DirecTV Stream vs Paramount+: which is better?
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 Paramount+ Premium?
Soccer fans can enjoy every UEFA Champions League game and every UEFA Europa League game on Paramount+. Football fans can enjoy many NFL and College Football games on CBS Sports. Plus, there are CBS local channels that cover most of the United States.
Popularity: Paramount+ Premium is more popular than DirecTV Stream
Paramount+ Premium has 42,000,000 subscribers whereas DirecTV Stream has 788,000 subscribers. This means that Paramount+ Premium has 41,212,000 more subscribers than DirecTV Stream. That's a pretty big difference.
Price: Paramount+ Premium is cheaper than DirecTV Stream
Paramount+ Premium's costs $12 whereas DirecTV Stream costs $70. Getting DirecTV Stream instead of Paramount+ Premium will set you back $58 more every month.
Devices: Paramount+ Premium is more widely available than DirecTV Stream
Paramount+ Premium is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X or Xfinity Flex.
Whereas DirecTV Stream is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV or Samsung TV. That's 8 less devices than Paramount+ Premium.
Channel count: DirecTV Stream has 69 channels more than Paramount+ Premium
DirecTV Stream's lineup includes 73 channels whereas Paramount+ Premium has only 4 channels. Getting a subscription to DirecTV Stream will give you access to 69 more channels than Paramount+ Premium. That's quite a bit of channels.
Trial: DirecTV Stream offers a trial
DirecTV Stream has a trial. The trial duration is 5 days.
Find out more on DirecTV Stream
Trial: Paramount+ Premium offers a trial
Paramount+ Premium has a trial. The trial duration is 7 days.
Find out more on Paramount+ Premium
DirecTV Stream's specialty
The specialties of DirecTV Stream are: Lifestyle, News, Soccer, Sports.
Paramount+ Premium's specialty
The specialties of Paramount+ Premium are: Action, Family, Movies, Old TV shows, Original series, Science fiction, Soccer, Sports, TV shows.
Channels on DirecTV Stream and not Paramount+ Premium
The channels that DirecTV Stream has and which are not available on Paramount+ Premium:
- A&E
- ABC
- AMC
- Animal Planet
- AXS TV
- Baby First TV
- BBC America
- BET
- Bloomberg Television
- Boomerang
- Bravo
- C-SPAN
- C-SPAN2
- Cartoon Network
- CMT
- CNBC
- CNN
- CNN en Espanol
- Comedy Central
- Discovery
- Disney Channel
- Disney Jr
- Disney XD
- E! Entertainment
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- Food Network
- FOX
- Fox Business Network
- Fox News Channel
- Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
- Freeform
- FX
- FXX
- Galavision
- Gem Shopping Network
- Hallmark Channel
- Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
- HGTV
- History
- HLN
- Home Shopping Network
- Investigation Discovery
- Lifetime
- MotorTrend
- MSNBC
- MTV
- MTV2
- One America News
- Ovation
- Paramount Network
- QVC
- QVC2
- ReelzChannel
- REVOLT
- RFD-TV
- RSNs
- SundanceTV
- SYFY
- TBS
- TCM
- TeenNick
- TLC
- TNT
- truTV
- TV Land
- Univision East
- USA Network
- VH1
- Vice
- WE tv
Channels on Paramount+ Premium and not DirecTV Stream
The channels that Paramount+ Premium has which are not available on DirecTV Stream:
- CBS local channels
- CBS Sports HQ
- CBSN
- ET Live
Channels on both Paramount+ Premium and DirecTV Stream
The channels that are available on both Paramount+ Premium 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.
Paramount Plus is mostly a Netflix-style streaming service, offering movies and TV shows on-demand like The Good Fight and Yellowstone.
The premium plan of Paramount Plus gives you access to Live TV from CBS: CBS local channels, CBS News (CBSN), CBS Sports, ET live, and some live sporting events like NFL on CBS Live. It also offers on-demand access to programming from Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Paramount Pictures, and Smithsonian Channel.
As of 2023, it increased its monthly price to $11.99, but with that comes a significant upgrade: Premium members have access to all of Showtime's content, which includes movies and shows like Billions, Dexter, and Yellowjackets, as well as live coverage on sports including boxing, football, and MMA.
Price: $11.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xfinity Flex
Channel lineup: CBS local channels, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, ET Live
Charter Spectrum customer? Here are the 7 most affordable streaming services where you can still watch ESPN.
More lists
Lists on how to save money by cutting the cord.
The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. 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.