IPTV vs NOW TV: Which Is Better Value in the UK? (2026)

NOW TV and IPTV subscriptions both promise flexible, no-satellite-dish television, but they work quite differently under the bonnet. If you are trying to decide between them, here is a fair comparison based on what each actually offers, not marketing claims.

What each service actually offers

NOW TV sells access to specific content bundles — Entertainment, Sky Sports, Cinema and so on — each priced and subscribed to separately. A licensed IPTV subscription typically bundles a much broader spread of channels, often 15,000+, into a single monthly plan, covering UK terrestrial and satellite-style channels, international content and sport together rather than as separate add-ons.

Price and contracts

NOW TV's passes can add up quickly once you stack Sports, Cinema and Entertainment together, and pass prices are set by the broadcaster with little room to negotiate. Quality IPTV plans, by contrast, tend to run roughly £10–£15 a month with no fixed contract, and generally offer better value the longer plan you choose. Neither locks you into a multi-year contract the way traditional satellite TV once did, which is worth remembering if you are also weighing up IPTV against cable and satellite more broadly.

Sport and live coverage

If your only goal is Sky Sports specifically, NOW TV's Sports Membership is a direct route to it. But if you want a wider spread of sport — including content Sky does not carry — a broader IPTV package is usually more efficient than stacking multiple streaming passes. We cover this trade-off in detail in watching Sky Sports without Sky TV.

Devices and flexibility

Both services run across most modern smart TVs, streaming sticks and phones. The practical difference is usually simultaneous streams: check how many devices can watch at once under each option, especially if your household regularly wants different channels running in different rooms.

Which is better value

If you only want one or two specific bundles occasionally, NOW TV's pay-as-you-go passes make sense. If you want broad, ongoing access to UK and international channels including sport, a licensed IPTV plan is usually the more cost-effective choice over a full year.

See the full channel spread for yourself with a free trial, or compare costs directly on our pricing page.