Though DirecTV Stream is a cordless service and Fios is more traditional cable, it can be tricky to choose one over the other. For one, they're similarly priced at around $80-$85/month. For another, they're both contract-free and offer 2-year price locks, making them viable options for the risk-averse viewer. But they have their advantages and differences, and we've broken them down below to help you decide the right service for your needs.
Advantages of Verizon Cable over DirecTV Stream: more channels + bundle options
Simply put, Verizon Fios has more channels than DirecTV Stream. Its cheapest plan, Your Fios TV, has 125+ channels, five of which you can handpick out of hundreds of (HD) options. In comparison, DirecTV Stream's cheapest plan has about 90 channels, many of them resting on the 720p to 1080p picture quality range. Not bad, but not exactly stellar either. If you're unsure about what you like, Verizon conveniently has a "test drive" plan that lets you try out all of its 400+ channels; after 60 days, it recommends a channel lineup based on your viewing preferences.
Unsurprisingly, Verizon also has more options in the way of internet and mobile deals. If bundles are your thing, then Verizon is right up your alley. The Your Fios TV plan itself already comes with a set-top box and a $50 gift card, but be wary of installation fees and hidden fees, which can climb up to the double digits.
Advantages of DirecTV Stream over Verizon Cable: free trial + more sports + $5 cheaper
It may not have a test drive, but DirecTV Stream has a 5-day trial that lets you try out all of its channels and features for free. And even though it doesn't have as many channels as Verizon, it has more numbers in the sports department, which for some people, is all that really matters. It has specialty channels like Willow and more RSNs than Verizon Fios.
It's also $5/month cheaper. For context, you could purchase a Paramount+ subscription with a dollar more with that money and watch Paramount+ originals and select CBS live sporting events, including NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League.
Summary
| Comparaison | DirecTV Stream | Verizon Fios |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $86.99/month | $80/month |
| Trial | 5 days | No | Our rating | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Number of channels | 123 | |
| Unlimited DVR | Yes | No |
| Parental controls | Yes | No |
| Disney Channel | No | Yes |
| ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN2 | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | Yes | No |
| History | No | Yes |
| Lifetime | No | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| NHL Network | No | Yes |
| Paramount Network | Yes | Yes |
| RSNs | Yes | No |
| TNT | Yes | Yes |
Channels on DirecTV Stream and not Verizon Fios
The channels that DirecTV Stream has and which are not available on Verizon Fios:
- ABC
- Alien Nation
- Anger Management
- Animal Planet
- Are We There Yet?
- AXS TV
- BABY FIRST
- BabyTV
- BBC America
- Bloomberg Television
- Boomerang
- C-SPAN2
- CBS
- CBS local channels
- CNN en Espanol
- CNNi
- Comedy Dynamics
- Court TV
- Crime 360
- CW
- Daystar HD
- Duck Dynasty
- E! Entertainment
- EarthxTV
- Ebony TV
- El Rey Rebel
- ESPN Deportes
- FMC
- FOX
- FOX SOUL
- Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
- FUEL TV
- Fuse Music
- Galavision
- Hallmark Mystery
- HerSphere
- Home Shopping Network
- Investigation Discovery (ID)
- ION Television
- MovieSphere
- NBA TV
- NBC
- NBC local channels
- News Nation
- One America News
- Oxygen True Crime
- PBS
- PBS Kids
- PBS local channels
- Poker GO
- Pursuit Channel
- Racing America
- REVOLT
- RFD-TV
- RSNs
- Scientology Network
- Scripps Sports
- Somos Novelas
- Spectrum SportsNet
- SportsGrid
- Start TV
- SundanceTV
- Tastemade Home
- Tastemade Travel
- TCM
- Telemundo local channels
- The First
- Univision
- Up TV
- WE tv
- Women’s Sports Network
Channels on Verizon Fios and not DirecTV Stream
The channels that Verizon Fios has which are not available on DirecTV Stream:
- ¡Hola! TV
- A&E
- Aspire
- BETHer
- Big Ten 1
- Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network 2
- Big Ten Network 3
- C-SPAN 2
- C-SPAN 3
- CNBC World
- Comedy TV
- Discovery Channel
- Disney Channel
- Ecuavisa Internacional
- Enrich
- ES.TV
- EstrellaNational TV
- EWTN
- Fanduel TV
- FanDuelRacing
- Fox Deportes
- FS1
- FS2
- FX Movie Channel
- FXX
- FYI
- Hallmark Family
- Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
- HBCU GO
- History Channel
- HITN
- HSN2
- Impact Network
- INSP
- Jewish Broadcasting Services
- JusticeCentral.TV
- Lifetime
- LMN
- Longhorn Network
- Magnolia Network
- MUSIC CHOICE
- Nat Geo Mundo
- Nat Geo Wild
- National Geographic
- Newsmax
- NewsNation
- NFL Network
- NHL Network
- Nickelodeon
- Nicktoons
- OWN
- Pattrn
- Pop
- PTL TV
- Science
- SEC Network
- ShopHQ
- Sino TV Network
- Sundance TV
- TBN
- TBN Enlace USA
- The SonLife Broadcasting Network
- The Weather Channel
- The Weather Channel en Espanol
- The Word
- thisTV
- Travel Channel
- TUDN
- UP
- Vice
- VOD Weekly Highlights
- WEtv
- WOW
- ZonaFutbol
Price: Verizon Fios is cheaper than DirecTV Stream
Verizon Fios's costs $80 whereas DirecTV Stream costs $87. Getting DirecTV Stream instead of Verizon Fios will set you back $7 more every month.
Why get DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream is a Live TV streaming platform with a twist: you can download the app on any of your existing devices, or for a $120, you can get a box with a custom remote control for the service. But without the box, DirecTV Stream functions like a Netflix or Hulu, allowing you to stream Live TV from anywhere by downloading the app. Within your home, you can stream on up to 20 devices (!), and from outside your home you can stream on up to three devices.
Why get Verizon Fios?
Verizon Fios is typical of most cable packages, offering at least 60 channels with plans that range from $80 to $130 per month. But what slightly sets it apart is that it operates on a speedy fiber-optic network and offers plenty of mobile and internet bundles. Its most basic plan, Your Fios TV which goes at $80/month, lets you choose the first five channels. Based on your choices, Fios then decides the rest of the hundred channels you're entitled to. Their most popular plan, however, is More Fios TV, which goes for $109/month. Here, you get more than 300 cable, local, and regional sports channels plus basic DVR and a free set-top box. While some users like the fast speeds and the 4k quality on some live sports events, others prefer the ease, breadth of options, and affordability of cordless alternatives like YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV, both of which are cheaper than Fios' most basic plan.
Devices: DirecTV Stream is more widely available than Verizon Fios
DirecTV Stream is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku or Samsung TV.
Whereas Verizon Fios is available on . That's 6 less devices than DirecTV Stream.
Trial: DirecTV Stream offers a trial
DirecTV Stream has a trial. The trial duration is 5 days.
Find out more on DirecTV Stream
Trial: Verizon Fios does not offer a trial
Verizon Fios does not offer a free trial.
Channels on both Verizon Fios and DirecTV Stream
The channels that are available on both Verizon Fios and DirecTV Stream are:
- ACC Network
- AccuWeather
- AMC
- BET
- Bravo
- C-SPAN
- Cartoon Network
- Cleo TV
- CMT
- CNBC
- CNN
- Comedy Central
- Discovery
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- Food Network
- Fox Business Network
- Fox Weather
- Freeform
- FX
- Hallmark Channel
- HGTV
- HLN
- HSN
- IFC
- Jewelry Television
- MotorTrend
- MSNBC
- MTV Classic
- MTV2
- Nick Jr.
- Ovation
- Paramount Network
- QVC
- QVC2
- QVC3
- REELZ
- Shop LC
- SYFY
- TBS
- TeenNick
- theGrio
- TLC
- TNT
- TV Land
- TV One
- USA Network
- VH1
If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.