Best Satellite TV Service Providers 2021

DISH and DIRECTV are the best satellite TV providers but you might be surprised to find just how different these two main satellite TV providers are when you dive in deeper.

DISH gives consistent pricing throughout your contract, but it doesn’t have HBO. DIRECTV has great intro pricing and you can get NFL SUNDAY TICKET, but your prices go up in the second year of your contract making it more expensive overall.

Let’s dive into the details to find out which satellite TV company is deemed worthy enough for you and your living room.

How does DISH’s and DIRECTV’s pricing compare?

DISH has the best pricing, but DIRECTV has more channels

DISH’s and DIRECTV’s packages look somewhat similar, but if you and your family want more channels, you’ll want to spend a bit more with DIRECTV.

DIRECTV could be our number one satellite TV pick, but they choose to keep those second-year price hikes, which nearly double your monthly rate. Trust us when we say this … by the time you finish reading this review, you’ll know if it’s worth the price for you.

As for DISH, this satellite TV provider will give you a consistent monthly price throughout your two-year contract (this is what we like to see).

If you’re interested in bundling DISH TV with internet, check out our best DISH bundles piece. Bundling is convenient so you only have to worry about one bill, and we’ll guide you through finding the best bundle for you and your family’s needs.

DIRECTV offers the most channels between these two satellite TV providers. So if you need more than 330 channels, DIRECTV is at your service.

Do DISH and DIRECTV have a contract?

Unless you want to cut the cord, you’ll most likely have a contract with your TV provider. DIRECTV requires you to sign a two-year contract, but DISH has a no-contract option or a two-year contract option.

If you go the no-contract route with DISH, your monthly bill will be $10–$15 more than advertised. But you won’t have to worry about weaseling your way out of a contract if you decide to cancel.

If you sign a contract, you’ll have to commit to the satellite TV service to avoid the early termination fees (which can get a bit pricey).

Oh, and don’t forget, DIRECTV raises your plan’s monthly price after year one.

DISH early termination fee: 

• $20 for every month left on your contract

DIRECTV early termination fee:

• Up to $20 per month left on your contract

Do DISH and DIRECTV have hidden fees?

DISH and DIRECTV both charge some DVR fees. DISH includes the Hopper Duo (125 HD hours) in their plans and charges $15 per month for the Hopper 3 (500 HD hours). If, say, your daughter wants a DVR in her room, it’s a monthly charge of $5 for each additional 4K Joey receiver.

DIRECTV includes the Genie DVR (200 HD hours) with your plan. But it’ll cost $7 per month for each additional receiver plus a one-time $99 installation fee. And DIRECTV has the audacity to charge a regional sports fee! That’s a foul in our book.

^{Data effective 1/21/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.}

Which channels does DISH and DIRECTV have?

With satellite TV, you’ll get a wide variety of popular channels right to your television

Good news: you’ll get most of your favorite channels with both satellite TV providers, like CNN, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, and NFL Network.

We know you need your daily CNN Newsroom Live, and if you need to distract the little ones, you can turn on Sofia the First.

DISH has the most sports coverage with channels like the NFL Network, SEC Network, and Tennis Channel. But DIRECTV has an NFL SUNDAY TICKET add-on that gives you all out-of-market NFL football games (basically a front-row ticket to lots of games on your couch).

Compare the channel lineup of both DISH and DIRECTV to figure out which one suits your entertainment, sports, lifestyle, or reality TV needs.

^{Data effective 2/25/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.}

DISH vs. DIRECTV premium channels

Let’s be honest: DISH’s premium channel game is weak. DISH doesn’t offer HBO or CINEMAX. And DIRECTV tosses in these premium channels as bonuses.

Most DIRECTV packages give you a free subscription to SHOWTIME, STARZ, CINEMAX, and EPIX for three months, and HBO Max and HBO channels for one year. Just make sure you cancel them at the end of your free month or you’ll get charged.

But if you already have HBO Max and don’t care for CINEMAX, DISH is still in sight. And DISH includes all of its premium channels for free for three months.

^{Data effective 2/25/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.}

Which sports channels do DISH vs. DIRECTV have?

DIRECTV takes the sports channel championship belt because of one big feature: NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

NFL SUNDAY TICKET lets you watch every out-of-market NFL game—all Sunday games your local broadcasting stations don’t carry. And NFL SUNDAY TICKET is included in the top four DIRECTV packages for your first year. (Now that’s a win.)

Along with NFL SUNDAY TICKET, DIRECTV also has the following sports channels:

But make sure the package you plan on getting has the sports channels you need. Unfortunately, you’ll have to get the most expensive DIRECTV plan if you want ESPN Classic or Fox Deportes.

If you’re not a hardcore, yell-at-the-TV football fan, you’ll be fine with DISH. DISH has a few more sports channels, and you get most of them with the $89.99 per month plan.

This same plan even made our list for the top providers for the NBA season.

DISH has the following sports channels:

How does DISH’s and DIRECTV’s DVR compare?

Neither DISH or DIRECTV charge for your first receiver, but DIRECTV’s installation fee for an additional receiver is a little extreme.

DISH includes a Hopper Duo, which gives you 125 HD recording hours. And DISH charges $15 per month for the Hopper 3, which gives you a whopping 500 recording hours. This means you can record all 201 episodes of The Office, the weekend’s 16 NFL football games, and over 170 movies, and still have room for more.

DIRECTV includes the Genie DVR with your plan, giving you 200 HD recording hours. You’ll be able to record all 130 episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and 120 of Saturday Night Live before you even sit on the couch to binge-watch.

Recap: DISH is the winner

DISH has a better value, but DIRECTV has HBO and NFL SUNDAY TICKET

After comparing price, contracts, overall channel count, sports channel availability, and DVR storage, DISH comes out ahead between these two satellite providers.

DIRECTV does offer HBO and NFL SUNDAY TICKET, but DISH has better pricing that stays consistent throughout the contract. It also provides you with lots of popular channels, including great sports coverage.

• Pricing: DISH offers more bang for your buck in the long run because you don’t have to worry about second-year price hikes. If you want more than 330+ channels, make sure you budget for DIRECTV’s year two rates.
• Contracts: DISH has a better monthly value, while DIRECTV doubles its price during the second year of your contract.
• Channels: You’ll get most of your favorite live TV channels with both providers, and both give you free memberships for premium channels for a period of time. But if you need HBO, you’ll need DIRECTV.
• Sports Channels: DISH has the most sports channels, but DIRECTV has NFL SUNDAY TICKET for the football families. If you live in Miami but you’re a Seattle Seahawks fan and you want to watch every full Seahawks game, you’ll want the ticket.
• DVR: Both DISH and DIRECTV give you your first receiver for free, but DISH’s Hopper 3 can give you the most storage space with 500 hours.

How much are DISH’s plans?

• America’s Top 120: $64.99/mo., 190 channels
• America’s Top 120+: $79.99/mo., 190+ channels
• America’s Top 200: $89.99/mo., 240+ channels
• America’s Top 250: $99.99/mo., 290+ channels

If you’re still on the fence of which satellite TV provider you should go with, dive into the nitty-gritty details in our full reviews:

• DISH Network Review
• DIRECTV Review

What do you think?

Do you have DISH or DIRECTV? What’s your experience with it been? Or do you like a different provider better? Drop us a comment below!