If you want the best TV in the UK, it has to be Sky. The broadcast giant has long offered the most complete package on these shores, even embracing streamers like Netflix and Disney Plus. Whether you're mad for TV shows, movies, sports, kids' shows or something else entirely, chances are Sky has you covered.
Unfortunately, this comes at a price. A monthly price, to be exact. And it's not cheap. But thankfully, there are deals to be had on all manner of Sky products, from packages and bundles to dish-free options like Sky Stream and Sky Glass.
There are also plenty of bonuses on Sky packages to be found, such as free cinema tickets with a Sky Cinema subscription – very nice. Furthermore, Sky's lower commitment offshoot, Now (formerly Now TV), also has some tasty deals to take advantage of – perfect for those who want to dabble in Sky's vast offerings without being locked into a contract.
With plenty of options and ways to customise your ideal Sky package, now is a great time to get stuck in, but which version of Sky works best for you? And what's the best deal? Read on to find out...
- Read our verdict: Sky Q review
- Best films and TV shows on Sky and Now
Best Sky TV bundles
Best Sky broadband deals
Best Now deals
What is Sky Q?
How do you get Sky Q?
Sky Q is the Sky's current generation of dish-based home entertainment, following on from Sky+. It offers lots of channels covering drama, comedy, wildlife, kids, films and sports content, served up in a package that delivers 4K picture quality, the ability to pause and rewind live channels, and full multi-room features.
Sky HDR programming is available on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. You can also watch the Premier League in HDR too on Sky Sports.
To get Sky Q, you'll need a Sky Q Box. It stores up to 500 hours of standard definition TV, lets you record six channels while watching a seventh and is able to show HD and 4K UHD content.
You'll also need a satellite dish in order to watch Sky Q. Don't want – or can't have – a dish? Sky Glass or Sky Stream are for you, as they deliver Sky over broadband.
- From good to great: how to watch HDR on Sky Q
What is Sky Glass?
Sky Glass is Sky's dishless service, delivering Sky TV entirely over the internet and through a Sky-branded TV. There are three sizes of Sky Glass TV to choose from, and Sky subscription deals to pick too. You pay a different amount upfront according to the TV size you've gone for and then the rest is paid either over a 24-month or 48-month contract. For more information, check out our Sky Glass review.
Best Sky Glass bundle deal
What is Sky Stream?
Sky Stream is a standalone box – similar to Apple TV – that provides satellite dish-free access to Sky on any TV of your choice. It promises most of the Sky Glass experience and is a doddle to install (you just plug it into a spare HDMI port on your TV). On the downside, 4K, HDR and Atmos cost extra. Like Sky Glass, there's also no hard drive to store recordings, so you have to rely on items on your 'playlist' still being available when you get round to watching them.
How much do the Sky Q boxes cost?
The standard Sky Q package allows you to watch content at up to HD resolution and comes with the 1TB box. There's a one-off installation fee of up to £49 and then it's £31 per month for the basic TV package which includes Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Originals, Sky Sports News, 300 channels, 500 Sky box sets, 40 catch-up services and access to content on the Sky Go app.
Extras? Sky has plenty. The HD add-on is £8 a month, and lets you watch over 40 live channels in high definition, including Comedy Central, Sky Comedy HD, Sky News HD, Dave HD and Comedy Central. Or you can splash out on the Ultra HD + HD bolt-on, which includes selected sport and Sky Originals in 4K, plus Netflix Premium, for £12 a month. The latter seems like something of a no-brainer.
You can also add Sky Multiscreen for an extra £15 per month and enjoy your Sky content on a second TV thanks to the additional Sky Q Mini box.
With any of these Sky Q options, you can add on TV channels in bundles like Sky Sports, Sky Box Sets, Sky Entertainment, etc.
That's the basic viewing options covered. So what do the various Sky packages offer?
Sky Ultimate TV
Can you still get Sky+?
No. While Sky still supports its Sky+ customers, the only options for new customers are Sky Q, Sky Glass or Sky Stream. Or Sky's no-strings-attached streaming service Now (formerly known as Now TV).
The Sky TV basic package offers over 300 channels covering entertainment, documentary, music and sports. These include Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Fox, MTV, Gold, Comedy Central, Quest, Syfy, E!, Discovery, National Geographic, Sky Sports News, Eurosport and Sky Sports Mix. You can also get free access to Netflix and the over 500 Sky Box sets with Sky TV & Netflix.
That means you get shows like Succession, A Town Called Malice, Dreamland, The Last of Us, Funny Woman, Big Little Lies, Last Chance U, The Umbrella Academy, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, Chernobyl, Gomorrah, Riviera and The White Lotus.
For new customers, Sky Ultimate TV costs £31 a month for the first 24 months. Now you've got your starter pack, it's time to add some extras.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports gives you more sports channels than the standard Sky TV package. Namely, you get individual channels dedicated to Premier League football, the football league, cricket, F1, NFL and golf, and all in HD.
You also get Sky Sports Arena (basketball, racing, bowling), Sky Sports Main Event (golf, cricket, rugby) and Sky Sports News.
If you have the relevant package, you'll be able to watch some of these channels in 4K UHD and the Premier League in HDR. Here are a few bundles to consider...
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema has over 1000 movies on-demand, and now comes with Paramount+, saving you £6.99 a month.
Kids
There are nine kids channels up for grabs, including Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, Boomerang and Cartoon Network. It also includes a Kid Safe Mode and you can create individual profile for up to 10 children.
This costs £6 extra a month. It only offers a 31-day rolling contract, so you won't be tied in for the long run.
Disney+
Sky's latest add-on addition is Disney Plus. Like many of the extra services, there's no long term commitment. The price is in line with a Disney Plus subscription through other platforms at £8.99 (or £4.99 with ads, £12.99 with 4K and HDR). It's also one of the best places to find 4K HDR viewing on Sky.
Ultra HD + HD
The Ultra HD + HD add-on is your ticket to 4K content on Sky. It unlocks access to 4K films and 4K sport on the Sky Cinema and the Sky Sport channels respectively. Not all films and sports are available in UHD, though more 4K HDR content is arriving all the time.
The other bonus of this relatively cheap addition is that it upgrades your Netflix access to Netflix Premium which brings 4K programming through Netflix as well as simultaneous Netflix viewing on up to four devices.
TNT Sports on Sky
Just because you're with Sky, that doesn't mean you can't access other sports channels too. The four TNT Sport channels are available to Sky customers on a 24-month contract for £28 a month.
Through those you can watch Premier League football, UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, UFC and more.
Sky Fibre broadband
Want Sky's fastest ever broadband? Try Sky Gigafast (£43 a month without any TV added) if it's available in your postcode – it gives you average speeds of 900Mbps.
Enter your postcode during the buying process to see what deals are available for you.
- Read our Sky Stream review
- Get up to speed with Sky Q
- Expert advice: 18 Sky Q tips, tricks and features
- Our verdict on the best TVs
- 4 reasons I love this little-known Sky feature (and 1 reason I hate it)
