The holiday season is behind us – but Sky is bringing back its tempting offer that includes Sky’s premium channels, Netflix, movies and sports – either with the standalone Sky Stream box, or with Sky’s TV – Sky Glass.
Sky Stream, a 4K streaming box (also referred to as the “puck”), has made waves since its introduction, due to it being a major turning point for Sky – in more ways than one.
Unlike Sky’s traditional devices (such as Sky Q), Stream doesn’t require a satellite dish – and instead, uses broadband to stream TV shows to you (including Freeview channels) – positioning itself alongside the likes of Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Google’s Chromecast in the streaming device market.
What sets Sky Stream apart is its unique value proposition: it offers both the hardware and Sky’s TV service under a single subscription.
Sky Stream’s basic package – ‘Sky Ultimate‘, which includes Sky’s premium entertainment channels and Netflix’s Ad-supported tier – normally costs £26-£29 per month (depending on how long you’re signing up for).
Sky Glass (see my review) works in much the same way, and is also based on broadband – but it’s a full 4K TV set with a QLED HDR display and a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar with six speakers.
As part of this month’s offers, customers can get Sky Stream’s bundles starting from just £19/month (with discounts on some of the add-on packages as well), and those opting for Sky Glass can get up to 5 months of Sky and Netflix for free (see full details below).
In addition, Sky is offering two special Sky Stream bundles – one that includes Sky Cinema for just £27/m in total for Ultimate AND Cinema, and one that includes Sky Sports for just £18/m extra (so £37/month in total), instead of the usual £25/month for Sky Sports.
As always, there are a few caveats (and prices may go up during your contract), along with additional (optional) discounts – such as for Sky UltraHD and Sky Kids, as well as bundles that include broadband from Sky – so read ahead for my full analysis.
What Is Sky Stream?
Sky Stream (see my review) is a standalone 4K streaming box, also known as the “puck”, launched by Sky in late 2022.
Once you sign up for Sky’s service, you get all of Sky’s TV channels (depending on your subscription), as well as third-party channels and some Freeview channels, streamed to the box via broadband (so you don’t need a satellite dish, and you don’t need an aerial).
Sky Stream also includes apps for most of the major streaming services available in the UK, including Disney+, Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Paramount+
Another major difference between Stream and Sky’s dish-based boxes (like Sky Q), is that Sky Stream doesn’t require a long-term contract. The basic contract is a rolling 31-day agreement that you can cancel at any time without penalty charges.
However, an 18-month contract option is also available, which can lower your monthly subscription costs
And, as is often the case with Sky – most of the discount offers this month do require the 18-month contract – but, fortunately, there’s also a special offer for the rolling contract (£26/month instead of the usual £29/m).
- Also See: Sky Stream Questions Answered
And of course, there’s also Sky’s long-running streaming-only service, NOW – which works on every streaming device and doesn’t need a specific one from Sky – see my Sky Stream VS NOW comparison.
Sky Stream Pricing
Normally, Sky Stream’s prices depend on whether you take the 31-day contract (which you can cancel anytime) or the 18-month contract.
The minimum basic package for Sky Stream users is Sky Ultimate, which includes Sky Entertainment (a pack of channels like Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, and others), Freeview, and the standard ad-supported Netflix plan (it used to be the basic, no-adverts plan – but Sky changed this last month).
The rolling-contract version of this package on Sky Stream normally costs £29/month, and the same plan, with the 18-month contract, is £26/month (but, as with many broadband and pay-TV providers, prices may, unfortunately, change during your contract period – usually in line with inflation, and sometimes more than that).
On top of the standard Sky Ultimate bundle, you can add more packs and channels from Sky and 3rd parties, such as Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, Sky Kids and TNT Sports.
If you want to add 4K and Dolby Atmos, that’s currently £4/month – instead of the usual £6/month. And if you want to be able to fast forward adverts – that’s £5/month (it used to be free on the first year – but that’s no longer the case).
And lastly, if you want to be able to watch in other rooms – you need the “Whole Home” add-on, which is currently £10/month (instead of £12/month). The first Whole Home puck (so the second for you in total) is free for now – but you will have to pay £39.95 for additional ones.
Sky Stream’s January 2024 Offers
As part of a limited-time offer (it’s now good until March, unless something changes before that), subscribers can get several discounted offers. It’s worth mentioning that some of these offers were already available during the holidays – but if you missed them, they’re back.
It’s also worth mentioning that some of these deals are only available via special promotional links, available from certain affiliate partners and comparison sites. Luckily, we’re allowed to extend these offers to you.
So, these are your options as of this writing:
- Sky Stream Ultimate – with Netflix – For £19/month – with the 18-month contract. You can then add the content add-ons on tops – or just stay with the Ultimate plan.
- Sky Stream Ultimate – with Netflix – For £26/month – with the 31-days rolling contract. You can then add the content add-ons on tops – or just stay with the Ultimate plan.
- Sky Stream Ultimate with Netflix and Sky Sports – Now for just £37/month
- Sky Stream Ultimate with Netflix and Sky Cinema – Now for just £27/month
Remember that 3 of these offers are for an 18-month contract. And, as broadband and TV companies do these days – the price may go up during your contract period, along with inflation.
Of course, the main downside is that by signing up for 18 months, you lose the flexibility cord cutting normally gives you, to mix and match streaming services across different periods.
If you do get any of these bundles, you can also add Sky Kids for £4/month (instead of the usual £6/m), and TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) is currently on offer for £26/month (instead of the usual £30).
Note that if you’re particularly interested in TNT Sports – it’s cheaper to get via Virgin Media’s Stream box, but you would then need to sign up for Virgin Media’s broadband services as well (while Sky Stream works with any broadband provider).
Sky Glass Offer: Up To 6 Free Months
If you’re also looking into Sky Glass – the full TV set from Sky – it’s currently available with 3 free months of Sky Ultimate – or 5 free months, if you also get Sky Live – the interactive camera from Sky, that lets you do video calls and play interactive games on your Sky Glass TV.
Remember that once the free months are up, you’ll start paying the regular Sky Ultimate price (£26/month or £29/month, depending on the length of the contract).
Also, keep in mind – with Glass, you’re also paying for the TV set.
got sky puck over Christmas in Ireland got no itv channels no channel 5, 5star, or ,5usa no BBC iPlayer no my5 which is to come with sky puck tryed to ring sky and keep getting no answer have contract for 12 months what a ripoff
What sort of deal forces you to buy their entertainment pack if you only want Sports, then raises their prices during the contract. SKY are terrible value, do what I did, cancelled them out and to be honest I haven’t missed them and am £500 a year better off.
The offers with sky don’t tell you that they are putting their charges up 2 or 3 times in a year & you have to pay because you’re still in contract. They are an absolute rip off, go elsewhere for your programmes, you will be better off.
I joined sky December 2022
Now its Jan 2024 have had 3 price increases in 13 months
4 th price increase in April
sky are a rip off their contracts T&c are not worth the paper their printed on 1 price increase in April try telling sky that
Have to wait till May to canell
‘New customers only’…says it all.
I live with my mum and stepdad they are on virgin broadband will it work as iam upstairs sharing it at the moment on fire tv stick