Sling TV Free Trial: Why There Isn't One and the Free Option

That makes Sling an odd one among live TV services. Instead of a free week that turns into a monthly plan, it gives you a permanent free tier and saves the full line-up for its main plans. Here's how the free side works, and the two other free ways Sling lists to try more of it.

Sling Freestream: the free tier, not a trial

Sling Freestream is free live and on-demand TV inside the Sling app and website. According to Sling's Freestream page, it has over 600 free live channels and more than 40,000 on-demand shows and films. Sling says it's easy to use, needs no credit card, and is always free.

You can watch without an account, but Sling says that when you're signed in you get a more personalised experience. If you're testing whether Sling's app suits your TV and remote, Freestream is a fair way to do it, because it's the same app the full plans use.

Sling's three free ways to preview

Sling's help centre lists three free routes, and they're aimed at different people:

Free route	Who it's for	How it works
Sling Freestream	Everyone	Free live channels and on-demand shows, all the time
Sling Freeviews	Sling customers	Limited-time access to selected content that pops up through the year
Free channel previews	Current customers on eligible services	Preview channels appear in your guide automatically during set dates

How free channel previews work

If you're already with Sling, previews are the closest thing to a trial of extra channels. Sling says that for eligible customers, preview channels appear in the guide automatically during the listed dates for free. They're usually labelled Free Preview with their dates, although Sling warns that isn't always the case, so it suggests checking its previews page for the current list.

If a preview isn't showing, Sling's help page suggests two checks: make sure you're on the services that qualify, which you can see under Account in the Sling app's Settings, and then fully close and reopen the app. Sling also notes you may see preview messaging on a channel you already have, which you can ignore.

Finding channels quickly

Sling's help page points to the guide filters for browsing what you can watch, with genres like Entertainment, Sports and Movies, plus language filters if you have International or Latino programming. You can also use the in-app search to look up a channel. For live sport in particular, search the channel name first, because some sport only sits on certain Sling plans.

The one free trial you can get through Sling

Here's a detail that isn't on Sling's own deals page. discovery+ says its add-on through Sling TV comes with a 7-day free trial for new members. You add it from My Account in Sling, then Manage Add-ons, then the Premium section. discovery+ says Sling handles that add-on, so you'd cancel it inside your Sling account rather than with discovery+.

How to start watching Sling for free

1. Open the Sling app on your TV, phone or streaming stick, or go to sling.com.
2. Choose Freestream. You can browse straight away.
3. Create a free account if you want a personalised home screen and saved shows.
4. Use the guide filters or search to find the channels you care about.
5. Only move to one of Sling's main plans once you know the free channels aren't enough.

Recording and DVR

Sling's deals page says customers on its plans can record live TV and save it to a DVR, with 50 hours of storage included and an option to extend it. That's worth weighing up if you're coming from cable and used to recording, because Freestream on its own is about watching, not keeping.

Is Sling worth it without a free trial?

Sling's model works in your favour. A free trial gives you a week and then a renewal to remember. Freestream gives you as long as you like with nothing to cancel. If you want to compare it with YouTube TV, my guides on recording on YouTube TV and where to watch free movies cover the alternatives.

What Freestream won't give you

Freestream is generous, but it's a separate tier from Sling's main plans. Sling describes its free previews and Freeviews as extras for existing customers, which tells you the bigger cable channels sit behind the main plans. Sling's deals page frames Freestream as a way to watch until you're ready to decide on the best plan for you, so use it as a test of the app, not of every channel you might want.

My verdict on the Sling TV free trial

Stop looking for a Sling trial code. Download the app, use Freestream for a week, and see whether the free channels cover what you watch. If they don't, join the one Sling plan that has your missing channels, and keep an eye on Freeviews for extra shows through the year.

Frequently asked questions

Does Sling TV have a free trial?

No. Sling says on its deals page that there's no free trial for Sling, but anyone can watch a limited set of channels on Sling Freestream.

Is Sling Freestream free?

Yes. Sling says Freestream is always free, needs no credit card, and includes over 600 free live channels and more than 40,000 on-demand shows and films.

What are Sling Freeviews?

Sling says Freeviews give customers limited-time access to selected content, and they pop up throughout the year.

How do Sling free previews work?

For eligible customers, Sling says preview channels appear in the guide automatically during the listed dates, usually labelled Free Preview.

Can I get a free trial of discovery+ through Sling?

Yes. discovery+ says new members are eligible for a 7-day free trial when they add it through Sling TV.

Can I record shows on Sling?

Sling says customers on its plans can record live TV to a DVR with 50 hours of storage included, with an option to extend it.

Do I need an account to watch Sling Freestream?

No, but Sling says you'll get a more personalised experience when you're signed in to a free account.