Philo
From ~$28/mo
Sling TV
From ~$45.99/mo (Orange/Blue)
Philo is the cheapest mainstream live TV service, focused on entertainment and lifestyle channels with no real sports or news. Sling TV costs more but adds sports and news in flexible Orange and Blue bundles. Philo wins on price; Sling wins on sports, news, and flexibility.
Pick Philo if you want the cheapest live TV for entertainment and lifestyle channels and do not care about sports or news.
Pick Sling TV if you want a budget bundle that still includes sports (Orange) or news (Blue) with flexible package choices.
Philo and Sling TV are two budget-friendly ways to cut the cord, but they cover different channel lineups. Philo is the bargain option: for around $28 a month you get a wide set of entertainment and lifestyle channels and generous DVR, but no major sports or news networks. Sling TV costs more and splits into Orange and Blue packages so you can pick the mix that fits, including ESPN-family sports (Orange) and some news and entertainment (Blue).
On price, Philo is around $28 a month and Sling starts around $45.99 for a single package. The choice is mostly cheapest entertainment-only TV (Philo) versus a pricier bundle with sports and news (Sling TV).
We compare channels, sports, news, DVR, and price.
| Quick facts | Philo | Sling TV |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From ~$28/mo | From ~$45.99/mo |
| Sports channels | Minimal | Yes (Orange) |
| News channels | Limited | Yes (Blue) |
| Cloud DVR | Generous | Included (limited hours) |
| Best for | Cheapest entertainment TV | Sports + news on a budget |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | P Philo | S Sling TV |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment / lifestyle channels | Best-in-class | Good |
| Live sports (ESPN family) | No | Orange |
| News channels | Limited | Blue |
| Cloud DVR | Best-in-class | Good |
| Simultaneous streams | Good | Varies by package |
| Flexible package choices | Limited | Best-in-class |
| Lowest price | Yes | No |
| Local channels | Limited | Limited |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-26.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Philo is the cheapest and has great DVR for entertainment, but the lack of sports and major news is a dealbreaker for many.
Sling TV adds sports and news and is flexible, but it costs more and its packages can feel like a puzzle to assemble.
For pure entertainment value Philo wins; if you need any sports or news Sling is the better budget pick.
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