PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV

The bottom line

We like PlayStation Vue best because it includes so many channels, five simultaneous streams, and a cloud DVR with unlimited storage for a decent price.

Sling TV isn’t quite as all-inclusive, but its lower prices and flexible channel packages make it a worthy opponent.

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV pros and cons

Deals and promotions

PlayStation Vue doesn’t offer many deals beyond the five-day free trial.

But PlayStation Plus members do get a discount on the lower-tier packages, so if you’re already entrenched in the PlayStation world, this livestreaming service might make the most sense for you.

Sling TV’s deals, on the other hand, are numerous and always changing. Right now, you’ll get a free Roku Express after prepaying for two months of Sling TV.

And Sling is offers 40% off your first month of Sling TV, regardless of the package—though be warned, these deals don’t stack with other discounts. Still, that’s a pretty good deal for what’s already one of the cheapest options on the market.

How are PlayStation Vue and Sling TV different?

PlayStation Vue isn’t as cheap as Sling TV, but it has more channels and features. Its lowest-tier package offers nearly as many live channels as Sling TV’s largest package, and for only $5 more.

Plus, it already includes an unlimited DVR service and five simultaneous streams. We love that you get so much with PlayStation Vue without having to do a whole lot of thinking.

Sling TV, on the other hand, doesn’t include any DVR storage and has fewer simultaneous streams total. You’ll have to pay an extra $5 per month if you want to record the newest episode of Duck Tales for your kids while you’re all at band practice.

But Sling TV still gets you a lot of good cable TV channels for much less money than PlayStation Vue. And it offers plenty of add-ons (for an extra price), so you can get exactly what you want without paying for what you don’t.

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: prices and plans

PlayStation Vue pricing and plans

View PlayStation Vue packages

PlayStation Vue’s packages build on one another—each larger package has all the channels from the previous one, and then more—so they’re easy to navigate.

Basically, Access offers the most popular channels, Core adds more sports channels, Elite gives you movie channels, and Ultra is basically Elite with HBO and Showtime.

Just keep an eye on your wallet if you’re tempted to climb up PS Vue’s packages. Once you get near the top, you’re start paying top prices, too.

Sling TV prices and plans

View Sling TV packages

Sling TV’s packages aren’t as cut and dry as PlayStation Vue’s.

While Sling Orange and Sling Blue have some channel overlap, they’ve also got a few distinct options—Sling Orange includes big names like ESPN and Disney Channel, and Sling Blue offers Fox and NBC channels. That’s why they’re the same price, though Sling Blue has more channels.

If you can’t decide between your kids’ Raven’s Home or your The Resident, you can do Sling’s Orange & Blue package, which essentially combines the two smaller options into one.

And if you’re still in need of more channels, you can always peruse Sling’s lengthy add-on list or sprinkle on some premium channels for a few more bucks per month.

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: fees and extra charges

PlayStation Vue doesn’t have any hidden fees locking you into contracts or forcing you to pay more than advertised (outside of the typical sales tax, which varies depending on location). You know exactly what you’re getting from your TV service, straight from the start.

Sling TV add-ons and fees

Sling TV doesn’t have any hidden fees either, which we really appreciate. But it does cost an extra $5 per month for the DVR, regardless of the plan you choose. And if you want to watch on-demand movies, they cost an extra $3–$6, depending on how new the movie is.

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: channels

Missing channels

PlayStation Vue, despite having tons of channels, misses some of the popular ones that Sling TV includes. But Sling doesn’t offer HBO, which is a big loss for most fans.

Make sure you explore each brand’s full list of channels before purchase to ensure your favorite content isn’t missing. You don’t want to pay for a streaming service that doesn’t give you your favorite channels.

Popular channels

The good news is both PlayStation Vue and Sling TV have a great selection of popular live TV channels that should satisfy both you and your kids.

Sports channels

PlayStation is our overall pick for Best for Sports. Its Core package offers all the staples you’ll need, although ESPN is available even with the Access plan.

If you want more coverage, you can get the Sports Pack add-on that has the NFL RedZone and 13 other channels for $10 more a month. And you can watch three games on one screen by using PSV’s Multi-View feature—no other live TV streaming service gives you that.

Sadly, NHL Network isn’t available on PlayStation Vue, so you’ll have to look elsewhere for your hockey fix.

Sling TV, meanwhile, offers ESPN on its cheapest Sling Orange package—and that’s about it for sports channels. But, it does offer some sports add-ons to redeem itself.

For an extra $5 a month, you can get ESPNU, MLB, NHL Network, and NBA TV added to Sling Orange. Or, if you choose Sling Blue, you can add MLB, NFL Red Zone and NHL Network for $10 a month.

So if you’re a hockey fan, consider getting Sling Blue.

All in all, either service is great if you’re primarily interested in watching sports. But you might also consider fuboTV, which focuses its programming on more niche live sports, if you’re into more diverse options like cycling and tennis. Just watch out for the “no ESPN” thing.

Local channels

Sling TV’s local channel selection is limited—only thirty-six local channels offered by ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS across the entire country.

PlayStation Vue, however, has 213 of those four networks across the USA. So you have a greater chance of getting your local channels with PlayStation Vue.

You can check if your ZIP code gets local channels with either Sling TV or PlayStation Vue before you sign up. And we highly recommend you do so you can go in prepared.

Premium channels

*Sundance TV is part of Sling TV’s Hollywood package.

As you can see, PlayStation Vue offers big-time favorites like HBO and SHOWTIME as add-ons, but they’re pretty pricey. You can get them included in the Ultra pack too, but of course, that’s even pricier. At least you get SundanceTV included, though.

Sling TV also has lots of premium channel add-ons, though not as many as PlayStation Vue. But Sling TV is cheap enough that it won’t cost you too much to add a service like HBO NOW to satisfy your Game of Thrones fix (if you haven’t been crushed by the disappointing last season yet, we salute you).

Neither PlayStation Vue nor Sling TV offer original shows, so if you were hoping for something like Hulu’s Handmaid’s Tale, you’re out of luck.

This might change in the future, though. It certainly seems to be the trend for streaming services lately.

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: specs and features

Luckily, both PlayStation Vue and Sling TV have a lot of solid features that help make the TV-watching experience so much better. You’ll want to decide which ones are most important to you before selecting a service.

Cloud DVR

PlayStation Vue’s Cloud DVR

PlayStation Vue includes a cloud DVR with every package, meaning there’s no additional cost. Pretty sweet, right? Well, it gets even sweeter since the cloud DVR allows you to record unlimited amounts of live TV to watch later. Just think of all the Simpsons marathons you can have.

But, as with all good things, there is a catch—all your recorded content disappears after 28 days. That’s kind of a bummer.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out when setting recordings because some of its channels have restricted DVR rights. Luckily, those restrictions are channel-specific, not streaming service-specific, so they shouldn’t catch you off-guard.

Sling TV’s Cloud DVR

Sling TV’s cloud DVR isn’t included—it’s a standard $5 a month extra, no matter what package you’re combining it with. And it gives you only 50 hours of stored content, far less than PlayStation Vue’s. But it does give you that storage for an unlimited amount of time.

So it’s a matter of which challenge you want to accept—PlayStation Vue’s time limit or Sling TV’s limited space.

Multiple streams

PlayStation Vue’s simultaneous streaming

PlayStation Vue offers five simultaneous streams with all of its packages—that’s plenty for the whole family. Plus, it also allows you to split your screen, so you can watch three channels at once (no more flipping between all your Sunday night football games on commercials).

But PlayStation Vue is a little finicky about where you watch your shows. You can stream three shows in the house (determined by wherever you set up your home device), and two outside of the home. So you get lots of streams, but you’ve also got to conform to some basic rules.

Sling TV’s simultaneous streaming

Sling TV’s number of simultaneous streams confusingly vary across packages. But if you get Sling’s Orange & Blue package, you get four simultaneous streams, which sounds like it would be plenty for the whole family—except it’s trickier than that.

Even with the group package, you can stream Sling Orange content on only one device at a time, and the other three simultaneous streams are used exclusively for Sling Blue content.

It’s a weird, unnecessary restriction, and no, we don’t know why Sling decided that was a good idea. So it’s safe to say PlayStation Vue’s simultaneous streams, even with home restrictions, blow Sling TV’s out of the water.

Compatible devices

And Sling TV wins out

Both PlayStation Vue and Sling TV are compatible with several streaming devices. And yes, that means you don’t have to own the PS4 to use PlayStation Vue.

But while PlayStation Vue is obviously compatible with PlayStation consoles, Sling TV doesn’t work with any gaming consoles whatsoever. So if you’re a gamer, you know what you have to do.

Still, Sling TV is available on more devices overall, particularly when it comes to smart TVs, so it’s more likely to work with whatever streaming device you already own. That should help you save some moola.

Video quality

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV video resolution

PlayStation Vue’s video resolution is limited to 720p, and Sling TV offers slightly better video resolution at 1080p. Neither brand offers ultra high-definition, but that’s probably better for your internet anyway. You’d need some heavy-duty speeds to pull of Ultra HD without buffering.

PlayStation Vue recommends an internet speed of 10 Mbps or higher for a solid connection. Sling TV suggests an even higher internet speed—25 Mbps. In general, the better resolution you want, the more speed you need.

Channel guide

Both PlayStation Vue and Sling TV have pretty similar channel guides that look a lot like what you might be used to with a traditional cable provider.

PlayStation Vue channel guide on a desktop computer.

PlayStation Vue’s guide is traditional to a T. It took us half a second to get used to the times being on the vertical axis instead of the left axis, but it’s not a deal breaker. Besides that small change, everything is familiar and still easy to find. And it’s consistent on desktop and the PlayStation Vue app, which makes us happy.

Sling TV channel guide, grid view view, on a desktop computer.

We do like that Sling TV’s channel guide allows you to look at the content in a grid system (like traditional cable) or by specific channel if your heart so desires. It lets you be as specific or general as you want—which is already our favorite thing about Sling TV.

Sling TV channel guide, channel view, on a desktop computer.

Commercials

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: commercial-free packages

Because both brands offer live TV streaming, you have to deal with commercials, just like on cable. But, also like cable, you can fast-forward through those commercials when you’ve DVR’ed something.

Our final take

PlayStation Vue and Sling TV are both solid live TV streaming services with nice channel packages and value. But when it comes down to it, we have to choose PlayStation Vue as our favorite.

PlayStation Vue’s packages are more inclusive, including not just your favorite sports channels but an unlimited cloud DVR and five simultaneous streams. Add to that its easy interface and solid device compatibility, and it’s an easy choice for anyone wanting to branch into the streaming service world, not just PlayStation users.

But if you’re more concerned with prices, Sling TV is for you. Its low costs and flexible add-ons allow you to get exactly what you want without sacrificing easy compatibility and usability.

So really, you can’t go wrong with either service. It’s all about what’s right for you, and now you have the info you need to make that decision wisely.

View PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue vs. Sling TV: FAQ

How much does PlayStation Vue’s and Sling TV’s DVRs cost?

PlayStation Vue’s DVR is included in the price of the streaming service, so it doesn’t cost anything extra. You just have to pay for the streaming service package you want, and you gain access to unlimited DVR storage hours, but there is a time limit of 28 days for anything you record.

Sling’s DVR is an extra $5 a month for 50 hours of storage, regardless of the package you choose.

What internet speed is required for PlayStation Vue and Sling TV?

For best streaming quality, PlayStation Vue suggests a minimum internet speed of 10 Mbps plus another 5 Mbps for each additional simultaneous stream.

Sling TV requires a minimum of 25 Mbps.

What is PlayStation Vue’s and Sling TV’s video resolution?

PlayStation Vue has a video resolution of 720p. Sling TV’s video resolution is slightly higher at 1080p.