DIRECTV Review

Compare Rates
Highly-rated customer satisfaction
Sports extras included
Free Genie HD DVR

Show Similar Products

Cox Communications

Compare Rates Read Review

Advertiser Disclosure

Close icon.

We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

Reviews Report

  • Reviews.com scores DIRECTV a 3.6 out of 5 based on price, customer satisfaction, and other factors.
  • DIRECTV has four different television service plans starting at $64.99.
  • DIRECTV’s contract leaves something to be desired, as it includes a price hike after the first year and early cancellation fees.

Looking for the best television service provider for your home? DIRECTV is one of the most popular companies on the market. With four different packages and up to 330 channels to choose from, it’s an excellent option for many customers.

When reviewing DIRECTV and comparing it to competitors, we considered customer satisfaction, starting price, available channels, ACSI score, and contract. While DIRECTV has excellent customer satisfaction and a decent number of channels, its contracts leave room for improvement.

DIRECTV Overview

Reviews.com Score:
3.6
J.D. Power: J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality.
763*
ASCI Score:
64
States Served:
50

DIRECTV is one of the top television service providers in the nation. The company offers a variety of plans to fit every price point and preference. The company’s standout feature is its customer satisfaction. DIRECTV is rated 64 out of 100 by the American Customer Satisfaction Index and scored 763 out of 1,000 by J.D. Power in customer satisfaction nationwide.

Despite its stellar customer satisfaction, there are a few things to watch out for. When you sign up for DIRECTV, you lock into a 24-month contract that includes a price hike after the first 12 months. Unfortunately, if you don’t like it and decide to cancel, you’ll be stuck with an early cancellation fee for each month left in your agreement.

PROS

  • Highly-rated customer satisfaction: J.D. Power and ASCI rated DIRECTV as one of the top TV providers in customer satisfaction.
  • Sports extras included: In three of its four plans, DIRECTV adds on NBA League Pass and NFL Sunday Ticket.
  • Free Genie HD DVR: Each DIRECTV package includes a free DVR device so customers can record and rewatch their favorite programs.

CONS

  • Price hike: The advertised rates on DIRECTV’s websites are only for the first year, then the monthly cost will increase.
  • Early cancellation fees: If customers cancel before the end of the 24-month contract, they will pay $20 for each month remaining.
  • More expensive than competitors: When comparing starting price and available channels, DIRECTV has higher starting points with fewer channels for basic TV plans.

DIRECTV Highlights

Contract
Hardware & Installation
Packages & Pricing
Bundling

 

When you sign up for your DIRECTV plan, you enter into a 24-month agreement. As a part of your agreement, the advertised price is only available for the first 12 months, and your price will increase in the second year. Per the company’s terms and conditions, customers who fail to maintain their 24-month commitment will pay an early termination fee of $20 for each remaining month of their contract.

DIRECTV plans come with free installation and a Genie HD DVR service, but there may still be some extra costs. If you have any additional receivers, custom installation, or equipment upgrades, you’ll pay a minimum one-time fee of $99 and $7 per month.

 

DIRECTV offers four different packages for its customers to choose from:

 

  • Entertainment Package: $64.99/month, includes 160+ channels, and three months of premium entertainment.
  • Choice Package: $69.99/month, includes 185+ channels, NBA League Pass, 12 months of HBO Max, three months of Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and EPIX, and NFL Sunday Ticket.
  • Ultimate Package: $84.99/month, includes 250+ channels, NBA League Pass, 12 months of HBO Max, three months of Cinemax, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and EPIX, and NFL Sunday Ticket.Premier Package: $134.99/month,  includes 330+ channels, NBA League Pass, NFL Sunday Ticket, HBO Max, Cinemax, SHOWTIME, and STARZ.

DIRECTV offers customers the option of bundling their television and internet service. Three of the company’s television plans are available with internet: 

 

  • Entertainment Package + Internet: $99.99/mo.
  • Choice Package + Internet: $104.99/mo.
  • Ultimate Package + Internet: $119.99/mo.

DIRECTV vs. The Competition 

ProviderReviews.com ScoreJ.D. Power*Starting PriceAvailable Basic Channels
DIRECTV3.6764$64.99/mo.160+
DISH Network3.4759$64.99190+
Verizon Fios4771$56.00/mo.125+
Cox Communications3.2726$25.00/mo.75+

Information accurate as of March, 2021

*J.D. Power’s 2020 Residential TV Service Provider Satisfaction Study average rating across regions. Based on a 1,000-point scale.

DIRECTV vs. DISH Network

DIRECTV and DISH Network are close competitors. The two companies tied in first place in J.D. Power’s national customer satisfaction ranking for television service providers. However, DISH had a slight edge in the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index ranking; it came in third place in the industry, while DIRECTV came in fourth.

When it comes to channels, the two companies aren’t far off from one another. Overall. DISH Network offers a slightly better deal when you compare the price you pay for the number of channels you get.

DISH Network PlanPrice
America’s Top 120$64.99/mo. for 190 channels
America’s Top 120 Plus$79.99/mo. for 190+ channels
America’s Top 200$89.99/mo. for 240+ channels
America’s Top 200 Plus$99.99/mo. for 290+ channels

DIRECTV vs. Verizon Fios

Verizon Fios currently isn’t available in most of the country — only customers in the Northeast have access to the service. However, customers that can access it have rated it highly. Verizon’s Fios television service has the highest-ranking customer satisfaction ranking in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. In a 2020 J.D. Power customer satisfaction study for eastern states, Verizon Fios ranked behind just one company: DIRECTV.

When it comes to pricing, Verizon Fios has a bit of an edge. Its plans start at lower prices, and its most expensive plan is cheaper than DIRECTV’s.

Verizon Fios PlanPrice
Fios TV Test Drive$56/mo. for 425+ channels (60-day trial)
Your Fios TV$56/mo. for 125+ channels
More Fios TV$76/mo. for 300+ channels
The Most Fios TV$96/mo. for 425+ channels
YouTube TV$64.99/mo.

DIRECTV vs. Cox Communications

Cox Communications offers fewer and far more basic television plans than DIRECTV. The company offers just two options: its starter and contour plans. While its starter plan is priced well at just $25 per month, neither plan comes with many channels. The most expensive plan comes with fewer channels than DIRECTV’s cheapest television plan.

Cox has decent customer service rankings, but nothing to brag about. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranking, Cox is the seventh ranking provider, while DIRECTV is ranked fourth. In J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction rankings, Cox fell below the regional average in the eastern, southern, and western parts of the nation.

Cox also offers plans that bundle television, internet, and phone service, but we’ve only considered those that offer television.

Provider PlanPrice
Cox TV Starter$25/mo. for 75+ channels
Cox Contour TV$69.99/mo. for 140+ channels

DIRECTV FAQ

Methodology

We evaluated DIRECTV based on customer satisfaction, industry benchmarks, starting package price, starting channels and contract length to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best TV provider reviews. To compare TV providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

  • Customer Satisfaction: Reviews.com used J.D. Power’s 2020 Residential TV Service Provider Satisfaction Study to calculate an average rating of TV providers across all applicable regions.
  • Starting Price: TV service providers that had lower starting prices for their basic packages received higher scores than providers that had higher prices for basic service. 
  • Available Channels: To offset the value of TV providers’ starting prices, we compared the number of channels available in the basic packages. If the provider had plenty of channels, but a higher starting price, these two scores balanced it out.
  • ACSI Score: We used the American Consumer Satisfaction Index benchmarks to review each TV provider’s satisfaction index against the industry benchmark.
  • Contract: Reviews.com researched the required contract length for each TV service provider. If a provider had more flexibility in its requirements — such as no contract requirements — then it received a higher score.

About the Authors

Erin Gobler is an insurance writer for Reviews.com. Over the past three years, she has covered personal finance topics such as insurance, banking, mortgages, and more. Her work has been featured in sites such as The Simple Dollar, Bankrate, and Coverage.com. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Oskosh. Erin’s favorite Reviews.com article is the State Farm Renters Insurance Review.

Table Of Contents