Want ESPN Without Paying $30? Sling’s New $19.99 Essentials Plan May Be Your Answer

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man
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ESPN Without Paying $30

If you don’t have ESPN in a cable, satellite or streaming package, Sling TV’s Essentials plan will bring it home for $10 less than the cost of the ESPN Unlimited app.

Sling Essentials, which launched in April 2026, includes ESPN and ESPN2 plus about a dozen other channels for only $19.99 a month. It’s the least expensive way to watch the two flagship ESPN networks.

What’s Included In Sling Essentials

The Essentials lineup includes:

•  Sports: ESPN, ESPN2

•  Family & Kids: Disney Channel, Freeform, Game Show Network (GSN)

•  Movies & Drama: Lifetime Movies (LMN), Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Bounce

•  Classic & Nostalgia: MeTV, startTV, GRIT, Heroes & Icons (H&I)

That’s 13 channels total. You also get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage at no extra cost. (An unlimited DVR upgrade is available for $5 more per month.) The plan supports one simultaneous stream.

Sling Essentials doesn’t include some ESPN channels such as the SEC Network and ACC Network or the supplemental programming found on the ESPN Unlimited app, such as WWE events. But ESPN and ESPN2 will provide all the high-profile games from college football, MLB, NFL, WNBA, NBA and other major sports.

How Essentials Compares to Sling’s Orange Plan

Sling’s base Orange plan, which also includes ESPN and ESPN2 (along with more channels such as TNT, TBS, and CNN), starts at $45.99 a month. So you definitely sacrifice in programming variety when you go for the cheaper option. But for those who just want ESPN without paying $30, it makes sense.

In addition to the two most-watched ESPN channels, you receive a mix of family and classic programming although they do not include the more popular channels listed above such as TBS and CNN.

Important Limitations Of Sling Essentials

•  There are no local broadcast channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX).

•  You only get one stream at a time so if a family member wants to watch on a different set, you’re out of luck.

•  You do not get the full suite of ESPN networks (SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNU, etc.) that appear on Sling Orange or ESPN Unlimited.

Who Should Consider Getting Sling Essentials?

Sling Essentials works best for viewers who want live ESPN sports (college football, NBA, MLB, etc. that air on ESPN/ESPN2) plus some family and classic TV, and who prefer to keep the monthly bill low. It is less ideal if you need multiple simultaneous streams, local channels, or a wider selection of entertainment and news networks.

Note that Sling also offers short-term day, weekend, and week passes on its higher Orange tier which enable you to watch ESPN and all Orange channels for as little as $4.99 a day. So if you’re thinking of getting ESPN for a single game, the $4.99 day pass might be a better bet than the monthly $19.99 Essentials plan.

Happy viewing and stay safe!

TV For Seniors is dedicated to helping you watch your favorite shows and channels without paying full price. To learn more about how to reduce your TV bill, see our article here.

Who Is The TV Answer Man?
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades.