DISH Network Review: Packages & Prices 2023

The excellent DVR, channel lineups, and competitive pricing make DISH the best satellite TV provider

TV Service Provider
Dish Authorized Retailer
Dish TV
4 out of 5 stars
4
  • pro
    Transparent pricing
  • pro
    Lots of sports coverage (especially NCAA)
  • con
    Doesn't offer as many channels as DIRECTV
Plan
TV channel count
Price
Details
America's Top 120190$79.99/mo.*
America's Top 120+190+$94.99/mo.*
America's Top 200240+$99.99/mo.*
America's Top 250290+$109.99/mo.*
Data effective 12/19/22. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
* All offers require credit qualification, 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.
Chantel Buchi
Sr. Staff Writer, TV & Streaming
Read More
March 02, 2023
9 min read

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When it comes to satellite TV, DISH Network is one of the major players available.

You'll get sports channels, popular programming, and one of the best DVRs in the traditional TV industry (the Hopper) — and DISH manages to do so at a reasonable price compared to the competition.

With DISH, you also have the option to sign a contract for a lower monthly bill if you're looking to save money for that Bahamas vacation, or go contract free if you're not the committal type.

We really like DISH’s America’s Top 200 package, which gives you, and the family, lots to watch with a balance of sports and entertainment.

Pros
  • You'll get straight-up pricing (looking at you, DIRECTV)
  • There's lots of sports coverage with DISH
  • DISH's DVR has Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility
Cons
  • DISH doesn't offer as many channels as DIRECTV
Let's see if DISH TV is available in your area.

How much does DISH TV cost?

No second-year price hikes here, so your monthly bill should always stay the same

We can all agree that price hikes are easily in the top five worst things about TV subscriptions.

But with DISH, price hikes aren’t a thing. Phew.

You’ll have the same monthly price throughout your contract (or no contract) with DISH, unlike other satellite providers (*cough* DIRECTV). So you’ll save money in the long run.

How much are DISH TV's packages?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
America's Top 120$79.99/mo.*190
America's Top 120+$94.99/mo.*190+
America's Top 200$99.99/mo.*240+
America's Top 250$109.99/mo.*290+
Data effective 12/19/22. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
* All offers require credit qualification, 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.

You can relax knowing that every DISH package comes with its new Hopper Plus DVR, your local networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC), and ESPN, Disney Channel, HGTV, and Food Network. Don’t you feel better knowing you’ll get your First Take, Flip or Flop, and Chopped fix with even the most basic channel package? We feel better.

To find out what truly sets each DISH channel package apart, you’ll want to take a quick look at the full channel lineup, or check out our sneak peek section a little further down.

Does DISH have a contract?

As is the case with most TV providers, you gotta sign up for a contract to get the best deal with DISH.

Signing for a two-year term will save you $10–15 per month, which adds up to $240–$360 over the length of the contract. Big money!

DISH does give you the option to live without a contract so you have the freedom to cancel your service anytime. If you’re not into that long-term commitment, you’ll just have to pay that $10–$15 more month to month.

Does DISH have fees?

Yes, but they’re not too bad.

Compared to DIRECTV and Xfinity TV, DISH doesn't charge a regional sports fee or a high-priced broadcast fee.

DISH does charge a $12 fee for access to ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, but you can opt out of it if you don't care for your local channels.

DISH’s installation team will mount your satellite dish and set up your DVR system free of charge for up to six rooms. You can just sit back and let the DISH team do the hard work.

And if you want out of your contract early, we suggest checking out our guide on how to avoid cancellation fees.

How much are DISH's fees?
Fee
Monthly price

Installation fee

Included

Local channels (optional)$12.00/mo.
Set-top box$5.00–$10.00/mo.
Additional set-top box (Joey)$5.00–$10.00/mo. each

Late payment fee

$10.00

Early termination fee

Prorated per month remaining in contract

*Data effective 02/01/2023.

Is DIRECTV cheaper than DISH?

DISH offers you more bang for your buck because DIRECTV has second-year price hikes (gasp!).

If you were to compare DIRECTV's CHOICE package and DISH's America's Top 120 plan, both have 190–200 channels. DISH charges $79.99/mo. and DIRECTV is about $5 more expensive at $84.99/mo. for the first two years of service.

After your second year of service, DIRECTV's prices will increase (depending on when you buy the service, so we urge you to read the package details on DIRECTV's site).

But if you’re a TV fan and want 340+ channels, DIRECTV is the service for you.

Is DIRECTV or DISH better?

Between DISH and DIRECTV, DISH is better for most. DISH has more transparent pricing and flexible contract options, but if college sports is your main priority, DIRECTV's packages come with ESPN College Extra.

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Which DISH TV package should you get?

How much do DISH's plans cost?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
America's Top 120$79.99/mo.*190
America's Top 120+$94.99/mo.*190+
America's Top 200$99.99/mo.*240+
America's Top 250$109.99/mo.*290+
Data effective 12/19/22. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
* All offers require credit qualification, 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.

Maybe you prefer just popular channels. Maybe you need professional and college sports channels. Or maybe you want the most channels because you are a fan of every genre and you don’t want to feel limited.

Check out our list and find the option for you:

  • America’s Top 120: This is perfect for families who want a variety of popular channels everyone in the house will enjoy. You’ll find channels such as CNN, Disney Channel, HGTV, Food Network, and Lifetime.
  • America’s Top 120+: If you want eight more sports channels, this package will give you NFL Network, PAC-12 Network, and the SEC Network. If you’re an avid sports fan, it’ll be worth the extra $15 per month.
  • America’s Top 200: America’s Top 120+ is perfect for the college sports fans, but if you’re professional sports fan, you need this package. You’ll get CBS Sports Network, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network.
  • America’s Top 250: Alright, movie lovers. Here’s your package. Have a movie night with FX Movie Channel, MoviePlex, MGM+ Drive-In, STARZ Encore, STARZ Encore Action, STARZ Encore Family, and The Movie Channel.

Want to see a list of channels? Just scroll down a little.

How much are DISH's bundles?

Bundle TV and the internet to save a few bucks and pay one bill

DISH doesn’t provide internet directly, but DISH can hook you up with one of two internet providers and three different plans that are available across most of the country.

You get to choose from the following internet connections: broadband/wired, fiber, and satellite. If you'd like to dig into more details, check out our review on Frontier and Viasat.

Here's a breakdown of why you might want one type of internet connection over the other:

  • Frontier's broadband: This internet connection is ideal for one or maybe two users in the house. Although, this plan isn't ideal for those who work from home, game, or stream a lot.
  • Frontier Fiber Internet: We like Frontier's Fiber Internet because you and your family won't have to worry about the internet slowing down when you have a family of five using the internet. We also like that it's only $50 per month when you bundle, because normally it's $75 per month alone.
  • Viasat Satellite: Satellite internet is available nationwide and is great for homes that don't have access to broadband internet. Download speeds of 100 Mbps is enough for working from home and streaming movies.
Does DISH offer internet plans?
Provider
Monthly price
Download speeds
Connection type
Details
Frontier$49.99$154.995005000 MbpsFiber
Viasat$59.99$159.9912150 MbpsSatellite
Data effective 03/01/23. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Requires Auto Pay or $5/mo. fee applies. Beginning April 2022, a printed bill fee of $2.99/mo. will apply, NY, PA and select customers excluded. A $10 fee applies when Internet is disconnected. Equipment return required at disconnection, up to $150 per device if not returned. Multi-Device Security covers up to 10 devices. Other applicable charges and additional services are extra. Service subject to availability. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply.
Offer available to new qualifying customers. One-time standard installation fee may be due at checkout. Minimum 24-month service term required. Equipment lease fee is $12.99/mo. Taxes apply. Service is not available in all areas. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time.

If you need help making a decision of which bundle to get, our favorite bundle for most families is America's Top 200 and Frontier Fiber Internet.

You'll get the best variety of channels to entertain everyone in the family, along with fast download speeds for uninterrupted streaming and a smooth work-from-home internet connection.

You can learn more about DISH deals here.

Which channels does DISH TV have?

DISH leads the way for college sports content

As it stands right now, DISH has the most college sports coverage. It carries the ACCN, SEC, PAC-12, Longhorn, and Big Ten Networks. If you want to know exactly which sports channels you'll be getting, scroll a little further down to the sports channels.

But make sure to double-check the DISH channel lineup and make sure all of your favorite channels are in the package you're considering. But whether you’re a sport, lifestyle, Hallmark, reality, or general entertainment fan, you should find basically everything you need with DISH.

America’s Top 120 package includes the following channels:

  • Animal Planet
  • Bravo
  • Cartoon Network
  • CNN
  • Discovery Channel
  • Disney Channel
  • ESPN
  • Food Network
  • FOX News
  • Freeform
  • FX
  • HGTV
  • Investigation Discovery (ID)
  • Lifetime
  • MSNBC
  • MTV
  • National Geographic
  • Nickelodeon
  • TBS
  • The CW

America’s Top 120+ package includes the channels above and the following:

  • ACC Network (ACCN)
  • Big Ten Network
  • Longhorn Network
  • NFL Network
  • PAC-12 Network
  • SEC Network
  • Tennis Channel
  • World Fishing Network

America’s Top 200 package includes the channels above and the following:

  • BBC America
  • BET
  • Boomerang
  • Cooking Channel
  • Discovery Family Channel
  • Disney Jr.
  • Estrella TV
  • FYI
  • Galavision
  • Game Show Network
  • Hallmark Channel
  • Lifetime Movie Network
  • Magnolia Network
  • Nat Geo Wild
  • Nick Jr.
  • Oxygen
  • Oprah Winfrey Network
  • Outdoor Channel
  • TeenNick
  • Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
  • Univision
  • Vice

America’s Top 250 package includes the following channels:

  • American Heroes Channel
  • Bloomberg Television
  • Destination America
  • DISH Music Channels
  • MGM+ Drive-In
  • FOX Movie Channel (FXM)
  • Great American Country
  • Logo
  • MoviePlex
  • MTV Classic
  • Nicktoons
  • Smithsonian Channel
  • STARZ Encore Black
  • STARZ Encore Classic
  • STARZ Encore Action
  • STARZ Encore Español
  • STARZ Encore Family
  • STARZ Encore Suspense
  • STARZ Encore Westerns
  • The Movie Channel
  • Universo

Which premium channels does DISH have?

DISH has all of the premium channels for the fans of The White Lotus, Shameless, and American Gods.

And there's a bonus: as a new customer with DISH, you'll get a free 3-month subscription to SHOWTIME, MGM+, Starz, Starz Encore, and DISH Movie Pack (15 movie channels, including Sony Movie Channel and MGM HD).

But don’t forget, when your three months are up, make sure you cancel your subscription before you get charged $30 (if you don't want to keep the bundle, of course).

How much are DISH's premium channels?
Channel
Monthly price
Learn more

HBO Max

$15.00/mo.

CINEMAX $10.00/mo.

SHOWTIME

$10.00/mo.

STARZ

$10.00/mo.

STARZ Encore

$6.00/mo.

MGM+

$7.00/mo.

DISH Movie Pack

$10.00/mo.

*Data effective 02/01/2023.

Which DISH package is best for sports?

4 out of 5 stars
4
TV channel count
240+
TV service type
Satellite
Starting from
$99.99
/mo
Data effective 12/14/2022. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.

DISH has a wide variety of sports channels, and you get a decent amount with the first two packages. But if you’re a huge sports fan and just want satellite TV for all of its sports channels, get America’s Top 200 package.

You'll get a few niche sports channels with America’s Top 250 package, so take the plunge if you like outdoor sports and want all of the extra movie channels for more entertainment.

America’s Top 120 package includes the following sports channels:

  • ESPN, ESPN2
  • ESPNews
  • ESPNU
  • FOX Sports (FS1)
  • MotorTrend
  • NBC Sports Network

America’s Top 120+ package includes all of the above sports channels and the following:

  • ACC Network (ACCN)
  • Big Ten Network
  • FS2
  • Longhorn Network
  • NFL Network
  • PAC-12 Network
  • SEC Network
  • Tennis Channel

America’s Top 200 package includes all of the above sports channels and the following:

  • CBS Sports Network
  • Golf Channel
  • MLB Network
  • NBA TV
  • NHL Network
  • TUDN
  • TUDNxtra 1–11
  • Zona Fútbol

America’s Top 250 package includes all of the above sports channels and the following:

  • beIN SPORTS
  • beIN SPORTS Connect 4–8
  • beIN SPORTS en Español
  • Sportsman Channel

If you want even more sports channels, DISH has a Multi-Sports Pack for $13 per month. It will give you channels like MLB Network Strike Zone, NFL RedZone, ESPN Goal Line, and ESPN Buzzer Beater.

DISH also offers MLB Extra Innings, which gives you all MLB games straight to your TV for the regular season.

Popular DISH channels guide
Channel
Channel number
Learn more

A&E

118

Bravo 129

Cartoon Network

176

CNN

200

Disney Channel

172

ESPN

140

Food Network

110

FOX News Channel

205

Freeform

180

FX

136

HGTV

112

Lifetime

108

MTV & MTV2

160-161

NBC News

159

Syfy

122

TBS

139

TLC

183

USA

105

Does DISH have on-demand content?

Gone are the days of checking the TV guide to see when the next episode of Survivor is on. Most of your DISH channels come with tons of on-demand content so you can watch any of the shows you may have missed—no need to plan your schedule around the TV guide.

DISH serves up on-demand content in a similar fashion to Netflix. You can enjoy 80,000 movies and TV shows when you get America's Top 120+ or higher.

Does DISH have the best DVR?

DISH has one of the best DVRs in the business, and it's decently priced
How much storage space does DISH's DVR have?
DVR
DVR price
Storage hours (HD)
Simultaneous recordings
Automatic commercial skipping
Hopper Duo$5.00/mo. 125 hrs.

2

Yes

Hopper 2$10.00/mo. 500 hrs.

2

Yes

Hopper 3 $10.00/mo. 500 hrs. 16Yes

The Hopper 3 is one of the best DVRs on the market.

Let’s put those 500 recording hours in context—it would take 114 hours to watch all nine seasons of Suits. It would take about 100 hours to watch The Office from start to finish. It takes 1,320 hours to watch all five decades of Saturday Night Live.

In other words, you’ll have time to record basically everything, and it will take you a long, long time to run out of space.

We like the Hopper's DVR storage space, and we like that it only costs $10 per month.

And we really like that any TV package includes DISH Network's new Hopper Plus. And if you want to add any additional TVs a la carte, it'll cost an extra $5–$10 a month. 

Can you connect multiple TVs to your Hopper DVR?

So by now, you’ve probably picked up on the kangaroo theme. Can you guess what the little DVRs are called that connect to the bigger DVR? Did you guess Joeys? You’re right—they’re called Joeys.

For every extra TV you have in your house, you’ll want to get a Joey to connect it to your DVR. It’ll cost you an extra $5 to $10 per month per Joey. But is it worth it to help your family stop fighting over a single DVR? Yes. Yes, it is.

The Hopper 3 allows you to enable six Joeys of any kind and can support up to seven TVs. You can add Joeys or 4K Joeys to your system for $5 more a month or the Super Joey for $10 more a month.

What's the DISH Anywhere app?

The DISH Anywhere app works exactly how it sounds—if you already have DISH service, you can watch TV on your phone, tablet, or computer wherever you are.

For example, let’s say you’re on a family trip to Disneyland, and your daughter desperately wants to meet Elsa. The only problem—it’s a three-hour wait. Fortunately, you can just watch the football game while you wait. Sure, you’re paying $100+ to wait in line, but at least you’re watching good TV.

The DISH Anywhere app also lets you watch recorded content offline. There’s no need to worry about streaming with data on your phone or watching while in airplane mode. Just make sure to download your recorded content with Wi-Fi before you go out in the world.

What about DISH and 4K?
Light Bulb

If you have a Hopper 3 receiver and a 4K TV or 4K HDR TV, you can watch major sports and events in 4K or 4K HDR on channel 540. DISH also offers Netflix compatibility so you can watch Netflix original shows in 4K through the Hopper.

Want a more in-depth 4K comparison? Check out our review of the best TV services for 4K.

Recap: Is DISH TV worth it?

4 out of 5 stars
4
TV channel count
240+
TV service type
Satellite
Starting from
$99.99
/mo
Data effective 12/14/2022. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.

We named DISH our best satellite TV provider for a reason.

Over a two-year contract, DISH usually ends up being the more affordable option out of the two major satellite TV services. DISH also offers more college sports content than DIRECTV and has the best DVR in town.

If you decide to go with satellite over cable TV, DISH is a smart choice.

We recommend the America's Top 200 package for the best DISH experience since you'll get access to lots of sports, more channels for the kids, and entertaining lifestyle channels. And we recommend bundling with Frontier Fiber Internet for an extra $30 for the simplicity of one bill for your TV and internet.

DISH Network TV plans and pricing recap

Data effective 02/01/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
*For the first 24 months with a 2-year agreement

FAQs

Is DISH TV a good service?

We think so. And we crowned it as our best satellite TV provider. With no price hikes, popular family channels, and access to lots of sports content, DISH TV's packages provide a good balance of content without hurting your wallet too much. 

What is the disadvantage of DISH TV?

DISH TV can't compete with DIRECTV when it comes to college sports and channel counts. DIRECTV is the only service outside of Verizon Fios TV to have ESPN College Extra which gives you access to hundreds of live college sports. (DIRECTV also used to offer exclusive access to NFL SUNDAY TICKET, but this service will now be moving to YouTube TV for the 2023 NFL season. 

How reliable is DISH TV?

DISH is very reliable, even during snow or rain. DISH says you'll get 99% reception reliability, according to a nationwide study. Oh, and you'll also get great picture quality for your football games, remodeling home shows, and HD movies.

Does DISH have CBS?

DISH currently has CBS, and you'll want this channel for the Super Bowl

Does DISH have ESPN?

DISH has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, and ESPNU in all of its packages.

Does DISH offer discounts for existing customers?

Yes, DISH offers select discounts for those aged 55+, teachers, healthcare workers, first responders, and military personnel. Discounts include free movie rentals, upgraded channel packages, and free technician visits.

Now that you know about DISH TV, here are your next steps.
Enter your ZIP code to see if DISH is available in your area.

Learn how DISH compares to DIRECTV.

Chantel Buchi
Written by
Chantel Buchi
Chantel is all about finding the best tv or streaming service to watch as many football games as possible to keep her Fantasy Football team in check. Prior to being a TV and Streaming Tech Reporter for Reviews.org, she worked for NFL Network and The Alliance of American Football. Before that, she received a B.A. of Communication at the University of Utah and an M.S. in Sports Journalism at USC. Go Utes and Fight On. Contact her at chantel@reviews.org

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