DirecTV Now Logo
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4.3

Overall Score

LAST UPDATED: September 12th, 2023

DIRECTV NOW is a streaming service owned by AT&T that offers 120+ live TV channels, premium programming options and access to more than 40,000 On Demand shows* live sports channels, and on-demand movies. A cheaper alternative to cable, DIRECTV NOW offers a free trial, no annual contract and no TV satellite needed. New subscribers can receive a Roku streaming stick when prepaying for 1 month of service or prepay for 4 months of service and get an Apple 4k TV.  

DIRECTV NOW suggests these internet speeds for optimal streaming service:

  • 150 Kbps - 2.5 Mbps - Minimum broadband connection speed for mobile devices
  • 2.5 - 7.5 Mbps - For HD quality

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The Good

  • Enhanced DIRECTV NOW
  • Compatible Streaming Devices
  • Plans and Pricing
  • Premium Channels

Enhanced DIRECTV NOW

Recently, DIRECTV NOW improved navigation and added a few new features. DIRECTV NOW subscribers can add a third simultaneous steam for just $5/mo, watch local channels when traveling out of market, and bookmark shows to find later. There is also the ability to record their favorite shows through the DIRECTV NOW True Cloud DVR. 

Compatible Streaming Devices

DIRECTV NOW is compatible with several devices including PC and Mac computers, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV,  TV Chromecast, Roku TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Android phones and tablets, iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touch. On these devices, subscribers can stream On-Demand shows and movies, as well as stream live TV in English and Spanish. Users can also download the DIRECTV NOW app on the iPhone app store or Android’s Google Play. 

Plans and Pricing

DIRECTV NOW offer five plans starting at $40/month; although the company has offered several deals to entice people to use its streaming services.

Live A Little

  • $40/month
  • 65+ Channels

Just Right

  • $55/month
  • 85+ Channels

Go Big

  • $65/month
  • 105+ Channels

Gotta Have It

  • $75/month
  • 125+ Channels

Todo Y Más

  • $45/month
  • 90+ Channels

Premium Channels

DIRECTV NOW offers select premium channels:

  • HBO for $5/mo
  • CINEMAX for $5/mo
  • SHOWTIME for $8/mo
  • STARZ for $8/mo
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The Bad

  • Auto Billing
  • Limitations of Services
  • Help Center

Auto Billing

DIRECTV NOW offers new subscribers a free 7-day trial to test out its service. However, at the end of the trial subscribers will be enrolled in the Live A Little package for $40/mo. Subscribers not wanting to enroll in the package will need to cancel their subscription before the end of the trial period.   

Limitations of Services

DIRECTV NOW only allows subscribers to stream what is aired on their television service. This includes live television and On-Demand TV shows and movies. Since DirecTV is not a traditional streaming service, they do not show:

  • Exclusive original series - DirecTV does not create any of their own content.
  • Subscription shows - If subscribers want to enjoy HBO or Showtime content, they have to purchase them separately.
  • Movie Restrictions - The movie library is always shifting, so movies will not be available for long.

Help Center

 Located on the website is the DIRECTV NOW Help Center. Subscribers can look for answers to basic questions about billing and account management, troubleshooting, or watching DIRECTV NOW. However, the support link on the DIRECTV NOW page leads to the support center on the AT&T site. This can be frustrating for those who wanted to stay on the DIRECTV NOW site as they are directed to another webpage. 

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The Bottom Line

DIRECTV NOW offers live TV streaming services that allow subscribers to watch on-demand shows and movies and participate in on-demand video streaming. Customers looking to replace their cable or satellite tv, DIRECTV NOW is a decent option. With a number of streaming packages and over 40,000 channels, users can find something that fits their streaming service needs. Subscribers can watch their favorite shows on a multitude of platforms, just download the app, TV app or watch from a smart TV. Potential customers should be aware that when signing up for the 7-day free trial it will automatically enroll customers in the Live A Little package. At this time, NFL Sunday Ticket isn't available as a premium option for DIRECTV NOW.

 

*Requires subscription to top package and all premium channels.

**Local Channels: Limited availability. Channels vary by package & billing region

We recommend reviewing the top rated companies before making a final decision.

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Star Rating

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3.7

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31 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

39%

4 grade

23%

3 grade

19%

2 grade

3%

1 grade

16%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Starski Cene Vienna, VA

Still some room to improve. Pros: - DVR - Good value for what you get - Local channels - The guide is easy to navigate Cons: - Issues with the app freezing (using it on Apple TV) - Issues with outages - The guide is easy to navigate(vertically by channel) but horizontally (by the time) is not intuitive. There is no way to go back to current time unless you scroll all the way left and you can't select the channel unless your cursor is at the current time

5 years ago

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Jesse Murph Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Good channel selection. But still working the kinks out with their interface. Loading and connection issues at times. Even when internet is good and other streaming devices are working fine.

5 years ago

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Adam Hellewell Orem, UT

Signed up pretty early on in the service's history and was happy at first. Now it seems like all the internet-based TV streaming services are becoming just like the cable companies, raising their prices and making more channels available only as add-on packages.

4 years ago

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Matthew Carbaugh Herndon, VA

There is usually a delay between when a show airs and when you can watch it online. This is slightly annoying when I forget to record a show and have to keep checking back to the site to see if it is finally up.

5 years ago

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Dean Young

Sound is very low when streaming from the app. Channels go in and out from time to time

5 years ago

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Amanda Hellewell Orem, UT

I wish more live sports were available with the minimal package. It used to be better than it is now.

4 years ago