DIRECTV Review 2020
By Rachel Oaks
Share | 0 | Dec 18, 2019
Pros
- 200 HD storage hrs. on included DVR
- 1 season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET included
- 3 mos. of premium channels
Cons
- 2 yr. contract
- Raised price after 12 mos.
- Autorenewing extras that could cost you
Best DIRECTV packages
| Package | Price for mos. 1–12* | Price for mos. 13–24* | Channel count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for premiums PREMIER™ All Included | $134.99/mo. | $189/mo. | 330+ | |
| Best for sports XTRA All Included | $79.99/mo. | $124/mo. | 235+ |
Data as of 09/25/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*plus taxes and RSN fee.
With six packages to choose from, it can be hard to nail down your best option. We recommend SELECT™ All Included for its excellent for basic channels and PREMIER™ All Included because it lavishes you in premium channels. The latter package basically makes you TV-watching royalty.
But if you want to take advantage of DIRECTV’s great sports channel lineup and still have money leftover for extras like NFL SUNDAY TICKET and NBA League Pass, shoot for XTRA All Included. It’s a little cheaper than ULTIMATE All Included, but the sports channels are the same.
DIRECTV packages and prices
DIRECTV TV packages comparison
| Package | Price for mos. 1–12* | Price for mos. 13–24* | Channel count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SELECT™ All Included | $55.99/mo. | $81/mo. | 155+ | |
| ENTERTAINMENT All Included | $64.99/mo. | $93/mo. | 160+ | |
| CHOICE™ All Included | $69.99/mo. | $110/mo. | 185+ | |
| XTRA All Included | $79.99/mo. | $124/mo. | 235+ | |
| ULTIMATE All Included | $84.99/mo. | $135/mo. | 250+ | |
| PREMIER™ All Included | $134.99/mo. | $189/mo. | 330+ |
Data as of 12/18/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*plus taxes. RSN fee applies on CHOICE™, XTRA, ULTIMATE, and PREMIER™ packages.
When you’re checking out the prices above, remember that every DIRECTV plan requires a two-year contract. That’s rude, and it probably has something to do with the ugly satellite dish it’ll put up on your south-facing roof. But even worse, DIRECTV raises its prices in the second year, which is a hassle to budget.
DISH, the other prominent satellite TV provider, maintains the same prices for its full two-year contract, so that might be a better option if DIRECTV’s change makes you uneasy.
DIRECTV channel lineup
| Package | Included popular channels |
|---|---|
| SELECT™ | NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, Disney Channel, etc. |
| ENTERTAINMENT | ESPN, ESPN2, NBCSN, and FS1 |
| CHOICE™ | IFC, Nick Jr., OWN TV, Travel Channel, and UniMás |
| XTRA | American Heroes Channel, Destination America, DIY Network, and LMN |
| ULTIMATE | El Rey, STARZ ENCORE, and TMC |
| PREMIER™ | HBO, CINEMAX, SHOWTIME, and STARZ |
DIRECTV’s SELECT™ package covers family-favorite basic channels, but you’ll need to upgrade to ENTERTAINMENT if you want sports channels like ESPN.
At CHOICE™ and above, you get access to DIRECTV’s perks with no extra cost: a season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET and three months of premium channels for first-time sign-ups.
Check out the full channel lineup to make sure you get a package with all the channels you want. If you’re into beIN Sports, A&E, or Pac-12 Network, tough luck—DIRECTV doesn’t offer those.
Still, DIRECTV’s channel lineups are well balanced, with PREMIER™ standing out as one of the few packages out there to include all the big premium channels in its lineup. It’s a go-big-and-go-home situation, where you can get everything you want and never have to leave your couch again.
DIRECTV bundles
DIRECTV + AT&T internet packages
| Package | Price for mos. 1–12 | Price for mos. 13–24 | Channel count | Download speeds up to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV SELECT™ + AT&T Internet | $89.99/mo.* | $115/mo.* | 150+ | 10–100 Mbps | |
| DIRECTV ENTERTAINMENT + AT&T Internet | $94.99/mo.* | $123/mo.* | 160+ | 10–100 Mbps | |
| DIRECTV CHOICE™ + AT&T Internet | $99.99/mo.† | $140/mo.† | 185+ | 10–100 Mbps | |
| DIRECTV XTRA + AT&T Internet | $109.99/mo.† | $154/mo.† | 235+ | 10–100 Mbps | |
| DIRECTV ULTIMATE + AT&T Internet | $114.99/mo.† | $165/mo.† | 250+ | 10–100 Mbps | |
| DIRECTV PREMIER™ + AT&T Internet | $164.99/mo.† | $219/mo.† | 330+ | 10–100 Mbps |
Data as of 12/18/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for 12 mos plus taxes.
†for 12 mos plus taxes and RSN fee
AT&T’s bundles are going to be some of the cheapest you can get with DIRECTV. When you combine internet and TV here, the plans are $20 per month less expensive than they would be separated.
One of the drawbacks is that AT&T Internet speeds vary by location. If you live in an area where AT&T’s internet reaches only 10 Mbps, you’ll still have to pay what those in 100 Mbps areas pay. But if you live in an area where there’s 100 Mbps, you’ll get these deals at a steal.
There are a few more pros and cons to bundling AT&T and DIRECTV, so check those out before you sign up.
DIRECTV + AT&T internet + phone packages
| Package | Price for mos. 1–12 | Price for mos. 13–24 | Channel count | Download speeds up to | Phone plan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV SELECT™ + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $109.98/mo.* | $134.99/mo.* | 155+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | |
| DIRECTV ENTERTAINMENT + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $114.98/mo.* | $142.99/mo.* | 160+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | |
| DIRECTV CHOICE™ + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $119.98/mo.† | $159.99/mo.† | 185+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | |
| DIRECTV XTRA + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $129.98/mo.† | $173.99/mo.† | 235+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | |
| DIRECTV ULTIMATE + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $134.98/mo.† | $184.99/mo.† | 250+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | |
| DIRECTV PREMIER™ + AT&T Internet + Phone Unlimited | $184.98/mo.† | $238.99/mo.† | 330+ | 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling |
Data as of 12/18/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*for 12 mos plus taxes.
AT&T doesn’t add on any more discounts if you add home phone to the service. You’ll still get the $20 per month discount all its AT&T Internet and DIRECTV deals have, but that’s all.
Go to our bundles page to learn more.
DIRECTV perks, cool stuff, and deals
You can get DIRECTV almost anywhere in the US, but thankfully that’s not the only cool thing about it. It also offers major league season passes to catch all out-of-market games, 4K HDR programming, and 72 hour rewind.
With those powers combined, you can watch big league games in pristine quality, even if you missed them by three days. Just make your friends promise not to spoil any of the big plays.
DIRECTV unique features
Here are some of the neatest things about DIRECTV:
- Out-of-region season passes for NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, and MLS
- 4K HDR programming on CHOICE packages and higher
- 72 hour rewind on select channels
- Included DVR with 200 hours of HD storage
DIRECTV equipment
Unlike many TV services, DIRECTV won’t charge you more for a DVR receiver or set-top box. Instead, without spending another penny, you can save up to 200 hours of HD TV—that’s more than enough space for all eight seasons of The Vampire Diaries.
DIRECTV’s DVR is called the Genie. (Very magic, much wow, insert something about making your wishes come true here.) Presumptive name aside, it’s a solid piece of equipment that gets the job done.
The Genie comes in both wired and wireless versions, and you can hook up more TVs for $7 more per TV per month. That’s a lot of pers, we know, but if you’re paying for DIRECTV already, it just makes sense to be able to watch it everywhere in your house.
We can go on for pages about the Genie. In fact, we already have—check out our full Genie DVR review for everything else you’ll want to know.
Our final take on DIRECTV
DIRECTV has some finicky things we don’t like—autorenewing “free” perks and raising prices after it’s locked you into a contract, first and foremost. But its perks are pretty impressive, especially the included DVR. And if you can bundle it with AT&T Internet, the discounts are peachy keen.
