Your guide to Sky TV packages
Miles Northrop
Sky's focus these days is firmly on TV delivered via the internet, with Sky Stream leading the charge. That's a huge step forward for flexibility – you get the full, uncompromised Sky TV experience delivered over your home Wi-Fi and no satellite receiver required. The days of the rusty old dish are, thankfully, mostly behind us.
Sky's entry-level options are split into two core package levels – Sky Essential TV and Sky Ultimate TV. This split gives you a lower-cost entry point if you only want the basics, while keeping the full entertainment suite for viewers who need more. That said, Sky's lineups are modular, meaning you can pick and choose specific elements during the signup process. Although it isn't always immediately obvious what's included, what needs an add-on, or what extra charges might crop up.
In this buyer's guide, we'll cover all the bases and explore what Sky TV can offer, what you can expect in each main package, and how to build the perfect setup for your home.
Sky TV packages
Sky Stream comes in two very different hardware flavors – the Sky Stream Puck (a standalone streaming box you can plug into any TV) and Sky Glass (a smart TV with all the Sky Stream tech inside). We'll compare those options shortly, but first, let's break down the two main Sky Stream subscription tiers.
Sky Essential TV
Sky introduced the Essential tier as a streamlined, budget-friendly entry point. It trims back the channel list and features to help keep monthly costs down. Here's a breakdown of what that means...
Sky Stream + Essential TV + Netflix
No dish neededNext day deliveryStream live TVPrice may change again during minimum term
-
Broadband not included
100+ TV channels
No phone line
24
Month contract
Zero upfront cost
£15.00 Per month
Effective monthly cost is calculated by adding up all the monthly costs, price rises and any discounts and dividing it by the contract length.
Prices may change during contract.
- Budget-friendly rate – Sky Essential TV starts at £15 a month on a 24-month contract (and usually a few pounds on a 31-day rolling contract), making it the cheapest way into Sky's ecosystem.
- 100+ Live Channels – You'll get standard free-to-air channels (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc) alongside core Sky staples like Sky Atlantic, Sky News, and Sky Arts.
- Netflix Standard with Ads – Includes Netflix's ad-supported service integrated right into the Sky interface.
- Discovery+ included – Gives you access to the Discovery+ Basic plan for factual TV, documentaries and reality shows.
- Contract options – Available on either a 24-month fixed contract or a flexible 31-day rolling agreement.
- Platform support – Works on both Sky Stream Pucks and Sky Glass TVs.
Note: Advanced add-ons like Ad Skipping aren't available as standard on the Sky Essential TV package. Unfortunately you'll have to pay extra for those features.
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Ultimate TV is the premium tier of Sky Stream, and was simply called 'Sky Stream' before Sky split the service into two package tiers. Sky Ultimate TV offers an all-in-one entertainment TV package that caters to those wanting more variety. Here's what Sky Ultimate TV brings to the table.
Sky Ultimate TV is the providers comprehensive, premium entertainment bundle (confusingly, it was previously called the 'Sky Stream' package). It's designed for households that want maximum variety and on-demand content. Here's what you can expect in return for the extra investment...
Sky Stream + Ultimate TV + Netflix
No dish neededNext day deliveryStream live TV
-
Broadband not included
150+ TV channels
No phone line
24
Month contract
Zero upfront cost
£24.00 Per month
Effective monthly cost is calculated by adding up all the monthly costs, price rises and any discounts and dividing it by the contract length.
Prices may change during contract.
- 150+ channels & box sets – Includes everything offered in Essential TV plus channels like Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky Witness, and Sky Documentaries, along with thousands of Sky On-Demand box sets.
- Netflix Standard (No Ads) – Upgrades your included Netflix access to the ad-free Standard plan.
- Discovery+ included – Full access to Discovery+ factual and reality streaming content.
- Flexible contracts – Starts from £22 to £26 a month on a 24-month term, or slightly more on a 31-day rolling plan.
- Add-on compatibility – Unlocks access to all optional add-ons, including Ad Skipping, UHD & Dolby Atmos, Sky Sports, and Sky Cinema.
What our expert says...
"If you just want cheap and easy access to Sky's best channels, Sky Essential TV may be the right choice. It'll save you a little money each month. However, bear in mind the drawbacks. The Netflix subscription included with Essential TV has ads, and there is no ad skipping add-on available unless you take out or upgrade to Sky Ultimate TV."
Dan Howdle, Broadband and mobile expert
Sky Stream or Sky Glass
Both Sky Stream and Sky Glass run on the same interface and offer the exact same package tiers. The difference lies entirely in the hardware – Stream uses a compact external Puck, while Sky Glass builds the entire experience into an all-in-one TV. Here's a comparison of the various features...
What our expert says...
"To be absolutely honest we're not enormous fans of Sky Glass. You're buying a rather average TV for more than you'd pay for many better quality televisions. Our choice will always be to go for Sky Stream and save your money for a well-reviewed TV set to plug it into if you're in the market both for Sky and for a new telly."
Dan Howdle, Broadband and mobile expert
Sky TV add-ons
Sky lets you customise your subscription with optional monthly packs. You can add or remove most of these on a 31-day basis. Here’s an overview of what’s available...
| Add-on |
What it offers |
Price |
| Sky Sports |
11 dedicated live sports channels (Premier League, F1, Golf, Cricket) |
From £20 per month |
| Sky Cinema |
1,000+ on-demand movies, 11 live channels, plus Paramount+ included |
From £10 per month |
| TNT Sports |
UEFA Champions League football, Premiership Rugby, UFC, and MotoGP |
£30 per month |
| Netflix |
Full access to Netflix (Standard with Ads on Essential TV, Standard ad-free on Ultimate) |
Included with base packages |
| UHD & Dolby Atmos |
4K Ultra HD streaming quality and immersive spatial audio |
£6 per month |
| Ad Skipping |
Fast-forward through commercial breaks on catch-up apps and Playlist items |
£5 per month |
| Sky Kids |
Dedicated children's channels, thousands of on-demand episodes, and the Sky Kids app |
£5 per month |
| Sky Whole Home |
Multiroom streaming across extra TVs via additional Sky Stream Pucks |
£12 per month (plus £39.95 per extra Puck) |
Sky Sports
A must-have for sports fans. It includes 11 dedicated channels covering the Premier League, EFL, Formula 1, golf, cricket, and tennis. Sky Sports is available as a monthly add-on (typically £20 to £28 per month depending on ongoing promotions).
Sky Cinema
Includes 11 live movie channels categorised by genre, plus an on-demand library of over a thousand films, from current cinema blockbusters to classics. Sky Cinema usually costs around £9 to £10 extra per month. Subscribers also get a free Paramount+ subscription included at no extra cost.
TNT Sports
Formerly branded as BT Sport, TNT Sports brings you UEFA Champions League football, Premiership Rugby, UFC, MotoGP and much more. It's an optional extra that can be added alongside or independently of Sky Sports and is priced at around £30 a month. Not cheap, but these days sport TV never is.
UHD & Dolby Atmos
If you want to watch live sports, movies, and TV shows in crisp 4K Ultra HD and with amazing spatial audio, you'll definitely need this pack. It costs an additional £6 a month.
Ad Skipping
Being driven nuts by adverts? Sky Stream uses cloud streaming rather than a local hard drive, so with the Ad Skipping add-on (around £5 a month), you can fast-forward through commercial breaks on catch-up apps (like ITVX and Channel 4) and saved Playlist items. Sky often allow you to try it for free for a month, so confident are they that you'll want to hang on to that add-free experience.
Sky Kids
Sky Kids packs in dedicated channels like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang, plus thousands of on demand episodes and access to the safe Sky Kids app for around £5 a month.
Sky Whole Home (multiscreen)
Want Sky in other rooms? Sky Whole Home (usually about £12 a month) lets you stream simultaneously across multiple TVs using additional Sky Stream Pucks (up to 6 Pucks per household). Note that while your first extra Puck is often discounted during promotions, additional Pucks carry a one-off £39.95 hardware fee each. And remember, you don't own them – Sky will insist they're returned if you move to another provider.
Sky Live (Glass Accessory)
If you've gone for Sky Glass rather than just Sky Stream, you can add also Sky Live, an interactive smart camera that snaps magnetically to the top of the set. It adds hands-free video calling (via Zoom), interactive body-tracking fitness workouts, and motion-controlled family games for an extra monthly fee.
Netflix
Strictly speaking not an add-on since Netflix is fully integrated into all Sky packages. It's worth a mention here though as it enables you to access its vast library of shows and movies directly through your Sky interface. With Sky Essential TV, Netflix Basic (with ads) is included as standard, but with Sky Ultimate TV you'll get Netflix Standard (no ads).
What our expert says...
"When looking at Sky TV as a whole service it's especially important to factor in all the things you actually want or need from it. Want 4K? Ad Skipping? Multiroom? Those cost extra. It can quickly add up, especially if you're thinking of adding premium sports and movie channel packs."
Dan Howdle, Broadband and mobile expert
Sky TV contracts
Sky offers flexible terms, but you'll pay a slight premium on monthly rates if you opt for flexibility over a long-term commitment. Obviously, like all providers, Sky really wants to keep you onboard – and we'd say they're certainly better at doing that than most – which is why rolling monthly arrangements you can leave at any time cost so much more.
24 months
The standard contract length for most Sky TV packages, including Sky Stream and Sky Glass is 24 months. By committing to a 24-month contract you will get the best monthly price, making it ideal if you plan to stick with Sky long term.
One month rolling
If you prefer the freedom to change or cancel your service without being tied down, Sky Stream is available on a one-month rolling contract. It’s perfect if you’re unsure about committing or only need Sky for a short time. Keep in mind that it costs slightly more per month compared to the 24-month option.
48 months (Sky Glass only)
Spreads the physical cost of the Sky Glass TV set over four years with 0% APR financing. This is less a service contract than a loan and is entirely separate from your monthly TV subscription, which can of course be managed on a 24-month or 31-day basis. Bear in mind that because it's a formal credit agreement, only comparison sites registered with the Financial Conduct Authority can offer Sky Glass. So it can be a little harder to compare prices to other TV bundles.
Bundling Sky TV with Sky Broadband
One big advantage of Sky Stream is that it's provider-netural. You don't need Sky Broadband to use it, it works over any reliable Wi-Fi connection from any provider, although using mobile broadband may be pushing it a little. That's something nobody else can offer.
However, pairing Sky TV with Sky Broadband keeps your billing simple and Sky regularly offers discounted rates when you sign up for both together. Plus, they're a highly regarded broadband provider in their own right, and so are never a bad choice.
Following regulatory updates from Ofcom regarding how combined deals are presented, Sky issues separate contracts for TV and broadband services. This means your TV and broadband terms may have different start dates if your broadband installation requires an engineer visit.
There are two main advantages of 'bundling' Sky Broadband with your Sky TV package.
- One monthly bill – Keep things simple with a single payment for both broadband and TV
- Bundle discounts – You save money by combining your Sky TV and broadband services
What our expert says...
"You can almost always save money by bundling Sky Broadband with Sky TV, and that will suit many. However, Sky's flexibility in offering TV on its own, leaving you to choose whichever broadband provider you like, remains one of its greatest strengths, and not everyone will end up with the best speeds, value and/or features if they take out all of their services with Sky."
Dan Howdle, Broadband and mobile expert
Sky TV channel highlights
Sky offers a wide range of channels, but there are a few that stand out. Here’s a closer look at some of the most notable channels available with Sky TV. Keep in mind though that not all of these channels are available in the Sky Essential TV package (shown as Sky Ultimate TV only where not), which will be a key consideration when selecting your package.
Sky Atlantic
Sky Essential TV
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Atlantic is the go-to channel for big-budget dramas and exclusive US imports, most notably those from HBO. It's the only place in the UK where you can watch critically acclaimed shows like Succession, The Last of Us, and House of the Dragon.
Sky Max (Ultimate)
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Max focuses on entertaining, big-scale shows. Think of it as a mix of light-hearted dramas, exciting action series, and family-friendly favourites. Recent hits include Mr Bigstuff, A League of Their Own and Brassic.
Sky Witness
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Witness shows gripping crime dramas, medical shows, and other procedurals. It's home to popular imports like Grey's Anatomy, 9-1-1, and Law & Order: SVU. If you enjoy a mix of fast-paced storytelling and drama, Witness has it in spades.
Sky Documentaries
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Documentaries offers a wide selection of high-quality docs. Covering everything from true crime to sports and pop culture, recent highlights include Tina and Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein's Shadow.
Sky Comedy
Sky Ultimate TV
Sky Comedy is the home of both new and classic comedies. You'll find popular US sitcoms like The Office (US), Parks and Recreation, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, alongside Sky Originals. If you're looking for a laugh, this channel has you covered.
Deals and new customer offers
Depending on when you decide to sign up, you may or may not find a selection of special introductory offers available, designed to entice new customers to sign up. Sky doesn't offer special deals on TV packages quite as agressively as they do with broadband, but when they do they can take several forms...
Slashed monthly pricing
- Discounted packages – New customers always get access to significantly reduced monthly prices on Sky TV packages compared to standard rates. And often even cheaper via price comparison websites.
- Limited-time deals – Offers like money off for the first 'X' months are commonly available, and sometimes Sky will waive the current yearly price rise it has scheduled if you sign up close enough to its arrival.
Reward cards and cashback
- Prepaid gift cards – Sky often includes gift cards worth £50 or more as a bonus for signing up
Free trial periods
- Test before committing – Free one-month trials of add-ons like Ad Skipping are often available to new and existing customers.
- Short-term promos – Some plans include a month of premium channels at no extra cost before you need to decide whether to keep them.
Next-day installation
Because Sky Stream Pucks use plug-and-play Wi-Fi, there's no hanging around waiting for an engineers' visit. Pucks are sent via courier, often arriving within a day or so. Then you simply plug the Puck into your TV's HDMI port, connect to Wi-Fi, and start enjoying your new world of Sky TV. We tested this no so long ago and for us it was just under 16 hours between clicking to order and plugging in and setting up our Sky Stream Puck. Impressive.
Sky provides the option to have a technician deliver and install your Sky Glass TV if you so desire. This option is less about whether or not you have the technical know-how to plug in a television and more about the fact that the sets can be heavy and awkward to unbox and place. Considering the sizes of the units on offer, that might be a good option to opt for.
If you're taking out Sky Broadband
If you're bundling Sky Broadband with your Sky TV you can elect to wait the roughly two weeks to get Sky Stream and have the technician that installs your broadband set it up on the same day. Or you can get your Sky Stream box straight away. That's up to you. The two contracts are separate so you will need to be mindful that your contracts won't start on the same day if you choose get Sky Stream immediately without waiting for your broadband.
Additional features
Finally, there are a couple of things that don't really fit any other category and that either come with Sky TV as part an parcel or take the form of an optional extra that's a little bit whacky and a little bit less relevant for most of us. They are:
The Sky Go app
Included free with all Sky TV subscriptions. It lets you stream live channels and catch-up content on your phone, tablet, or laptop, with options to download shows for offline viewing. It's perfect for catching up on your favourite shows when you’re away from home or if someone else has claimed the TV.
Sky Protect
Sky Protect is an optional insurance plan that covers your Sky equipment, such as Sky Stream pucks or your Sky Glass TV, against damage, faults, or breakdowns. Perhaps suprisingly, it also includes cover for accidental damage to your other devices, like TVs or laptops. Of course, they may be covered under existing policies, but it's a little extra peace of mind.
