If you’re subscribed to Xfinity’s internet service, you may have already heard about its live TV streaming package, Xfinity Flex. It offers a decent channel lineup at a very low cost, and you don’t have to worry about paying a separate bill. But as TV streaming services go, DirecTV Stream is still a popular choice, and for good reason: it has a wide range of channels, including big broadcast and cable networks, which for many justifies its relatively steep price.
That said, choosing between the two depends largely on your preferences. Below, we list down factors such as service popularity, channel offerings, and device availability to help you settle on the best option for you.
| Feature | DIRECTV | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | image quality | |
| Base price | $89.99/mo | $/mo |
| Channels | 80+ | — |
| Free trial | 5 days | None |
| Subscribers | 788,000 | — |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Try DIRECTV — 5 days free | Try |
0 channels are available on both services. DIRECTV has 138 exclusive channels not on .
| Channel | DIRECTV | |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | ✓ | — |
| ACC Digital Network | ✓ | — |
| AMC | ✓ | — |
| AXS TV | ✓ | — |
| AccuWeather | ✓ | — |
| Alien Nation | ✓ | — |
| Anger Management | ✓ | — |
| Animal Planet | ✓ | — |
| Are We There Yet? | ✓ | — |
| Ax Men | ✓ | — |
| BABY FIRST | ✓ | — |
| BBC America | ✓ | — |
| BET | ✓ | — |
| BUZZR | ✓ | — |
| Big 12 | ✓ | — |
| Bloomberg TV | ✓ | — |
| Bob Ross | ✓ | — |
| Boomerang | ✓ | — |
| Bravo | ✓ | — |
| C-SPAN | ✓ | — |
| C-SPAN2 | ✓ | — |
| CBS | ✓ | — |
| CBS local channels | ✓ | — |
| CMT | ✓ | — |
| CNBC | ✓ | — |
| CNN | ✓ | — |
| CNN International | ✓ | — |
| CNN en Espanol | ✓ | — |
| CW | ✓ | — |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | — |
| Cheddar News | ✓ | — |
| Cleo TV | ✓ | — |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | — |
| Comedy Dynamics | ✓ | — |
| Court TV | ✓ | — |
| Crime 360 | ✓ | — |
| Curiosity Now | ✓ | — |
| Daystar HD | ✓ | — |
| Declassified | ✓ | — |
| Discovery Channel | ✓ | — |
| Duck Dynasty | ✓ | — |
| E! Entertainment | ✓ | — |
| ESPN | ✓ | — |
| ESPN Deportes | ✓ | — |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | — |
| ESPNU | ✓ | — |
| ESPNews | ✓ | — |
| EarthxTV | ✓ | — |
| Ebony TV | ✓ | — |
| El Rey Rebel | ✓ | — |
| FMC | ✓ | — |
| FOX | ✓ | — |
| FOX SOUL | ✓ | — |
| FUEL TV | ✓ | — |
| FX | ✓ | — |
| FXX | ✓ | — |
| Food Network | ✓ | — |
| Fox Business Network | ✓ | — |
| Fox News Channel | ✓ | — |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | ✓ | — |
| Fox Weather | ✓ | — |
| Freeform | ✓ | — |
| Fuse Music | ✓ | — |
| Galavision | ✓ | — |
| HGTV | ✓ | — |
| HLN | ✓ | — |
| HSN | ✓ | — |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | — |
| Hallmark Mystery | ✓ | — |
| HerSphere | ✓ | — |
| Home Shopping Network | ✓ | — |
| IFC | ✓ | — |
| ION | ✓ | — |
| ION Television | ✓ | — |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | ✓ | — |
| Jewelry Television | ✓ | — |
| Lifetime | ✓ | — |
| Lionsgate Collection | ✓ | — |
| MSNBC | ✓ | — |
| MTV | ✓ | — |
| MTV2 | ✓ | — |
| MeatEater TV | ✓ | — |
| MotorTrend | ✓ | — |
| MovieSphere | ✓ | — |
| NBA TV | ✓ | — |
| NBC | ✓ | — |
| NBC local channels | ✓ | — |
| News Nation | ✓ | — |
| Newsmax | ✓ | — |
| Nick Jr. | ✓ | — |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | — |
| One America News | ✓ | — |
| Ovation | ✓ | — |
| Oxygen True Crime | ✓ | — |
| PBS | ✓ | — |
| PBS Kids | ✓ | — |
| PBS local channels | ✓ | — |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | — |
| Poker GO | ✓ | — |
| Pursuit Channel | ✓ | — |
| QVC | ✓ | — |
| QVC2 | ✓ | — |
| QVC3 | ✓ | — |
| REELZ | ✓ | — |
| REVOLT | ✓ | — |
| RFD-TV | ✓ | — |
| RSNs | ✓ | — |
| Racing America | ✓ | — |
| SYFY | ✓ | — |
| Scientology Network | ✓ | — |
| Scripps News | ✓ | — |
| Shop LC | ✓ | — |
| Somos Novelas | ✓ | — |
| SportsGrid | ✓ | — |
| Start TV | ✓ | — |
| SundanceTV | ✓ | — |
| TBS | ✓ | — |
| TCM | ✓ | — |
| TLC | ✓ | — |
| TNA | ✓ | — |
| TNT | ✓ | — |
| TV Land | ✓ | — |
| TV One | ✓ | — |
| Tastemade Home | ✓ | — |
| Tastemade Travel | ✓ | — |
| TeenNick | ✓ | — |
| Telemundo local channels | ✓ | — |
| The First | ✓ | — |
| USA Network | ✓ | — |
| Univision | ✓ | — |
| Up TV | ✓ | — |
| VH1 | ✓ | — |
| WE tv | ✓ | — |
| Waypoint TV | ✓ | — |
| Women’s Sports Network | ✓ | — |
| Yahoo! Finance | ✓ | — |
| theGrio | ✓ | — |
| truTV | ✓ | — |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | DIRECTV | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | — |
| Android | ✓ | — |
| Android TV | ✓ | — |
| Apple TV | ✓ | — |
| Roku | ✓ | — |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | — |
| iOS | ✓ | — |
DIRECTV has 788,000M subscribers compared to 0M for .
starts at $/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That’s $89.99 more per month for DIRECTV, or $1,079.88 more per year. DIRECTV costs more but carries more channels (80+ vs +), which may justify the difference depending on what you watch.
Is cheaper than DIRECTV?
Yes. starts at $/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That's a difference of $89.99/month, or $1,079.88 per year.
Do DIRECTV or offer a free trial?
DIRECTV offers a 5-day free trial. does not currently offer a free trial.
What channels does DIRECTV have that doesn't?
DIRECTV has 138 channels not available on , including: ABC, ACC Digital Network, AccuWeather, Alien Nation, AMC, and more.
Can I cancel DIRECTV or anytime?
Yes. Both DIRECTV and are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
DirecTV is a Live TV streaming platform with a twist: you can download the app on any of your existing devices, or if you choose, you can get a "Gemini Air" box with a custom remote control for the service. But without the box, DirecTV 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.
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