If you’re thinking about ditching DirecTV Stream, here are six cheaper live TV streaming services for you to consider switching to. As is the case with any move from one service to another, there’s always going to be compromises other than the price.
DirecTV Stream can be a good option for many homes, and with more than one plan to choose from, DirecTV Stream does offer different options to suit the varied channel needs and budgets of different homes. The cheapest plan DirecTV Stream offers in general is Entertainment. Priced at $74.99 per month, Entertainment unlocks access to more than 75 live TV channels.
For those that want a richer selection of channels, DirecTV Stream’s Choice plan costs $99.99 a month and unlocks access to more than 105 live TV channels, including local sports channels. Then there’s the $109.99/month Ultimate plan with more than 140 channels and the $154.99/month Premier plan with access to more than 150 channels.
As this guide is focused on services that are cheaper than DirecTV Stream, the prices are mainly being compared to the cheapest Entertainment plan. Naturally, if switching from one of the more expensive packages that DirecTV Stream offers, the monthly savings are likely to be even greater.
Cheaper DirecTV Stream alternatives
The six streaming services below all provide access to live TV channels, and all of them are cheaper than DirecTV Stream.
| Live TV service | Price p/m | Saving p/m |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $72.99 | $2+ |
| Hulu Live TV | $69.99 | $5+ |
| Vidgo | $69.99+ | $5+ |
| Sling TV | $40+ | $35+ |
| Philo | $25 | $50+ |
| Frndly TV | $6.99+ | $68+ |
YouTube TV is $2 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
YouTube TV might only be $2 cheaper than DirecTV Stream each month, but that does still equal a saving of almost $25 over the course of a year. More importantly, YouTube TV might prove to be a better option in general, thanks to the difference in channels and features.
Unlike DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV only offers one main base plan so all base subscribers get access to the exact same channel lineup. With more than 100 live TV channels on offer, YouTube TV also offers more channels than DirecTV Stream’s cheapest Entertainment plan.
If considering switching from Choice or a higher DirecTV Stream package, then you may want to compare the channels first, to ensure you are not losing out on any of your favorite channels. Of course, with Choice priced at $99.99 a month, you’ll be saving almost $30 each month by switching to YouTube TV.
| YouTube TV | |
 | $73 a month 100+ channels 3 streams Unlimited DVR $50.99/mo for 3 months |
Hulu Live TV is $5 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
Hulu Live TV is $5 cheaper than DirecTV Stream each month and if you are already paying for either basic Hulu, Disney Plus or ESPN Plus, then the monthly savings are likely to be even higher. All three of these subscriptions are included with the base plan at no additional cost, making it a pretty good steaming package at a cheaper price than DirecTV Stream’s cheapest plan.
Additional subscriptions aside, the base Hulu Live TV base plan unlocks access to more than 90 channels, which is more than the 75+ channels included with the Entertainment plan. Similar to YouTube TV, if you’re considering switching from Choice or higher, it might be worth comparing the channel lineups to see which channels you might be losing out on when switching.
| Hulu Live TV | |
 | $77+ a month 90+ channels 2 streams Unlimited DVR Disney+ and ESPN+ Sign up |
Vidgo is $5 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
At $69.99 per month, Vidgo is also $5 cheaper than DirecTV Stream. Unlike Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV, Vidgo offers more than one base package, so this price is directly related to the Plus plan. Still with more than 110 live TV channels included with Plus, Vidgo’s cheapest plan offers access to more channels than both Entertainment and Choice.
For those that want an even richer channel lineup, Vidgo’s Premium plan unlocks access to more than 150 channels. At $84.99 per month, Vidgo’s Premium plan is also cheaper than DirecTV Stream’s Choice, Ultimate, and Premier packages.
| Vidgo | |
 | $69.99+ a month 110+ channels 3 streams 20 hours DVR $20 first month |
Sling TV is $35 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
Sling TV is significantly cheaper than DirecTV Stream, making it a good option for those that want to greatly save on the amount they spend on live TV each month. Naturally, with a saving of at least $35 each month, there is going to be some major differences in the service received.
The biggest of which is the channel lineup. While DirecTV Stream’s Entertainment plan unlocks access to more than 75 live TV channels, Sling Orange includes more than 30 channels while Sling Blue includes more than 40 channels. Of course, as long as the channels you want are included with one of Sling’s base packages, there’s no point paying any more each month.
For reference, Sling also offers a combined Orange & Blue package which unlocks access to more than 45 channels. At $55 per month, the Orange & Blue plan is still $20 cheaper than DirecTV Stream’s cheapest live TV package.
| Sling Blue | |
 | $40/month 40 channels 3 streams 50 hours DVR 50% Off Your First Month |
Philo is $50 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
For those looking to save even more each month, Philo is $50 cheaper than DirecTV Stream. With the base plan priced at just $25 a month, switching to Philo will result in a major change to the channel lineup you have access to. Most notably, live news and sports will be the biggest casualties.
Still, Philo can be a good option for those specifically interested in Entertainment channels and content, and with access to more than 70 channels in total, as well as an unlimited DVR, Philo does offer very good value overall.
| Philo | |
 | $25/month 70+ channels 3 streams Unlimited DVR $12.50 1st month with “DeckTheHallMark23” |
Frndly TV is $68 cheaper than DirecTV Stream
Frndly TV is one of the cheapest live TV services around, and its cheapest plan is $68 cheaper than DirecTV Stream’s Entertainment plan. However, with plans starting at just $7 per month, the channel lineup is going to be very different to what DirecTV Stream subscribers get with their current live TV package.
Similar to Philo, Frndly TV is heavily reliant on entertainment channels and content, so this won’t be an option for live sports and news. It is also worth noting that the cheapest Frndly TV plan doesn’t come with a DVR either. That said, the $9 Classic plan does come with an unlimited DVR, and is still massively cheaper than the cheapest DirecTV Stream package.
| Frndly TV | |
 | $7.99+/month 40+ channels up to 4 streams Unlimited DVR (select plans) Sign Up |
DirecTV Stream cheaper alternatives: summary
If looking for a cheaper alternative to DirecTV Stream, there are plenty of options available. The six services listed here are all popular options and all of them offer plans that are cheaper than DirecTV Stream. While the savings on offer with Hulu Live TV, Vidgo and YouTube TV are minimal, some homes may find the channel lineups and/or additional features might suit their needs better.
For those simply looking to save the most money each month, then Frndly TV, Philo, and Sling TV, are going to be good options to consider. However, opting for any of these three services will likely result in a major change to the channel lineups, and likely at the expense of live sports and news.
If you are switching from one of the more expensive DirecTV Stream packages, then the change in channel lineups will be even more drastic. At the same time, the monthly savings will also be even greater.
