ESPN Unlimited Vs. Sling TV Orange: Prices, Content, and More

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ESPN and its related networks have become some of the most important channels a sports fan can watch, but tuning in without cable has proven challenging over the years. Sling TV’s Orange plan, one of the most affordable live TV streaming services on the market, has long been the cheapest way to live stream the network in the US, but ESPN’s brand-new streaming service is giving Sling a run for its money — literally.

We’ve spent time testing both apps across multiple devices, including laptops, smartphones, and TVs. Both Sling TV and ESPN Unlimited rank among the best sports streaming services we’ve tested, so there’s merit to both apps and some overlap, but they ultimately serve different purposes. We’ll break down everything you need to know about the two streaming services, including price and content comparisons, so you know which option might best suit your needs.

Prices

ESPN Unlimited costs $29.99 a month, and Sling TV Orange costs $45.99 monthly. ESPN also has a cheaper $11.99 a month tier, ESPN Select, which offers everything from ESPN Plus, but for the purpose of this comparison, we’ll be evaluating the full Unlimited plan. Similarly, Sling has add-ons and a Sling Orange + Blue combination plan for $60.99 a month, but we’ll be exclusively looking at the base Orange plan today.

Sling Orange also offers a five-month “Season Pass” for $199, and ESPN Unlimited has an annual plan for $299.99.

Sling also recently introduced short-term passes beyond the standard month-to-month option for its Orange plan. Customers can sign up for a day pass ($4.99), weekend pass ($9.99), or weeklong pass ($14.99). However, the Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, is suing Sling TV over the passes, according to Deadline.

Channels

The ESPN Unlimited lineup includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPNews, SEC Network, SEC Network Plus, ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, and everything on ESPN Plus and ESPN on ABC.

The ESPN streaming service is also the home of UFC. Major numbered UFC events, featuring marquee title fights, require a $79.99 pay-per-view (PPV) fee for each event, in addition to a subscription to ESPN Select or above. However, UFC rights in the US will switch to Paramount Plus in 2026.

Sling Orange carries 30+ channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN4K. The plan also carries networks like Disney Channel, TNT, CNN, AMC, and TBS. While Sling Orange doesn’t carry ABC, we’ve found that many ESPN on ABC games are available to live stream through the ESPN3 option.

Sling also offers customers the option to purchase extra channel packages for an additional monthly fee, like Sports Extra for $11 a month. Through the Orange plan, Sports Extra unlocks channels including the ACC Network, EPSNU, ESPNews, SEC Network, SEC Network+, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, Tennis Channel, NBA TV, NHL Network, and beIN Sports. You can learn more in our guide to Sling TV channels.

App experience and user interface

As soon as you open the two apps on a laptop or TV, you’re prompted with content that might be of interest. This could be anything from events or shows you’ve recently watched to the top program currently available on the app, especially if there’s an ongoing major event like the US Open. Both apps also have a search function to allow viewers to look directly for their desired programming.

Sling TV is a standard live TV streaming app, with a clear TV guide, and On Demand and DVR sections. There are also a few extra app perks, like scores for ongoing or recent sporting events. It’s at times bare bones and could benefit from having programming tiles like its peers (Fubo, for one), but it gets the job done and is immediately usable with no major learning curves, thanks to its simplicity.

ESPN Unlimited is just an enhanced version of the ESPN app, so there are lots of news articles, recap clips, and scores available as well, even if you don’t have a streaming account. Getting to the streaming portion of the app involves clicking on the “Watch” section of the site or app. However, having everything from ESPN in one place, including news and streaming options, makes for a bit of a crowded app, especially as you’re learning the ropes.

It would be nice to have a more straightforward, easy-to-find TV guide on the ESPN app. Sling wins out on that front, although it’s unhelpful that Sling’s ESPN3 guide makes you click into it to see available programming.

ESPN has the “Schedule and Replays” and “Where to Watch” sections on the service, which allow you to see the current available programming (or toggle to upcoming events). From there, you can click to watch.

You can also scroll down to the bottom of the home page and click into the relevant channel to be taken to a more comprehensive preview of live and upcoming events on that channel, which is the closest thing the app has to a TV guide. It’s one of the most helpful parts of the app, especially if you’re just looking to put something on and not necessarily seeking a specific event, although it’s a bit hidden within the at times overwhelming app.

Devices and simultaneous streaming

ESPN works on up to three devices, while Sling Orange only allows one stream. This is a substantial hiccup on Sling’s part and means that members of the same household can’t watch programming in two different rooms. ESPN also allows viewers to watch multiple streams (of select programming) on the same screen at the same time. For example, people were able to watch four matches at the same time during the 2025 US Open.

Both streaming services are available across a similarly expansive variety of devices, including Amazon Fire TVs, IOS phones and tablets, Android phones and tablets, Apple TVs, Android TVs, Roku TVs, LG TVs, Samsung TVs, and much more. You can find a more comprehensive breakdown of devices on the Sling and ESPN websites, but if you have trouble getting Sling to work on a device that should be supported, ensure that you have the latest updates and software running.

Both services are also available to stream on TV-connected gaming consoles, although Sling is only available on Xbox, while ESPN streams on Xbox and PlayStation.

Free trials and deals

Neither service has a free trial option, although there are a few ways to try ESPN for free via a live TV streaming service like DirecTV or Fubo, both of which offer five-day free trials for new customers. ESPN is currently running a deal (through January 5, 2026) that bundles ESPN Unlimited with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99 a month for your first 12 months.

While Sling Orange used to offer half off the first month of service, that option is now only available for the Sling Orange + Blue combo plan. The live TV streamer’s best current deals come in prepaid plans. You can get five months of Sling Orange for $199 up front with a season pass. This is about $31 cheaper than paying for five months of service over time.

ESPN Unlimited vs. Sling Orange: The bottom line

If you’re looking for a way to watch live streams from ESPN networks regularly, then ESPN Unlimited wins out. It’s cheaper and all-inclusive, even with niche college sports networks, so you don’t need to worry about any gaps in coverage. But if you’re seeking a more comprehensive live TV streaming experience with channel variety and a proper TV guide, Sling TV Orange could be the way to go.

Sling Orange’s short-term plans also make it particularly alluring for anyone who is only looking to watch one event. However, ESPN has become a fairly necessary facet of any sports viewing experience, so there’s a pretty good chance most fans will need it on a regular basis, making a recurring month-to-month option (that you can still cancel at any time) the preferred model.

For more information on prices and plans, you can check out the Sling TV or ESPN websites.