NOW TV is Sky's flexible streaming service — you buy Sky Sports, Entertainment or Cinema passes on a rolling monthly basis without a long-term contract. It sounds flexible, but the cost adds up fast. IPTV offers a compelling alternative, especially for sports fans. This guide compares IPTV vs NOW TV across the things that matter most.
Price: IPTV vs NOW TV
NOW TV Sports membership costs £34.99/month — that gets you all Sky Sports channels on a rolling monthly basis with backed by a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you want Sky Cinema on top of that, add another £11.99/month. Smooth Stream IPTV starts from £14.99/month and includes all Sky Sports channels, Sky Cinema, TNT Sports, Premier Sports and 25,000+ more channels. That is a saving of £20 or more per month just on the Sports pass alone — over £240/year.
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Channels: IPTV vs NOW TV
NOW TV gives you access to Sky's own channels depending on which passes you buy. IPTV gives you significantly more:
- All Sky Sports channels — same as the NOW TV Sports membership
- TNT Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4 — NOT included in NOW TV at all
- Premier Sports and LaLigaTV — NOT included in NOW TV
- Sky Cinema — included without a separate Cinema pass
- All UK free-to-air channels
- 25,000+ international channels
Sport: IPTV vs NOW TV Sports
The NOW TV Sports membership gives you Sky Sports — Premier League, F1, cricket, golf and more. But it does not include TNT Sports, which means no Champions League, no Europa League, no UFC and no TNT Sports boxing. To get those you need a separate TNT Sports subscription on top of your NOW TV pass. IPTV includes both Sky Sports and TNT Sports in one subscription at a lower total cost.
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See plansPicture Quality: IPTV vs NOW TV
NOW TV streams in up to Full HD — the 4K streaming available on a Sky Q box is not available through NOW TV. IPTV with Smooth Stream offers HD, Full HD and 4K streams. For sports fans who want 4K Premier League or F1 in 4K, IPTV actually provides better picture quality than NOW TV at a lower monthly price.
Devices: IPTV vs NOW TV
NOW TV has official apps on Smart TVs, Firestick, games consoles, phones and tablets. IPTV uses third-party apps like TiviMate and IPTV Smarters Pro on the same devices. The NOW TV app is slightly simpler to set up, but IPTV apps like TiviMate offer a far better viewing experience once configured — faster channel switching, a proper 7-day EPG guide, and multiscreen support.
Flexibility: IPTV vs NOW TV
One of NOW TV's main selling points is flexibility — no long-term contract, start with a free trial — every subscription is backed by a 7-day money-back guarantee. IPTV matches this exactly — Smooth Stream has backed by a 7-day money-back guarantee and you can start with a free trial — every subscription is backed by a 7-day money-back guarantee. The difference is that IPTV gives you more channels and better value. You are not paying a premium for flexibility as you are with NOW TV.
What NOW TV Has That IPTV Does Not
NOW TV does have a few advantages over IPTV:
- Official Sky apps and a fully legitimate service
- Sky Originals and exclusive NOW TV content
- Boost add-on for Full HD, Dolby Atmos and no adverts
- Simple one-app setup with no configuration required
Should You Switch from NOW TV to IPTV?
If you are paying £34.99/month for NOW TV Sports and not getting TNT Sports or 4K, IPTV is almost certainly the better deal. You save at least £20/month, get more channels including TNT Sports and Premier Sports, and get 4K streams that NOW TV does not offer. Try Smooth Stream free for 24 hours and compare the experience on your own device before you decide.