DIRECTV is a good satellite provider with introductory prices, best for sports fans. How does it compare to DIRECTV Now? Read our comparison chart below.
DIRECTV is a popular favorite because of its exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket.
While DIRECTV Now is AT&T’s streaming live TV app. It’s compatible with most smart devices, and is also one of the cheaper pay-TV providers. There’s no contract, so you can pay month-to-month without having to worry about equipment fees, or early termination fees.
With just an Internet connection, AT&T TV NOW lets you watch your favorite live and on-demand shows, plus the top premium channels. No satellite or cable box required. Is AT&T TV NOW compatible with my device? AT&T TV NOW plays the top live and on-demand entertainment on tons of popular devices. Checking Streaming Options Watch Now. To tune to this show, your Computer must be joined to the same Wi-Fi network as your receiver. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV. Starting at $40 per month (a price hike coming August 1 will raise rates, from $35 per month), DirecTV Now lets you stream live TV to your TV, phone or tablet. It's also a better value on paper. DIRECTV customers can download the free DIRECTV® App onto these devices to watch their favorite entertainment: 1. IPhone® SE or later running iOS 11 or above 2. IPad® Air2 or later running iOS 11 or above 3. Any phone or tablet running Android® 6.0 API 23 software or above.
Compare DIRECTV with DIRECTV Now, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.
DIRECTV | DIRECTV Now | |
|---|---|---|
Compare DIRECTV Packages - | DIRECTV Now Deals | |
Benefits and Features | ||
| DVR | Genie HD-DVR can record up to 5 simultaneous recordings. 1 TB storage space for 200 hours of HD or 800 hours of SD recording. Paired with receivers (Mini Genie) to connect up to 8 TV sets, however only 4 active viewings at one time. | True Cloud DVR (in development) |
| Packages | Select ($49.99/month): 150+ channels. Entertainment ($54.99/month): 155+ channels. Choice ($59.99/month): 185+ channels, NFL Sunday Ticket. Xtra ($69.99/month): 230+ channels, NFL Sunday Ticket. Ultimate ($74.99/month): 245+ channels, NFL Sunday Ticket. Premier ($124.99/month): 325+ channels, NFL Sunday Ticket, DIRECTV Sports Pack. | Live A Little ($35/month): 60+ channels Just Right ($50/month): 80+ channels Go Big ($60/month): 100+ channels Gotta Have It ($70/month): 120+ channels |
| Cancellation | Early termination fees are $20 for each remaining month left in contract. All equipment is leased and must be returned, unreturned equipment fees apply. | No early termination fees. No refunds for prepaid or partial months of service. |
| Contract | User agreement requires a base TV package of $29.99/month for a 24-month contract minimum. Promotional pricing only applies for first 12 months; regular pricing applies after. | No contract. |
| Installation | Standard professional installation included in up to 4 rooms only; additional installations cost extra. | App-based TV service, can be installed on most smart devices. |
| Autopay | $5/month discount for the first 12 months if you sign up for DIRECTV autopay feature. Autopay can be setup with bank account, debit card, or credit card. | Payments are automatically deducted from debit or credit card on file. |
| Receiver Fee | Equipment rental fee of $7/month for each receiver on account. | No equipment rental fee. |
| Regional Sports Fee | Up to $7.29/month may apply (varies depending on location) | No regional sports fee. |
CreditDonkey® Reviews | ||
| Sports | ||
| Price | ||
| Selection | ||
| Contract | ||
| Pros & Cons |
|
|
| Bottom Line | Good satellite provider with introductory prices, best for sports fans... | Cheap streaming TV app with no contracts... |
DIRECTV: Pricing information including fees, features and contract length was obtained on December 6, 2017 from published websites and is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. DIRECTV Now: Pricing information including fees, features and contract length was obtained on April 12, 2018 from published websites and is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed. | ||
Which is Better: DIRECTV or DIRECTV Now?
Still need help deciding which tv is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing DIRECTV or Sling.
In short: DIRECTV's sports and selection are outstanding. DIRECTV Now's price and contract are impressive.
Articles on DIRECTV
DIRECTV Reviews
DIRECTV is the largest satellite TV provider, offering a strong channel lineup and low introductory prices. But is it a good value? Read on.
DIRECTV Phone Number
Struggling with your DIRECTV phone, TV, or Internet service? Follow our step-by-step guide to contact DIRECTV and resolve your issue as quickly as possible.
DIRECTV 4K
4K resolution is the latest trend in TV. Sometimes known as Ultra HD, it refers to programs and TVs that have a higher resolution than High Definition. It has about 4 times the number of pixels onscreen compared to regular HD. This makes for deeper colors and better overall picture quality.
DIRECTV Installation
You've done the research and decided to subscribe to DIRECTV. Maybe it's their extensive HD channel line-up, or their NFL Sunday Ticket, or even their 1TB DVR storage which won you over.
DIRECTV Customer Service
Need customer service? DIRECTV has multiple contact options. Whether you prefer phone or online support, DIRECTV helps you keep in touch. Read on to learn the best way to contact DIRECTV.
DIRECTV Premier Package Channels
The PREMIER package is DIRECTV's biggest package. It features a massive 330+ channel lineup, and it includes all the premium networks as part of its subscription. Enjoy channels like HBO, Showtime, CINEMAX, and Starz all year-round without having to pay additional fees.
DIRECTV Ultimate Package Channels
The ULTIMATE package is DIRECTV's second largest package (just under the PREMIER package). It has 250+ channels, with dedicated movie channels for the movie enthusiast. If you love movies, the ULTIMATE package is for you.
DIRECTV Choice Package Channels
The CHOICE package brings more variety in terms of channels. It's got about 30 more channels than the ENTERTAINMENT package. It's also the first package where you get the NFL Sunday Ticket for free, making it a prime choice for football fans.
DIRECTV Packages
Compare DIRECTV TV packages to get the channels you want to watch without overpaying. Find the best plan for you here.
DIRECTV Xtra Package Channels
The XTRA package is DIRECTV's most popular package. It's their mid-tier plan, with more than 235+ channels. If you want a good mix of channels without spending too much, the XTRA package is for you.
DIRECTV Entertainment Package Channels
The ENTERTAINMENT package is DIRECTV's second lowest-priced plan. The extra few dollars buy you a bit more sports content. It's great for those who need their sports fix.
DIRECTV Select Package Channels
The SELECT package is DIRECTV's lowest priced plan. It features 150+ channels, with a range of programs for the casual TV user. However, if you're a fan of sports, this package isn't for you.
Articles on DIRECTV Now
DIRECTV Now
DIRECTV Now is a live TV streaming app service from AT&T. They have four package options, and their monthly subscription is cheaper than the average cable/satellite TV service. Also, it has no contract, so you can subscribe month-to-month. Is it worth the subscription? Read on to find out.
You Might Also Like
Best Ways to Watch the Walking Dead Online
The Walking Dead is one of AMC's most popular series. You can watch the latest season online through these TV providers.
Best Ways to Watch ABC Online
Here are the best ways of watching the ABC channel online. Read on to find out which providers offer this service.
Best Ways to Watch Hallmark Movies Online
These are the best ways of watching the Hallmark channel online. In this article, we list the providers that offer this service.
Best Ways to Watch Doctor Who Online
Catch the latest season of BBC's Doctor Who online. You can watch it on the BBC America channel in the U.S. Here are the best providers that offer this channel.
Best Ways to Watch Bravo Online
These are the best ways of watching the Bravo channel online. Read on to find out which providers stream this channel.
Best Ways to Watch NFL Games Online
Here are the best ways to watch NFL games online. In this article, we list the best providers who offer this service.
Best Ways to Watch College Football Online
Here are the best ways of watching college football online. Read on to find out which are the best providers offering this service.
AT&T U-Verse Review
AT&T's U-Verse TV has some of the biggest channel lineups. Its top package has 550+ channels available. That's more than what most providers have. Still, is it worth it? Read on to find out.
DIRECTV vs DISH: Which Service is Better?
Compare DIRECTV and DISH promotions, channel packages, and equipment. Find out which is the best satellite TV provider for you.
Compare DIRECTV to:
You might also be interested in
Related: TV
Cable Alternatives
Why pay more for cable when you don't have to? There are plenty of better options. With this list of cable alternatives, cut the cord today.
Compare DIRECTV Now to:
AT&T is eliminating the DirecTV Now brand name it uses for its struggling Internet-based TV service. DirecTV Now will become 'AT&T TV Now' later this summer, AT&T announced today. DirecTV Now (the future 'AT&T TV Now') offers a bundle of linear TV channels, similar to traditional cable or satellite services, and AT&T said its core offering won't be changed.
Watch My Directv Online
AT&T's 2015 purchase of DirecTV, the nation's largest satellite TV network, doesn't seem to be paying off as AT&T hoped. AT&T launched DirecTV Now—a stripped-down, online-only version of DirecTV—in 2016, and it was immediately plagued by multiple outages, unexpected blackouts of live local sports games, and missing channels.
While the technical problems got sorted out, AT&T's subscriber gains were short-lived. As we wrote last week, AT&T lost 946,000 TV subscribers in Q2 2019 after announcing a series of price increases.
The 946,000-subscriber loss consisted of a net loss of 778,000 subscribers in AT&T's DirecTV satellite and U-verse wireline TV services, as well as 168,000 lost subscribers to DirecTV Now. The losses are much bigger when you look at the past year instead of just the past three months. Including all three services, AT&T's total number of video subscribers dropped from 25.4 million in Q2 2018 to 22.9 million in Q2 2019. DirecTV Now subscribers dropped from 1.8 million to 1.3 million in the past year.
DirecTV satellite is still called DirecTV
While the streaming service is dropping the DirecTV brand, the satellite TV service will keep the DirecTV name, at least for the time being.
Advertisement'We continue investing to enhance our satellite experience, and that brand remains unchanged today,' AT&T said in a statement to Ars.
AT&T said the actual DirecTV Now service will remain the same despite the name change. 'Our DirecTV Now subscribers will simply need to re-accept the terms of service and their streaming will continue as usual without interruption,' AT&T said.
The name change comes as AT&T plans multiple new services to prop up its TV business, and it could get confusing for customers. The company will offer AT&T TV Now and AT&T TV—two separate services with near-identical names—from a single app called AT&T TV.
Directv Watch Now Login
'In select markets this summer, we will pilot an all-new connected TV experience with no satellite needed—AT&T TV,' today's announcement said. AT&T continued:
Both the AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now experiences will be accessed through the same AT&T TV app either on mobile or the big screen. Customer login credentials will determine what content appears. In the coming weeks, the AT&T TV app will be available for download across various app stores, and current DirecTV Now customers will see this update automatically on their devices. We'll share more details on this rollout when it begins.
How AT&T TV will be different from AT&T TV Now isn't totally clear. AT&T TV's webpage says it will include 'access to live TV, thousands of titles on demand, 500 hours of Cloud DVR, and access to other apps like Netflix and Pandora.' But the page doesn't say how much it will cost.
Services like Netflix and Pandora would still require separate subscriptions, but AT&T will provide a set-top box that can access the apps. 'AT&T TV comes with our 4K-enabled next-gen device and voice remote with the Google Assistant built-in,' the webpage also says.
Watch Directv Anywhere
Advertisement
AT&T TV sounds awfully similar to DirecTV Now (the future 'AT&T TV Now'), even though they're going to be separate services. Like the future AT&T TV, the current DirecTV Now has live TV, on-demand programming, and a cloud-based DVR. But DirecTV Now allows just 20 hours of cloud DVR recordings, compared to the 500 hours planned for AT&T TV. We assume there will be other differences in channel offerings and prices, but AT&T hasn't revealed specifics yet.
In March of this year, AT&T raised the price of DirecTV Now for existing subscribers and reduced the number of channels new customers receive. The current version of DirecTV Now offers two plans that cost $50 or $70 a month, with extra charges for premium networks.
AT&T is facing a class-action complaint accusing it of lying to investors in order to hide DirecTV Now's failure. AT&T told investors that DirecTV Now was succeeding even as its subscriber base fell due to price increases and the discontinuance of promotional discounts, the lawsuit alleges.
AT&T TV, HBO Go, HBO Max, U-verse, DirecTV etc.
AT&T also offers WatchTV, a $15 streaming plan with 35 channels, and multiple HBO-branded services thanks to AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner Inc. The other big release planned by AT&T is HBO Max, which is coming in spring 2020 and will combine the HBO library with other Time Warner content.
Including today's services and future launches, Wall Street Journal reporter Drew FitzGerald pointed out on Twitter that AT&T will be offering TV shows through HBO Go, HBO Max, HBO Now, AT&T TV Now, AT&T TV, AT&T WatchTV, AT&T U-verse, and DirecTV. We already mentioned most of these services in this article. The others are HBO Go, an online service for people who buy HBO through their cable or satellite TV provider, and HBO Now, which is similar but purchased directly from HBO for $15 a month.