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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Sling vs ESPN

Sling 4.6★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner ESPN
ESPN 4.6★ · Free + IAP 70

For dedicated sports fans seeking comprehensive coverage and reliable scores, ESPN is the stronger choice despite its technical glitches and ad complaints, while Sling is better for those prioritizing a broader range of live TV channels beyond just sports.

Full reviews: Sling · ESPN

Sling offers a wide range of entertainment and live news, but users frequently report app crashes, buffering, and deceptive marketing regarding specific events. ESPN, while praised for its comprehensive sports coverage and timely updates, also suffers from app instability, slow loading times, and an intrusive ad experience, even for paid subscribers.

Head to head

Features and Content edge: ESPNR1R2R7R8
Sling Sling is praised for its wide range of entertainment, live world news, and diverse show selection, including international content R2R8. However, some users report missing episodes on demand and a lack of certain channels like C-Span . There are also significant complaints about deceptive marketing, especially concerning major sporting events like the World Cup and NBA games, leading users to pay for content they cannot access R1R7R19R28.
ESPN ESPN is lauded for its comprehensive sports coverage, live scores, breaking news, and personalized features for following favorite teams and leagues . Users appreciate the immediate access to facts and stats . However, some users are frustrated by the lack of niche sports coverage , difficulty finding specific matches , and the app's tendency to push unwanted content or notifications despite user preferences .
Ease of Use and Interface edge: ESPNR11R13R14R17
Sling Sling receives mixed reviews on ease of use. Some find it simple to use and easy to navigate R11R17, while others describe the interface as clunky, hard to adjust, and difficult to find shows R14. Recent updates have been criticized for removing functionality, such as browsing the guide while watching video and introducing less intuitive menus . DVR controls are also a point of frustration, with users finding them lacking compared to older services R13.
ESPN ESPN generally has a clean, intuitive interface , and many users find it easy to use for checking scores and information . However, some users report difficulty navigating to specific content, especially for replays , and a desire for better organization like a calendar view for fixtures . Issues with notifications being too frequent or irrelevant are also common .
Reliability and Performance tieR3R4R9R10
Sling Sling users frequently report significant reliability issues, including the app crashing unexpectedly R3R9, buffering , and randomly stopping broadcasts R10. Problems with AirPlay, video rotation, and slow loading are also cited R4. Many users find it the 'least reliable' and 'most glitchy' streaming service R10.
ESPN ESPN also faces substantial criticism for its reliability and performance. Users report the app crashing frequently , slow loading times R94, and blank screens when trying to read articles . Buffering is a common complaint, especially during live streaming R94. Some users describe it as the 'laggiest app' .
Price and Value edge: SlingR2R22R23R24
Sling Sling is initially seen as a good value, with users appreciating its affordability and ability to cut cable bills R2. However, many users feel it has become overpriced over time, with prices tripling R24. A major point of contention is paying for a service that still includes tons of commercials and even countdowns R22R37. The 'day pass' option is appreciated by some R23.
ESPN ESPN is a free app with in-app purchases, but users who subscribe to ESPN+ or other paid tiers are highly frustrated by the continued presence of numerous, repetitive ads, even during live matches R79R93R94R112. Some feel that paying for a subscription should remove commercials R112. The pricing structure is also criticized for having multiple paywalls and required subscriptions to access all content .
Customer Support tieR10R35R46R47
Sling Sling receives overwhelmingly negative feedback regarding customer support. Users report 'lousy customer service' when technical problems are reported R10, and some state that customer service appears to be 'completely non existent' R47. There are complaints about being unable to contact anyone to cancel subscriptions or resolve login issues R46.
ESPN ESPN reviews do not explicitly mention customer support quality, focusing instead on app functionality and content issues. Therefore, there is insufficient information to make a comparison on this dimension.
Pick Sling if

Pick Sling if you are looking for a broader range of live TV channels, including news and international entertainment, and appreciate the option of a day pass for occasional viewing R2R8R23.

Pick ESPN if

Pick ESPN if you are a dedicated sports fan who prioritizes comprehensive, up-to-the-minute scores, highlights, and news across a wide array of sports, and are willing to tolerate app glitches and ads for the content .

Evidence note: The evidence for customer support is one-sided, with Sling receiving negative feedback while ESPN's reviews do not address support directly. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is notable, as both apps are free with IAP, but ESPN's paid users express significant frustration over ads, suggesting a higher expectation for a premium experience that isn't met R79R93R112.

Frequently asked

Is Sling TV free?
Sling TV offers a free tier, but many users purchase day passes or subscriptions, with prices increasing over time, and even paid services include commercials R22R23R24R37.
Why does ESPN have so many ads?
ESPN has many ads, even for users who have paid for subscriptions like ESPN Unlimited, which frustrates users who expect an ad-free experience after paying R79R93R94R112.
Can I watch the World Cup on Sling or ESPN?
Users reported significant issues watching the World Cup on Sling due to deceptive marketing and unavailable channels, leading to wasted money R7R19R28R31. ESPN users had mixed experiences, with some finding it good for World Cup news but others struggling to find matches or dealing with AI commentary .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Sling 1/5 · US Would not unlock channels: A waist of money. I purchased online a 1 day pass. It would not unlock the channels. A family member also tried and the same thing happened to them. I would not recommend this service. I would have gave 0 stars but it is not possible.
  2. [R2] Sling 5/5 · US The Best Option !: Sling offers Such A Wide Range of Entertainment and Live World News and Events! Cannot beat the Price and Best of All I stay in Touch With Indian Entertainment World and News!
  3. [R7] Sling 1/5 · US Deceptive marketing: Purchase this to watch the World Cup under the assumption from marketing that I was able to. After purchase it then told me I could not actually watch the World Cup. This is not the first time sling TV has used deceptive marketing to get me to sign up.
  4. [R8] Sling 5/5 · US Greatest Choice of shows: I’ve been watching Sling for few years now. I have “Sling Blue”. I enjoy such a wide range of shows as well as great local and national news. It’s the BEST!
  5. [R11] Sling 5/5 · US Awesome!!: It works great it shows you all the times and what plays then. It’s really easy to navigate.
  6. [R13] Sling 1/5 · US DVR CONTROL: Your DVR Control Overreach is astounding.
  7. [R14] Sling 4/5 · US Mostly good: I find it hard to find the shows I’m looking for, because when searching it goes back to beginning of the list. I wasn’t sure how to record on my DVR. I Think I’ve figured it out.
  8. [R17] Sling 5/5 · US Sling App: Great tv app. Simple to use and easy to navigate.
  9. [R3] Sling 3/5 · US Problems with app: The app is terrible. I am constantly removing it and then downloading it to get it to work.
  10. [R4] Sling 1/5 · US Playing on AirPlay Issue - Still Broken at 9.41.1 and Sling Won’t Fix: Now at v9.41.1. Ever since the v9 update months ago, Sling introduced a bug where the on-screen player controls stay displayed and will not disappear when Airplaying to speakers (HomePods). I’ve let support know several times and have left feedback here. And for whatever reason, they won’t fix it. Make the app unusable for my p
  11. [R9] Sling 3/5 · US Technical bugs, no support options: I have three main issues with Sling. 1. The app keeps crashing unexpectedly in the middle of watching things. 2. The closed captioning skips about half of what's being said. Incorrect captioning is also seen on a few shows. 3. The live channels aren't anything like actual live tv. Most channels repeat the same exact programming every day and there's only a few e
  12. [R10] Sling 1/5 · US Least reliable. Most glitchy. Inconsistent. Just randomly stops broadcasting.: I think the title says it all, except for adding the lousy customer service when a technical problem is reported.
  13. [R22] Sling 1/5 · US Inundated with commercials: This is the worst streaming service. Tons of commercials and even spots of a nonsensical text with a literal countdown on the screen. So you’re just sitting there watching a fricking countdown. Unbelievable.
  14. [R23] Sling 5/5 · US Day Pass!: Whoever thinks that deserves a raise! Thank you so much!
  15. [R24] Sling 3/5 · US Overpriced: Honestly I liked the streaming service when I first had it. But then the on demand section just never had anything and the price tripled over time. Ended up canceling and getting a new streaming service elsewhere with the same few channels for a third of the price. Would consider going back if the price was right.
  16. [R35] Sling 4/5 · US Kris: No technical support and local channels are a real pain but rest is good
  17. [R46] Sling 1/5 · US It’s a recurring ripoff: Can’t login, can’t change password, can’t cancel subscription, can’t contact anybody. This provider literally charges me every month for a service I can’t use. I have tried for months to get anywhere with it to no avail.
  18. [R47] Sling 4/5 · US App is better than the upgrade for tv: I used to like sling. Sling has gotten rid of NHRA channel and speed sport 1. I don’t understand why. You can still find them on Tubi but occasionally I like to record the vintage shows. Customer service appears to be completely non existent. But the last update for television really messed up the guide and made it cumbersome to navigate. Example Fox s
  19. [R37] Sling 1/5 · US You pay AND you get commercials!: Annoying sign-in process, censored dialog, $4.99 a day, and tons of commercials.
  20. [R79] ESPN 1/5 · US Do not waste your money on subscriptions: I subscribed to ESPN specifically to watch the Wimbledon 2026 men’s and women’s singles matches in the US. Because of the time difference, the matches are played while I’m at work, so I expected to watch the replays in the evening. Instead, I paid for a subscription that still includes a lot of advertising, and by the time I get home, many of the matches
  21. [R93] ESPN 3/5 · US 29.99 for adds: Purchased the app to watch Wimbledon matches. I think for 29.99$ I don’t have to watch 2 min ads every time I want to fast forward the video. Those ads are so annoying!
  22. [R94] ESPN 1/5 · US The buffering and ads: The buffering, awful, the load time for the app, awful. The ads will work perfectly though, dumb. This app and in its entirety, AWFUL.
  23. [R112] ESPN 1/5 · US Commercials: I pay for espn unlimited I should get no commercials. They throw in commercials in the middle of matches when the announcers are explaining something important. Just let me watch without a damn commercial, I’m not gonna buy whatever is on there because I saw a commercial on here.
  24. [R19] Sling 1/5 · US No good: I am requesting a full refund because this app used deceptive advertising. I subscribed to the Arabic package based on information that it includes the Arabic beIN Sports channels to watch the FIFA World Cup matches. However, after paying, I found out that these channels are completely unavailable in the US region and the World Cup is not being broadcasted on this platform at all. I was m
  25. [R28] Sling 1/5 · US Scam: Lies about what it offers, do not subscribe for World Cup. Only has half of games, unless you want to pay 60$
  26. [R31] Sling 1/5 · US Awful don’t waste your time: Been a long time subscriber but when it came to watching the World Cup, it would be impossible to actually find the games. It would only offer the Latino channels that I would have to pay extra for, and not the channels I actually already have access to. Terrible system…

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store