TV · Head to head
Sky TV vs NOW: which is cheaper for Sky channels?
On 25 Oct 2026, Sky's best-value deal is Essential TV at £15.00 a month real cost and NOW's is Entertainment (Saver, 6-month minimum) at £6.49. NOW is cheaper by £8.51 a month on its best-value deal, with fees and stated price rises counted.
Cheapest way in
NOW Entertainment (Saver, 6-month minimum)
Sky Originals and exclusive shows · 6 months · £6.49 a month real cost
The lowest real cost here from a national provider on 25 Oct 2026, with fees and stated price rises counted.
Every deal from both, best value first
Checked 25 Oct 2026| Provider and package | What you get | Contract | Monthly price | Real cost | Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOW Entertainment (Saver, 6-month minimum) Then £7.99 a month after the 6-month minimum term, unless cancelled · Includes ads; one ad-free month included at checkout | What you getSky Originals and exclusive shows · Biggest returning series from HBOStreams over your broadband | Contract6 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£4.99£7.99 after 6 months | Real cost£6.49 /mo£77.88 over 12 months | See deal at NOW (opens in a new tab) |
NOW Cinema Monthly Saver with 6-month minimum term, then up to £9.99 a month unless cancelled · Includes ads | What you getHundreds of movies, latest blockbustersStreams over your broadband | Contract6 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£6.99£9.99 after 6 months | Real cost£8.49 /mo£101.88 over 12 months | See deal at NOW (opens in a new tab) |
NOW Entertainment & HBO Max Monthly Saver with 6-month minimum term, then up to £9.99 a month unless cancelled · Includes ads | What you getSky Originals and exclusive shows · HBO Max Basic with AdsStreams over your broadband | Contract6 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£6.99£9.99 after 6 months | Real cost£8.49 /mo£101.88 over 12 months | See deal at NOW (opens in a new tab) |
Sky Essential TV No upfront fees · Streams over your WiFi, no dish | What you get100+ channels incl. Sky Atlantic · 90 free-to-air channels · Netflix and discovery+ includedStreams over your broadband | Contract24 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£15.00Price may change | Real cost£15.00 /mo£360.00 over 24 months | See deal at Sky (opens in a new tab) |
NOW Sports Monthly Saver with 12-month minimum term, then up to £34.99 a month unless cancelled · Ads included on live sports and channels | What you getAll Sky Sports channels, liveStreams over your broadband | Contract12 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£19.99Price may change | Real cost£19.99 /mo£239.88 over 12 months | See deal at NOW (opens in a new tab) |
Sky Ultimate TV No upfront fees · Streaming apps worth over £20 a month included (Netflix Standard with Ads, Disney+ Standard with Ads, HBO Max Basic with Ads, discovery+) | What you get130+ channels incl. Sky Atlantic, Sky Witness · Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hayu and discovery+ included · 90 free-to-air channelsStreams over your broadband | Contract24 monthsNo setup fee | Monthly price£24.00Price may change | Real cost£24.00 /mo£576.00 over 24 months | See deal at Sky (opens in a new tab) |
Ranked by real cost; commission never changes the order. Prices checked on each provider's own site on 25 Oct 2026.
Same channels, different deal
Sky TV is a contract with a box, while NOW is flexible monthly streaming of Sky channels. Both give you Sky channels, but the way you pay and watch is different.
Sky TV comes as a contract, with Essential TV or Ultimate TV as the base package. Sports and Cinema are add-ons you can add to it. Sky Stream works over your broadband with a small box and no satellite dish.
NOW is Sky's flexible streaming brand. You choose an Entertainment, Cinema or Sports membership each month. The Entertainment Saver plan has a 6-month minimum, so check that before you join.
Compare the monthly cost of each in our TV deals table. Check the date it was last checked, then sort by real cost.
Choose Sky TV if
Choose Sky TV if you want Sky channels on a contract, with a Sky box at home.
- You want live Premier League games. From the 2025/26 season, Sky Sports shows up to 215 live Premier League matches a season.
- You want Sky TV and broadband together. Sky Full Fibre Gigafast broadband runs at 900Mb, and our table lists it with Sky TV packages.
- You have no satellite dish. Sky Stream works over broadband with a small box, so you do not need a dish.
Choose NOW if
Choose NOW if you want Sky channels on a flexible monthly membership instead of a Sky TV contract.
- You want to pay monthly. NOW is a monthly streaming membership, so you can pick the plan that suits your budget. The Entertainment Saver option has a 6-month minimum.
- You only want part of Sky. Pick Entertainment, Entertainment & HBO Max, Cinema or Sports. Football fans can also check Premier League options.
- You want broadband too. NOW Broadband is powered by Sky, with speeds from 80Mb to 300Mb on a 24-month contract. It has £0 delivery and comes without a landline.
Straight answers
Questions people ask
- Is NOW cheaper than Sky?
- It depends on the package, and our live tables rank the real cost of each. NOW is a flexible monthly membership, but its Entertainment Saver plan has a 6-month minimum. Compare both with the channels you actually watch before you choose.
- Can I get Sky Sports without a Sky contract?
- Yes. NOW, Sky's flexible streaming brand, sells a Sports membership that shows Sky Sports without a Sky TV contract. Sky's own Sports package is an add-on to Sky TV, so it needs a Sky TV contract. Compare the NOW Sports option with Sky TV in our table to see the real cost.
- Do I need a dish for Sky TV?
- No, you only need a dish for Sky's satellite service. Sky Stream works over your broadband with a small box and no satellite dish. Check which Sky option your deal includes before you order, so you know whether a dish is needed.