There are a lot of live TV streaming options out there, each with its own set of specialties, but perhaps no two are as similar as DirecTV Stream and Fubo. With very close price ranges and channel coverages, it can be tricky to determine which service performs better than the other.
It helps to see where exactly they differ. For example, while both DirecTV Stream and Fubo pride themselves on their impressive line-up of sports channels, only one of them covers the NFL Network. In this article, we take a closer look at details like this and more to see which service is the right choice for you.
| Feature | DIRECTV | Fubo |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | image quality | most sports channels |
| Base price | $89.99/mo | $73.99/mo |
| Channels | 80+ | 108+ |
| Free trial | 5 days | 7 days |
| Subscribers | 788,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Try DIRECTV — 5 days free | Try Fubo — 7 days free |
| DIRECTV 1 plan | Fubo 3 plans | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest MyEntertainment Pack | Cheapest Sports & News | Pro | Elite | |
| Price / month | $34.99 | $55.99 | $73.99 | $83.99 |
| New User Deal | 15% off 1st month | 18% off 1st month | 35% off 1st month | 35% off 1st month |
| Streams at Home | Unlimited | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DVR Keeps For | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months |
| Profiles | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Multiview Screens | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 720p | 720p | 720p |
| 4K Support | ✓ Yes | — | — | Select events only |
| Audio | 5.1 audio | Standard stereo | Standard stereo | Standard stereo |
| Dolby Digital | ✓ Yes | — | — | — |
| Dolby Atmos | ✓ Yes | — | — | — |
| Min. Speed | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
Add 3 on-demand subscriptions for more content
35 channels are available on both services. DIRECTV has 103 exclusive channels not on Fubo. Fubo has 46 exclusive channels not on DIRECTV.
| Channel | DIRECTV | Fubo |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABC News Live | — | ✓ |
| ACC Digital Network | ✓ | — |
| ACC Network (in-market) | — | ✓ |
| AMC | ✓ | — |
| AXS TV | ✓ | — |
| AccuWeather | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alien Nation | ✓ | — |
| Anger Management | ✓ | — |
| Animal Planet | ✓ | — |
| Are We There Yet? | ✓ | — |
| Ax Men | ✓ | — |
| BABY FIRST | ✓ | — |
| BBC America | ✓ | — |
| BET | ✓ | — |
| BUZZR | ✓ | — |
| Bein Sports | — | ✓ |
| Big 12 | ✓ | — |
| Big Ten Network (BTN) | — | ✓ |
| Bloomberg TV | ✓ | — |
| Bob Ross | ✓ | — |
| Boomerang | ✓ | — |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ |
| C-SPAN | ✓ | — |
| C-SPAN2 | ✓ | — |
| CBS | ✓ | ✓ |
| CBS Sports Network | — | ✓ |
| CBS local channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| CBSN | — | ✓ |
| CMT | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNBC | ✓ | — |
| CNN | ✓ | — |
| CNN International | ✓ | — |
| CNN en Espanol | ✓ | — |
| CW | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | — |
| Cheddar | — | ✓ |
| Cheddar News | ✓ | — |
| Cleo TV | ✓ | — |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Dynamics | ✓ | — |
| Comet | — | ✓ |
| Court TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cozi TV | — | ✓ |
| Crime 360 | ✓ | — |
| Curiosity Now | ✓ | — |
| Daystar HD | ✓ | — |
| Declassified | ✓ | — |
| Discovery Channel | ✓ | — |
| Disney Channel | — | ✓ |
| Disney Junior | — | ✓ |
| Disney XD | — | ✓ |
| Duck Dynasty | ✓ | — |
| E! Entertainment | ✓ | — |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESPN 4K | — | ✓ |
| ESPN Deportes | ✓ | — |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESPN3 | — | ✓ |
| ESPNU | ✓ | — |
| ESPNews | ✓ | — |
| EarthxTV | ✓ | — |
| Ebony TV | ✓ | — |
| El Rey Rebel | ✓ | — |
| Estrella TV | — | ✓ |
| FETV | — | ✓ |
| FMC | ✓ | ✓ |
| FOX | ✓ | ✓ |
| FOX SOUL | ✓ | ✓ |
| FUEL TV | ✓ | — |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ |
| Food Network | ✓ | — |
| Fox Business Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox News Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 2 (FS2) | — | ✓ |
| Fox Weather | ✓ | — |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fuse Music | ✓ | — |
| GRIT | — | ✓ |
| Galavision | ✓ | ✓ |
| GetTV | — | ✓ |
| HGTV | ✓ | — |
| HLN | ✓ | — |
| HSN | ✓ | — |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hallmark Family | — | ✓ |
| Hallmark Mystery | ✓ | ✓ |
| HerSphere | ✓ | — |
| Home Shopping Network | ✓ | — |
| IFC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ION | ✓ | — |
| ION Television | ✓ | — |
| Intravel | — | ✓ |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | ✓ | — |
| Jewelry Television | ✓ | — |
| Lifetime | ✓ | — |
| Lionsgate Collection | ✓ | — |
| Local Now | — | ✓ |
| MASN | — | ✓ |
| MSNBC | ✓ | — |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ |
| MTV2 | ✓ | — |
| MeatEater TV | ✓ | — |
| MotorTrend | ✓ | — |
| MovieSphere | ✓ | — |
| NBA TV | ✓ | — |
| NBC | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBC local channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBCLX | — | ✓ |
| NBCSN | — | ✓ |
| NFL Network | — | ✓ |
| National Geographic | — | ✓ |
| News Nation | ✓ | — |
| Newsmax | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nick Jr. | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ |
| Olympic Channel | — | ✓ |
| One America News | ✓ | — |
| Ovation | ✓ | — |
| Oxygen | — | ✓ |
| Oxygen True Crime | ✓ | — |
| PBS | ✓ | — |
| PBS Kids | ✓ | — |
| PBS local channels | ✓ | — |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Poker GO | ✓ | — |
| Pop | — | ✓ |
| Pursuit Channel | ✓ | — |
| QVC | ✓ | — |
| QVC2 | ✓ | — |
| QVC3 | ✓ | — |
| REELZ | ✓ | — |
| REVOLT | ✓ | — |
| RFD-TV | ✓ | — |
| RSNs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Racing America | ✓ | — |
| SEC Network | — | ✓ |
| SYFY | ✓ | — |
| Scientology Network | ✓ | — |
| Scripps News | ✓ | — |
| Shop LC | ✓ | — |
| Smithsonian Channel | — | ✓ |
| Somos Novelas | ✓ | — |
| SportsGrid | ✓ | — |
| Start TV | ✓ | — |
| SundanceTV | ✓ | — |
| TBS | ✓ | — |
| TCM | ✓ | — |
| TLC | ✓ | — |
| TNA | ✓ | — |
| TNT | ✓ | — |
| TUDN | — | ✓ |
| TUDNxtra | — | ✓ |
| TV Land | ✓ | ✓ |
| TV One | ✓ | — |
| TVG | — | ✓ |
| Tastemade | — | ✓ |
| Tastemade Home | ✓ | — |
| Tastemade Travel | ✓ | — |
| TeenNick | ✓ | — |
| Telemundo | — | ✓ |
| Telemundo local channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| The First | ✓ | — |
| The Weather Channel | — | ✓ |
| USA Network | ✓ | — |
| Unimas | — | ✓ |
| Unimas local channels | — | ✓ |
| Universal Kids | — | ✓ |
| Universo | — | ✓ |
| Univision | ✓ | — |
| Up TV | ✓ | — |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ |
| WE tv | ✓ | — |
| WGN America | — | ✓ |
| Waypoint TV | ✓ | — |
| Willow | — | ✓ |
| Women’s Sports Network | ✓ | — |
| YES Network | — | ✓ |
| Yahoo! Finance | ✓ | — |
| fubo Sports Network | — | ✓ |
| theGrio | ✓ | — |
| truTV | ✓ | — |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | DIRECTV | Fubo |
|---|---|---|
| Airplay | — | ✓ |
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | — | ✓ |
| Google TV Streamer | — | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | — |
| Xfinity Flex | — | ✓ |
| Xumo | — | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
Fubo has 1,500,000M subscribers compared to 788,000M for DIRECTV. That makes Fubo 90% more popular by subscriber count.
Fubo starts at $73.99/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That’s $16.00 more per month for DIRECTV, or $192.00 more per year.
Is Fubo cheaper than DIRECTV?
Yes. Fubo starts at $73.99/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That's a difference of $16.00/month, or $192.00 per year.
Do DIRECTV or Fubo offer a free trial?
DIRECTV offers a 5-day free trial. Fubo offers a 7-day free trial.
Which has more channels, DIRECTV or Fubo?
DIRECTV carries 138 channels, while Fubo carries 81. 35 channels are available on both services.
What channels does DIRECTV have that Fubo doesn't?
DIRECTV has 103 channels not available on Fubo, including: ACC Digital Network, Alien Nation, AMC, Anger Management, Animal Planet, and more.
What channels does Fubo have that DIRECTV doesn't?
Fubo has 46 channels not available on DIRECTV, including: ABC News Live, ACC Network (in-market), Bein Sports, Big Ten Network (BTN), CBS Sports Network, and more.
Which has better DVR, DIRECTV or Fubo?
DIRECTV's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage. Fubo's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage.
Can I cancel DIRECTV or Fubo anytime?
Yes. Both DIRECTV and Fubo 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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