YouTube TV vs Sling TV — US Live TV: Price, Channels, DVR
Updated 2026-04-24
TL;DR
YouTube TV is the 'expensive but complete' option: $82.99/mo with ABC/CBS/NBC/Fox locals, exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket ($378/season add-on), unlimited cloud DVR, 3 streams + Family Sharing for 6. Sling TV is the 'cheap but a la carte' option: Orange $40 / Blue $45 / Both $55, far fewer channels, weak local affiliate coverage, 50hr DVR (upgradable), Orange only allows 1 stream. Family with sports + heavy local news → YouTube TV. Budget-first + specific channel preferences (ESPN / History / movies) → Sling.
| Dimension | YouTube TV | Sling TV |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $82.99/mo | Orange $40 / Blue $45 / Both $55 |
| Total channels | 100+ | Orange ~32 / Blue ~46 / Both ~50 |
| Local affiliates (ABC/CBS/NBC/Fox) | Broad (99% of US ZIPs) | NBC/Fox in select markets only, no ABC/CBS |
| Regional Sports Networks (RSN) | Some RSNs (YES / MASN / Marquee, etc.) | Via Sports Extra add-on, limited coverage |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited, 9-month retention | 50hr free / DVR Plus 200hr ($5/mo) |
| Simultaneous streams | 3 streams + Family Sharing for 6 | Orange 1 / Blue 3 |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | Exclusive ($378/season add-on) | No |
| Free trial | 21 days | 3 days + 50% off first month |
Verdict
Want the full 'cable replacement' experience, NFL, and local news → YouTube TV ($82.99 all-in). Budget-tight, only watch a few specific channels, OK with stream limits → Sling TV (Orange + Blue combined is still $28 cheaper at $55). Both require a US IP; YouTube TV adds GPS secondary verification (phone Home Area) which is much harder to bypass.