DIRECTV vs. Spectrum TV Review

DIRECTV is for those who prefer quality over quantity when it comes to channels, and with that comes more expensive pricing than what you’d see with Spectrum.

We go into more detail below, but you’ll have to sign a 2-year contract with DIRECTV's satellite packages, not with its internet plans. 

We like the channel lineups in DIRECTV’s plans. And we especially like its internet streaming option, since it gets you more channels and we could do without requiring a two-year contract.

Spectrum TV doesn’t require a contract, but it’s unclear how much your pricing goes up after your first year of service.

The advertised pricing is what you’ll be paying monthly for year one, and we especially like Spectrum TV® Select’s pricing. While Spectrum TV® Stream is the cheapest package, keep in mind that it only really offers popular news and entertainment channels. You won't find much in terms of movies or sports. 

That's why the TV® Select plan is one of our favorite cheap cable TV packages (that’s a mouthful). For $65 per month, you’ll get a full channel lineup with over 155 channels, including most of the popular channels like Disney Channel and ESPN. Not to mention that TV® Select gets you a free basic Disney+ subscription

For those interested in getting the most value from Spectrum TV®, we recommend the TV® Select Plus plan. For just $10 more per month than TV® Select, this plan nets you over 10 more channels, including a free subscription to ESPN+ and Disney+.

Spectrum is one of the largest cable TV and internet providers in the country. If you're considering Spectrum TV in your area, then Spectrum Internet is probably an option for you too. Check out Spectrum's Internet plans to see if it makes sense to bundle your services. 

DIRECTV likes to sweeten you up with Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, MGM+, STARZ, and Cinemax included with all of its packages for three months. Not to mention a 200-hour or unlimited-hour DVR.

It's worth mentioning that DIRECTV recently slashed its channel counts for each package by almost more than half, without reducing prices. 

Spectrum has its own type of game.

No, you don’t have to pay $100 more for 150 channels, but you could end up paying more than you'd expect. Spectrum just isn’t transparent as to how much your monthly bill increase.

At least DIRECTV gives you an idea of how much you’ll need to budget.

But on the upside, since you don’t have to sign an annual contract with Spectrum, you can always cancel your service if you don’t find it worth the inflated price.

DIRECTV wins in the fees department.

DIRECTV includes the first set-top box into your plan, and then each additional boxes are $7. So you could be paying $14 for three TV receivers for your living room, bedroom, and kid’s bedroom. And while DIRECTV includes your first receiver, you'll still be paying a $15 monthly advanced receiver fee.

For Spectrum, you’d have to pay $27 per month for three set-top boxes along with $10 for the DVR service fee.

And lastly, DIRECTV’s regional sports fee is significantly lower than Spectrum’s broadcast fee. You can’t get away from these fees if you want to watch sports or the news.

Both DIRECTV and Spectrum have most of your favorite sports, news, lifestyle, kids, entertainment, and movie channels.

You’ll get most of the popular channels in the entry-level packages with both TV providers, but you’ll get more with DIRECTV’s via Internet ENTERTAINMENT plan.

Before you commit, check the full channel lineups of DIRECTV and Spectrum to see if this could be your longtime service.

DIRECTV and Spectrum throw in some great freebies, and we’re more than OK with that.

But don’t forget to cancel your subscriptions after your free trials are up. Set a reminder in your phone for when you’ll need to call DIRECTV to cancel your subscriptions before you’re charged (because you know you’ll forget if you don’t).

The first thing we should mention here is that DIRECTV used to be the only TV service with NFL SUNDAY TICKET, making it one of our top picks for sports fans. As of 2023, NFL SUNDAY TICKET has moved exclusively to YouTube TV. 

Without the benefit of NFL SUNDAY TICKET, DIRECTV only offers 19 sports channels. With Spectrum, you could get 26 (including Español sports channels).

DIRECTV includes only three sports channels (ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3) in its entry-level package, while Spectrum includes eight (including NBC Sports Network and Big Ten Network).

So we think DIRECTV is best for the NFL fans, and if you’re an all-around sports fan, Spectrum might be your No. 1 pick.

Both have their ups and downs, and you can check out our reviews on DIRECTV and Spectrum to get an idea of which package is best for you.

DIRECTV has the following sports channels:

Spectrum TV has the following sports channels:

To find the best DVR, we compare storage hours, the number of simultaneous recordings, and price.

DIRECTV’s Genie DVR has more than 4x the storage space, more than double the simultaneous recordings, and it costs $2 less per month. (Enough said, right?) And its Gemini Air is just as good, offering internet DIRECTV users unlimited storage that lasts up to 9 monhts.

According to Spectrum, there is a DVR with 150 storage hours available. We couldn’t find this option at checkout online, so if you choose Charter Spectrum TV as your next provider, we’d suggest calling to order the enhanced DVR.

• Pricing and Contracts: Spectrum TV has better pricing overall. Spectrum’s pricing ranges from $40–$75 for 80–170+ channels, while DIRECTV ranges from $70–$160 for 75–185 channels. We do suggest getting DIRECTV if you’d like premium channels, but you’ll be paying way more per channel than you would with Spectrum TV. Spectrum TV doesn’t require you to sign any type of contract, so you can cancel at any time; however, it does have a mystery price hike in year two.
• Fees: DIRECTV’s fees cost less per month than those of Spectrum’s. DIRECTV includes the first set-top box into your plan, and then each additional box is $7 plus a $15 monthly DVR fee. Spectrum charges $9 for each of its TV boxes. You’ll also have to pay a $10 DVR service fee each month.
• Channels: You’ll get lots of popular channels with Spectrum for a price we like. DIRECTV offers fewer channels in each package, though you have more options for premium channels. You'll just have to consider if it’s worth the price. Check out DIRECTV’s and Spectrum’s channel lineups to get a better idea of which one could be your next TV provider.
• Sports Channels: Spectrum offers eight more sports channels than DIRECTV does (including college, soccer, and Español sports channels). Overall, Spectrum is more well-rounded with its sports channels and will satisfy any type of fan. Especially since it includes ESPN+ with its TV® Select and TV® Select Plus packages.
• DVR: DIRECTV’s Genie and Gemini Air DVRs blows Spectrum TV’s DVR out of the water. DIRECTV's devices have more than 4x the storage space, more than double the simultaneous recordings, and cost less per month. If you’re leaning toward cable TV, we just recommend calling Spectrum to get the enhanced DVR with 150 hours of storage space.

If you’re still unsure of either of these providers, check out our more in-depth reviews on DIRECTV and Spectrum TV.