DISH is one of the best satellite TV service providers for the money you’re paying. One of the best things about DISH is that it offers arguably the best DVR box in the industry. As for DIRECTV as a satellite TV provider, it offers the most HD channels and is preferred by sports fans. In this article, we will compare DISH vs DIRECTV internet and find out which provider offers the better satellite TV service.
DISH vs DIRECTV Pros and Cons
| Provider | Pros | Cons |
| DISH | – 2-year price guarantee – Best DVR – Best kid’s programming | – Expensive plans |
| DIRECTV | – NFL Sunday ticket included – Free DVR – Best sports programming | – Expensive plans – Price hike after 1st year |
Compare DISH vs DIRECTV Packages and Pricing
| Provider | Price | Channels | DVR Storage | Simultaneous Recordings |
| DISH | $42.99 – $99.99/mo. | 190 – 290+ | 125 – 500 HD hours | 2-16 |
| DIRECTV | $64.99 -$134.99/mo. | 160 – 330+ | 200 HD hours | 5 |
What makes DISH one of the best satellite internet providers is that it offers the best DVR box alongside a two-year price lock. Although if you require more channels then DIRECTV is the provider you should look out for. Before you decide on any of the providers, you should also know that Hopper 3 costs you $15 per month.
DIRECTV comes equipped with the best sports programming and every single plan comes included with a Genie DVR box. Although the Genie DVR isn’t as good as the Hopper 3 and DIRECTV prices also increase after 2 years.
DISH Packages and Pricing Comparison
DISH offers nine TV plans and all of them can get confusing. For making things easier for you, we have researched all the plans by DISH by listing up-to-date prices, channels count, and most popular channels. Using our list of best DISH plans, you can choose the plan that fits you.
| Package | Price | Channel Count | Popular Channels |
| Flex Pack | $42.99/mo. | 50+ | AMC, CNN, and more |
| America’s Top 120 | $64.99/mo. | 190 | Disney Channel, ESPN, and more |
| America’s Top 120+ | $79.99/mo. | 190+ | NFL Network, Pac-12 Network, and more |
| America’s Top 200 | $89.99/mo. | 240+ | Disney Junior, Hallmark channel |
| America’s Top 250 | $99.99/mo | 290+ | Nicktoons, STARZ ENCORE |
DISH as a satellite TV service provider is cheaper and offers more plans than DIRECTV. What makes things even better is that DISH comes with a two-year price lock which is quite rare as all types of TV providers are raising their prices one after another. Although DISH packs lesser channels in their plans in comparison to DIRECTV, it can get annoying especially if you love sports.
As for our recommendation of the DISH satellite TV plan, we suggest that you pick America’s Top 200. It’s a plan that’s worthy of TV lovers, as it includes more than 250 channels, like DISNEY HD and other exclusive channels. Let’s compare DIRECTV satellite TV plans with DISH to see which provides more value for money.
DIRECTV Plans & Pricing
| Package | Price | Channel Count | Popular Channels |
| ENTERTAINMENT | $64.99/mo. | 160+ | ESPN, ESPN 2 |
| CHOICE All Included | $69.99/mo. | 185+ | FX, IFC |
| ULTIMATE All Included | $84.99/mo. | 250+ | Boomerang, FLIX |
| PREMIER All Included | $134.99/mo. | 330+ | HBO, CINEMAX |
Probably the only reason that DIRECTV is still in the race is that they have a wide range of deals and promotions. If you get the CHOICE plan or above, then you can get NFL SUNDAY TICKET or NBA League Pass and HBO Max free for one year.
Another good thing about DIRECTV packages is that it includes the Genie DVR free of cost. Any DVR that comes with DIRECTV plan is chargeable. There’s a major drawback of all DIRECTV plans price grows tremendously after two years.
DISH packages may be cheaper but they contain lesser channels, lesser sports coverage, and fewer add-ons. So if you need all the sports, and you want a really solid DVR, you need to go with DIRECTV.
DVR Comparison: DISH vs DIRECTV
DVR is one of the best TV services that allows you to record any sports, TV show/movie. Whether you’re getting the DISH Hopper 3 or the DIRECTV Genie, you won’t lose.
| DVR | Price | Storage | Simultaneous Recordings | Video Quality |
| DISH Hopper 3 | $15/mo. | 500 HD hours | 16 | Up to 4K Ultra HD |
| DIRECTV Genie | Included | 200 HD hours | 5 | Up to 4K Ultra HD |
- Dish Hopper 3
While DISH has several DVRs, we suggest that you only choose Hopper 3 if you want and need the ideal DVR experience. The DVR box Hopper Duo comes included with most of the DISH packages, it’s a very basic box.
- DIRECTV Genie
As great as the Hopper 3 maybe, the DIRECTV Genie isn’t that bad. It offers 5 simultaneous recordings and 200 hours of HD storage so it usually gets the job done. It can even improve your experience if you’ve got the NFL SUNDAY TICKET, as you can program the device to watch 8 live games at once.
Installation Comparison: DISH vs DIRECTV
When you sign up for DISH, your service already includes the cost of standard installation from a professional. DISH goes a long way to make the installation process even better as you can monitor the technician’s photo, monitor their location, and review your scheduled time in their “MyDISH” app.
As for DIRECTV, you will need to pay a $20 activation fee to start your service. There’s no cost for professional installation service, but you’ll still need to pay $20.
There’s no app-like service for the DIRECTV professional service. There have been some complaints about DIRECTV’s technician service online. Overall, DISH is the clear winner when it comes to service installation.
Final Take
Both DISH and DIRECTV have their set of strengths and weaknesses. For most customers, DISH is the ideal way to go, DIRECTV is best for sports fans as it offers NFL SUNDAY TICKET and a couple of sports channels. DISH is definitely the cheaper option, and it also offers a two-year price lock. In the end, it all comes down to what are your needs and what kind of service is available in your area.
