DIRECTV vs Peacock: Every Plan Compared
By The Spool Editors · Published June 16, 2026 · Updated June 16, 2026
DIRECTV and Peacock get compared a lot, but they are not really rivals: one is a full live TV service, the other a streaming app with live sports bolted on. Here is exactly what each one does, plan by plan, so you know whether you need one, the other, or both.
At a Glance
| DIRECTV | Peacock | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $59.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Live cable channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Local channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Live sports | ✓ | ✓ |
| On-demand library | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud DVR | ✓ | ✗ |
| Streams at once | 20 | 3 |
| Full live TV service | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cheapest price | ✗ | ✓ |
Which One Is Right for You
The Plans That Actually Compete
DIRECTV sells tiers and genre packs; Peacock sells one base plan plus add-ons. Here is every plan on each side, with what it really costs.
DIRECTV
Peacock
Price Breakdown & Hike History
DIRECTV starts at $59.99/mo and Peacock at $7.99/mo, but the sticker price is the trap. With DIRECTV, the regional sports fee can add up to $19.99 on the Choice tier and up. With Peacock, the base price is flat but extras stack on top.
DIRECTV: DIRECTV is raising its genre packs on June 25, 2026, with MyEntertainment going from $35 to $43 a month.
Peacock: Peacock raised Premium to $10.99 and added a $7.99 Select tier in 2025.
Channel Lineups Head-to-Head
Peacock runs one lineup of Next-day NBC/Bravo + library channels with locals and RSNs folded in where they exist. DIRECTV scales from a 90+ channel base up to 185+ on Premier, so the channel count depends entirely on which tier you buy. For most households the question isn't the raw number, it's whether your specific channels are in the plan, which is what the next section is for.
Your Local Channels & Your Team's RSN
This is where the decision usually gets made. Both services carry local stations in most markets, but coverage and regional sports vary city by city and team by team.
- Check exactly which service carries your city's ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox with our local channels guide.
- See whether your team's games are on a regional sports network, and who carries it, in our sports streaming guides.
The Features That Decide It
| Feature | DIRECTV | Peacock |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $59.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Free trial | 5 days | No (deals via Walmart+ / Instacart) |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited Cloud DVR | None |
| Simultaneous streams | 20 at home, 3 on the go | 3 |
| Accounts / profiles | Multiple profiles | Single login |
| 4K | Limited 4K via Sports Pack add-on | Limited |
| Regional sports (RSNs) | Extra fee (up to $19.99) on Choice, Ultimate, Premier | None |
| Local channels | Included where available | Live local NBC on Premium Plus |
Add-Ons & Hidden Costs
DIRECTV add-ons: Max, Paramount+, STARZ, AMC+, Discovery+, Hallmark+, Peacock, NBA League Pass, DirecTV Sports Pack, and International packs. The big hidden cost is the RSN fee on Choice and up.
Peacock add-ons: Showtime / STARZ add-ons. The hidden cost here is that 4K, extra Spanish channels and more sports each cost extra on top of the base plan.
How to Try Each One Free
DIRECTV runs a 5 days free trial fairly consistently. Peacock offers one no (deals via walmart+ / instacart). With either, the move is the same: start the trial, watch what you need, and cancel before the first charge. For one-off live events, that trial window is often all you need.
The Cheapest Way to Get What You Want
Work backward from your must-haves. If you only need entertainment and news, DIRECTV Entertainment at $59.99 undercuts everything. If you need regional sports, compare DIRECTV Choice plus its RSN fee against Peacock's flat $7.99, and the gap narrows fast. If you want simple and done, Peacock's single plan is the least to think about.
DIRECTV vs Peacock FAQ
- Is Peacock a live TV service?
- Not really. Peacock is an on-demand app with some live sports and next-day NBC and Bravo. It has no cable-channel bundle and no DVR, so it does not replace a live service like DIRECTV.
- Can Peacock replace DIRECTV?
- Only if all you want is NBC content and the live sports Peacock carries. For live cable channels, local stations beyond NBC, and DVR, you still need a service like DIRECTV.
- What live sports does Peacock have?
- Premier League, select NFL games, NBA, the Olympics and more, depending on the season. It is a strong sports add-on for the price.
- Should I get both?
- Many people do. DIRECTV covers live channels and locals; Peacock adds NBC's on-demand library and its exclusive sports for $7.99 to $16.99 on top.
DIRECTV vs Peacock: The Verdict
Be clear up front: Peacock is not a live TV service. It is a streaming app with a big on-demand library, next-day NBC and Bravo, and some genuinely good live sports, Premier League, NFL games, the Olympics, from $7.99. But it has no DVR, no cable channels and only NBC for live local TV. DIRECTV is the actual cable replacement. Most people use Peacock alongside a live service, not instead of one. Want live channels and locals? DIRECTV. Want NBC's sports and shows cheaply on demand? Peacock, and you can happily have both.
Last updated: June 16, 2026