Sling TV is an American streaming TV service that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dish Network. Unveiled on January 5, 2015, at the Consumer Electronics Show – the service aims to complement subscription video on-demand services for cord-cutters, offering a selection of major cable channels and OTT-originated services that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media players and apps. Sling TV is available in the United States and Puerto Rico as of 2015.
So if you live in some other place, you can’t watch Sling TV. At least not without a VPN — which could be used to first connect to a US-based server and then watch as much Sling TV as you want.
You will still need a valid subscription but that’s ok – we need to pay for the content; otherwise, they won’t be making it.
We tested many, many VPNs and out of the bunch – we have found the following 5 to work great with Sling TV:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
- You can't pay with PayPal
Summary
Its network includes more than 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- It's super fast!
- Works with Netflix, BBC and others
- Easy to use apps, browser extensions
- You can try it for free!
- Some advanced features are not configurable
- Not the best for high-censorship countries
Summary
Furthermore, thanks to the availability of browser extensions - Hotspot Shield is also one of our top choices for Chrome and Firefox VPNs.
Your privacy is equally well protected, with the software only collecting some anonymized that help continually improve its service.
There is one caveat though - it won't work in high-censorship countries like China. If you don't need that in the first place, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield.
As that's typically the case with most VPN services out there, the longer you commit - the better deal you get. However, what makes Hotspot Shield even better is the fact that it offers a 7-day free trial of its service. A few other top VPN providers do the same. Plus, its money-back guarantee lasts for 45 days, making for a risk-free purchase. Cause, you can always get your money back. Sweet and just the way we like it.
Pros
Cons
- Reliable download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Lets you use it on unlimited number of devices
- Low number of servers in Africa and Australia
Summary
You can rely on it for streaming and torrenting, with included extra features like CleanWeb and MultiHop, delivering a that much better — and more secure — experience.
Surfshark, the company, is based in the British Virgin Islands and with its zero-logs policy makes for a powerful combo to anyone looking to keep its web whereabouts under the radar.
The service is easy to use and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
Cons
- One the best VPNs for torrenting
- Works well with Netflix
- Simple setup on all popular devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Doesn't work with BBC iPlayer
- Doesn't work in China
Summary
Its desktop apps are not among the prettiest ones, but they get the job done. The important thing is that installation is easy and straightforward, and that no logs are kept by the company.
When it comes to pricing, IPVanish is somewhere in the middle — it's not the most affordable option but also not the most expensive one. As noted, it will be most appreciated by heavy BitTorrent users, and — related — Kodi fans.
Sling TV features
Originally designed NOT to be a full substitute for a “traditional” pay TV, Sling TV was envisioned as a complement to subscription-based online services such as Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Prime Video and so on. Nevertheless, some folks do deem it as such and are turning to Sling TV in order to get their dose of “regular” channels.
According to the company’s CEO Roger Lynch, Sling TV’s market are the so-called cord-cutters who would rather get their TV fix via the Internet rather than pay a hefty premium for bundled cable operator packages.
Sling TV offers a cloud DVR allowing subscribers to record programs from select channels carried on its programming tiers. At the moment, 50 hours of recording time is provided to all customers with the option to upgrade to 200 hours. Due to contractual limitations, users are unable to record content from a small number of channels, such as SEC Network+, Local Now and ACC Network Extra.
In September 2020, Sling TV announced Sling Watch Party, a co-viewing feature that allows people from different locations to watch live TV together simultaneously. What makes this feature unique is that it allows for text and video chat alongside live TV.
Sling TV works across platforms and devices
Sling TV is accessible across platforms and devices. Specifically, it will work on:
- Smart TVs, boxes and sticks
- AirTV Player
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android TV
- Apple TV (4th Generation and Apple TV 4K)
- Channel Master DVR+
- LG Smart TV (webOS 3.0 or higher)
- Mi Box
- Roku
- Xbox One, Series X/S
- TiVo Stream 4K
- Mobile platforms:
- Android
- iOS
- Chromecast
- Computers:
- Linux
- macOS
- Windows
Sling TV scored multiple awards, including the CES 2015 “Best Home Theater Product”, “Best Software/App”, and “Best in Show” by Engadget, for its clear goal and pricing, its “intuitive, user-friendly and surprisingly well-done” interface, and the fact that it “may very well be the beginning of the end for traditional pay TV” in the United States.
You need a VPN for Sling TV
Even if you live in the United States, you may want to keep access to your favorite channels while visiting other countries. Then, you can fire up your VPN app, connect to a US-based server and you’re good to go. And the same is true for everyone else – they can repeat this process to watch some American TV from all around the world.
But the usefulness of a VPN doesn’t end there. A good service will have your back in many situations; it will:
- Protect your privacy from the government and big corporations
- Bypass restrictions imposed by the government or various organizations
- Change your IP address so you get unrestricted access to Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer, HULU, and other video streaming services
- Encrypt and protect private data from cybercriminals
The top contenders that check all these boxes include the following:
