You can watch Sling TV content on Android for free.
This is a reduced version of the service compared to those with an active paid subscription. However, free users can also opt to pay for events and movies on an individual basis without signing up.
The free version of Sling TV is available on most Android devices, including Android TV devices.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV is primarily a live TV streaming service operating in the U.S. Subscribers have the option of choosing between the Sling Orange or Sling Blue plans. There’s no difference in the price with the Orange and Blue plans each priced at $24.99 per month.
The Orange and Blue plans also overlap quite a lot in terms of the channel lineups. Although there are enough differences for one plan to appeal to certain consumers over the other.
For those looking for the most robust viewing experience, Sling TV also offers the option to subscribe to a combined Orange + Blue plan. This joint plan costs $40 per month and provides access to all of the channels available through the two separate plans.
For example, Sling Orange offers over 30 channels while Sling Blue has more than 45 channels. In contrast, the Orange + Blue plans provides access to more than 50 channels in total.
More information on Sling TV’s plans, pricing and channel lineups can be found here.
How to access Sling TV for free
To watch content for free on Sling TV, all you need to do is download the Android app. Regardless of whether you’re using an Android smartphone or an Android TV device, the app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
Once downloaded and opened, the user has the option to either sign up for a live TV streaming subscription or use the service via “guest mode.”
Guest mode not only means you don’t have to pay anything, but you don’t need to provide any personal details at all. This includes an email address.
Once guest mode is enabled, users can navigate the Sling TV interface and check what’s available to watch for free. The free content will change routinely, although Sling TV does provide include access to select episodes from a number of popular TV shows, as well as select movie titles. music, news and more.
For reference, this feature is not just reserved to Android users as owners of a Roku OS device can also access content for free.
Pay-per-view and à la carte viewing
Besides the free content, Sling TV users can also tune in to some premium and paid for content without the need for an active live TV streaming subscription.
For example, you can rent movies, watch pay-per-view events, or subscribe to premium networks, including Showtime and Starz. This is in addition to a number of other channels that are also available on an à la carte basis. CuriosityStream and Hallmark Movies are two such examples.
As these are paid-for services, the user is required to create a Sling TV account. However, this is still a free account unlike the actual live TV streaming subscription account.
The free Sling TV account simply opens the door to the more premium content that’s on offer. It’s sort of a middle ground between the totally free version and the paid version.