Wondering whether to choose fuboTV or DirecTV Stream for cord-cutting in 2024? As a streaming analyst with over 5 years experience reviewing internet TV services, I’ve compared both platforms in-depth across channels, sports, DVR, pricing and more to help you decide.
Introduction
Cutting cable TV cords in favor of internet TV services can save money without compromising content. I’ll compare two popular options, fuboTV and DirecTV Stream, so you can determine the best fit based on your viewing preferences and budget.
I’ll cover key decision factors like:
- Channel lineups and content libraries
- Live sports offerings
- Cloud DVR storage and features
- Streaming quality and device support
- Account sharing and simultaneous streams
- Pricing and contract commitments
By the end, you’ll understand the pros and cons of each service and can confidently select one for your household.
DirecTV Stream Overview
DirecTV Stream, formerly known as AT&T TV, offers cable TV channel packages delivered over the internet. With no contracts or equipment fees, it provides flexible month-to-month access to live and on-demand shows.
Its core benefits include:
- 75+ to 150+ channels depending on package
- Access to regional sports networks
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Stream on 20 devices at home, 3 outside
- Compatible with Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and more
- 5 day free trial available
Now let’s overview fuboTV before comparing the two services head-to-head.
fuboTV Overview
fuboTV positions itself as a sports-focused streaming provider, with significant entertainment programming as well. It offers flexible, contract-free plans with no hidden fees.
Here are some of its main highlights:
- 180+ channels on Pro plan, 250+ channels on Elite/Premier
- Extensive sports coverage including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL
- 1000 hour DVR included
- Stream on unlimited devices at home, 3 outside
- Apps for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Smart TVs, mobile
- 7 day free trial
Next let’s do a detailed feature comparison of fubuTV and DirecTV Stream.
Detailed Feature Comparison
Channels and Content
First, let’s analyze the channel lineups. While both offer major sports and entertainment channels, fuboTV generally provides more overall options.
DirecTV Stream Channel Highlights
- ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC locals
- ESPN, FS1, TNT, TBS
- AMC, Bravo, CNN, TLC
- Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network
fuboTV Channel Highlights
- ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC locals
- BeIN Sports, ESPN, FS1, NFL Network
- AMC, CNN, Food Network, HGTV
- A&E, Discovery, History, Nat Geo
fuboTV also streams in 4K HDR resolution, compared to DirecTV Stream’s max 1080p HD. While 4K content is still limited, this allows forward compatibility with the latest TV display standards.
If you have specific “must have” channels, carefully compare each service’s lineup. Both offer lookup tools listing your available local channels and regional sports networks.
As for on demand libraries, DirecTV Stream currently has the edge. They provide 10,000+ on demand titles alongside live channels with select plans. fuboTV has a more limited VOD catalog at this time.
Winner: fuboTV for overall channel count, DirecTV Stream for on demand library
Sports Content
Given fubotv’s sports-centric reputation, you may be surprised to learn that DirecTV Stream holds its own here. While fubo comes out ahead for niche sports, DirecTV Stream counters with better mainstream sports coverage.
Let’s break it down league by league:
NFL Coverage
Both provide NFL Network along with CBS/Fox/NBC for national and local games. The key advantage for DirecTV Stream is inclusion of NFL Sunday Ticket for an added fee. This provides live regular season out-of-market Sunday games that are hard to access otherwise without satellite.
MLB Coverage
Available on both, with DirecTV Stream having a higher count of regional sports networks (RSNs) for local games. They also don’t charge an additional RSN fee. fuboTV has some RSN gaps depending on location.
If looking to access MLB content, DirecTV offers convenient MLB viewing options as part of select packages.
NBA Coverage
Again fairly even, with ABC/ESPN/TNT plus a majority of regional networks. Slight edge to DirecTV Stream.
NHL Coverage
Lean towards DirecTV Stream here too for a higher RSN count to catch local hockey telecasts.
Soccer and International Sports
fuboTV has the clear advantage for soccer and global sports. That includes beIN Sports for LaLiga and Ligue 1, Fanatiz for South American soccer, among others. Ideal for footy fans.
For golf, tennis and mainstream college sports, they’re on par overall. But fubo positions itself better for niche sports like cricket, cycling, horse racing and more.
In summary, DirecTV Stream excels for the major US-based sports leagues by securing deals with key RSNs. But fuboTV caters better to international sports and US niche sports.
Winner: Toss-up depending on your sport priorities.
Cloud DVR Comparison
Let’s move onto DVR recording capabilities, an essential feature for on-demand viewing.
fuboTV comes out ahead here by offering 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage on its base $79.99/month Pro plan. Recordings have unlimited lifetime too, rather than expiring after a set number of months.
By comparison, DirecTV Stream only supplies 20 hours of storage on starter plans. You have to upgrade to the Unlimited DVR add-on for $10/month to remove limits. They do advertise this as “unlimited” storage, but fine print shows recordings still expire after 90 days automatically.
So while the word “unlimited” sounds appealing, fuboTV delivers a better experience overall. You get significantly more base storage, plus no risk of losing access to recordings randomly based on an unknown retention window.
Winner: fuboTV
Streaming Quality
Supported streaming quality is an important criteria that affects viewing enjoyment. fuboTV takes the crown here by offering sports and entertainment in Ultra HD 4K resolution where available. This requires a compatible 4K TV and fast internet speeds. Visuals look best on displays over 50 inches.
Besides 4K streams, fubo also supports 1080p Full HD across devices.
In contrast, DirecTV Stream maxes out at 1080p HD resolution as of early 2023. They have aspirations to add 4K later pending content deals, but have no firm timeline.
So if you want a future-proof service that unlocks sharper 4K as more content comes online, fuboTV is ready to showcase this higher fidelity today.
Winner: fuboTV
Supported Devices
In terms of platform support, both fuboTV and DirecTV Stream are widely available across mobile, computer and TV devices. You can stream using Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Smart TVs plus iOS/Android mobile apps.
Get instructions for adding DirecTV to popular streaming devices like Firestick TV.
The main difference comes with game consoles. fuboTV can be viewed on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S gaming systems. DirecTV Stream doesn’t work with any game consoles presently.
fuboTV also supports Chromecast, which lets you “cast” streams from mobile apps or the web to any TV with an attached Chromecast dongle. Nice for quick access.
Overall very similar device compatibility otherwise between the two services.
Winner: Slight edge fuboTV for Xbox and Chromecast support
Account Sharing and Streams
When it comes to simultaneous streams allowed for account sharing between family or roommates, DirecTV Stream pulls ahead.
Their base packages allow unlimited concurrent streams on your home wi-fi network. The only limit imposed is 3 streams at once when away from home.
In contrast, fuboTV standard plans enable up to 10 streams simultaneously. You can pay $6/month more to get unlimited home streams matching DirecTV.
For households with many heavy viewers, DirecTV Stream makes sharing one account simpler without monitoring stream caps. Great for larger families.
Winner: DirecTV Stream
Pricing and Contracts
One final factor to weigh is monthly pricing and plan flexibility. Good news is that both DirecTV Stream and fuboTV follow modern streaming norms by not requiring long term contracts. You can cancel monthly if desired.
Here’s how starter pricing breaks down:
- DirecTV Entertainment plan – $69.99/month
- fuboTV Pro plan – $79.99/month
They line up evenly here. fuboTV accumulates more value at higher tiers with more channels, streams and features per dollar. But for base packages, very comparable month-to-month cost.
One hidden fee to watch for with fuboTV is the Regional Sports Fee to access channels like NBC Sports and NESN in certain zip codes. This runs $8-$10/month extra. DirecTV Stream simply includes RSNs without pesky add-on fees.
Winner: Toss-up, but lean DirecTV Stream for simpler all-in pricing
Free Trials
I always recommend taking advantage of free trials before paying. This lets you test channels, streaming quality and features first-hand in your home without risk.
DirecTV Stream offers 5 days to evaluate its service before billing starts.
fuboTV goes a step further with a 7 day free trial.
Winner: fuboTV longer 7 day trial.
For additional DirecTV Stream and cable TV provider comparisons, see their in-depth Spectrum vs DirecTV Stream guide and DirecTV vs Xfinity comparison.
Key Takeaways
To summarize this extensive fuboTV vs DirecTV Stream comparison:
- fuboTV has more overall channels and the best niche + international sports
- DirecTV Stream counters with extra regional sports networks and a larger on-demand library
- fuboTV streams in 4K resolution but has less simultaneous stream allowances
- DirecTV includes unlimited home streaming with no hidden add-on fees
- Similar base pricing around $75/month with no contracts
If you love soccer, fuboTV is likely the best fit with their soccer expertise. Big fans of NFL, MLB, NHL may lean DirecTV Stream. For large households, unlimited DirecTV streams provide flexibility.
Channel preferences ultimately dictate the best option for your home. Both have strengths in key areas rather than a universal winner.
And for those seeking replacement services entirely, review these DirecTV streaming alternatives like YouTube TV and Sling.
FAQ – Frequent Questions
Q: Which has more sports channels and soccer options?
A: fuboTV holds the overall sports channel lead, especially for soccer and international sports. That includes tons of soccer leagues like LaLiga, LigaMX and more via beIN Sports and other partners. Niche sports like cricket and cycling have more coverage as well.
But DirecTV Stream remains decent for mainstream sports and has better representation for regional sports networks. Pick fuboTV if soccer access is critical.
Q: What’s the monthly price after the 5 day / 7 day free trials end?
A: The starting price for fuboTV is $79.99, while the starting price for DirecTV Stream is $69.99. This gets you 75+ channels on DirecTV Stream and 180+ channels on fuboTV Pro. Regional sports fees may add $10 or so on top for fubo depending on market.
Overall very similar base pricing, just like typical cable TV services. fubo scales up better at higher tiers by packing in more sports and entertainment alongside features. But both keep free trial price.
Q: Can I customize channels with add-ons?
A: Yes – both offer premium channel add-ons for HBO, Showtime, Starz and so forth if looking for movies. These cost between $5 to $25 extra per month depending on service.
fubo additionally lets you build a customized package from genre and language add-ons beyond the core plan. Start with a base tier like Pro or Elite then optionally expand from there based on preferences.
Q: Which works better for streaming NFL games live?
A: DirecTV Stream has a slight edge for NFL football by offering NFL Sunday Ticket. This allows viewing out-of-market Sunday games live that are normally restricted due to broadcasting rules. Requires a separate upcharge but great access for hardcore fans.
Both carry NFL Network along with CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN for national and local game coverage otherwise. I’d pick based on additional factors and consider NFL Sunday Ticket as a nice perk of DirecTV Stream.
Q: Does picture quality matter for sports? Should I consider 4K streaming?
A: If you have a fairly recent 4K HDR television over 50″ inches, then absolutely take advantage of fuboTV’s superior 4K streaming capability. Their support for Ultra HD content, alongside 1080p HD, will look significantly crisper for sports compared to DirecTV Stream’s max 1080p feed.
4K really enhances viewing NCAA football, soccer, basketball and other fast action sports with all the additional detail. Well worth considering fuboTV if your TV setup supports it. Harbor no regrets upgrading to this higher visual fidelity!
For additional fuboTV and live TV streaming comparisons, see their fuboTV vs Sling TV, fuboTV vs Philo, fuboTV vs YouTube TV, fuboTV vs Hulu and fuboTV vs Spectrum breakdowns.
The Bottom Line
DirecTV Stream and fuboTV both offer solid channel packages covering entertainment, news and lots of live sports action without expensive cable TV contracts. For core needs they are more alike than different. Unique perks like unlimited concurrent streams (DirecTV) or niche sports access (fubo) tilt preferences.
Carefully weigh channel priorities, pricing fits, and streaming features outlined here when deciding. Try out free trials to judge real-world performance in your own living space across devices. Confidently evaluating both first-hand this way makes determining the better home media solution easy.
I’m happy to provide any other insights from my years reviewing streaming services as well. Feel free to ask follow-up questions in the comments!
