Dish vs. DirectTV: Which Satellite Service Wins?

Although consumers are increasingly cut the cord and opting for streaming services, there are many others who still prefer satellite television service. And in that space, there are two big players: Dish and DirecTV.

Of course, both Dish and DirecTV argue they accept the best service, the near channels and the best content. And they both pale claim to extras, like high-end DVRs or streaming.

But rather than take their word for it, we compared both services head to caput to decide in one case and for all which satellite Television receiver provider is really best.

Channels and Packages

DirecTV

DirecTV, now owned by AT&T, offers a host of packages to consider. And they all offer different options.

Here's a breakup of DirecTV'southward Packaging:

1. Select All: 150+ channels starting at $50 per month.
2. Entertainment All: 155+ channels at $55 per month.
3. Choice All: 185+ channels at $60 per month.
4. Xtra All: 230+ channels at $lxx per month.
5. Ultimate All: 245+ channels at $75 per month.
6. Premier All: 325+ channels at $125 per month.

It's of import to note that these packages are based on 24-calendar month commitments. And the pricing is good for 12 months. Your 2nd-year pricing will jump to $xc per month to $187 per month, depending on the program you choose. Notation that this pricing includes monthly equipment fees, including the fee y'all pay for your DVR.

Dish

Like DirecTV, Dish offers a host of package options that vary by price and number of channels. Hither's a await at Dish'southward pricing options:

1. America's Top twenty: 190 channels at $l per month
ii. America'due south Height 120+: 190+ channels at $lx per month
3. America'south Top 200+: 240+ channels at $70 per month
4. America's Top 250+: 290+ channels at $80 per month

Again, there's more than meets the heart here. All of the options come with a free Amazon Echo Dot (a $50 value), likewise as admission to NFL RedZone and NFL Network for a limited fourth dimension. The prices are guaranteed for two years on a 2-twelvemonth contract, merely will bound to betwixt $70 per month and $95 per month after the introductory flow.

Winner: Dish. While it might non have as many channels equally DirecTV at the top of the range, its pricing is much amend and is available for two years rather than one.

MORE: Best TVs - Elevation-Rated Smart and 4K Televisions for Every Budget

Exclusives

DirecTV

DirecTV'due south biggest exclusive — and a major reward over Dish — is NFL Sunday Ticket. With that service, which costs $281.94 per season, you can scout every NFL game from the comfort of your home. It'll besides work on your laptop, tablet, smartphone or game panel. DirecTV'south Dominicus Ticket option also includes Fantasy Zone and the Red Zone Channel.

DirecTV's other big advantage is its AT&T relationship. If you're already an AT&T unlimited program holder, for example, you'll be able to save $25 on your monthly bill by bundling information technology with DirecTV.

Additionally, AT&T has launched a streaming service, called DirecTV Now, that allows yous to access alive and on-demand content. You lot don't even demand to exist a DirecTV customer to admission the content on that service, merely we didn't love DirecTV Now in our review.

Dish

Dish doesn't have NFL Sun Ticket, just it does take some of the more than compelling DVR technologies on the marketplace.

Chief among those technologies is the Hopper 3. The DVR allows you to scout and record up xvi shows at the aforementioned time, doubling that of the DVR engineering science you'd find from DirecTV.

Hopper iii as well comes with a remote-finder feature, and can be used with your vocalisation to create commands using Amazon Alexa.

Simply arguably, the most impressive characteristic is the ability to automatically skip commercials in select prime-time prove recordings. You simply tap a push button and you're on to the testify.

Information technology'due south also worth noting that Dish owns Sling TV, a streaming video service that lets you access and watch live and on-demand programming. Dish does not, however, offer any special bundles or packages with Sling TV service included.

Winner: Draw. Information technology all comes back to what yous're looking for in a service. If you're more interested in football or you're an AT&T client, DirecTV is a better bet. Merely if you're a heavy DVR user, Dish will be your best friend.

MORE: All-time Netflix Shows You're Not Watching (But Should Exist)

4K Content

Dish

Dish offers a dainty slate of 4K programming, but doesn't actually list the titles it offers. Instead, the company simply offers access to 4K from several sources, including The Orchard, Mance Media, NBCUniversal and Netflix.

Dish also offers special broadcasts in 4K, including pay-per-view events like Bellator. Planet Earth 2 was as well broadcast live in 4K.

DirecTV

When it comes to 4K content, DirecTV offers an ample corporeality. The company doesn't say specifically how much 4K content it has regarding hours of programming, but information technology offers two channels — 104 and 106 — that offer everything from documentaries to movies to original series in 4K.

Additionally, yous'll find alive sporting events in 4K, including Major League Baseball games and UFC fights.

Winner: Draw: Neither company tin can pinpoint exactly how much 4K programming they offering, and much of what they do is overlap. Suffice information technology to say, you'll find ample 4K content from either company.

MORE: All-time Cheap 4K TVs (Under $500), Ranked from Best to Worst

DVR

DirecTV

DirecTV subscribers can opt for the Genie, an Hard disk drive DVR system that lets you lot tape upwardly to 5 programs at in one case. It also includes plenty storage for you to tape up to 200 hours of programming without losing whatever content.

Additionally, DirecTV offers a feature that lets yous stream select shows that have aired in the terminal 3 days with a tool called DirecTV 72 Hour Rewind. You can also restart live shows with a Restart button.

Dish

The Hopper 3 is Dish'south answer to DirecTV's Genie. And it's more impressive.

The Hopper iii now supports Amazon Alexa, then you can tell your Amazon Repeat to turn on a show and the Hopper 3 will respond accordingly. Information technology besides comes with a remote-finder feature, and if you prefer commanding your DVR with your vocalisation, you lot can do and so.

One of the Hopper 3'south all-time features is its storage, which lets you record upwardly to sixteen shows at once. And, yes, you tin can skip commercials on select shows on the DVR, though your mileage may vary depending on the shows y'all watch.

If you desire to watch your content in more than places than home, i of your options is a Sling adapter. It plugs into your DVR and lets you admission your programming via Dish'south Dish Anywhere service. It's supported on smartphones and tablets.

Winner: Dish: Dish is the articulate winner hither. Its DVR is widely recognized as the best of the best, and DirecTV has no shot of keeping pace.

MORE: Hulu Live vs. YouTube TV vs. Sling vs. Vue vs. DirectTV Now

Apps and Mobile Access

Dish

As you might wait, Dish offers access to mobile apps that let you to watch its programming anywhere you want to go.

Chief amidst those apps is Dish Anywhere, a plan that runs on iOS and Android.

The free app runs on the device of your selection and allows you to admission your DVR recordings from information technology. Y'all can stream it over the web equally long as you lot have a solid internet connection. Dish Anywhere doesn't let you download video content.

Just as important, Dish Anywhere supports live and on-demand content, and you lot can schedule your DVR to record programs anywhere you are.

If you lot'd adopt to picket your content in the browser, you tin can also caput on over to Dish's Anywhere web page, where you can log in and stream content to your device of option, sans app.

If you have the Hopper 2 or Hopper three, Dish Anywhere is bachelor at no additional price.

DirecTV

Similarly, the DirecTV app is available equally a costless download from Apple's App Store and Google Play, likewise equally the Amazon Fire tablets.

The costless app allows you to stream both live and recorded programming to your mobile device without requiring additional equipment or incurring an extra toll.

However, like Dish's service, certain channels and functionality might non exist available, depending on the limitations certain networks and programming providers place on their content.

Winner: DirecTV: You tin can do but near the aforementioned stuff with either DirecTV or Dish's app, and they both piece of work well, but DirecTV takes the border here considering its ratings are college. In the App Store, DirecTV's app has earned a 3.5-star rating, topping Dish's iii-star rating.

MORE: 17 Best Tv Apps

Bundle Options

DirecTV

Since AT&T owns DirecTV, it's peradventure no surprise the company offers some rather interesting — and compelling — bundles.

For instance, you can get both DirecTV and AT&T Cyberspace in i package for a starting price of $80. The offer includes your pick of DirecTV programming (see above for options) and internet speeds upward to 50Mbps. You tin can also go access to AT&T's Wi-Fi Hot Spot network at no additional charge.

If you lot want to add Home Telephone to that, get fix to spend $90. Once more, you'll get television and cyberspace, but besides digital home phone service.

Finally, DirecTV offers a "DirecTV + AT&T Wireless" parcel when you accept both a DirecTV and AT&T subscription. You'll as well get information-gratuitous streaming as office of the package. Pricing on it volition vary, so you'll need to call DirecTV to find out how much it'll cost.

All prices are based on a two-year arrangement.

Dish

Dish is a bit of a different story. While the company does offer internet services, actually finding it can exist a scrap difficult.

Dish offers a tool where you tin input your ZIP code to detect out whether its internet service is available in your area. Where I live in New York, still, it's non bachelor. And the same goes when I input New York City Nil codes.

However, when I input sure ZIP codes effectually major metropolitan areas, like Beverly Hills' 90210, it was available. And it was offered there by 3 companies: Windstream, Borderland and TDS Telecom. The company also offers satellite internet, but it'southward rather slow at speeds up to 25 Mbps.

If you're lucky plenty to have access to Dish Internet, you can await a starting price of $fifty a month.

Winner: DirecTV: It's quite clear that the AT&T human relationship is disquisitional to DirecTV's entreatment hither. With AT&T's help, DirecTV can offer internet bundles beyond the country and trump Dish's own bundles. If you're looking for an all-in-ane solution, DirecTV is your winner.

Customer Ratings

To determine how well-received Dish and DirecTV are amid customers, nosotros relied upon the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for information. It's a national survey of customers to determine their opinions about service providers.

DirecTV

DirecTV has held strong since the company was first analyzed by ACSI in 2001 and received a score of 70 out of a possible 100 points. For 2017, however, DirecTV scored a 68, a two.ix percent drop, compared to its offset year in the survey.

Dish

Dish kicked things off in 2001 with a score of 71 out of a possible 100. Simply it at present finds itself just backside DirecTV with a score of 67. That's down 5.half dozen pct compared to 2001, but consistent with its score since 2014.

Winner: DirecTV: DirecTV wins here — past a olfactory organ.

OVERALL WINNER: DirecTV

Although it was a hard-fought battle, DirecTV simply squeaked by in our race, winning three races to Dish's 2. The companies tied in ii other categories.

DirecTV shines when it comes to its sectional NFL Dominicus Ticket package, more channels and slightly improve mobile app. This satellite provider besides offers amend bundle offers, especially if you're an AT&T wireless customer, and it has a higher customer-satisfaction rating.

Withal, Dish offers more than affordable pricing, a superior DVR and some pretty sugariness perks of its own, including a free Amazon Echo Dot for controlling Tv with your vocalization.

Credit: DirecTV/Dish

Don Reisinger is a communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter who has likewise written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Mag and The New York Times, every bit well as Tom'due south Guide.