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.
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.
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.
| 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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