DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are raising prices on streaming bundles

Written by |
Advertisement

NEWS ALERT: PlayStation Vue is shutting down! Sony announced that the live TV streaming service will no longer be available as of January 30, 2020. See Team Clark’s guide to compare other streaming options.


Ditching cable or satellite TV service for an internet-based streaming bundle can save you a lot of money, but you may not be able to avoid these price hikes!

Programming fees are on the way up, so DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are passing those costs along to consumers.

DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are raising prices on their streaming plans

Last week, Sling TV announced that its Sling Orange plan was increasing from $20 to $25 a month. The package includes more than 30 live TV channels like ESPN, CNN, HGTV, AMC, Comedy Central and the History Channel.

Even with the price hike, $25 is still the cheapest way to switch to a live TV streaming service and get ESPN.

This is the only rate change that Sling TV has made. Its Sling Blue package remains $25 a month and you can still get Sling Orange + Sling Blue for $40 a month.

The new $25 price for Sling Orange takes effect immediately for new customers and in August for existing ones.

On the same day that Sling TV made its announcement, AT&T launched a skinny streaming bundle called AT&T WatchTV. It features many of the Turner networks that the company acquired after merging with Time Warner.

AT&T WatchTV costs $15 as a standalone service, but it’s free if you have an unlimited wireless plan with AT&T. 

RELATED: AT&T WatchTV Review: The $15/month live TV streaming service

Advertisement

The news doesn’t stop there! AT&T has confirmed to Clark.com that it’s increasing the price of DirecTV Now by $5 on all base packages, so the $35 a month plan for 60+ channels will be $40 a month.

“In the 18 months since our launch, we have continued to evolve our DIRECTV NOW products to serve our new customer set and compare favorably with our competitors. To continue delivering the best possible streaming experience for both new and existing customers, we’re bringing the cost of this service in line with the market — which starts at a $40 price point.”

AT&T says the change is effective July 26 for new customers and will vary for existing customers based on their billing date.

Finally, PlayStation Vue is also going to be charging customers more. In a blog post, the company said all plans will increase by $5 a month starting on July 24.

Some of the price hikes… 

Streaming TV bundle Old price New price
Sling Orange $20/month $25/month
DirecTV Now Live a Little $35/month $40/month
PlayStation Vue Access $39.99/month $44.99/month

Final thought

The price changes from Sling TV, DirecTV Now and PlayStation Vue come after YouTube TV increased the price of its bundle from $35 to $40 a month after adding several additional networks. That was back in March.

If you’re a current customer and don’t want to pay more, just cancel! There are no contracts with streaming services.

To find out which live TV streaming service is best for you, consult our channel lineup comparison chart. It will help you choose between DirecTV Now, Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV and others.

The chart isolates streaming plans that cost around $40 or less, though most providers have more expensive bundles.

One final tip: Since you’re going to need to pay for internet service (Ask Clark: How do I get the cheapest internet service?) with any of these streaming plans, try to avoid expensive add-on channels and features.

Compare the best live TV streaming plans and read about Clark’s #1 favorite here!

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

Advertisement