These two names get confused constantly, and it’s easy to see why — both are NFL products, both cost extra, and both show up in the same YouTube TV checkout flow. But they solve two genuinely different problems.
NFL RedZone is a single channel showing every touchdown from every Sunday afternoon game, live and constantly switching. NFL Sunday Ticket gives you full, complete broadcasts of out-of-market games — teams your local channels don’t carry. Since 2023, both live exclusively on YouTube and YouTube TV, and RedZone is a separate paid add-on rather than something bundled free with Sunday Ticket.
NFL RedZone: The Whip-Around Channel
RedZone, produced by NFL Network, jumps between every Sunday afternoon game in real time, showing you scoring drives and touchdowns as they happen across the league. You don’t choose a specific game — the whole point is seeing every big moment from everywhere, without needing multiple screens.
NFL Sunday Ticket: Full Out-of-Market Games
Sunday Ticket exists for a different problem entirely: watching your team’s complete game when you live outside their local broadcast market. If you’re a 49ers fan living on the East Coast, your local CBS/FOX affiliate isn’t airing that game — Sunday Ticket is what fills that gap, with the full broadcast rather than just the highlights.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| NFL RedZone | NFL Sunday Ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | Touchdowns and key plays from every game | Full broadcast of specific out-of-market games |
| Best for | Fantasy football, following the whole league at once | Following one specific out-of-market team closely |
| Where to get it | YouTube TV’s Sports Plus add-on, or bundled with Sunday Ticket | YouTube TV or standalone via YouTube Primetime Channels |
2026 Pricing
What Things Actually Cost This Season
- Sunday Ticket (new subscribers): $20/month for 12 months, or $240 as a single payment
- Sunday Ticket (returning subscribers): $40/month for 12 months, or $480 as a single payment
- Adding RedZone to Sunday Ticket: An additional $3.50/month, or $42 as a single payment
- RedZone alone (without Sunday Ticket): Available through YouTube TV’s Sports Plus add-on for roughly $10.99/month
- Student pricing: $119 for the season, with RedZone addable for $10 more
Do You Need Both?
Genuinely, most people don’t. If your team plays in your local market, you likely don’t need Sunday Ticket at all — regular broadcast or your existing live TV service already covers them. RedZone is the more universally useful add-on for casual, whole-league viewing, while Sunday Ticket is specifically for out-of-market team loyalty.
Setting Up Your Device
Both work through the YouTube and YouTube TV apps on any major streaming device. Our device comparison guide can help you pick the right one, and our full NFL streaming guide covers the rest of the season’s broadcast landscape.
Official Source
Pricing and bundling details can shift throughout the season. For the most current information, check YouTube TV’s official Sunday Ticket page directly.
Quick Questions People Ask
Final Thoughts
Think of it this way: RedZone is for watching the whole league at once, Sunday Ticket is for watching one specific team you can’t otherwise get. Most fans genuinely only need one of the two, not both.
Need help with your overall setup? Our full tutorials library covers every device.