Virgin Media TV review 2025: Features, pricing and box

Dan Howdle • February 18th, 2025

In 2025, Virgin TV rivals Sky's TV service both in terms of quality and quantity of content in some ways, but not in others, especially since with Sky you no longer need a satellite dish. There are some Sky channels you won't be able to get with Virgin TV, and unlike Sky you cannot take it out without Virgin Media Broadband. But Virgin TV has changed much of late with the introduction of 'Flex' – its streaming only TV platform. So is it any good? Let's find out.

Is Virgin TV any good?

Key features

Here’s a quick look at what you can expect to find in a Virgin TV package.

Number of channels	Up to 230+
Technology	Cable (TV 360) or internet/Wi-Fi (Flex)
Can bundle with broadband?	Yes, it's obligatory
Set-top box	Virgin TV 360 or Flex box
Prices from	£32.99 per month

Channels

Depending on how much you're willing to spend, you can access over 250 channels when you include premium add-ons, such as Sky Cinema and Sky Sports. And the picture is nearly identical whether you opt for the traditional cable TV variation with a recordings-enabled set-top box (TV 360) or the new streaming only option (Flex). To see exactly which channels are available, you can visit our Virgin Media TV channels guide.

Set-top boxes

Virgin TV 360

Virgin's TV 360 set-top box is one of the best on the market, offering recording functionality, a voice-activated remote control, and seamless integration with streaming apps. It comes included with every Virgin Media TV and broadband bundle, meaning you don’t have to pay extra to get a fully featured TV experience.

Sky has now phased out its satellite-based Sky Q service in favour of Sky Stream, which delivers TV over the internet. This means Virgin Media is the last provider still offering a set-top box with built-in recording capabilities.

The TV 360, like its predecessor the V6, has a slightly stumpy profile than other recordable set-top boxes of late. It allows you to record six channels while you watch a seventh (seriously, who's ever going to do this?). And it's even 4K ready, so you can watch 4K content on your 4K TV – if you have one. It also allows you to install apps on it like Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime, but perhaps unsurprisingly not NOW.

Virgin TV Flex

Virgin TV Flex gives you the essentials, with over 150 channels, all the major catch-up players, and access to streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. The key difference from TV 360 is that it doesn’t have recording capabilities – it’s designed for people who prefer to stream or watch on-demand. It's pitched as a direct competitor to Sky Stream though it remains the case that very few people have even heard of it.

Flex is available on a rolling 30-day contract from £5 per month, making it one of the most affordable TV options on the market. However, once you start adding channels and packs you actually value you will soon see that price creep up to roughly where Sky Stream is for the same services, albeit with the notable omission of Sky Atlantic and Sky Box Sets.

Add-ons

These are available whether you opt for the TV 360 or Flex versions of Virgin TV.

Sky Sports

Just because Virgin isn't Sky doesn't mean you can't pinch some of Sky's best features – for an additional cost, of course. You can add Sky Sports to any of Virgin's TV packages or broadband and TV bundles, or simply choose a bundle that includes it to begin with.

Sky Cinema

Same goes for Sky's movie service: Sky Cinema. Not as expensive as Sky Sports (nothing is as expensive as Sky Sports), Sky Cinema gives you access to over 1,000 films at any given time, spread over 11 channels, with most available to watch any time you like on-demand. It's a hell of a lot of movies, and well worth the money, but if you already subscribe to Netflix and/or Amazon Prime, perhaps somewhat less so.

TNT Sports

TNT Sports has the rights to quite a lot of essential sporting events, including – but by no means limited to – Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UFC, and WWE. You can add it onto any Virgin TV bundle, but unfortunately it's no longer included by default in any package as it once was when it was BT Sport.

Premium channels

Just like Sky there are a host of premium channels you can subscribe to individually for those with special interests. They include MUTV (Manchester United's own channel), Racing UK (horse racing), Zee TV (Indian movies), and a host of specialist international and foreign language channels.

BritBox

The most recent addition to Virgin TV is BritBox, the local video subscription service. For £5.99 a month, you'll be able to watch popular shows such as Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, Rome, and Why Didn't They Ask Evans.

Multiroom TV

TV Box 360

It'll cost you more, but you're free to add on multiroom functionality to any Virgin TV package if you want to watch on a second TV somewhere else in your home. Just sign up and request a 360 Mini box at the checkout. Alternatively, you can sign up to the capacious (and expensive) Ultimate Volt Bundle, which comes with one free 360 Mini box as standard.

Virgin TV Flex

Virgin TV Flex doesn't support traditional multiroom viewing with additional set-top boxes. However, you can still enjoy your favourite shows in different rooms using the Virgin TV Go app, which allows streaming on multiple devices like tablets, smartphones, and laptops.

Packages and bundles

Bundles with broadband

'Bundle' should really apply more to how much you save than it does how much is in it. Virgin’s bundles offer excellent value for money, with lightning-fast broadband and decent TV. One thing to note, though – Virgin Media often changes the broadband speeds they offer with each bundle, so be sure to bear that in mind. And besar in mind the following is just a taste to show the various package tiers and you can swap out, upgrade or downgrade any element therein when choosing your own package.

• Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband + Flex – A basic but solid package with over 100 TV channels via Virgin's Stream box. It comes with 132Mbps broadband, which is enough for most households. The Flex option is ideal for those who want Virgin TV without having to run a cable to where you have your telly
• Virgin Media Bigger Combo Bundle – This one bumps up the broadband speed to 362Mbps and comes with over 190 channels, including a selection of Sky channels. It also includes the Virgin TV 360 box, giving you full recording functionality
• Virgin Media Biggest Combo TV Bundle – A top-tier package offering over 210 channels, including Sky Cinema HD and Sky Sports HD. It also includes Netflix as part of the bundle, making it one of the most comprehensive entertainment packages Virgin offers. Broadband speed is 516Mbps in this example, ensuring smooth streaming across multiple devices
• Virgin Media Mega Volt Bundle – The ultimate Virgin Media package. It comes with over 230 channels, including Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema HD, Netflix, and Virgin's TV 360 box. The broadband speed is a ridiculous 1.1Gbps, making it one of the fastest widely available packages in the UK. You also get a 250GB 5G O2 SIM, which adds even more value

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