DirecTV Stream is one of the most popular choices for streaming services among cord-cutters. Despite a hefty asking price, it maintains a great reputation in large part due to its picture quality and massive scope of channels across entertainment, news, and sports; and covers live TV, local channels, and on-demand films.
They offer a baseline package called DirecTV Stream Entertainment, where all offers and features listed above are present. However, they also offer other packages, each with more extra offers and incentives than the last, and this article dives into their higher tiers, DirecTV Stream Choice, DirecTV Stream Ultimate, and DirecTV Stream Premier. We realize that there can be a lot to keep track of when it comes to offers that show up in certain packages only, and those that show up consistently across all of them. After comparing the different packages’ upsides, we can determine if the higher tiers are worth it.
Is DirecTV Stream Entertainment enough?
DirecTV Stream Entertainment is their baseline package. It costs about $70/month, and gives you 75+ channels including CNN, NBC, ESPN channels, NFL Network, TBS, TNT, USA, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Animal Planet, etc. Even on the baseline level, it boasts unlimited DVR, as well as superior image quality and navigation between channels compared to a competitor like Youtube TV. Upsides like these lead to DirecTV Stream feeling like a more premium service, where many agree it’s pricy as a monthly bill, but they also agree that, well, you get what you pay for.
Is the base package enough? If you prioritize the quality of a trusted cord-cutting service, and if your budget already allows, then yes, it should be enough. (*Plus, you’re getting $30 off any package for your first 3 months.)
Is DirecTV Stream Choice worth it?
Choice is their next tier above Entertainment. It costs about $85/month (up ~$15 from previous) and gives you 105+ channels (up ~30 from previous), including all the previous package’s offers, plus new additions like NBA TV, MLB Network, Big Ten Network, Tennis Channel, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, etc. But perhaps the most lucrative upside of Choice (and every package above it) is that it grants you access to regional sports networks or RSNs, one of the few streaming services to grant access to Bally Sports, for example.
Is Choice worth it? Apparently, it’s their most popular package according to DirecTV’s website. For the ~$15 price bump and the amount of new channels that you get, especially sports channels, Choice may well be worth it if you’re a big sports fan.
Alternatively: With that ~$15 price difference, as a sports fan, you could also get an ESPN+ subscription (~$11/month), which gets you thousands of live events with one of the most affordable streaming services out there.
Is DirecTV Stream Ultimate worth it?
Ultimate is their next tier above Choice. It costs about $110/month (up ~$25 from previous) and gives you 140 channels (up ~35 from previous), including all the previous package’s offers, plus CBS Sports Network, NHL Network, Discovery Family, FX Movie Channel, Universal Kids, Nat Geo Wild, Starz Encore channels, etc.
Is Ultimate worth it? For the price bump and the exclusives that aren’t offered in Choice, it doesn’t seem like you’re getting all that much. Ultimate may be something you get for very specific channels that you may consider to be worth upwards of $100 every month. Otherwise, that extra cash a month could just go somewhere else.
Alternatively: With that ~$40 price difference between Ultimate and Entertainment, you could get a subscription to Sling TV ($40/month), which gets you at least 34 channels, including CNN, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, and more. Philo is even more affordable ($28/month) and boasts 70+ channels, focusing heavily on entertainment/lifestyle channels like VICE, TLC, Hallmark, Lifetime, Comedy Central, and more.
Is DirecTV Stream Premier worth it?
You’d think that the Ultimate package is their highest tier, but there is in fact one final tier above it, in DirecTV Stream Premiere. It costs ~$161/month (up ~$91 from base price) and gives you 150+ channels (double the base level), including all the previous package’s offers, plus HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, etc. This package is the only package where you don’t get the premium channels free for only 3 months, as you get them for the entire duration you’re subscribed for.
Is Premier worth it? Ultimate was already a hard sell, and naturally Premier is going to be even harder to justify at $161 every month, even with the premium channels. But maybe try it out once, or just stick with the free trial, and imagine a life with it every month.
Alternatively: With the ~$91 price difference between Premier and the base level Entertainment package, you would already have enough to subscribe to DirecTV Stream’s price peers in Youtube TV (~$73/month), which carries 100+ channels; and Hulu with Live TV (~$77/month), which carries 90+ channels. And maybe you’d find one of them to your liking, and you won’t have to pay in the 3-digit territory every month again.
General features and things to consider
Simultaneous streams: Their simultaneous streams feature (along with their other features) works the same across all packages. You can stream on up to 20 devices simultaneously on your home network (the one listed as your billing address), as well as up to 3 devices outside the home. Just take note that some channels (e.g. Fox channels) restrict you to a max. of 3 simultaneous streams, whether in the home or outside it.
Free trial and freebies: Signing up for DirecTV Stream (under any package chosen) grants new subscribers a 5-day free trial. Take note that they also offer premium channels for free for the first 3 months—just be sure not to renew that deal to keep it free.
Alternatives: We can big-up DirecTV Stream all we want, but its price point is a barrier for most people, so it’s good to look at other options. Sling TV is an excellent budget option with a more limited pool of channels, of course, but costing you $40/month (minimum) with more package bundles and extras to choose from should you want to expand. It’s also got its price peers, Hulu with Live TV and Youtube TV, that are just as viable and also cost roughly $70/month, but with extra bundles that don’t go nearly as high as DirecTV Stream’s.
Cancelling your subscription: Well, the good news is that DirecTV Stream lets you cancel your subscription online. Specifically, they let you cancel within the first 14 days of purchase for a full refund. The iffy news is that they’ve got a history of not making that process easy. Not too long ago, people have had to chat or call with a customer service representative just to be able to cancel, but they may have completely phased it out by now in favor of clicking buttons and answering prompts from your account. (It should also be acknowledged that their customer support is very responsive, which is probably how they’ve gotten to change the cancellation process.)
Conclusion
DirecTV Stream Entertainment is the baseline package for one of the most prominent, quality cord-cutting services in the market. At ~$70/month, its baseline price is definitely a big enough barrier to many, but if it’s within your budget anyway, the Entertainment package should be good enough on its own to experience their premium service. But if you’re a huge sports fan, the next package tier, DirecTV Stream Choice (for an extra ~$15/month), is worth the upgrade most notably for the regional sports networks that few streaming services offer. There are other viable cord-cutting alternatives for cheaper, but if you opt for DirecTV Stream, as they say, you’re getting what you pay for.