How to Get a Sling TV Free Trial

Sling TV is a wallet-friendly live TV option for anyone who's ready to give up cable. The streamer has three plans to choose from, all of which clock in at a lower price than such competitors as Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV. Plus, one of the best things about Sling TV is that it's customizable, which means if you only want a small selection of channels, you can get just that (and save money).

With Sling TV, you can get access to popular channels including Disney Channel, FX, USA Network, ESPN, and so many more. And while there isn't currently a free Sling TV trial available, the service does have a first month discount, free TV option, and several ways to save on your monthly bill.

Find out more about what Sling TV is, what Sling TV packages you can get, what Sling TV costs, and what you can find in the way of Sling TV local channels.

How much is Sling TV?

There are a few different options for subscribers to pick. You can opt for the Sling Orange package or Sling Blue package for $35/mo. each. With Sling Orange, you have access to more than 30 live channels. Sling Blue, however, is a little meatier with more than 40 channels.  

Each package differs in the channels it offers, though, so if you want all of them, you can get the combined Orange & Blue package for a discounted price of $50/mo. This package includes more than 50 channels. Explore the Sling TV channel list to see if your favorite channels are included.

Also, each of Sling TV's packages come with a 50-hour cloud DVR. This can be upgraded to 200 hours for an additional $5/mo.

Sling TV Channels

Sling Orange channels
Sling Orange is a great option for people looking for sports channels and kids' entertainment. Sports and kids' channels in this package that are not included in Sling Blue are Disney Channel, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, FreeForm, MotorTrend, and Stadium. Channels that overlap with Sling Blue include BET, Cartoon Network, Lifetime, and HGTV. With Sling Orange, you can only stream on one device at a time.

Sling Blue channels
Sling Blue offers many channels not included in the Sling Orange package. This includes Bravo, Discovery Channel, E!, Fox News, FS1, FX, HLN, MSNBC, NBC Sports Network, NFL Network, National Geographic, Syfy, TLC, truTV, and USA Network. Sling Blue also offers a slightly larger channel selection than Sling Orange (for the same monthly price). Another benefit to Sling Blue is the ability to stream on three devices at the same time.

Sling Orange and Sling Blue channels
In addition to getting every channel in each package — totaling more than 50 channels — when you combine the two packages, you also get the ability to stream on up to four devices simultaneously.

Sling TV Add-ons

Sling TV offers more than 30 additional channels that can be added in an à la carte fashion to any package. The price for these channels range from $3/mo. to $10/mo. This includes premium channels from Showtime ($10/mo.), Starz ($9/mo.) to EPIX ($5/mo.).

Other popular channels that can be added on are BET+ ($10/mo.), CuriosityStream ($3/mo.), Docurama ($5/mo.), Hallmark Movies Now ($6/mo.), and Outside TV ($5/mo.).

To help you further personalize your service, Sling TV offers more than 70 channels through eight bundles. These include:

Sling TV Free Trial

There is no longer a Sling free TV trial, but there is a first-month discount that offers up to $25 off. And while Sling TV isn't free, per se, there is Sling Free, which provides thousands of hours of free live and on-demand TV programming.

You don't need to enter a credit card or create a registration to be able to enjoy these free titles, you just need a Sling TV login. Instead, you can simply watch on your computer browser or download the app to most mobile devices. There is no time limit to how long you can take advantage of Sling Free.

Among the shows available on Sling Free are The Dick Van Dyke Show, 21 Jump Street, Hell's Kitchen, The Commish, and more. A sampling of movies available is The Dig, The Maiden Heist, Recon, Blackway, and more.

Other Sling TV Deals and Discounts

Sling TV is currently offering a number of discounts and deals for new customers.

First-month discount
If you subscribe to either Sling Orange or Sling Blue, you'll get your first month for half price. Subscribers to the combined Orange & Blue package will pay $25/mo. for the first month, for a savings of $25. After the first month, the price reverts back to the standard $35/mo. and $50/mo., respectively. This offer is only available to new subscribers.

Refer a friend promotion
When you refer a friend who signs up for Sling TV, each person will receive a $20 discount. This is distributed as $5 off each month for four months. You can receive up to $200 in discounts by referring your friends who become paying Sling TV subscribers.

Football bundle
Football fans will love Sling TV's Football Bundle. When you sign up as a new subscriber for Sling Blue and Sports Extra, you'll pay only $29/mo. for your first month. Among the channels included in Sports Extra are NFL RedZone, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network.

Holiday bundle
Fans of holiday movies will want to take advantage of the Holiday Bundle. New subscribers can get Sling Orange and Lifestyle Extra for $24/mo. for the first month. Among the channels in Lifestyle Extra are Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mystery, and Lifetime Movie Network.

Total TV deal
Subscribers who choose either Sling Orange or Sling Blue can select the Total TV Deal, which includes all of the Extra bundles — Sports Extra, Kids Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Extra, Comedy Extra, Hollywood Extra, Heartland Extra — as well as DVR Plus, which has 200 hours of recording space, for an additional $21/mo. or $27/mo. if you have the combined Sling Orange and Blue plan. Individually, these options are valued at $45. 

4 Extras deal
With this deal, you'll receive Kids Extra, News Extra, Lifestyle Extra, and Comedy Extra for $13/mo. Individually, these four Extras would cost $24, so it's like getting two bundles for free. 

Gift with purchase
Subscribers who prepay one month of service will receive a free Chromecast with Google TV, a $50 value.

New subscribers who prepay for two months of Sling TV will receive a free AirTV Mini, which has a value of $80. Alternatively, you can choose to receive a free HD Antenna for watching such local channels as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. This has a value of $45.

If you prepay for three months, you can receive an AirTV2  for $49, a value of $150. Or you can choose to get an AirTV Anywhere and HD Antenna for $99, a value of $245.

And while it's not a physical gift, new subscribers can get a Premium Pass for free the first month. Your first month of Showtime, Starz, and EPIX is free.

You can select any of these free and reduced gift offers by signing up here.

Sling TV Deals Compared

At $35/mo. for either the Sling Orange or Sling Blue package, Sling TV starts out as one of the best live streaming options available. You can save more than $30/mo. or more when compared to Hulu + Live TV, which is $70/mo., or either fuboTV or YouTube TV, which are each $65/mo. However, each of those services come with more than 65 channels, compared to Sling Orange's more than 30 channels and Sling Blue's more than 40 channels.

Once you start customizing your package, you could easily surpass the price you'd pay for any of those three other services. For example, if you choose the combined Sling Orange & Sling Blue package ($50/mo.) and the Total TV Deal ($21/mo.), your rate would be more than Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV, and YouTube TV.

Is Sling TV Worth it?

If you're on a budget and don't need a huge variety of channels, Sling TV could be the perfect live TV option to convince you to cut the cord. For as little as $35/mo., you can have access to more than 40 channels full of entertainment options. The Sling Blue package even allows you to stream on up to three devices, which is great for families.

You can also easily customize your Sling TV viewing experience by adding channel packages to create the entertainment collection you're looking for — just be careful as the prices add up! If you have a little more money to spend and would rather have a larger channel library to choose from, though, something like Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV might be a little better suited.

Learn more about the pros and cons of the service in our Sling TV review.