DirecTV packages: Entertainment vs Choice vs Ultimate vs Premier

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DirecTV

(Image credit: Future)

With plenty of perks from the get go, DirecTV is a live TV streaming service that offers an incredible array of channels and promotions that go much further than its close competitors, such as Fubo and Sling.

Offering upwards of 75 channels, and that's just on their starter plan, this streaming service allows you immediate access to the premium entertainment, news and sports channels.

Other perks include the lucrative DirecTV Visa reward cards, varying from $100 to as much as $400 depending on the plan you choose. There is also a price guarantee for the first two years with this streaming service, meaning there will be no change in price to what you originally signed up for.

However, this two-year price guarantee does mean you are locked in with DirecTV for this period of time which can be a long time to stick with a TV provider. It is also one of the more expensive services on offer, with the premium package setting you back $159.99 per month alone.

If you're still interested in pursuing a plan with DirecTV then continue reading to compare their pricing, channel selection and more.

Swipe to scroll horizontally DirecTV packages at a glance
Row 0 - Cell 0 DirecTV EntertainmentDirecTV ChoiceDirecTV UltimateDirecTV Premier
Price per month$69.99$84.99$114.99$159.99
Channels75+105+140+150+
Reward Card$100$200$300$400
DevicesUp to 5Up to 5Up to 5Up to 5
Today's best DIRECTV and DirecTV NOW deals DIRECTV Stream - Entertainment DIRECTV Stream - Choice DIRECTV Stream - Ultimate

DirecTV Entertainment

The first plan, DirecTV Entertainment, offers a whopping 75 channels minimum with internet and over 165 via Satellite. These include essentials such as CNN, ESPN channels, AMC and Nickelodeon, all of which are perfect for family viewing.

Among the other channels this plan guarantees are BBC America, Comedy Central, Discovery, FX, MTV, TruTV and many more. Another bonus – available with all the plans – is three months of free premium cable channels including Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax, worth over $160 together in value. Just remember to cancel after three months, if you don’t want to keep them past their trial periods, or you’ll have a big surprise in your next bill.

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Regarding DVR storage, the quality will vary with regards to if you sign up via Satellite connection or internet. Whereas Satellite promises up to 200 hours of HD content on your device (including 4K), internet plan offers unlimited 4K storage in the cloud which will expire after 9 months. This DVR storage is the same across all DirecTV plans – from this Entertainment package to the Premier package.

DirecTV Choice

The next step up from DirecTV Entertainment is DirecTV Choice which is available for $84.99 per month. Boasting over 105 channels (and double this amount of channels on Satellite), DirecTV Choice prides itself on providing speciality sports channels.

These extra channels include (on top of the previous 75 channels from DirecTV Choice) ACC Network, Big Ten Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, SEC Network among various others. For those who want to branch outside of just football and baseball content, this plan also provides Golf Channel and Tennis Channel and even the Cooking Channel, Science Channel and Travel Channel. Regional sports, with the most in-market RSNs, and local channels are also included where available.

DirecTV Ultimate

Despite being called DirecTV Ultimate, there is one level above this third-tier plan. However, this particular package includes over 140 channels – and at least 270 via Satellite – for the more expensive price of $114.99 per month.

This jump to paying above $100 per month comes with a lot more sports and movie channels, alongside the previous plans’ offerings, with the likes of CBS Sports Network, Discovery Family, FX Movie Channel, NHL Network, STARZ Encore and many more. We don’t have space to list all the channels but you can check out the full list on their website. Across all plans, DirecTV also gifts you their latest Gemini device – once installed it delivers all your favourite programmes in one place without switching inputs or swapping remotes.

DirecTV Premier

If you’re willing to cough up $159.99 for a plan which offers the most, DirecTV Premier is the one for you. With over 150 channels via internet and over 340 for Satellite, this top plan from DirecTV certainly gives you bang for your buck.

Whereas the other plans all include a trial three month period of Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ and Cinemax, DirecTV Premier includes them for the length of your time with them. This access to the top-rated premium networks (with the exception of MGM+ which is still only a three month trial period) may justify the inflated price for some but for others paying over $150 per month may be too much. Just a few of the extra channels, not available on other plans, include ActionMAX, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel and Willow. Ultimately, it’s up to you as to whether you can justify this price for DirecTV’s biggest and best package.