NOW, formerly known as NOW TV, is Sky UK’s internet streaming service for watching selected Sky entertainment, films and sports without taking a conventional long-term Sky TV package. You choose individual memberships—such as Entertainment, Cinema or Sports—and watch through the NOW app on a compatible television, streaming device, games console, computer, phone or tablet.
“Pay as you go” is a useful shorthand, but it is not quite the whole story. Most NOW memberships are recurring monthly subscriptions. The genuinely one-off option is mainly Sports Day Membership, which provides 24-hour access and does not automatically renew.
How does NOW work?
NOW is designed to give viewers a narrower and more flexible alternative to a traditional Sky television package. Instead of subscribing to a large bundle of channels, you create a NOW account and select only the type of content you want.
- Create a free NOW account.
- Choose one or more memberships.
- Add payment details and start watching in the NOW app or on the NOW website.
- Use the account’s Membership area to add, switch, cancel or restart memberships.
You can combine memberships. For example, Entertainment can provide Sky shows and channels while Cinema adds the Sky Cinema catalogue. Sports can be added separately, although sports access has its own rules, prices and viewing options.
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Standard monthly memberships normally renew automatically until cancelled. That makes NOW more flexible than a conventional long-term TV contract, but it does not mean every plan is a one-off purchase.
NOW memberships and prices
The following prices are those listed in the supplied current NOW information. NOW can change prices, offers, channel line-ups and programme rights, so check the price and terms on the signup screen before paying.
| Membership | Listed price | What it is for | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | £7.99 per month | Sky Originals, Sky exclusives, returning HBO Max series, entertainment channels, children’s programming and on-demand box sets | Normally recurring monthly |
| Entertainment & HBO Max | £9.99 per month | Entertainment content plus HBO Max Basic with Ads inside the NOW app | Normally recurring monthly |
| Cinema | £9.99 per month | Sky Cinema films available under the applicable rights windows | Normally recurring monthly |
| Sports Day | £14.99 for 24 hours | Short-term access to the relevant NOW Sports content | One-off purchase; does not automatically renew |
| Sports Month | £34.99 per month | Monthly access to NOW Sports content | Recurring monthly unless cancelled |
Prices and availability are particularly important to verify for Sports, because the package does not automatically include every premium sporting event. Sky Box Office events, for example, are separate from the standard Sports membership.
Entertainment Membership
Entertainment is the main option for viewers who want Sky’s television programming without a full Sky TV package. The current offering includes Sky Originals, Sky exclusives, returning HBO Max series, live entertainment channels, kids’ programmes and on-demand box sets.
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Entertainment & HBO Max
The Entertainment & HBO Max Membership adds HBO Max Basic with Ads to the Entertainment offering. HBO Max programmes are available within the NOW app rather than necessarily requiring a separate app or subscription.
The “with Ads” wording matters. NOW says that Boost or Ultra Boost can remove advertising from eligible HBO Max shows viewed in the NOW app, but live-channel advertising and trailers may be treated differently. Boost also does not turn every programme into an ad-free viewing experience.
Cinema Membership
Cinema Membership provides access to the available Sky Cinema range, including films in current and catalogue rights windows. It is a subscription to the films Sky Cinema is licensed to show during the relevant period—not ownership of every film released by a particular studio and not a permanent digital collection.
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Film availability can therefore change. A title being shown on Sky Cinema today does not guarantee that it will remain available throughout a membership.
Sports Day versus Sports Month
Sports is where NOW most clearly resembles a pay-as-you-go service.
- Sports Day Membership costs £14.99 for 24 hours. It is a one-off purchase and does not automatically renew, making it the more useful choice for a viewer who wants to watch a particular day’s coverage.
- Sports Month Membership costs £34.99 per month. It is intended for more regular viewing and normally renews each month until cancelled, subject to the account’s terms and any offer-specific conditions.
NOW Sports includes Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+ streams, along with sports highlights, documentaries and related content. However, the exact competitions and channels available depend on the membership and current rights arrangements.
For example, NOW’s Premier League guidance describes selected Premier League matches and other competitions as available through Sports. Some Carabao Cup matches require a Day or Month Membership rather than Mobile access. A Sports subscription should not be interpreted as a guarantee that every match, event or competition is included.
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What are Boost and Ultra Boost?
Boost and Ultra Boost are add-ons to an underlying Entertainment, Cinema or Sports membership. They are not replacements for those memberships.
Depending on the selected membership, programme, device and playback conditions, the add-ons can provide:
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- Full HD viewing;
- Selected 4K Ultra HD HDR content;
- Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby Atmos sound;
- Ad-free on-demand viewing for eligible shows;
- More simultaneous streams.
Ultra Boost goes further by supporting selected UHD sports channels and selected shows and films in 4K UHD HDR on compatible devices. “Selected” is important: buying the add-on does not make every title available in 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
How many devices can watch at once?
| Plan | Simultaneous compatible devices |
|---|---|
| Standard membership | One device at a time |
| Boost | Up to two devices at the same time |
| Ultra Boost | Up to three devices at the same time |
These limits apply only where the device, title and membership support the relevant feature. NOW also warns that Boost or Ultra Boost cannot be added when the customer has only Sports Mobile Membership, or where the relevant membership is paid through certain third parties such as Apple or Amazon.
Which devices support NOW?
NOW is an app-based service, not a box-only platform. Supported viewing routes include specified models of:
- Smart TVs;
- Amazon Fire TV devices;
- Apple TV;
- Chromecast;
- Roku;
- Nvidia Shield;
- Selected EE, BT, TalkTalk and YouView boxes;
- PlayStation and Xbox consoles;
- Computers;
- Phones and tablets.
NOW’s setup guidance lists a minimum broadband download speed of 2.5 Mbps and a minimum 3G/4G figure of 180 Kbps. These are minimum technical requirements, not a promise of a particular picture quality or uninterrupted playback. A busy home network, weak Wi-Fi signal or mobile-data restriction can still affect viewing.
Watching NOW on a smart TV
You may not need extra hardware if your television has a compatible NOW app. NOW supports specified versions of VIDAA, LG webOS, Samsung Tizen, Android TV and selected Amazon Fire TV Edition televisions.
Search your television’s app store for NOW. If the app does not appear, NOW says that the television may not be compatible. Compatibility is model- and software-specific, so the absence of the app is a more useful warning than simply knowing that a television is branded “smart”.
Watching NOW on an incompatible or non-smart TV
An external streaming device can provide the app route for a television that lacks a compatible built-in app. Supported options include selected Amazon Fire TV devices, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and Nvidia Shield.
A supported Amazon Fire TV Stick can be a practical option where the television itself cannot run NOW. NOW lists support for several Fire TV generations, including Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick 2nd and 3rd generation, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Cube models. Check the exact model before buying, because compatibility and support can change.
The hardware and membership are separate purchases. A Fire TV Stick does not include a NOW subscription and does not automatically provide access to Entertainment, Cinema or Sports. You can sign in with an existing NOW account, or in some cases join through the NOW app using Amazon billing. An Amazon-billed NOW membership is not limited to Amazon devices; it can still be used on other supported devices, although billing and cancellation may then be managed through Amazon.
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NOW also documents partner routes, including adding NOW memberships as bolt-ons through EE TV. This may suit someone who wants NOW alongside a television or broadband-provider arrangement rather than paying NOW directly.
Partner billing changes the practical administration. The partner may control payment, cancellation, offers and account management, so check whether you would need to cancel through EE TV rather than through the normal NOW Membership area. Availability, pricing and commercial terms depend on the partner and should be confirmed before joining.
How cancellation and renewal work
Standard monthly memberships
A standard monthly membership normally renews each month until cancelled. Cancellation generally prevents the next renewal while allowing continued viewing until the end of the already-paid access period.
In practical terms, cancelling immediately does not usually switch off access at once. It tells NOW not to take the next payment. Check the account confirmation for the exact end date.
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Monthly Saver and other minimum-term offers
Some discounted offers are called Monthly Saver or use similar minimum-term wording. They may reduce the monthly price in return for a commitment lasting several months.
This is materially different from a standard cancel-anytime membership. Cancelling during the minimum term will normally stop renewal after the commitment ends, but it does not usually erase the remaining payments or provide immediate termination. Before accepting a discount, look for:
- The length of the minimum term;
- The price during and after any offer period;
- Whether cancellation is available immediately or only at the end of the term;
- What happens when the discounted period expires.
Third-party billing
If you pay through Amazon, Apple, EE TV or another partner, cancellation and billing may need to be managed through that partner. Do not assume that cancelling a direct NOW account will cancel a subscription purchased through a third-party app store or TV provider.
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Cooling-off periods and refunds
NOW’s terms include a 14-day cooling-off provision in specified circumstances. However, that right can be affected when you ask for the digital service to begin immediately and agree to lose the cancellation right.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to Hayu on NOW?
Hayu requires a date qualification. NOW’s help information says that from 10 July 2026, Hayu Membership would no longer be available for new members to buy, and that the NOW Hayu Membership would close for existing members on 10 August 2026.
NOW says that a selection of Hayu programming is being included in Entertainment memberships, while viewers wanting the full Hayu catalogue are directed to Hayu directly. Because this is a scheduled transition and a high-volatility detail, check the latest NOW help information before presenting Hayu as a current membership option.
Where is NOW available?
This article concerns the UK version of NOW. The service is intended for customers aged 18 or over living in the UK, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and its terms limit access to that territory.
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Viewers in the United States should not assume that UK NOW pricing, catalogues, memberships or account rules apply to them. NOW’s help centre separately refers to an Xfinity Internet customer offering in the United States; that is a different market proposition and should not be confused with the UK service.
Who is NOW best for?
NOW is a strong fit for viewers who want one particular Sky content category without paying for a broad traditional pay-TV bundle. It can make sense for:
- Someone who wants Sky Originals or Sky channels for a limited period;
- A film fan who wants Sky Cinema without a conventional long-term Sky television package;
- A sports viewer who needs one day of Sky Sports rather than a full monthly subscription;
- A household that already owns a compatible smart TV or streaming device;
- Viewers who prefer adding, switching or cancelling memberships instead of buying one all-inclusive bundle.
NOW is less suitable for someone who wants a permanent film or television library, every major sports event in one subscription, or a single service containing all the large streaming platforms. Rights windows, sports schedules, advertising, stream limits and picture quality depend on the membership and add-ons selected.
What to check before subscribing
- Location: confirm that you are using the UK service and meet its eligibility requirements.
- Exact content: check that the programme, film, channel or sporting event you want is included now.
- Plan type: distinguish Sports Day from recurring Sports Month, and cancel-anytime plans from minimum-term offers.
- Price: verify the current price, offer duration and post-offer price before payment.
- Renewal: note the next billing date and set a reminder if you only need the service temporarily.
- Device: check the precise television, streaming stick or console model, not merely the brand.
- Picture and sound: do not assume 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos or ad-free playback without checking Boost or Ultra Boost, title eligibility and device support.
- Streams: remember that the standard plan supports one compatible device at a time.
- Billing route: identify whether NOW, Amazon, Apple, EE TV or another partner will handle payment and cancellation.
- Sports exclusions: confirm whether a desired event is included or requires a separate purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NOW the same as NOW TV?
Yes. Sky rebranded NOW TV as NOW in 2021. The service is still commonly called NOW TV, but NOW is the current brand name.
Is NOW genuinely pay as you go?
Partly. Sports Day Membership is a one-off 24-hour purchase, but most Entertainment, Cinema and monthly Sports memberships recur automatically until cancelled. Some discounted offers also have minimum terms.
Does NOW include a set-top box?
No. NOW is primarily an app-based service. You can use it on a compatible smart TV or supported device, or add a streaming device to a non-smart or incompatible television. The device and NOW membership are separate.
Can I watch NOW without a Sky TV contract?
Yes. NOW is intended to provide selected Sky entertainment, cinema and sports content without requiring a conventional long-term Sky TV package.
Does NOW Sports include every football match and sporting event?
No. Availability depends on current rights, the specific membership and the event. Selected competitions and matches are included, while some events—including Sky Box Office content—may require a separate purchase or different access option.
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Standard monthly memberships generally can be cancelled before the next renewal and remain usable until the end of the paid period. Minimum-term offers are different: cancellation usually stops renewal after the commitment but does not normally remove remaining payments.
Can I use NOW on more than one device?
A standard membership generally supports one compatible device at a time. Boost supports up to two and Ultra Boost up to three, subject to the membership, device, title and feature restrictions.
The Bottom Line
NOW is best understood as Sky’s flexible, modular streaming service—not a completely pay-as-you-go replacement for every form of pay TV. It lets UK viewers buy selected Entertainment, Cinema or Sports access without a traditional Sky package, with Sports Day offering the clearest one-off option. Before subscribing, verify the current price, content rights, renewal terms, device compatibility and whether Boost or Ultra Boost is needed for the quality or number of streams you want.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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