DirecTV Stream vs Altice Optimum Cable: Which is Better

DirecTV Stream is a popular live TV streaming option among cord-cutters, while Optimum is a tried-and-tested cable provider available in some (but crucially not all) parts of the country. They may seem completely different, but they have their similarities. Both are contract-free, for one, and both have generally okay (but not stellar) DVR features. So which one is for you? We take a closer look below.

Advantages of Optimum Cable over DirecTV Stream: more channels + bundles + contract buyout

Because it relies on good ol' cable, Optimum has more and better-quality channels than DirecTV Stream. With DirecTV Stream, you'll have to settle for 720p (1080p if you're lucky), which isn't necessarily bad, but that won't do if you're a movie buff or sports fan scanning every square corner of the screen. Optimum is also less likely to buffer since it doesn't rely on the internet, although if you are looking for quick speeds, Optimum has many internet plans you can conveniently bundle with its TV plans. This is good news for people who prefer to pay for everything in one go.

Another potential draw is that Optimum can buy out your current contract with another provider for as much as $500. Not a lot of packages have that offer - the only other one we know of is Spectrum TV.

Advantages of DirecTV Stream over Optimum Cable: availability + free trial + better customer service

A significant advantage DirecTV Stream has is that it's available in most (if not all) parts of the country, whereas Optimum can only be accessed in 21 states. DirecTV Stream also works with any setup box or internet plan you currently have, while Optimum Cable is only available to existing Optimum customers, making it the more flexible and accessible option. Another feature DirecTV Stream has going for it is that it has a 5-day free trial you can use to see whether the service is for you. You can channel surf, record shows on its cloud DVR, and even check its claims of unlimited simultaneous streams at zero cost, as long as you remember to cancel before the trial period ends.

Lastly, DirecTV Stream's customer service is good—or at least better than Optimum's customer service. Users have reported that the latter tend to be dodgy and untransparent.

In the end, the better option depends on your needs. If picture quality and channel quantity are important to you, then opt for Optimum. But if you want more flexibility, then DirecTV Stream could be for you. Both have popular channels and contract-free guarantees, so you're not losing out on too much either way.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Go to Optimum

Summary

Comparaison	DirecTV Stream	Optimum
Price	$86.99/month	$120/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
Lifetime	No	Yes
NBC	Yes	Yes
Paramount Network	Yes	Yes
RSNs	Yes	No
TNT	Yes	Yes

Channels on DirecTV Stream and not Optimum

The channels that DirecTV Stream has and which are not available on Optimum:

ACC Network
AccuWeather
Alien Nation
Anger Management
Animal Planet
Are We There Yet?
AXS TV
BABY FIRST
BabyTV
Bloomberg Television
Boomerang
CBS local channels
Cleo TV
CMT
CNN en Espanol
CNNi
Comedy Dynamics
Court TV
Crime 360
Daystar HD
Discovery
Duck Dynasty
E! Entertainment
EarthxTV
Ebony TV
El Rey Rebel
ESPN Deportes
ESPNews
ESPNU
FMC
FOX SOUL
Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
FUEL TV
Fuse Music
Galavision
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Mystery
HerSphere
HLN
Home Shopping Network
IFC
Investigation Discovery (ID)
ION Television
Jewelry Television
MovieSphere
MTV Classic
MTV2
NBA TV
NBC local channels
News Nation
Nick Jr.
One America News
Ovation
PBS Kids
PBS local channels
Poker GO
Pursuit Channel
QVC2
QVC3
Racing America
REELZ
REVOLT
RFD-TV
RSNs
Scientology Network
Scripps Sports
Shop LC
Somos Novelas
Spectrum SportsNet
SportsGrid
Start TV
SundanceTV
Tastemade Home
Tastemade Travel
TCM
TeenNick
Telemundo local channels
The First
theGrio
TLC
TV Land
TV One
Up TV
VH1
Women’s Sports Network

Channels on Optimum and not DirecTV Stream

The channels that Optimum has which are not available on DirecTV Stream:

Antenna TV
BBC News
Bloomberg TV
Bounce
C-SPAN3
Catholic Faith Network
CBS Sports Network
Charge!
Cheddar News
Classic Arts Showcase
CNN Headline News
Comet
Cozi TV
CPTV Create TV
Crime-Investigation
Dabl
Disney Channel
Disney Jr
Educational Access
Estrella TV
Euronews
EWTN
ExitosTV
FS1
Gem Shopping Network
GET
Government Access
i24News
JewelryTelevision
Jewish Broadcasting Service
Justice Central
Kids Thirteen
Leased Access
Lifetime
Localish
LocalX
Movies! Network
MSG
MSG Sportsnet
My9
National Geographic
News 12
Newsmax
Nickelodeon
NY1
NYC Life
Optimum Channel Guide
Public Access
Recipe.TV
Reelz Network
Rewind TV
ShopHQ
ShopLC
Sports Overflow 1
Sports Overflow 2
SportsNet New York
StartTV
StoryTV
Sundance TV
TBN
The Grio
The Weather Channel
Thirteen (PBS)
Trinity Broadcasting Network
Unimas
WLIW All Arts
WLIW World
WLNY
WMBC
WZME
WZME MeTV+
YES Network

Price: DirecTV Stream is cheaper than Optimum

DirecTV Stream's costs $87 whereas Optimum costs $120. Getting Optimum instead of DirecTV Stream will set you back $33 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.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Why get Optimum?

Optimum is an internet provider that also happens to offer cable TV plans. If you're not subscribed to the former, then you can't access the latter. And if you are interested, Optimum has four main TV plans to choose from: Core TV ($120/month for 200+ channels); Value TV ($125/month for 300 channels); Select TV ($140/month for 340 channels); and Premier TV ($164/month for more than 400 channels). Only Premier TV comes included with premium services like Max, Showtime, and Starz, while the rest require an extra fee. Some pros about Optimum are that it also has a budget TV plan (Basic TV) that only costs $50/month for 50 channels and it has a wide array of packages that focus on specific interests and nationalities. Another plus? Optimum is contract-free. The cons, however, are plenty too: some customers have complained about hidden fees and expensive device equipment, as well as limited coverage and DVR storage.

Go to Optimum

Devices: DirecTV Stream is more widely available than Optimum

DirecTV Stream is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku or Samsung TV.

Whereas Optimum 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: Optimum does not offer a trial

Optimum does not offer a free trial.

Find out more on Optimum

Channels on both Optimum and DirecTV Stream

The channels that are available on both Optimum and DirecTV Stream are:

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.