Choose Sky Stream when you want a managed Sky television experience and are comfortable pricing its package, puck and optional Whole Home features. Choose NOW when you want modular app memberships without a provider TV box. Consider EE TV when you already want eligible EE broadband and prefer its integrated boxes or Apple TV route. The right result depends on exact channels, term, recording and room count—not the lowest headline offer.
TellyProof subscription offers
Choose a duration and continue to checkout
These are TellyProof’s own offers, separate from the providers discussed in this guide. Check channel availability and your device before buying. The selected GBP total appears in checkout and in your WhatsApp order request. Confirm availability and terms before paying.
IPTV subscription 1 month UK
A short duration to check your device’s compatibility and the quality on your connection.
- 1 simultaneous screen at this price
- Use on your compatible devices
- TV guide (EPG) when provided by the source
- HD, Full HD and 4K depending on the source, device and plan
- Installation help for a compatible device
- Final catalogue confirmed before ordering
IPTV subscription 3 months UK
A defined three-month viewing period without immediately choosing an annual duration.
- 1 simultaneous screen at this price
- Use on your compatible devices
- TV guide (EPG) when provided by the source
- HD, Full HD and 4K depending on the source, device and plan
- Installation help for a compatible device
- Final catalogue confirmed before ordering
IPTV subscription 6 months UK
Six months for regular use, after checking the catalogue, EPG and stability.
- 1 simultaneous screen at this price
- Use on your compatible devices
- TV guide (EPG) when provided by the source
- HD, Full HD and 4K depending on the source, device and plan
- Installation help for a compatible device
- Final catalogue confirmed before ordering
IPTV subscription 12 months UK
The lowest equivalent monthly price, to choose after confirming your devices and the catalogue.
- 1 simultaneous screen at this price
- Use on your compatible devices
- TV guide (EPG) when provided by the source
- HD, Full HD and 4K depending on the source, device and plan
- Installation help for a compatible device
- Final catalogue confirmed before ordering
What to know before you start
Sky Stream, NOW and EE TV can overlap in programmes because Sky operates NOW and EE packages can include NOW memberships, but the products are not interchangeable. Sky Stream organises subscription channels and apps around Sky's puck and guide. NOW sells memberships that run on supported retail devices. EE TV combines packages, EE broadband and a choice of EE boxes or Apple TV 4K.
Offers, included services and minimum terms change often. This comparison therefore avoids declaring a permanent price winner. Build a dated basket containing the channels and features needed, follow each provider's eligibility and contract link, and compare the total for the period the household will realistically keep it.
Three facts that shape the decision
| Check | Useful marker | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment model | Managed package, modular app or broadband bundle | Sky Stream currently advertises both 31-day and 24-month choices. NOW offers individual memberships, with rolling and discounted minimum-term offers varying by product. EE TV packages with a box are tied to eligible EE broadband and commonly use a 24-month term. Read the checkout summary before ordering. |
| Hardware and recording | Sky puck; your device; EE box choice | Sky Stream uses a puck and cloud-style Playlist experience. NOW uses a supported television, stick, console or mobile device and does not provide a traditional recorder. EE's Box Pro can record—up to 600 hours according to EE—while Box Edge is internet-only and does not record; Apple TV follows an app-led route. |
| More than one screen | Account rules differ | NOW currently permits one simultaneous stream as standard, two with Boost and three with Ultra Boost. Sky's Whole Home is required for extra Stream pucks and changes Sky Go concurrency. EE prices additional boxes separately and its available number depends on the current package and setup. Count rooms before comparing. |
A reproducible four-step method
1. Map programmes to the current package
List named channels, sports competitions, films and series rather than writing only entertainment. Open each provider's live channel and membership page on the same day. Where a programme appears through a partner such as NOW inside EE TV, confirm which membership tier is included. Note regional channels, HD or UHD availability and whether a title is live, catch-up or on demand.
Keep as evidence: Rights and package contents can change independently of the platform. A familiar channel logo on a marketing page is not proof that every required fixture or programme is included.
2. Compare like-for-like commitment and exit cost
Build a 31-day, 12-month or 24-month total using the period the household expects to stay. Include setup, delivery, broadband, mandatory base packs, quality upgrades and scheduled price changes shown in the terms. Distinguish a cancellable monthly membership from a discounted minimum-term offer. For EE, include the qualifying broadband; for Sky, compare its rolling and longer-term routes where both are offered.
Keep as evidence: Use the order summary and pre-contract documents as the final source. Promotional landing-page prices can depend on address, new-customer status, term and a particular bundle.
3. Design the living-room experience
Decide whether anyone needs local recording, a numbered guide, a provider remote, profiles, voice control or one search across services. NOW is the lightest hardware commitment but leaves the interface to the chosen device. Sky Stream provides its own puck experience without a satellite dish. EE Box Pro suits recording; Box Edge suits internet-only rooms; Apple TV suits people comfortable moving among apps.
Keep as evidence: EE's own comparison says Box Pro records while Box Edge does not. Sky describes Playlist rather than promising that every title is held as a conventional recording.
4. Validate rooms, formats and broadband
Count the maximum simultaneous televisions, mobiles and tablets. Add any Whole Home, NOW Boost or Ultra Boost, and EE extra-box charges needed to make that scenario work. Then check HD, UHD, HDR, Dolby and sports frame-rate support on each exact device. Test broadband at every room: a service minimum is a floor for one stream, not a household capacity plan.
Keep as evidence: NOW recommends about 12 Mbps per device for Boost and 30 Mbps for Ultra Boost; Sky cites 30 Mbps for UHD. Add concurrent household demand and margin rather than buying to a single-stream minimum.
Stop at checkout if the named must-watch channel is missing, an advertised saving depends on a term you do not accept, or the multi-room and quality add-ons needed for your normal use have not been included. Do not assume that content available through NOW separately is automatically present in every EE package, or that Playlist equals a permanent local recording.
What to record in your evidence journal
Use the same fields each time so that a later comparison is based on like-for-like evidence rather than memory or a sales claim.
- Content basket
- Record the exact package or membership containing each must-watch channel and the official page date. Mark uncertain sports rights for a fresh check before the season starts.
- Term total
- Save monthly, setup, broadband, add-on and scheduled-change amounts over the same comparison period. State whether each line is rolling or minimum-term.
- Room plan
- Draw every television and mobile stream likely to run together. Match it to pucks, EE boxes or NOW concurrency and note Wi-Fi or Ethernet for each room.
- Renewal review
- Set a reminder before a minimum term or discounted membership ends. Recheck the current channel pack, price, device support and cancellation route rather than auto-renewing by habit.
Decision criteria
Flexibility
NOW is naturally modular because memberships can be selected separately, although discounted offers may carry minimum terms. Sky Stream can have a 31-day route as well as longer contracts. EE's value depends strongly on wanting its broadband relationship. Score cancellation, package changes and retained hardware together.
Television behaviour
Score how well the service handles channel surfing, recording or Playlist, universal search, parental controls and accessibility. A household moving from satellite may value Sky or EE's guided interface; an app-confident viewer may prefer NOW on hardware already owned.
True household total
The comparable figure includes every required channel pack, broadband dependency, UHD or multi-screen option, extra room and setup cost across the same term. Do not subtract the value of an included service unless the household would otherwise buy it.
Deeper practical analysis
Detailed scenarios and decision notes
Use these cases to apply the method to a real household without turning a general guide into a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Which household is each service model designed to suit?
Sky Stream is the clearest candidate when the household wants a managed pay-TV experience: one supplied puck, a prominent live guide, Sky's package structure and a Playlist approach that gathers programmes from channels and apps. That convenience is valuable to viewers who dislike assembling separate subscriptions, but it should be tested against the actual channel basket and accepted commitment. The household should understand which programmes rely on third-party apps, which picture or room features cost more and what happens to the puck at the end. A polished interface is not a reason to buy channels nobody watches or to ignore a longer minimum term.
NOW fits a different buyer: someone who is comfortable launching an app on hardware already owned and wants to choose Entertainment, Cinema or Sports access separately. Its modularity can suit seasonal viewing, a single-person home or a secondary screen, but the selected offer still needs reading. A discounted plan can carry a commitment, and Boost choices affect supported picture, sound and concurrent streams. The absence of a provider television box also means the smart TV or streamer supplies the main interface, remote behaviour and software lifecycle. Compare the complete combination rather than attributing every device strength or weakness to NOW itself.
EE TV is strongest in the shortlist when EE broadband is already part of the household decision and an integrated box or Apple TV route adds useful value. Box Pro can suit viewers who require recording, while Box Edge is aimed at internet delivery without local recording. The decision should start with broadband eligibility and the exact package rather than viewing the television line as a standalone subscription. A household happy with its current broadband may find a forced change outweighs a bundle benefit; another may prefer one bill and one support relationship. Put both broadband and television outcomes into the same comparison.
Back to guide contentsHow should you compare content without counting logos twice?
Build a programme basket with named live channels, sports competitions, films or series, then map each item to the package that supplies it. If an EE TV package includes a NOW membership, record the underlying membership once rather than crediting EE and NOW as two independent content wins. Separate the right to watch a channel from the device interface used to reach it. For sport, identify the current rightsholder and selected fixture before mapping the retail route. A table of brand logos can look comprehensive while concealing that several columns lead to the same library or that one must-watch service requires another add-on.
Use three availability states: included, available at additional cost, and not confirmed. Included should mean the exact current package, UK territory and account at checkout—not a service mentioned somewhere on the provider's wider site. Additional cost should name the required pack or quality tier without assuming its price remains fixed. Not confirmed is a legitimate result when a schedule or package page is unclear. This method prevents optimism from filling blank cells and gives the reader a short question to take to sales support. Save the answer with the date and representative's channel only if it becomes material to the order.
Distinguish live, catch-up and on-demand versions. A title appearing in a search result does not guarantee the live channel, a full box set or permanent availability, and a Playlist is not necessarily a local recording. Note regional variants, adverts, HD or UHD and access services only when the official product information supports them. Then remove low-priority rows and compare what remains. The purpose is not to crown the service with the largest theoretical catalogue; it is to reveal the least complicated package that covers the programmes this household will genuinely use, with exclusions visible before payment.
Back to guide contentsWhat evidence should be captured at checkout?
Create one dated offer sheet per service. Record the plan name, base price, introductory period, later price, minimum term, setup or delivery, required broadband and every add-on used to satisfy the programme basket. Attach the official landing page but treat the final order summary as decisive because address, eligibility and customer status can change the result. If the offer uses monthly wording, copy the separate minimum-term sentence; payment frequency is not the same as cancellation freedom. Do not average two differently structured terms until every known phase is represented.
Capture hardware and account conditions beside price. For Sky Stream, record the puck and any Whole Home requirement for additional televisions. For NOW, identify the exact customer device and whether Boost or Ultra Boost is needed for concurrency or quality. For EE TV, name Box Pro, Box Edge or Apple TV, the broadband plan and any additional-room equipment. Record whether equipment is owned or returned and how replacement is handled. This prevents a comparison from treating a supplied interface, a customer's existing television and a recording box as if they were equivalent pieces of value.
Save the cancellation route before placing the order. Note whether the selected product is rolling or minimum-term, when a discount ends, where account management occurs and how the provider confirms cancellation. Partner billing can move renewal control away from the app, so record the company taking payment. Keep the terms version and order confirmation privately. The goal is not to predict a future dispute but to make the exit executable. A service can be a good fit today and still deserve a lower household preference if its commitment extends beyond the period the programmes are wanted.
Back to guide contentsWhich edge cases are hidden by a three-column comparison?
Recording is an important dividing line. EE Box Pro advertises local recording capacity, while Box Edge does not record; NOW is app-led; Sky Stream uses Playlist and content supplied through different sources. Ask why a viewer records. If the purpose is simply to start later, restart or catch-up might work. If a programme must be retained beyond an availability window or during a broadband fault, it may not. Test the exact workflow and read the provider description without converting one model into another. A tick labelled recording would obscure more than it explains.
Multi-room use can reverse the apparent price order. A single NOW stream on an existing device is not comparable with several Sky pucks or EE boxes, and an add-on may change both concurrency and picture quality. Draw the busiest realistic evening, including mobiles and sport apps, and price the account that permits it. Then test network capacity in each room. The fact that a provider will supply extra hardware does not prove upstairs Wi-Fi can carry several high-quality streams. Conversely, a fast broadband line cannot override an account's simultaneous-playback limit.
Accessibility must be checked at programme, app and hardware level. A provider may describe subtitles or audio description generally while availability varies across channels and titles. The box may provide spoken navigation while a third-party app sign-in remains difficult, or a retail-device screen reader may not announce a live guide clearly. Test the priority combination, remote and sound path. Also consider broadband migration: changing to EE for a bundle can affect phone, router, installation and household support routines. These consequences belong in the comparison when someone relies on the existing network or accessible setup.
Back to guide contentsWhat is the real cost across the contract and device lifecycle?
Calculate a common period using the complete household configuration. Include base television, required broadband, introductory and later phases, known scheduled changes, sport or cinema packs, quality upgrades, additional screens, setup and equipment. Show the combined bundle total and, when useful, the incremental television cost above broadband the household would otherwise buy. This avoids making EE look expensive because broadband is counted only there, or making another service look cheap because its necessary broadband is omitted. State assumptions instead of compressing unlike products into one unexplained monthly number.
Value also depends on unused months and switching friction. A flexible app membership can be economical for a short sports season if the household will actually cancel, while a longer managed package may be better for continuous viewing and a familiar guide. Model behaviour honestly: set reminders for offer endings and do not assume perfect switching every month. Record the time and practical work involved in moving accounts, returning pucks or boxes, reconnecting apps and teaching other viewers a new interface. These are not invented monetary charges, but they are lifecycle consequences a bare tariff table misses.
Review the decision before renewal, not after the next payment. Rebuild the programme basket because rights, series and household interests change. Recheck device support, room count, accessibility and broadband performance, then obtain the current standard offer rather than carrying the old comparison forward. Preserve old rows in a private price ledger so a claimed saving can be compared with what the household really paid. A responsible recommendation can change without the earlier one being dishonest: it should explain which source, price phase, right or requirement changed and avoid implying permanent superiority among three evolving products. Keep the rejected alternatives and decisive reason in the journal so the next review does not repeat research whose assumptions are still valid.
Back to guide contentsChecklist before you act
- List named programmes, channels and competitions before opening offers.
- Check every package on the same date and save its terms.
- Compare totals over one identical, realistic ownership period.
- Include qualifying broadband and mandatory base packages.
- Decide whether local recording is essential.
- Count simultaneous streams, extra televisions and mobile viewers.
- Verify UHD, HDR, sound and accessibility per exact device.
- Test broadband at every intended screen position.
Plain-English glossary
- Minimum term
- The period a customer commits to pay under the contract. It is different from a rolling membership that can be cancelled for the next billing period.
- Playlist
- Sky Stream's way to collect programmes from live channels, catch-up and apps; availability can depend on the underlying broadcaster rather than a permanent local copy.
- Whole Home
- Sky's option for additional Stream pucks and broader household viewing. Current charges, puck limits and Sky Go rules should be checked at order.
- Boost
- A NOW add-on that currently raises supported quality and simultaneous streams; Ultra Boost provides a higher tier on selected content and compatible devices.
- Internet mode
- EE TV's channel-delivery mode over broadband. Box Edge and Apple TV use it, while Box Pro can also use an aerial mode in suitable setups.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOW the same service as Sky Stream?
No. Both are operated within the Sky group and can share content, but NOW sells app memberships for supported customer devices. Sky Stream is a managed television platform built around a Sky puck, channel package and Playlist. Their contracts, interfaces, quality tiers and room rules differ.
Which option has the least commitment?
A rolling NOW membership is usually the simplest app-led route, but NOW also sells discounted minimum-term offers. Sky Stream currently has both a 31-day and a 24-month path for relevant packages. EE TV with a box is closely tied to eligible EE broadband. Check the selected offer, not the brand average.
Which service can record live television?
EE Box Pro provides local recording and EE states capacity of up to 600 hours. EE Box Edge does not record. Sky Stream uses Playlist and broadcaster availability rather than a traditional hard-drive recording model. NOW has watchlists and on-demand access but is not a conventional recorder.
Do I need each provider's broadband?
Sky Stream and NOW can work over suitable broadband from different providers, subject to their requirements. EE TV packages with a box generally require eligible EE broadband or recontracting to it. Regardless of provider, test capacity and Wi-Fi in each viewing room.
Limits and update policy
This guide is educational and reflects the sources available on 2 September 2026. Prices, rights, devices and provider terms can change. Confirm the official page and final basket before paying; legal disputes require advice tailored to the facts.