NOW REVIEW 2026
The only place to stream HBO hits and Sky Sports without a long contract. The content library is world-class, but the viewing experience feels stuck in the past unless you pay extra for the 'Boost' add-on.
The Good, The Bad & The Expensive (Jan 2026)
What's good and what isn't?
Big TV Shows, Fast
NOW is still one of the easiest ways to get a steady stream of headline TV, especially big Sky Originals and premium US drama, without locking into a long contract.
The "Seasonal" Flexibility
Being able to pick up Sky Sports just for the F1 season (Feb–Dec) or the Premier League run-in is a huge money saver compared to an 18-month Sky Stream contract.
EFL & Tennis Volume
The quantity of live sport is insane. With the Sky Sports+ integration, you can watch virtually any Championship midweek game or ATP tennis match live via the app.
Sports+ Stability
While the volume of sport is great, the delivery has been shaky. Users (including myself) are experiencing buffering and bitrate drops on the new app-exclusive streams that you do not get on the main satellite channels.
The "HD Tax"
It is ridiculous that in 2026, the standard £34.99 sports plan is still 720p/25fps. You are practically forced to pay the extra £6/mo for Boost just to get the watchable 1080p/50fps version.
The "Ultra" Cost
If you want 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, you now have to pay for the top-tier Ultra Boost add-on (£9/mo). A fully loaded Sports + Ultra subscription now costs nearly £45 a month, which defeats the point of a "budget" option.
NOW FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
FLEXIBLE MEMBERSHIPS
NOW uses rolling monthly passes rather than long-term contracts. You can subscribe to Sports, Cinema, or Entertainment individually and cancel at any time, which makes it more flexible than traditional Sky TV packages.
ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT
The Entertainment Membership includes Sky Originals, US dramas, and on-demand box sets. What’s available changes over time due to licensing, as outlined on NOW’s official Entertainment listings .
SKY SPORTS COVERAGE
The Sports Membership gives access to Sky Sports channels, covering Premier League football, Formula 1, cricket, golf, and selected EFL matches. Live coverage depends on current broadcast rights and scheduling.
NO DISH NEEDED
NOW is fully internet-based, with no satellite dish or installation required. You can sign up online and start streaming immediately on supported TVs, consoles, and mobile devices.
EXTRA STREAMS (BOOST)
Standard memberships allow one stream at a time. Adding Boost increases this to two simultaneous streams and removes adverts from most on-demand content, according to NOW’s Boost add-on details .
HD STREAMING
With Boost enabled and a compatible device, selected content streams in Full HD (1080p). Picture quality depends on your device and internet speed, rather than the pass alone.
KIDS PROFILES
Entertainment Membership includes a dedicated Kids section with age-rated shows and parental controls, helping families manage what younger viewers can watch.
OFFLINE DOWNLOADS
Many films and box sets can be downloaded on mobile devices for offline viewing. Live sports and some channels are streaming-only, as explained in NOW’s download support guide .
HAYU ADD-ON
Hayu is available as an optional add-on for fans of US reality TV, including franchises like Real Housewives and Below Deck, streamed within the NOW app.
Why Choose NOW in 2026?
Total Flexibility • Exclusive Rights • Zero Installation
The "Dip In" Freedom
This is the only way to get Sky Sports without signing your life away for 18 months. You can subscribe for the F1 season in March and cancel in November. Perfect for commitment-phobes who want premium TV on their own terms.
The Content Monopoly
Let's be honest: Netflix is great, but it doesn't have the Premier League or The Last of Us. NOW holds the keys to the absolute biggest live events and prestige dramas in the UK. If you want the "watercooler" moments, you need this app.
Zero Installation Time
Forget waiting weeks for an engineer to install a satellite dish. You can sign up at 1:55pm and be watching the 2pm kick-off on your PlayStation, TV, or iPad immediately. It just works on the kit you already own.
The Full 2026 Price List
Base Memberships • Daily Passes • Tech Upgrades
Entertainment Membership
Cost: £9.99 a month
What you get: Live and on-demand access to Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Comedy Central, and more. Includes big dramas and Sky Originals.
2026 Update: Includes access to the Max (Standard w/ Ads) app starting March 2026.
Cinema Membership
Cost: £9.99 a month
What you get: All 11 Sky Cinema channels live and over 1,000 movies on demand. Includes new premieres and a big library of films.
Sports Month Membership
Cost: £34.99 a month
What you get: All 12 Sky Sports channels plus the Sky Sports+ streams for EFL/Tennis. Covers Sky’s Premier League matches, not the full season.
Sports Day Membership
Cost: £14.99 for 24 hours
What you get: Same channel access as the Month Membership, but it expires after 24 hours. Useful for a one-off event, but pricey if you watch often.
Hayu Membership
Cost: £5.99 a month
What you get: A huge library of US reality TV. Below Deck, The Real Housewives, and more, with release timing varying by show.
BIGGEST CONTENT DEALS ON NOW
🍌 Figures reflect publicly reported UK rights deals where disclosed, plus Sky/WBD press releases (as of January 2026).
Premier League (2025–2029)
The Premier League’s UK domestic rights deal is reported at £6.7bn for four seasons (2025/26–2028/29). Sky won four packages, meaning a minimum of 215 live matches per season, with the remaining package held by TNT Sports.
Status: LOCKED UNTIL 2029
WBD, HBO & Max Bundle
Sky and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a new UK & Ireland distribution and bundle agreement in December 2024. Entertainment members will get the ad-supported Max tier bundled into NOW when Max launches (currently reported for March 2026).
Status: SECURED INTO MAX LAUNCH
F1 World Championship
Sky Sports has exclusive live rights to Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland, including every practice, qualifying and race session. The current agreement runs through the 2029 season.
Status: LOCKED UNTIL 2029
EFL (Sky Sports+)
The EFL’s domestic rights deal with Sky Sports is reported at £935m over five years, covering the 2024/25 to 2028/29 seasons. It includes 1,000+ matches per season, with much of the extra volume delivered via Sky Sports+.
Status: LOCKED UNTIL 2029
WBD Movies on Sky Cinema
Sky and WBD’s long-term UK & Ireland partnership covers television and movies. In practice, Sky Cinema continues to be a major destination for Warner Bros. Discovery films as part of Sky’s broader WBD relationship.
Status: LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP
ATP & WTA Tennis
Sky signed a five-year deal starting in 2024 for the ATP and WTA Tours in the UK & Ireland. Sky says it includes 80+ tournaments and 4,000+ matches per season, with coverage available across Sky Sports and NOW.
Status: LOCKED THROUGH 2028
Universal Pictures on Sky Cinema
Sky has long held a major first-run relationship with Universal Pictures in the UK & Ireland, which helps keep Sky Cinema stocked with big studio releases after their theatrical runs.
Status: ONGOING STUDIO OUTPUT
HBO Library (Including Game of Thrones)
HBO series and box sets have historically been a huge part of Sky Atlantic and NOW Entertainment. With Max launching in 2026, HBO and Max Originals will sit on Max, while Sky’s bundle keeps Max accessible through Sky/NOW for many customers.
Status: MOVING INTO MAX ERA
NFL (3-Year Deal)
Sky Sports announced a new three-year NFL rights agreement in August 2025. Coverage expands the number of live games and includes all NFL London and Europe games, plus playoffs and the Super Bowl.
Status: LOCKED THROUGH 2027 SEASON
Disclaimer: Figures reflect publicly reported rights values and public press releases available as of January 2026.
How Does NOW Handle Account Sharing in 2026?
Device Limits • Simultaneous Streams • The "Household" Rule
The 6 Device Limit
You can register up to six devices on a single account. NOW can also limit how often you change devices, so if you’re constantly swapping TVs/phones it may ask you to wait before adding another.
The "Single Stream" Catch
Standard memberships are limited to 1 stream at a time. If someone starts watching on another device, the first stream may stop, so sharing without an add-on can be frustrating.
Boost vs Ultra Boost
Boost (£6/month) increases you to 2 simultaneous streams. Ultra Boost (£9/month) increases you to 3 streams and can add up to 4K/HDR and Dolby Atmos on supported devices and selected content.
No "Household" Lock (So Far)
NOW doesn’t currently run a Netflix-style “household” system that blocks logins outside one home Wi-Fi. Accounts are still meant for personal/household use, but in practice it’s usually the stream and device limits that determine how well sharing works.
The Ad Situation: Is it bearable?
Live Channels • On-Demand • The Boost Difference
THE STANDARD EXPERIENCE
By default, NOW includes ads. On on-demand shows and box sets you may see adverts before playback starts and breaks during episodes. Live channels also include normal broadcast ad breaks.
WHAT BOOST CHANGES
Boost and Ultra Boost are the main way to reduce ads on NOW. They give an ad-free on-demand experience compared to the standard version, but they do not remove adverts from live channels like Sky Sports or Sky Cinema.
Who Should Buy NOW?
Real World Reasons to Pay the Monthly Bill
The Seasonal Petrolhead
The smartest way to watch Formula 1 is to treat this like a seasonal ticket. You subscribe in late February for the car launches and cancel the second the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finishes in December. It saves you paying for dead air during the winter break.
The Flatshare
In a shared house, NOW can make sense if you split the Sports Membership and add Ultra Boost. Standard is one stream, Boost is two streams, and Ultra Boost is three, so you’ll need the top add-on if three people watch at the same time.
The "2am Club" Member
If you are the type of person who needs to watch the new Game of Thrones spin off the second it airs to avoid Twitter spoilers this is essential. The simulcast with the US means you can watch live at 2am while the rest of the UK is asleep.
The Bedroom Streamer
Sky Q charges a fortune for their official "Mini" boxes. Using the NOW app on an old console or Fire Stick in the spare room is a much cheaper workaround. It gives you access to the cricket or football in a second room without the extra hardware costs.
The Lower League Loyalist
For years this service was useless if you supported a Championship or League One team. With the new Sky Sports+ integration delivering over 1000 games a season it is finally worth the money for fans outside the Premier League bubble.
Who Shouldn’t Buy NOW?
When NOW Might Not Be the Best Fit
Budget 4K Fans
NOW finally offers 4K HDR but they lock it behind the expensive "Ultra Boost" add-on which costs £9 a month. If you expect 4K to be included in the standard price like it is on Amazon Prime or Disney+ you will feel ripped off here.
The Ad Haters
Unless you pay the extra £6 a month for the standard Boost membership you will be forced to watch adverts before and during on-demand shows. If you refuse to pay extra just to remove commercials then this service will annoy you very quickly.
The Channel Surfer
This is not a full replacement for a TV aerial or Sky Q box. You get the Sky channels but you don't get a unified guide with BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 all in one place. It is a messy experience if you just want to flick through channels.
The "All In" Viewer
If you want Movies, Sports, and Entertainment all together the costs stack up fast. You can easily end up paying over £60 a month which is basically the same price as a full Sky Stream contract but without the hardware or Netflix bundled in.
The Offline Sports Fan
While you can download some dramas to your phone you cannot download full match replays or live sports to watch offline. If you want to catch up on the Premier League during your commute through a tunnel you are out of luck.
What We Streamed This Month
The stuff that kept us glued to the sofa in January—no filler.
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle’s return to the rage virus feels visceral. It’s not just jump scares; the sound design alone is stressful. Watching Jodie Comer navigate a deserted Northumberland is a highlight, but fair warning: the opening sequence is intense. Maybe don't watch this one while eating. Side note: this is a Sky Cinema Premiere so you need the cinema package.
Welcome to Derry
We just binged the box set now that it’s fully aired. It leans harder into the 1960s period drama than we expected, which makes the Pennywise appearances even more jarring. It’s less about cheap shocks and more about a creeping sense of dread. The production value here is massive.
The Last of Us (Season 2)
With the Season 3 rumours swirling, I actually went back to this as my other half hadn't watched it yet. It actually plays better as a binge than it did weekly, the pacing issues in the middle episodes disappear when you can click 'Next Episode'. Visually, the Seattle set pieces remain the benchmark for TV production quality, however it doesn't hit as good as Prime Video's Fallout season 2.
Matlock (Season 2)
Kathy Bates returned to UK screens on Jan 7th, and she hasn't lost a step. It’s easy to write this off as 'comfortable daytime TV', but the writing is sharper than most primetime thrillers. It’s the ideal palate cleanser after the stress of watching 28 Years Later.
How NOW Portrays Itself vs. How We Actually See It
Marketing Promise vs. Reality (January 2026)
NOW's Own Portrayal
NOW sells itself as the flexible alternative to Sky Q or Glass. They promise you the biggest live matches and award-winning US dramas instantly. The marketing focuses heavily on the "cancel anytime" freedom and the ability to stream on any device without a set-top box.
Our Real Experience
I love the access but hate the hidden costs. Watching football in standard definition on a big TV looks terrible so the "Boost" add-on is basically mandatory. It feels like a premium subscription held back by a clumsy app and outdated picture quality restrictions.
Does NOW Offer a Free Trial or Money-Back Guarantee?
Free trials are now rare, but "Saver" discounts are common.
FREE-TRIAL STATUS
Currently, as of the 14th of January 2026, only the Hayu membership regularly offers a 7-day free trial (boost and ultra boost can also be added to this free trial.) As compared to the past, trials are inconsistent/offer-dependent; saver deals are the norm.
CANCELLATION & REFUNDS
NOW does not provide a money-back guarantee or refunds for partially viewed months. You can cancel at any time, and your access will continue until your next scheduled payment date, ensuring you don't lose what you've already paid for.
Our 2026 Score: 7.2/10
Unbeatable content held back by a "budget airline" pricing model.
The "Max" Security (+0.9)
The fear of losing HBO is gone. Sky’s confirmed deal to bundle Max (Standard with Ads) into NOW memberships starting this March is a massive relief. Knowing The Last of Us and the Discovery library are locked in adds significant future value to your subscription.
The "Sports+" Deluge (+0.6)
The sheer volume of live sport is undeniably impressive. We are mid-season in the new Premier League cycle, and the promise of 215+ live games has been kept. Thanks to the Sky Sports+ integration, fans of EFL and lower-tier matches finally have regular access to their teams.
The "Boost" Tax (-0.7)
This remains the single biggest drag on the score. In 2026, asking sports fans to watch fast-moving football in 720p at 25fps by default is unacceptable. You are effectively forced to pay the extra £6/month for Boost just to get the "standard" 1080p/50fps experience.
The "Wallet" Hit (-0.4)
Value for money is a serious concern. A Sports Membership (£34.99) plus the essential Boost add-on (£6) pushes the monthly cost to nearly £41. While the flexibility is great, the standalone price is now significantly higher than many broadband-bundled deals.
The App Stability (-0.2)
While the content is great, the delivery can be shaky. Users are still reporting buffering and bitrate drops on the new app-exclusive Sky Sports+ streams. The interface itself feels dated and sluggish compared to the snappy responses of apps like Netflix or Disney+.
The "TNT" Hole (-0.1)
Unlike "Sports Extra" in Ireland, UK NOW users get zero access to Champions League football (TNT Sports). This fragmentation forces fans to juggle multiple expensive subscriptions to get the full sports picture, which is a minor but persistent annoyance.
How We Rate Now TV
Affiliate Disclosure We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links, however, commission rates are never a factor in our rankings.
Our final score for Now TV is calculated using the 'Balanced Default' weighting profile. This ensures a fair, comparable score against all other providers. See our full ranking methodology here.
How this ensures transparency:
This approach lets us judge the best service for each customer without bias. Commission, CPA, payout rates, and margins are not used anywhere in the scoring model, so providers cannot buy a higher rank. Every score is computed for what’s best for the customer.