ESPN Unlimited vs ESPN Select: What You Get for $13.99 and $31.99
By The Spool Editors · Published September 17, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026
ESPN renamed ESPN+ to ESPN Select and put a much bigger plan called Unlimited above it, and the result is that a lot of people are paying for one while thinking they bought the other. Both prices went up on 17 September 2026. Here is exactly what separates them, in plain terms: Select is the old ESPN+ catalogue, Unlimited is the actual ESPN channels.
At a Glance
| ESPN Unlimited | ESPN Select | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $31.99/mo | $13.99/mo |
| Annual price | $319.99/yr | $139.99/yr |
| ESPN main channel | ✓ | ✗ |
| ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS | ✓ | ✗ |
| SEC and ACC Network | ✓ | ✗ |
| ESPN on ABC games | ✓ | ✗ |
| NFL Network | ✓ | ✗ |
| Everything in ESPN+ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monday Night Football | ✓ | ✗ |
| Out-of-market soccer and PGA | ✓ | ✓ |
Which One Is Right for You
The Plans That Actually Compete
These are two tiers of the same service, so the comparison is unusually clean. Unlimited contains everything in Select and adds the linear channels. Here is each plan and the bundles built on top.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN Select
Price Breakdown & Hike History
Both tiers rose on 17 September 2026. Unlimited went from $29.99 to $31.99 a month and from $299.99 to $319.99 a year. Select went from $12.99 to $13.99 a month and from $129.99 to $139.99 a year. The annual plans are the only discount either tier offers, worth roughly two months.
ESPN Unlimited: ESPN's direct-to-consumer Unlimited plan launched at $29.99 in August 2025 and took its first increase, to $31.99, on 17 September 2026.
ESPN Select: ESPN+ became ESPN Select when the Unlimited plan launched in 2025, and went from $12.99 to $13.99 on 17 September 2026.
What You Actually Get
Unlimited carries ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, SECN+, ACCNX, ESPN on ABC simulcasts, NFL Network and CW Sports, plus the entire ESPN+ catalogue. Select carries the ESPN+ catalogue and nothing else: out-of-market soccer, PGA TOUR Live, NHL, college sports, UFC prelims and the documentary library.
Channel by Channel
Every channel below links to our full answer on whether that service carries it. Channels neither service publishes an answer for are left out rather than guessed at.
Only on ESPN Unlimited: ABC, ACC Network, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, NFL Network, SEC Network.
Check the Bundle Before You Buy Either One
Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu is $35.99, which is $4 more than Unlimited alone for two additional services. If anyone in the house already pays for Disney+ or Hulu separately, the bundle is almost certainly cheaper than what you have now. The NFL+ Premium bundle at $41.99 is the only route to NFL RedZone through ESPN.
The Features That Decide It
| Feature | ESPN Unlimited | ESPN Select |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $31.99/mo | $13.99/mo |
| Free trial | Occasional promos | No |
| Cloud DVR | None, on-demand replays | None, on-demand replays |
| Simultaneous streams | Not published | Not published |
| Accounts / profiles | Single login with profiles | Single login with profiles |
| 4K | Select events | No |
Add-Ons & Hidden Costs
ESPN Unlimited add-ons: FOX One bundle ($39.99), Disney+ and Hulu bundle, and NFL+ Premium bundle. The FOX One bundle at $39.99 and the Disney+ and Hulu bundle at $35.99 are both worth pricing before you buy Unlimited on its own.
ESPN Select add-ons: Disney+ and Hulu bundles. Select can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu too, which is usually the cheapest way anyone ends up holding it.
How to Try Each One Free
Neither tier runs a standing free trial. ESPN uses promotional pricing instead, usually around the start of a season, and pay-TV subscribers with DIRECTV, Fubo and others get Unlimited access included, so check whether you already have it before paying twice.
The Cheapest Way to Get What You Want
If your pay-TV or live-streaming service already includes ESPN Unlimited, and Fubo, DIRECTV MySports and others now do, you are done, buy nothing. If not and you want the ESPN channels, the annual Unlimited plan at $319.99 saves about two months. If you only want the old ESPN+ content, Select at $139.99 a year is the floor.
What Changed Recently
- September 17, 2026: ESPN Unlimited took its first price rise, from $29.99 to $31.99 a month and from $299.99 to $319.99 a year.
- September 17, 2026: ESPN Select rose from $12.99 to $13.99 a month, and from $129.99 to $139.99 a year.
- August 21, 2025: ESPN launched its direct-to-consumer Unlimited plan at $29.99, with ESPN+ folded in.
- August 21, 2025: ESPN+ was renamed ESPN Select when the Unlimited plan launched.
ESPN Unlimited vs ESPN Select FAQ
- Is ESPN Select the same as ESPN+?
- Yes. ESPN+ was renamed ESPN Select when the Unlimited plan launched. The catalogue is the same: out-of-market soccer, PGA TOUR Live, NHL, college sports, UFC prelims and the documentary library.
- Can I watch ESPN, the channel, with ESPN Select?
- No. Select does not include any of the ESPN linear networks. For ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, the SEC Network or ESPN on ABC games you need ESPN Unlimited.
- How much did ESPN raise prices in September 2026?
- Unlimited went from $29.99 to $31.99 a month, and its annual plan from $299.99 to $319.99. Select went from $12.99 to $13.99 a month, and from $129.99 to $139.99 a year. Both took effect on 17 September 2026.
- Does ESPN Unlimited include NFL RedZone?
- Not by itself. RedZone comes through the ESPN Unlimited and NFL+ Premium bundle at $41.99 a month, which adds NFL Network, RedZone and NFL Films.
ESPN Unlimited vs ESPN Select: The Verdict
Select is ESPN+ with a new name. If you subscribed for out-of-market soccer, PGA TOUR Live, college sports and UFC prelims, that is what you still have, now at $13.99. Unlimited is a different product: every ESPN linear channel, ESPN on ABC, the SEC and ACC networks, NFL Network and CW Sports, with ESPN+ folded inside it. At $31.99 it is priced like a cable sports tier because that is effectively what it is. The deciding question is simple. If you want to watch a game that is on the ESPN channel, Select will never show it to you, no matter how long you wait.
Last updated: October 8, 2026