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

Sling vs Hulu

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

For a more reliable streaming experience with fewer ad interruptions and better live TV features, Hulu is generally the better choice, despite its own app issues.

Full reviews: Sling · Hulu

Sling offers a wide range of live channels, especially for international content, but struggles with app stability, deceptive marketing, and a poor ad experience. Hulu provides a vast library of on-demand content and live TV options, though it's plagued by frequent app bugs, excessive ads on its cheaper tiers, and recent age verification issues.

Head to head

Features & Content tieR2R8R12R26
Sling Sling is praised for its wide range of entertainment, live world news, and international channels, including Indian entertainment R2R8. Users appreciate the record option for DVR R26 and the selection of live sports R12. However, some report missing episodes on demand and a lack of certain channels like C-Span .
Hulu Hulu is loved for its extensive library of shows and movies, including cartoons . It offers account linking with Disney+ for bundle subscribers . However, users complain about missing episodes for certain series and the removal of favorite shows . Its recording ability for live sports is criticized for not extending to cover overtimes .
Ease of Use & Interface tieR11R14R17R18
Sling Sling is described as simple to use and easy to navigate by some R11R17. However, many users find the app clunky , hard to navigate R14, and dislike recent updates that removed functionality like browsing the guide while watching video on iPad R18. New menus are also criticized .
Hulu Hulu's app is generally considered decently laid out and relatively user-friendly on iPhone and Apple TV . However, the UI is frequently described as messy and not easy to use . Users also report issues with the 'Up Next' feature showing incorrect shows and a desire for shows to restart from the beginning when rewatching .
Reliability & Performance tieR3R4R9R10
Sling Sling is frequently criticized for being unreliable, glitchy, and inconsistent R10. Users report constant crashing R9R15, buffering issues , and shows randomly stopping R10. Specific bugs include player controls staying displayed during AirPlay R4 and video rotating incorrectly . Some users have to constantly remove and redownload the app to get it to work R3.
Hulu Hulu also suffers from significant reliability issues, with users reporting the app shutting off , error messages preventing watching , and constant freezing or buffering . Many users have to delete and redownload the app frequently to resolve issues . The AppleTV app is particularly noted for freezing, glitching, and slow interface .
Price & Value edge: SlingR2R22R24R36
Sling Sling is seen as a good value by some, cutting cable bills in half and offering a wide range of content for the price R2. However, many find it overpriced, noting that the price has tripled over time R24R36. Users also complain about paying for the service and still getting inundated with commercials R22R37.
Hulu Hulu is considered a decent price for its bundle . However, the value is significantly diminished by the excessive number and length of ads on the cheaper, ad-supported plan R64R70. Users feel they are paying too much for the ad experience .
Customer Support & Transparency edge: HuluR4R7R10R19
Sling Sling's customer service is widely criticized as lousy R10 or non-existent . Users report being unable to contact support and issues not being fixed despite reporting them multiple times R4. There are multiple accusations of deceptive marketing, particularly regarding access to World Cup games R7R19.
Hulu Hulu is criticized for not acknowledging widespread issues like the age verification problem . Users also report difficulty canceling subscriptions through the app and being charged for additional months without notification .
Pick Sling if

You prioritize a wide selection of live international news and entertainment, especially if you can get a good promotional price, and are willing to tolerate frequent app glitches and potentially poor customer support R2R8.

Pick Hulu if

You want a vast library of on-demand shows and movies, including Disney+ bundles, and are prepared to pay for the ad-free tier to avoid excessive commercial breaks, or you need more reliable live TV features for sports .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews regarding app performance and bugs, making it difficult to definitively declare one superior in reliability. Hulu's recent age verification issues are a prominent, recent negative trend.

Frequently asked

Are there many ads on Sling and Hulu?
Yes, both Sling and Hulu have significant ad complaints from users, especially on their cheaper, ad-supported tiers. Sling users report being inundated with commercials and even countdowns during breaks R22R37, while Hulu users on ad-supported plans frequently complain about excessive ads, sometimes lasting minutes and appearing every few minutes within an episode R64R70.
Do Sling and Hulu have app stability issues?
Yes, both Sling and Hulu users report frequent app stability issues. Sling is described as glitchy, inconsistent, and prone to crashing unexpectedly R9R10R15, often requiring users to delete and redownload the app R3. Hulu also experiences frequent bugs, freezing, buffering, and error messages , with many users needing to reinstall the app to resolve problems.
Is Sling TV free?
Sling TV offers a free tier, but many users subscribe to paid plans, which have increased in price over time R24R36. Some users also mention purchasing day passes R1R23.

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. [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!
  2. [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!
  3. [R12] Sling 3/5 · US Good for live sports but…: Every commercial break is literally children with cancer, dying animals, and pharmaceutical companies selling hiv or fat loss drugs. Will absolutely ruin the mood of anything you watch. I find myself turning it off and watching something else more and more.
  4. [R26] Sling 5/5 · US My fav: I love the record option so I don’t miss my favourite MSNow programs, Also love the golf options open to me
  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. [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.
  7. [R17] Sling 5/5 · US Sling App: Great tv app. Simple to use and easy to navigate.
  8. [R18] Sling 3/5 · US Latest Update Takes Away Functionality: I like the service, but I watch mostly on my iPad and the latest update made it so that you can’t browse the guide and have video up the same way it used to. They took out the virtual button up top that made it happen. Please put it back!
  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. [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.
  15. [R36] Sling 3/5 · US Price is going up: Price is going up
  16. [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.
  17. [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
  18. [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.
  19. [R64] Hulu 1/5 · US YOUR ADS: YOU GIVE WAY TOO MANY ADS. i can’t even enjoy my show without getting put on a ad.i got ads so frequently when i was just getting off a ad,i got right back on one.i timed how often i get ads i get one every 1 minute or 1 minute and twenty seconds.yall are just money hungry.and the ads are like two minutes long.
  20. [R70] Hulu 1/5 · US SO MANY ADS: STOP MAKING ME WATCH 10 MINS OF ADS FOR A 20 MIN EPISODE
  21. [R15] Sling 3/5 · US It’s ok: I will watch something and it will crash or just stop working
  22. [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.
  23. [R23] Sling 5/5 · US Day Pass!: Whoever thinks that deserves a raise! Thank you so much!

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