Optimum vs. Stream with DIRECTV
Our experts dug into pricing, channels, and more, revealing that Optimum cable TV is superior to DIRECTV's streaming service.
Optimum is a traditional cable TV provider with hundreds of channels, no contracts, and a contract buyout—but its DVR service is costly and available in only four states.
Stream with DIRECTV is a streaming service with fewer channels, no contracts, and unlimited DVR. But it’s expensive, and still clings to old cable-TV complications—like third-year price increases—that real streaming services don’t have.
Optimum vs. Stream with DIRECTV pros and cons
Optimum
✓ Bundles w/ high-speed internet
✓ No contracts
✓ Up to $500 contract buyout
✗ Limited DVR storage
✗ High DVR prices
✗ Limited availability
Stream with DIRECTV
✓ Free premium channel trials for new customers
✓ No contracts
✓ Easy self-installation
✗ High prices
✗ Low channel count
Enter your zip code below to see if Optimum and DIRECTV are available in your area.
Compare Optimum and Stream with DIRECTV head-to-head
| Brand | Price | Channels | DVR storage | Simultaneous recordings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum | $30.00–$160.00/mo.* | 50–250+ | 25–150 hrs. | 15 | View plans |
| Stream with DIRECTV | $84.99–$164.99/mo.** | 90–185+ | 20 hrs.–Unlimited | 3–20 | View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* Plus taxes, fees and other charges. Includes Auto Pay and Paperless Billing.
** See full disclaimer for details.
Optimum has a contract buyout (up to $500), no contracts of its own, affordable plans, high channel counts, and premium channels included in its top-tier plan. But Optimum’s prices are high and its DVR storage is low and expensive, so you’ll have a hefty monthly payment. (Although it’s worth noting that you’ll receive free Cloud DVR when you bundle your TV plan with a 1 Gig internet plan).
Stream with DIRECTV has no contracts, but its channel count is lower than Optimum’s. But you don’t have to rent a TV box if you already have a supported streaming device, and you can add unlimited DVR storage for $10 per month.
Optimum vs. Stream with DIRECTV prices and plans
Since we’re comparing two vastly different services in Optimum and Stream with DIRECTV, we’ve done a little extra digging to show you the best deals for each. And we even give you an alternative.
Optimum internet-and-TV bundles pricing (mix-and-match)
When you sign up with Optimum, you can mix-and-match to find an internet and TV bundle that meets your needs for download speeds, live TV channels, and price. First, you’ll choose an Optimum internet plan.
1) Choose an Optimum internet plan
| Plan | Price | Download speeds* | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 300 | $40.00/mo. | 300 Mbps | View plan |
| Fiber Internet 300 | $40.00/mo. | 300 Mbps | View plan |
| Optimum 500 | $60.00/mo. | 500 Mbps | View plan |
| Fiber Internet 500 | $60.00/mo. | 500 Mbps | View plan |
| Optimum 1 Gig | $70.00/mo. | 940 Mbps | View plan |
| Fiber Internet 1 Gig | $70.00/mo. | 940 Mbps | View plan |
| Fiber Internet 2 Gig | $90.00/mo. | 2,000 Mbps | View plan |
| Fiber Internet 5 Gig | $120.00/mo. | 5,000 Mbps | View plan |
|
Fiber Internet 8 Gig Fastest |
$280.00/mo. | 8,000 Mbps | View plan |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* See full disclaimer.
Now, choose an Optimum TV plan to see your total monthly payment for the bundle.
2) Choose an Optimum TV plan
| Plan name (West region) | Price* | Channels | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic TV | +$50.00/mo. | 50+ | View plans |
| Core TV | +$100.00/mo. | 125+ | View plans |
| Select TV | +$120.00/mo. | 200+ | View plans |
|
Premier TV Most channels |
+$140.00/mo. | 250+ | View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Offer for new residential customers. Advertised price OFFER for new Optimum residential customers with eligible Internet plan. Rates are subject to change at any time with advanced notice. Advertised price reflects $5 discount for enrolling in Auto Pay & Paperless Billing, must maintain both to keep discount.
Smaller households and casual internet users will be fine with Optimum 300, which will allow you to do a lot of HD TV streaming and even a good amount of online gaming. If you want to do 4K streaming, we recommend Optimum 500 or Optimum 1 Gig.
Now you just need to decide how many channels you want. We think that Optimum Basic, like other providers’ basic cable TV plans, is a waste of money. You can get the same local channels and subchannels with an over-the-air (OTA) TV antenna. You can get a good antenna for $25.00–$60.00—and that’s all you’ll pay, ever. So why pay $50.00/mo. for Optimum Basic?
If you want the most channels—with free premium channels, Premier TV has 250+ channels including Max™, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, and STARZ. It’s the most expensive plan, but it has the most bang for your buck.
That said, Select TV’s 200+ channels include the MLB Network, NFL Network, and STARZ ENCORE®—so if you like sports more than movies, you’ll save $20.00 a month with this TV plan.
We will note that Optimum has made things a bit complicated by dividing its TV plans between two regions. The chart above is for Optimum’s West region (which encompasses all but three states in Optimum’s service area). If you live in CT, NY, or NJ, check out the chart located on our Optimum guide for your Optimum TV options.
Stream with DIRECTV prices and plans
| Plan | Price** | Live channels | Popular channels | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENTERTAINMENT | $84.99/mo. | 90+ | ESPN, HGTV, Nickelodeon, TNT, and more | View plans |
| CHOICETM | $89.99/mo. | 125+ | Cooking Channel, ESPNU, Game Show Network , and more | View plans |
| ULTIMATE | $119.99/mo. | 160+ | LMN, NHL Network, STARZ ENCORE®, and more | View plans |
| PREMIER | $164.99/mo. | 185+ |
CINEMAX®, HBO, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more |
View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
**See full disclaimer for details.
Stream with DIRECTV has free premium channel trials, including Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, CINEMAX, and MGM+™. Just remember that these deals don’t have an expiration date, but the terms are subject to change. That’s a pretty good deal, either way.
Like we mentioned earlier, Stream with DIRECTV has a fairly large channel selection, a more traditional channel guide, and so-so pricing. We recommend it for folks transitioning from cable and satellite TV.
That said, if you’re comfortable with live TV streaming already, however, we recommend going with another service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.
DVR
Both Optimum and Stream with DIRECTV offer confusing cloud DVR pricing and features. Cue the comparison table.
Optimum Altice One vs. Stream with DIRECTV streaming box
| DVR Price | Box rental fee | Storage | Simultaneous recordings or streams | Video quality | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum (Altice One Mini or Apple TV 4K) | $8.00–$20.00/mo. |
First Altice One Mini: free Apple TV 4K: $10.00/mo. for 18 mos. |
25–150 hrs. | 15 recordings | Up to 4K UHD |
| Stream with DIRECTV streaming box | $0.00–$10.00/mo. |
$5.00/mo. for 24 mos. or $120.00 upfront |
20 hrs.–Unlimited | 3–20 streams | Up to 4K UHD |
Data as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Optimum has three tiers of DVR service—Cloud DVR ($8.00 a month, 25 hours), Cloud DVR Plus ($10.00 a month, 75 hours), or Cloud DVR Max ($20.00 a month, 150 hours). For your TV box, you can choose either an Altice One Mini (first one’s free, extras are $10.00 a month) or Apple TV 4K (rent-to-own, $10.00 a month for 18 months). These are pretty high prices for both the storage and the boxes, especially when Optimum’s internet-and-TV bundles are already fairly expensive.
Stream with DIRECTV includes 20 hours of cloud DVR, and you can upgrade to unlimited DVR for an additional $10 per month. And unlike Optimum, you don’t need to rent a TV box—you can use your own streaming device if you have one. (If you don’t have one, you can buy or lease DIRECTV’s streaming TV device.)
All three tiers of Optimum DVR service include up to 15 simultaneous recordings and you can keep them for as long as you have your account.
With Stream with DIRECTV, all plans give you up to 3 out-of-home streams plus a whopping 20 in-home streams (that you might never need), and recordings expire after 90 days.
While we don’t love that Stream with DIRECTV‘s basically forcing you to pay for the upgrade (seriously, who can live with only 20 hours of DVR storage?), it’s still better than what Optimum offers.
Installation
Since Optimum is a cable TV provider, you’ll have to set up an installation appointment where a technician will come over and hook everything up for you.
Installation is much easier with Stream with DIRECTV—you can do it yourself. If you already have a supported device, you just download the app, sign in, and start channel surfing. If you decided to go with the Stream with DIRECTV box, it’s as easy as connecting it to your TV with an HDMI cable and following the onscreen prompts.
Streaming apps
If you’re always on the move, both Optimum and DIRECTV have mobile apps that allow you the freedom to watch movies and binge shows on the go.
With the Altice One app, you can watch your Optimum live TV channels and on-demand content; watch, manage, and schedule DVR recordings; and use it as your remote control. It’s compatible with the Amazon Kindle Fire, and Android and iOS devices. But user ratings are poor-to-mixed on Google Play and the Apple Store, citing issues with connectivity and speed.
Stream with DIRECTV app home page
The DIRECTV app lets you do all of the above, but the remote function requires a Roku streaming device and the Roku mobile app. The DIRECTV app works with Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple/iOS, Google Chromecast, Roku, and select Samsung smart TVs, and has much better ratings on Google Play and the Apple Store.
Final take
Cable apples and streaming oranges aside, Optimum is better than Stream with DIRECTV. It has the best channel counts, bundles, and value—especially when you consider its no-contract plans and $500 contract buyout. But it’s also the more expensive of the two services.
Stream with DIRECTV has easier installation, great perks, better DVR options, and a superior mobile app, but you can find better deals with actual streaming services like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.
Optimum vs. Stream with DIRECTV FAQ
Is Optimum cable or satellite?
Optimum is a cable provider. Stream with DIRECTV is a live TV streaming service.
Is [sc name='directv-stream-name'] cable or satellite?
Stream with DIRECTV is neither cable nor satellite—it’s a live TV streaming service, which delivers your channels over the internet.
Is Optimum owned by AT&T?
No, Optimum is not owned by AT&T. Altice USA owns Optimum.
Is there a Stream with DIRECTV app?
The main way to stream DIRECTV is through its app, which works with these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV devices
- Android phones and tablets
- Apple/iOS phones and tablets
- Google Chromecast
- Roku devices
- Samsung smart TVs
Why you should trust us
Our expert staff spent dozens of hours doing hands-on testing and number crunching to evaluate Optimum and Stream with DIRECTV’s features, reliability, and value. We then compared the two providers head-to-head to determine which one offers the best product and service. For more information on our methodology, see our How We Rank page.
Disclaimer
Optimum: 300 Mbps: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas.500 Mbps: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic avail. w/ 500 Mbps Internet and above. After promo period, plan auto-renews at $10.99/mo. Offer will not replace existing subscriptions. Add’l terms apply. Unlimited Mobile line w/ Promo Code HEYITSFREE. Plus taxes & fees. Savings via monthly bill credits. Elig. cust. only. Paperless Bill & Auto Pay req’d. Terms Apply.1 Gig: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection up to 940 Mbps. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic avail. w/ 500 Mbps Internet and above. After promo period, plan auto-renews at $10.99/mo. Offer will not replace existing subscriptions. Add’l terms apply. Unlimited Mobile line w/ Promo Code HEYITSFREE. Plus taxes & fees. Savings via monthly bill credits. Elig. cust. only. Paperless Bill & Auto Pay req’d. Terms Apply.2 Gig: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic avail. w/ 500 Mbps Internet and above. After promo period, plan auto-renews at $10.99/mo. Offer will not replace existing subscriptions. Add’l terms apply. Unlimited Mobile line w/ Promo Code HEYITSFREE. Plus taxes & fees. Savings via monthly bill credits. Elig. cust. only. Paperless Bill & Auto Pay req’d. Terms Apply.5 Gig: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic avail. w/ 500 Mbps Internet and above. After promo period, plan auto-renews at $10.99/mo. Offer will not replace existing subscriptions. Add’l terms apply. Unlimited Mobile line w/ Promo Code HEYITSFREE. Plus taxes & fees. Savings via monthly bill credits. Elig. cust. only. Paperless Bill & Auto Pay req’d. Terms Apply.8 Gig: w/ $10/mo. elig. Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic avail. w/ 500 Mbps Internet and above. After promo period, plan auto-renews at $10.99/mo. Offer will not replace existing subscriptions. Add’l terms apply. Unlimited Mobile line w/ Promo Code HEYITSFREE. Plus taxes & fees. Savings via monthly bill credits. Elig. cust. only. Paperless Bill & Auto Pay req’d. Terms Apply.
**Stream with DIRECTV:
ENTERTAINMENT: for 24 months + taxes & fees ($89.99/mo. w/ req’d 15/mo. ARS fee) w/24-mo. agmt.
CHOICE™: for 24 months + taxes & fees ($104.98/mo. w/ req’d $15/mo. ARS fee & Regional Sports Fee of $9.99/mo.) w/24-mo. agmt. Price reflects $10 off for 24 mos.
ULTIMATE: for 24 months + taxes & fees ($134.98/mo. w/ req’d $15/mo. ARS fee & Regional Sports Fee of $9.99/mo.) w/24-mo. agmt. Price reflects $10 off for 24 mos.
PREMIER: for 24 months + taxes & fees ($179.98/mo. w/ req’d $15/mo. ARS fee & Regional Sports Fee of $9.99/mo.) w/24-mo. agmt. Price reflects $10 off for 24 mos.
