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DIRECT vs DISH Cheap Satellite TV Pricing
Last updated on April 25th, 2023 by George Levint
When you’re shopping around for satellite TV, one of the most critical steps is figuring out how many channels you’ll need and the max you’re willing to pay. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the base prices for the leading satellite TV packages available (see table below). Keep in mind these prices are BEFORE any of the current deals or bonuses, so they’re mostly just for reference (ie, to compare the relative cost of each package). Click the banners above to view the latest promotional prices.
Once you’ve settled on your target price, don’t forget to compare the premium sports and family programming options for more specialty channel and broadcasting lineups. We’ve tried just about every package in this table and there’s really no dud in the lot. For most, it comes down to how many different types of channels you’ll need and the amount of time your household spends watching TV (vs online streaming, treks to the movie theater, etc). Fortunately, both DIRECT and DISH let you easily up or downgrade packages without penalty, so if you’re stuck, go with the cheaper package and upgrade if/when needed.
Typically, once a year. It often coincides with new/updated programming or a change to plan/receiver features. Since DISH switched over to 2-year price lock plans, their pricing has become much more stable and changes less often.
With DIRECTV, their first year is promotional and highly discounted. Their second year tends to go up by at least 30%, depending on the plan. Be sure to average the first two years to properly compare against DISH. DISH's first and second year prices are the same (locked).
Some are either outdated or just not showing the latest promotional prices. Some discounts are also just for new customers only. The best way to make sure you're getting the best offer available is to call up DIRECTV or DISH's customer service and ask.
About the author
George Levint
George is the senior editor at DigitalFind and an expert in how technology at home impacts our lives. From funky analog radios to AI devices that try to out-think you, he's usually unfairly critical until proven otherwise. He also enjoys spending the occasional weekend off-grid to keep Skynet guessing.
