DISH Network vs. DIRECTV Satellite TV Pricing
Ditch DIRECTV's rising prices and get inflation-free TV, only with the DISH 2-Year TV Price Guarantee. With prices increasing all around, DISH stays constant, offering you the same price with better value than DIRECTV for 24 months. For almost all its packages, DISH offers a lower out-of-pocket cost and higher value than DIRECTV, even when DIRECTV advertises similar or lower starting prices. DISH TV packages start at $91.99/mo. for 190 channels, and you can customize each package to add on any channel pack.
Need more? DISH's America's Top 250 package comes with nearly 300 channels, including The Movie Channel and many more, for an extensive channel library. DISH packages include your favorite sports and entertainment, and pricing is guaranteed for two years—that's more than DIRECTV can say.
When Watching Football—DISH or DIRECTV?
Never miss a touchdown or field goal again. While DIRECTV used to be the home of football, times have changed, and you can now enjoy the hard-hitting sport with DISH. The DISH Hopper 3 DVR lets you add streaming apps to catch every professional football game this fall. From Thursday Night Football to out-of-market games, DISH is the place to catch it all.
DISH Network vs. DIRECTV Prices and Channel Packages
"There are just too many channels," said no one ever. Luckily, DISH offers more channels for a more affordable price than other competitors. Packages start at $91.99/mo. and include favorites like ESPN, Fox News, and The Food Network. Every DISH package includes a 2-year price guarantee, a reliability guarantee*, and free installation, so you get more bang for your buck. And with the DISH Hopper DVR, you can record countless hours of entertainment and stream live and recorded TV on the DISH Anywhere mobile app. Simply put, DISH packages include it all for a fraction of DIRECTV prices.
DISH Network | DIRECTV | |
Package name | DISH America’s Top 120 | Entertainment |
Channel count | 190 | 165+ channels via Satellite
90+ channels via Internet |
Year 1 price | $91.99/mo. | $74.99/mo. |
Year 2 price | $91.99/mo. | $74.99/mo. |
Price protection | 2-year TV price guarantee | 24-month pricing |
Contract | 2 years | 2 years |
HD service fee | FREE | Extra |
Local channels | Included | Limited |
Premium channels | FREE 3 months* | FREE 3 months–1 year |
On Demand library | 80K titles | 65K titles |
HD DVR receiver | Included or $5/mo. upgrade | Included |
Secondary receivers | Start at $5/mo. | Start at $7/mo. |
Installation | FREE in up to 6 rooms | Free for first room, $99+ for additional rooms |
Activation fee | FREE | $19.95 |
Comparing DISH America's Top 120 Package to DirecTV's Satellite Connected Choice Package, November 2023. Commercial skip feature is available at varying times, starting the day after airing, for select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX recorded with PrimeTime Anytime.
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DISH vs. DIRECTV Equipment Differences
DISH's most powerful receiver on the market, the Hopper 3 DVR, beats the Genie for recording capability and extra features. The DISH Hopper 3 DVR’s storage is unbeatable, giving you 2,000 hours of recording space to save your favorite shows—10 times more than the Genie. That's ten times more TV shows, ten times more sports, and ten times more news.
The DISH Smart Remote allows you to speak entertainment into existence. Ask it to play a funny movie for nights you're in a laughing mood, or ask for movies featuring your favorite actor. And when you compare DISH Network vs. DIRECTV for how smoothly you can extend your system to other rooms, DISH offers more types of secondary receivers, at better pricing, with free installation.
DISH Hopper 3 Whole-Home DVR | DISH Hopper 2 Smart HD DVR | DIRECTV Gemini HD DVR | |
First receiver price | $5/mo. upgrade | $0/mo. | $0/mo. |
Simultaneous recordings | 16 | 2 | 5 |
HD storage hours | 500 | 125 | 200 |
Supported TVs per DVR | 7 | 2 | 4 active, 8 total |
Secondary receiver price | $5+/mo. each | $5+/mo. each | $7+/mo. each |
Smart home integration | ✔ | ✔ | Amazon only |
Wireless receiver options | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
4K Ultra HD | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View multiple channels at once | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Room-to-room playback | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Integrated Netflix app | ✔ | ✔ | x |
AutoHop commercial skips | ✔ | ✔ | x |
Easy primetime recording | ✔ | ✔ | x |
Bluetooth | ✔ | ✔ | x |
Remote finder | ✔ | ✔ | x |
Voice Remote | ✔ | ✔ | Only via mobile app |
Mobile streaming | 100% of live, DVR, and On Demand content | 100% of live, DVR, and On Demand content | Select live TV, DVR, and On Demand content |
App users supported | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Comparing DISH America's Top 120 Package to DirecTV's Satellite Connected Choice Package, November 2023. Commercial skip feature is available at varying times, starting the day after airing, for select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX recorded with PrimeTime Anytime.
See terms and conditions
Compare DISH Network and DIRECTV Satellite Services
DIRECTV and DISH Network provide similar overall satellite service quality. Both provide highly reliable popular programming and HD channels to cities large and small. The big difference—DISH offers a Reliability Guarantee, giving you credit for any outage caused by weather conditions or technical errors. That's how confident DISH is about its satellite service.
In terms of customer interaction, DISH takes a slight edge. With a more reliable, transparent, and affordable installation process, DISH makes the transition to satellite TV seamless. And with 24/7 customer support, you're sure to get technical assistance any time of the day (or night).
DISH Network | DIRECTV | |
Signal reliability | 99.9% | 99.9% |
TV and internet availability outside densely populated areas | ✔ | ✔ |
Installation appointments as soon as tomorrow | ✔ | ✔ |
FREE standard professional installation in 1–6 rooms | ✔ | x |
75-minute service window and track-your-technician | ✔ | x |
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Mobile Viewing with Satellite TV Provider Apps
Like the DISH Anywhere app, the DIRECTV App lets you take your TV subscription on the go. The key difference between DIRECTV and DISH: the DISH app acts as a true extension of your home DVR, letting you stream 100% of your live channels, recorded shows, and On Demand library anywhere you have internet access.
The DISH Anywhere app lets you watch your recorded shows even offline—just download them beforehand. If you forget to set your DVR before leaving home, you can do so on the go with the DISH Anywhere app. The season finale you missed live but recorded last night? Watch it on your mobile device from wherever you are!
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Compare DISH and DIRECTV Internet Service
Neither DISH nor DIRECTV runs an internet service. However, both partner with certain internet providers to make switching your telecom services easier. DISH works with Frontier to bring you high-speed internet at up to 2,000 Mbps, letting you connect multiple devices with virtually no slow-down. Stream, game, and work all on the same network with Frontier Fiber.
DISH also partners with Viasat, a satellite internet service, for homes in rural areas. Available nationwide, Viasat offers speeds up to 100 Mbps with no data caps or overages. And with a 2-year price guarantee, it's another bill you won't have to worry about changing on you for 24 months. Depending on your location, you can bundle your DISH service with one of these internet providers to bring the whole online entertainment experience into your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: DIRECTV or DISH?
Call us biased, but DISH offers greater signal reliability, equipment quality, and channel packages. You won't need DIRECTV anymore to catch every professional football game. You can enjoy the gridiron games all with DISH.
What are the biggest advantages DISH has over DIRECTV?
DISH offers a 2-year price guarantee to ensure no price hikes for 24 months. DISH also offers more channels for a more affordable price than DIRECTV, with packages starting at $84.99/mo. Learn more about what DISH has to offer by giving us a call.
What is the difference between DISH and DIRECTV?
DISH equipment includes the Hopper 3 DVR and the DISH Voice Remote. The Genie HD DVR from DIRECTV only offers 200 hours of storage, while the DISH Hopper 3 gives you ten times as much with 2,000 hours!
Is it easy to switch from DIRECTV to DISH?
DIRECTV might not take it lightly, but we're here to help. Call us, and we'll walk you through the process of switching from DIRECTV to DISH!
