Looking to ditch cable? PlayStation Vue might be for you.
When we moved into our current home, we decided to ditch cable TV and just rely on Netflix and Hulu Plus for our entertainment needs. For the most part, we were content and didn't miss cable at all. Every now and then, though, someone would tell us about a show that we had to watch.
Most of the time, new shows weren't available on Hulu, so we just had to miss out. Okay, maybe we missed cable TV a little bit.
Since both my husband and I are big PlayStation gamers, we kept seeing “Try PlayStation Vue!” on the PlayStation Store and wondering if it was something we would be interested in. Earlier this year, I finally decided to do the 30-day free trial, but I wasn't convinced that it was worth the price; the only plans available at that time were Elite, Core, and Access, with the latter being the cheapest at $39.99/month.
- Ditch cable provider
- Save money
- Available in all 50 states
- Available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Chromecast
- DVR can record hundreds of shows at once
- Stream TV on up to five devices at once (Note: You cannot stream on two PlayStation 4 consoles simultaneously)
- Pause and rewind live TV
- Cancel anytime
- No contracts or hidden fees
Cons
- Only available in the U.S.
- Can’t stream on two PlayStation 4 consoles at once
- Cannot sign in on someone else’s device outside your home
- Cannot take your PS3 or PS4 outside your home and use PlayStation Vue
- Limited a la carte options
- Some channels are “mobile restricted,” meaning they cannot be viewed (or, “Vued”) on mobile device due to streaming rights
- Must be connected to internet
- Cancel anytime
In March 2016, three new “Slim” packages became available in most parts of the U.S.: Access Slim, Core Slim, and Elite Slim. The cheapest option, Access Slim, can be enjoyed for a cool $29.99/month and gives you access to 55+ channels. For some reason, the more expensive plans are the only option for those living near large markets (Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, etc.). Before the Slim packages became available, those of us living in Delaware were a part of the Philadelphia market.
The Slim packages are hard to beat; we get every channel we want to watch with the Access Slim plan, including Nickelodeon, TruTV, Animal Planet, NickToons, TV Land, and more. We were also able to add Epix Hits + Showtime to our package for an extra $11.49/month ($13.99 if you don’t have a PlayStation Plus subscription).
We are really enjoying our PlayStation Vue subscription, and we’ve been telling all of our friends about it. Don’t have a PlayStation? You don’t need one to access Vue. If you own an Amazon Fire TV, Roku, or Chromecast player, you can access Vue through those devices, as well. Here’s a quick breakdown of Vue’s pros and cons:
Even with its limitations, PlayStation Vue is a step in the right direction and a great option for those who are looking to cut the cord. I hope this trend continues, and that the cost of having Internet service at home will come down as the cable companies struggle to find customers.
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Cassie Gotto-White is a gamer, a planner babe, and a boba tea fanatic. She discovered her passion for video games at age six when she was given an NES Top Loader by her aunt. Her current main consoles are the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Some of her favorite games include The Last of Us, the Uncharted series, the Yakuza series, Persona 5, and Night in the Woods. Follow her on Instagram at @planningwithcass and YouTube at YouTube.com/PlanningwithCass.
