Orange package that checks all the boxes.

Final Verdict

Sling Blue and Orange are both impressive live TV streaming packs but you can only go with a single one when you’re on a tight budget. We’d recommend choosing the Sling TV Blue package as it has more channels including local ones in select markets, offers multiple simultaneous streams, and is value for money.

You can also opt for the Sling Blue & Orange pack if you don’t have an issue shedding an extra $15 every month. The final choice left is the Sling Orange pack which is only good for you if you’re a single streamer and highly interested in Disney-owned channels and ESPN.

Apart from that, the Orange package isn’t as good as the Blue one. It lacks multiple simultaneous streams and local channels, and you’ll have to add some channels as part of Extras which will increase its cost. The ultimate decision is yours. That’s all for this guide. We hope it helped clear your confusion.

See also  Paramount Plus Not Working? Here Are 10 Ways To Fix It

If you still have any doubts left in your mind, feel free to ask in the comments. We’ll be glad to help more.

F.A.Q.

Q: What is the difference between Sling Orange and Blue?

A: The key difference between the Sling Orange and Blue packages is the lineup of channels. The Orange pack is designed for sports fans and families with exclusive channels like ESPN and Disney while the Sling Blue pack is built for viewers looking for news, reality television, and entertainment shows. Another major difference is that Sling Blue allows 3 simultaneous streams while Orange supports only 1 at a time.

Q: What is the difference between Sling Blue and Orange NFL Channels?

A: Sling Blue comes with 42 channels including the NFL Network and local channels from ABC, FOX, and NBC. NFL fans can get access to all NFL games throughout the season using these for only $5 more every month than Sling Orange which lacks the NFL Network and the local channels completely.

Q: Can I switch from Sling Blue to Orange?

A: Yes, you can easily switch between the Sling Blue and Orange packages whenever you want at no additional cost. To do that, head over to the account management page on the official website and sign in to your account. You can also connect with Sling TV’s customer support team and submit a request.

Q: Is Sling Blue better than Orange?

A: Yes, Sling Blue is slightly better than Orange as it has 10 more channels, provides 3 simultaneous streams, and comes with the NFL Network and local channels from ABC, FOX, and NBC in almost all markets. However, it’s also $5 costlier than Orange and lacks ESPN and Disney-owned content.

Q: What is in Sling Orange not in Sling Blue?

A: Sling Orange has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Disney Channel, and Freeform. However, these channels aren’t a part of the Sling Blue channels lineup. They are exclusively available with Sling Orange.

Leave a Comment