DISH vs. DIRECTV: Cost, Plans, and More

Is DISH or DIRECTV better?

DISH Network is our Editor’s Choice for the best TV provider overall and the best TV provider for families—for three years running—and the DISH Hopper 3 DVR is the best receiver/DVR around. Also, DISH won’t raise your monthly payment for three years.

DIRECTV is the best satellite TV provider for sports since it has more sports channels and awesome sports add-on packages. And, new for 2023, DIRECTV offers a two-year price guarantee—but also a monthly fee for its Genie DVR (formerly included with your plan).

So which is the best satellite TV provider, DISH or DIRECTV? We’re going with DISH—again—because DISH TV service is more affordable and transparent.

Jump to:

• Deals and promotions
• Head-to-head comparison
• Packages and prices
• Channels
• Equipment and features

DISH vs. DIRECTV pros and cons

DISH vs. DIRECTV deals and promotions

Before you choose a DISH or DIRECTV plan, have a look at the promotions each provider offers.

DISH deals and promotions

• Free Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, STARZ^®, and the DISH Movie Pack: For three months when you sign up.
• DISH 55 (for seniors) and Those Who Serve (active military, first responders, nurses, teachers, and veterans) include various perks like extra channels, free movie rentals, six free months of equipment protection, and upgraded identity theft protection.

DIRECTV deals and promotions

• Free premium channels: When you order the ENTERTAINMENT All Included package or above, you can get CINEMAX^®, MGM+™, Max (formerly HBO Max), Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, and STARZ^® free for three months.

And don’t forget to check out our dedicated DISH deals and DIRECTV deals pages.

Compare DISH vs. DIRECTV head to head

Data effective as of post date. Offers may vary by location and are subject to change. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.
†for 24 months plus taxes and fees w/ 24-mo. agmt.; AutoPay and Paperless Bill req’d. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. is extra and applies.

DISH’s strong points are its three-year price guarantee, industry-leading Hopper 3 DVR, kids programming, and parental controls. But keep in mind that it has fewer channels than DIRECTV and the Hopper 3 has a $10 monthly fee.

DIRECTV has the best sports channels and add-on packages, and the provider introduced a two-year price guarantee this year. That said, DIRECTV plans are expensive and no longer include the Genie DVR—you’ll pay a $15 monthly Advanced Receiver Service Fee for it now.

Wanna know more before you sign up? We’ve dug into packages, features, and more, so you can find the right DISH or DIRECTV plan for you.

DISH vs. DIRECTV packages and pricing

With nine packages to choose from, things can get a little, um . . . confusing. But have no fear! We’ve made it easy to pick a plan by researching every DISH and DIRECTV package and listing up-to-date pricing, channel counts, and popular channels.

DISH packages and pricing

Data effective as of post date. Not all offers available in all areas. See full disclaimer regarding pricing and features for more information.

Some DISH and DIRECTV packages have higher-than-average monthly payments, but price protection is a rare find in an industry that thrives on raising prices after promotional periods. The peace of mind might be worth the extra money.

We recommend the DISH Americas Top 200 package for true-blue TV fans because it includes more than 240 channels, like Disney HD and Investigation Discovery, for the price of $107.99 per month.

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.

For more insights into DISH TV service, read our full DISH review—highlighting plans, channel lineups, and more.

DIRECTV packages and pricing

†for 24 months plus taxes and fees w/ 24-mo. agmt.
AutoPay and Paperless Bill req’d. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. is extra and applies.

DIRECTV’s new price guarantee is so much more transparent than the provider’s old way of doing things (affordable payment in the first year, steep price hike in the second).

We used to recommend DIRECTV’s CHOICE All Included package because it was the most affordable way to get free NFL SUNDAY TICKET and premium channels at signup.

Now that YouTube TV has NFL SUNDAY TICKET and DIRECTV has a price guarantee, it’s less risky to choose the provider’s top package, PREMIER All Included. For $159.99 monthly, PREMIER All Included has every channel DIRECTV carries—including premium channels.

All DIRECTV packages require the Genie DVR, so the associated Advanced Receiver Service Fee adds $15 to your monthly payment.

Read our comprehensive DIRECTV review to learn more about plans, channel lineups, and features.

DISH vs. DIRECTV channels

DIRECTV has 340+ channels, including more sports channels than any other provider, along with regional sports networks. That’s why it’s our best TV provider for sports. But that doesn’t mean DIRECTV doesn’t have a slew of popular cable channels in every category: entertainment, news, kids & family, premium channels, and more.

Check out our comprehensive DIRECTV channel lineup guide to see which packages have the channels you want. You’ll also be able to find channel numbers for each network except for your local broadcast affiliates (channel numbers for those vary by location).

DISH has 290+ channels, with more and better kids’ channels than DIRECTV, which is why DISH gets our Editor’s Choice award as the best TV provider for families. (Have we mentioned that it’s our pick for best overall TV provider, too?) And, while DISH doesn’t have as many sports channels as DIRECTV, it has two that DIRECTV lacks: beIN Sports and the Pac-12 Network.

See exactly which sports, entertainment, family, and premium channels DISH carries in our DISH channel lineup guide.

DISH vs. DIRECTV sports

Data effective as of post date.
*Not all Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) are available everywhere.

As we’ve mentioned, we think DIRECTV is the best TV provider for sports—our DIRECTV Sports Packages page is a great place to see everything the satellite service offers for sports fans. But DISH is no slouch in the sportsball department either. Just look at that table above.

DISH beats DIRECTV in almost every sports category. But there are some details not captured in those numbers. Let’s break down some key differences between the satellite TV rivals’ sports content.

• DISH’s channel count includes 12 beIN SPORTS CONNECT and 5 TUDNxtra channels, which isn’t the same as 17 different sports networks. But even without counting those overflow channels, DISH still has 61 sports channels to DIRECTV’s 52.
• DISH doesn’t have Fox College Sports, GolTV, Next Level Sports, TyC Sports, and Univision Deportes.
• DIRECTV doesn’t have beIN Sports, Lo Mejor de Liga MX, Outside TV, Pac-12 Network, Stadium, WILLOW, World Fishing Network, and Zona Fútbol. It’s also missing NFL RedZone.
• Not all regional sports networks (RSNs) are available everywhere. The ones you get will depend on your zip code, but DIRECTV has a larger selection of RSNs compared to DISH.
• DIRECTV and DISH have the seasonal sports add-ons FOX Soccer Plus, MLB Extra Innings, NBA League Pass, and NHL Center Ice.

We’ve also compiled a sports channels-only comparison table so you can see exactly which ones DISH and DIRECTV have. Fair warning: This is a long table. If you don’t need a channel-for-channel comparison, you can skip directly to our expert opinion on how the two satellite TV providers’ sports offerings compare.

DISH vs. DIRECTV sports channels

Data effective as of post date. Channel lineups may vary by location and are subject to change. Some channels may require an additional monthly fee.

To us, the DISH vs. DIRECTV sportsball battle comes down to available add-ons. RSNs are crucial for MLB, NBA, and NHL fans, so DIRECTV having the most RSNs is huge for watching in-market games.

Without the add-ons, each provider has a balanced lineup of sports channels—but DISH has more of them, not to mention more variety. So we wouldn’t dismiss DISH just because DIRECTV has those juicy add-ons and RSNs. It all depends on what sports you enjoy watching.

DISH vs. DIRECTV equipment and features

Although DISH and DIRECTV have similar channel counts and first-year pricing, the two satellite TV providers differ quite a bit in terms of equipment and features.

Read on to find out about everything from DVRs to bundling your TV service with internet.

DVRs

TBH, a DVR can make or break your TV experience. Luckily, you can’t lose with the DISH Hopper 3 and DIRECTV Genie.

DISH Hopper 3 vs. DIRECTV Genie

DISH Hopper 3

While DISH has more than one DVR, we recommend the Hopper 3 if you want an amazing DVR experience. (While the Hopper Duo comes included with most DISH packages, it’s basic af.)

The Hopper 3 is the best DVR out there, with 500 hours of HD storage capacity, 16 simultaneous recordings, and more built-in streaming apps than the DIRECTV Genie. If DVRs are your thing, go with DISH.

DIRECTV Genie

The Genie DVR ain’t too shabby, either. The standard Genie stores 200 HD hours with five simultaneous recordings. The wireless Genie 2 has 450 hours of HD storage and seven simultaneous recordings. Both require the $15-a-month Advanced Receiver Service Fee, and the Genie 2 has a $99 bridge fee (for Wi-Fi setup) due when you sign up.

To learn more, read our Genie review.

Installation

When you sign up for DISH, your service includes the cost of standard installation from a professional.

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.

While DIRECTV charges a $20 activation fee to start your service, it doesn’t technically charge anything for installation. Still, 20 bucks is 20 bucks, amirite?

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.

In the end, we think DISH is the clear winner when it comes to installation.

Streaming apps

The DISH Anywhere app and DIRECTV app are on-the-go streaming apps that turn your phone or tablet into a tiny mobile TV.

DISH Anywhere app

The DIRECTV app (Android, iOS) has features similar to those of the DISH Anywhere app. You can stream live channels and on-demand content from your DIRECTV package and watch/set/manage DVR recordings. And the app even acts as a voice remote so you can avoid sticking your hand between the couch cushions (eeeeewwwww) if you misplace your Genie clicker again.

And just like with DISH Anywhere, you can set and manage parental controls from the DIRECTV App. But DIRECTV’s parental controls aren’t quite as good as DISH’s, which the company created in a partnership with Common Sense Media.

So we say the DISH Anywhere is superior, with a more intuitive user experience. Plus, as we keep pointing out, DISH is a better satellite TV provider than DIRECTV.

Internet bundles

DIRECTV also no longer offers any internet bundles with AT&T like they have in the past. We recommend you do some research into the best internet service providers near you to see which ISP will pair best with your new TV plan.

Not sure which ISPs are in your area? Enter your zip code below to see internet providers in your neighborhood.

Is DISH or DIRECTV better?

While both premium TV providers have unique strengths, for most folks, DISH has more affordable pricing, a longer (three-year) price guarantee, and industry-leading Hopper 3 DVR and parental controls. But, while DISH has plenty of sports channels and add-ons, we still recommend DIRECTV sports fans.

DISH vs. DIRECTV FAQ

Methodology

Our experts have logged hundreds of hours of hands-on testing and research on both DIRECTV and DISH Network. For this piece, we compare DISH and DIRECTV, rating the satellite TV providers on bang for your buck, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction so our readers can make informed buying decisions.

For more information on our process, check out our How We Rank page.

Disclaimers:

* DISH: for 24. months. New customers only. All offers require 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutopay. Price includes Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.

** DIRECTV: New approved residential customers, price incl. TV pkg & equip. fees for first TV. Add’l fees may apply to non-qualified customers. Early agmt termination fee applies ($20/mo.) & add’l fee(s) may apply if equip. not returned. Credit card req’d. Restr’s apply. $19.95 activation & equipment lease req’d for satellite customers. Equipment lease req’d for DIRECTV via Internet customers in some sales channels.

† DISH Hopper 3 DVR costs $10/mo. for 500 HD hours of storage & 16 tuners.

‡ DISH America’s Top 120+: All offers require credit qualification, 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.