Service type: Satellite
Price: $59.99–$94.99/mo.*
Channel count: 190–290+
Recommended DVR: Hopper 3 ($15.00/mo.)
Service type: Satellite
Price: $64.99–$134.99/mo.**
Channel count: 160–330+
Recommended DVR: Genie (included)
Jump to: Packages and pricing | DVRs | Installation and customer service | Pros and cons | Mobile apps | Internet | Satellite TV FAQ | Final take
Data as of 4/16/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* for 12 mos plus taxes. Autopay & Paperless bill req’d. Prices higher in 2nd year. Regional Sports Fee up to $9.99/mo. is extra & applies.
** for 24 mos. New customers only. All offers require 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutopay. Price includes Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.
When you compare DISH and DIRECTV, you’ll see that each provider offers unique value—but there are some distinct differences that will make it easy for you to choose the satellite TV provider that fits you best.
While a broad overview can be helpful, we’ve dug in to give you an in-depth review of packages, equipment, and more so you can find the best satellite TV deals from either DISH or DIRECTV.
It can be tricky to decide the best plan for you. We made it easy by listing all of their packages with price and channel count. Check them out below, and if you find one you like, click on “View Plan” to see exactly which channels come with it.
Data as of 4/16/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
** for 24 mos. New customers only. All offers require 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutopay. Price includes Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.
DISH’s prices and channel counts start higher and have a smaller range than DIRECTV’s. However, DISH’s two-year price lock is a rare find in an industry that thrives on raising prices after promotional periods.
A quick note on DISH’s confusing naming convention: America’s Top 120™ and America’s Top 120+™ are slightly different. The difference is that America’s Top 120+™ has more sports channels, like NFL Network and Pac-12 Network.
Data as of 04/16/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* for 12 mos plus taxes. Autopay & Paperless bill req’d. Prices higher in 2nd year. Regional Sports Fee up to $9.99/mo. is extra & applies.
DIRECTV plans start at a low price, which is a plus if you’re looking to save. There’s a price jump between ULTIMATE and PREMIER, DIRECTV’s largest package, because it includes channels like HBO®, STARZ®, SHOWTIME® and Cinemax®—while DISH’s largest package, America’s Top 250, doesn’t.
In fact, if you were to add all those premier channels to America’s Top 250, the price would be over $20.00 more per month than PREMIER. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re trying to keep up with shows like Westworld.
Another advantage of DIRECTV pricing is that all packages include the Genie DVR without pesky equipment costs. DISH includes the Hopper Duo DVR with its plans, but it charges a $5.00 service fee and a $10.00 upgrade fee if you want the far superior Hopper 3 DVR instead. DIRECTV is the better deal here.
But where DIRECTV really shines is in its appeal to sports fans. The NFL SUNDAY TICKET is included for the first year with the top four channel tiers. It’s exclusive to DIRECTV and lets you watch every out-of-market Sunday NFL game. On the lower tiers and after the first year with the upper tiers, NFL SUNDAY TICKET will cost you $293.94 per season.
DVRs can make or break your TV experience. The chart and information below cover the basics of the best DVRs from each provider, but if you want to invest in learning more, check out our complete Hopper 3 vs. Genie review.
Price: $15.00/mo.
Simultaneous Recordings: 16
Storage: 2 TB
Recording Capacity: 500 HD hours
Notable Features: Home-wide voice control with Alexa, 4K Ultra HD support, commercial autoskip, app integration
While DISH has a handful of DVRs, we suggest you go for the Hopper 3 if you want an amazing DVR experience. While the Hopper Duo comes included with most DISH packages, it’s incredibly basic. On the other hand, the Hopper 3 is ridiculously overpowered, with 16 simultaneous recordings and 500 hours of storage capacity. If DVRs are your thing, you should probably go with DISH.
Price: Included with service
Simultaneous Recordings: 5
Storage: 1 TB
Recording Capacity: 200 HD hours
Notable Features: 4K Ultra HD support, Multiview sports bar with NFL SUNDAY TICKET, watch shows that aired over the past 3 days with 72 Hour Rewind
The Genie DVR isn’t too shabby itself. With five simultaneous recordings and 200 hours of storage, it will get the job done for most people. It’s especially nice if you’ve got NFL SUNDAY TICKET because you can program a “Mix Channel” that will allow you to watch up to eight live sports programs at once.
When you sign up with DISH, your service includes the cost of standard installation from a DISH professional, which means you can start watching TV with no expensive set-up fees.
To make installation even smoother, you can view your technician’s photo, monitor their location, and review your scheduled time with the appointment feature in the MyDISH app. In this user-friendly world, it’s a feature we appreciate and think more TV providers should implement.
For questions after installation, you can get customer service from DISH’s support page. Once there, you’ll have access to 24/7 support, help videos, and even live chat.
While DIRECTV charges a $35 activation fee to start your service, it doesn’t charge anything for installation.
It would be nice if DIRECTV got a technician-tracker tool like DISH. There are a few complaints online that make us concerned about technicians arriving late or rescheduling last minute.
If you have concerns and need customer service, DIRECTV offers 24/7 support, online troubleshooting, and live chat on its support page.
To give you a better idea of your potential experience with DISH and DIRECTV, we’ve included scores from our “2018’s Best TV Providers in Customer Satisfaction.”
The DISH Anywhere and DIRECTV apps are both on-the-go viewing apps that will turn your phone into a tiny mobile TV.
Google Play Rating: 4.1/5
Apple Store Rating: 3.8/5
Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
Manage DVR: Yes
Remote Control Function: No
DISH Anywhere lets you watch live and on-demand TV, or you can transfer your DVR recordings to enjoy offline. You can even manage your DVR library and recordings from your phone.
With a recent update, a lot of people were having trouble logging in to DISH Anywhere, but DISH responded to the concerns, letting users know the bug will be fixed soon.
Google Play Rating: 4.1/5
Apple Store Rating: 4.7/5
Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
Manage DVR: Yes
Remote Control Function: Yes
The DIRECTV app has similar capabilities to DISH Anywhere, along with an extra remote control feature. You can use it for voice search or just to avoid digging between the couch cushions again.
Common complaints about the DIRECTV app include buffering issues and not being able to delete DVR recordings, which means your DVR might fill up while you’re on vacation.
Google Play Rating: 3.6/5
Apple Store Rating: 4.8/5
Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
Manage DVR: No
Remote Control Function: No
The NFL SUNDAY TICKET app from DIRECTV lets you watch your favorite NFL teams from your phone. It has some cool features like live game-to-game fantasy analysis, which can give you a boost in your fantasy league. You can even get alerts on your phone any time your favorite players make a big play so you never miss the action.
Google Play Rating: 3.7/5
Apple Store Rating: 4.5/5
Compatible Devices: iOS and Android
Manage DVR: No
Remote Control Function: No
MyDISH is DISH’s account management app. You can use it to view and pay bills, order pay-per-view events, and see your appointment information. DIRECTV doesn’t offer a service to pay your bill from an app, but that’s something MyDISH makes easy.
Neither DISH nor DIRECTV offers satellite internet service, but some Internet Service Providers (ISP) bundle with DISH or DIRECTV. Which ISPs you can choose from vary from area to area, but as a general rule you can bundle Frontier, Windstream, and HughesNet internet with DISH, and AT&T and CenturyLink internet with DIRECTV.
So, which is better: DISH or DIRECTV? Overall, while both providers have unique strengths, DISH is the way to go. While DIRECTV supports sports fans with its NFL SUNDAY TICKET and is more affordable up front, but DISH has the higher customer satisfaction rating and industry-leading Hopper 3 DVR. With DISH, you can also enjoy a two-year price guarantee and state-of-the-art equipment such as voice remotes. If you want to record your shows for later, enjoy TV on-the-go, and high-quality customer service, DISH is the best satellite TV service for you.
Are you ready to hustle for sports from DIRECTV or put DISH’s powerful Hopper 3 DVR to the test? Or, if you don’t think satellite TV is the direction you want to go, enter your zip code below to see what other TV providers offer service in your area:
No matter what option you choose, we hope you have a great time watching your favorite shows with a TV provider that meets your needs.
Satellite TV is available across the US, anywhere you can set up a south-facing satellite dish. Your dish has to be turned to face the southern-sitting satellite, which is something your technician takes care of during installation. This might be an issue for some apartment buildings without a clear shot of the southern sky.
Yes, satellite TV technology has come a long way and can provide a reliable signal through most weather conditions. Additionally, satellite TV won’t go out because underground construction accidentally cut cables, which is something cable TV faces occasionally.
Over a two-year period, DIRECTV’s ENTERTAINMENT comes out as the cheapest satellite package. America’s Top 120 from DISH is a close second.
ENTERTAINMENT has more channels than America’s Top 120 and The Genie DVR that comes with ENTERTAINMENT has more simultaneous recordings than the Hopper Duo that comes with America’s Top 120 too.
America’s Top 250 from DISH has the best cost per channel between all DISH and DIRECTV plans. Of course, if you aren’t going to watch all those channels or if it’s missing any of your favorites, it might not be the best deal for you.
While participants in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get assistance with internet bills, TV isn’t considered a utility and doesn’t come with the same benefit. Over-the-air and streaming TV can be affordable alternatives—check out “Free and Low-Cost Cable TV Options” for more information.
Speaking purely to cost per channel, PREMIER from DIRECTV is the worst value. However, since that cost includes a DVR and all the biggest premium channels like HBO®, STARZ®, SHOWTIME® and Cinemax®, it’s a pretty awesome “worst package.”
Rather than focusing on the monetary value of each package, check packages for channels you value. You’re more likely to be satisfied with your choice if you put in that effort.
Satellite internet is sent over satellite, just like satellite TV. It’s often available in broadband speeds, but it has restrictive data caps. Still, it’s a good solution in rural areas that don’t have wiring for other internet service types.
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