Sling TV price increase: switch or stay?
Sling raised prices in February 2026. Enter your plan and the channels you watch, and this tool ranks every major alternative by channel coverage and monthly cost delta, then gives you a switch-or-stay verdict.
TL;DR: what changed and what it costs you
- Sling Blue: up $5/mo to $50.99 (was $45.99), which adds $60/yr vs last year.
- Sling Orange+Blue: up $5/mo to $65.99 (was $60.99), adding $60/yr.
- Locals add-on: all three majors (ABC/NBC/Fox) now $9/mo, up from $5.
- Stay if: your total bill is under $65/mo and you use fewer than 15 channels. Sling is still the cheapest live TV option.
- Switch if: your Sling bill with add-ons is above $70/mo. YouTube TV at $82.99 covers more channels, includes unlimited DVR, and has better locals.
Build your current Sling bill
Select your plan and any add-ons, then check the channels you actually watch. Takes about 60 seconds.
1. Which Sling plan do you have?
2. Select your add-ons (if any)
3. Which channels do you actually watch? (optional but improves results)
This tells you whether a cheaper or more expensive competitor covers what you care about.
See results by viewer type
Pick the household closest to yours to load a quick scenario.
Sports household
Sling Orange+Blue + Sports Extra. Watches ESPN, FS1, NFL Network.
Quick verdict: $76.99/mo total. YouTube TV at $82.99 covers the same sports for $6.00/mo more.
Budget cord-cutter
Sling Blue only. Watches local Fox, NBC, FS1.
Quick verdict: $50.99/mo. Cheapest live TV service that offers 3 simultaneous streams.
Family with locals
Sling Orange+Blue + Locals (all 3). Watches ABC, NBC, Fox, ESPN, Disney.
Quick verdict: $74.99/mo. DirecTV Stream matches this price and is worth comparing for full local coverage.
Entertainment viewer
Sling Orange + Hollywood Extra. Watches AMC, TBS, TNT, Hallmark.
Quick verdict: $51.99/mo. No live sports in the mix means Sling Orange is hard to beat at this price.
Sling TV plan prices in 2026
| Plan | Channels | Old price | New price | Annual extra | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sling Orange | 30+ | $40.00 | $45.99 | +$71.88 | Single viewer who needs ESPN and Disney Channel |
| Sling Blue | 40+ | $45.99 | $50.99 | +$60.00 | Households needing local Fox, NBC, and FS1 on 3 streams |
| Orange + Blue | 50+ | $60.99 | $65.99 | +$60.00 | Sports fans who need both ESPN and Fox Sports networks |
| Locals add-on (all 3) | ABC/NBC/Fox | $5.00 | $9.00 | +$48.00 | Markets where Sling carries ABC, NBC, and Fox locally |
Prices as of June 2026. Verified at sling.com and Cord Cutters News (February 2026 announcement). Prices may change. Verify before subscribing.
When staying with Sling after the price hike makes sense
Sling is still the cheapest live TV service for anyone whose total bill stays under $65 a month. Sling Blue at $50.99 with three simultaneous streams is the lowest-cost option that includes Fox, NBC, and FS1 together. No other service matches that at under $55.
The calculus changes the moment you start stacking add-ons. A Sling Orange+Blue subscriber who also pays for Sports Extra, DVR Plus, and local channels can hit $90 a month, which is more expensive than YouTube TV for roughly half the channel count and worse DVR limits. At that point, the cord-cutting savings calculator will show you exactly where the break-even sits.
If your Sling plan has not changed in two years, you may be on an older locked rate. Before switching, log into your account and check whether your current monthly charge matches the new published prices. Sling grandfathered some legacy subscribers at older rates, so your actual bill may differ from what this tool shows.
Is Sling TV worth it after the price increase if you only watch a few channels?
If you regularly watch only five to eight channels, Sling Orange at $45.99 remains very hard to beat. The rule of thumb from cord-cutter forums: divide your monthly bill by the number of channels you actually open each week. Sling at $46 for 8 channels is $5.75 per channel. YouTube TV at $83 for the same eight channels is $10.37 per channel. The channel-per-dollar math favors Sling for light viewers even after the price hike.
Cheapest Sling TV alternatives compared
| Service | Monthly | Channels | DVR | Best for | Not ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sling Orange+Blue | $65.99 | 50+ | 50 hr (included) | Budget sports + entertainment | Households that need unlimited DVR |
| DirecTV Stream | $74.99 | 75+ | 20 hr cloud | Regional sports networks | Budget shoppers. Limited DVR at this price. |
| YouTube TV | $82.99 | 100+ | Unlimited cloud | Locals + sports + DVR in one base plan | Single-channel households who want the cheapest possible option |
| Fubo (Pro) | $82.99 | 185+ | 1000 hr cloud | International sports + max streams | Non-sports viewers paying for channels they never watch |
| Hulu + Live TV | $89.99 | 95+ | Unlimited cloud | Households who also want Disney+ and ESPN+ on-demand | Anyone already paying for Disney+ separately |
Prices as of June 2026. Sources: sling.com, tv.youtube.com, hulu.com, fubo.tv, directv.com. Verify before switching.
What is the cheapest Sling TV alternative after the price increase?
Philo at $28 a month is technically cheaper than Sling, but it drops every sports network and all local channels. For viewers who only watch entertainment and lifestyle channels, that trade works. For everyone else, DirecTV Stream at $74.99 is the nearest step up from Sling Orange+Blue that adds more local channel reliability and a regional sports network option.
What the Sling TV price hike actually changed in February 2026
Sling made three changes in February 2026. First, Sling Blue rose from $45.99 to $50.99, a $5 monthly increase. Second, the Orange+Blue combo rose from $60.99 to $65.99, the same $5 delta. Third, the local channel add-on changed structure: previously, adding any local channels cost $5 flat regardless of how many markets were available. Now, markets with all three of ABC, NBC, and Fox cost $9, while partial-coverage markets cost $4.
The practical effect depends on your market. Subscribers in major markets (New York, LA, Chicago, Houston) who were paying $5 for locals now pay $9, adding $48 per year on top of the base plan hike. Subscribers in partial-coverage markets pay $4 instead of $5, which is a small reduction but comes with fewer channels.
Sling also adjusted Sports Extra pricing and removed some regional sports networks from the base plans to the Sports Extra add-on. If you noticed certain sports channels disappear from your lineup, check whether they moved to Sports Extra rather than being dropped entirely.
The 2026 streaming price increase tracker lists the full timeline of changes across all services, including the Sling increase alongside Netflix, Peacock, YouTube Premium, and Amazon Music.
Should I cancel Sling TV after the price hike?
Canceling makes sense only if you have a real replacement lined up. Pausing or canceling Sling without a replacement means relying on antenna TV (free broadcast locals) plus on-demand services, which works well for households that do not watch live news or sports. If you do watch live content, the antenna plus one on-demand service approach covers a surprising amount for under $20 a month. Run the numbers in the cord-cutting savings calculator before canceling to see exactly what you gain and lose.
Frequently asked questions about the Sling TV price increase
How much did Sling TV raise its prices in 2026?
Sling TV increased prices in February 2026. Sling Blue went from $45.99 to $50.99 per month (up $5). Sling Orange+Blue went from $60.99 to $65.99 per month (up $5). Sling Orange stayed around $45.99. Additionally, local channel pricing changed: adding all three major locals (ABC, NBC, Fox) now costs $9 per month, up from $5.
Is Sling TV still worth it after the price hike?
Sling TV is still the cheapest live TV streaming option at $45.99 to $65.99 per month for base plans, versus YouTube TV at $82.99, Hulu + Live TV at $89.99, and Fubo at $82.99. If you watch fewer than 15 channels regularly and do not need unlimited cloud DVR, staying with Sling still makes financial sense. The math changes if you rely heavily on local channels and sports packages that push your Sling bill above $75.
What is the cheapest Sling TV alternative after the price increase?
DirecTV Stream's Entertainment plan at $74.99 per month is the closest mid-tier alternative to a fully loaded Sling plan. YouTube TV at $82.99 is the next option and includes unlimited cloud DVR and more reliable local channel coverage. Philo at $28 per month is cheaper than Sling but drops all sports and locals entirely, making it suitable only for entertainment-focused households.
Should I cancel Sling TV and switch to YouTube TV?
YouTube TV makes more sense than Sling if your Sling bill has crept above $70 per month with add-ons. At that point, YouTube TV's $82.99 base includes 100+ channels, unlimited cloud DVR, and more consistent local channel access for roughly $12 more per month. YouTube TV also offers multiview during live sports and better mobile apps. The break-even point is roughly $13 per month in Sling add-ons before YouTube TV becomes a better deal per channel.
Does Sling TV still have cheaper sports coverage than YouTube TV?
Sling Blue at $50.99 includes FS1, FS2, and NFL Network. Sling Orange at $45.99 includes ESPN and ESPN2. To get both ESPN and FS1 in one plan, you need Sling Orange+Blue at $65.99. YouTube TV at $82.99 includes ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Fox, NBC, and NFL Network in one package. If you need both ESPN and Fox Sports channels, the price gap between Sling Orange+Blue and YouTube TV is roughly $17 per month.
What happened to Sling TV local channels pricing in 2026?
Sling TV changed local channel pricing in February 2026. Adding all three major locals (ABC, NBC, and Fox) now costs $9 per month, up from $5. If your market only carries one or two of those three, the add-on costs $4 per month. Note that local CBS is not available on Sling in any market. YouTube TV, Hulu Live, and Fubo all include locals in their base price without a separate add-on fee.
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Jim Liu tracks streaming subscription pricing and live TV service economics. Prices here reflect publicly listed US rates as of June 2026, verified at sling.com and Cord Cutters News. Always confirm at checkout before switching services. More about the author.
Prices as of June 2026. Sling TV pricing and terms change frequently. Verify current pricing at sling.com before subscribing or switching. This tool is for comparison purposes only and is not affiliated with Sling TV or its parent company Dish Network.