DirectTV Stream vs YoutubeTV: which is better?

cord-cutting › comparaisons • April 6, 2024 • Staff

DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV are some of the most in-demand streaming services in the market. Both have great channels to choose from and vary very little in their price range. So, when it comes to cord-cutting, how will you choose your pick? 

That depends, mainly on the following factors: popularity, price, device availability, channel availability, specialties, and whether each service offers a trial or not. 

That said, the main difference between DirecTV and Youtube TV is the quality of the picture, especially when using the DVR functionality. DVR recordings on Youtube TV will be downgraded in quality, but they will stay the same on DirecTV. 

Below, we discuss all these and more to help you make the best choice. 

Channels on DirecTV Stream and not YouTube TV

The channels that DirecTV Stream has and which are not available on YouTube TV:

  • AXS TV
  • Baby First TV
  • Bloomberg Television
  • Boomerang
  • C-SPAN
  • C-SPAN2
  • CNN en Espanol
  • Disney Channel
  • Disney Jr
  • E! Entertainment
  • ESPN3
  • Fox Business Network
  • Gem Shopping Network
  • Home Shopping Network
  • MTV2
  • One America News
  • Ovation
  • Paramount Network
  • Pursuit Channel
  • QVC2
  • REELZ
  • ReelzChannel
  • REVOLT
  • RFD-TV
  • RSNs
  • SundanceTV
  • TCM
  • TeenNick
  • Univision East
  • USA Network

Channels on YouTube TV and not DirecTV Stream

The channels that YouTube TV has which are not available on DirecTV Stream:

  • ABC News
  • ACCN
  • Adult Swim
  • BBC World News
  • BET Her
  • Big Ten Network
  • Bounce
  • CBS Sports Network
  • Cheddar
  • Cheddar News
  • CNBC World
  • Comedy TV
  • Comet
  • Court TV
  • Cozi TV
  • Dabl
  • Disney Junior
  • Docurama
  • Dove Channel
  • ESPN U
  • ESPNews
  • FOX SOUL
  • Fox Sports 2 (FS2)
  • Fox Weather
  • FXM
  • Game Show Network
  • Get TV
  • Golf Channel
  • Hallmark Family
  • HSN
  • IFC
  • ION
  • Justice Central TV
  • LAFC Channel
  • Law & Crime
  • Live Now
  • Local Now
  • Localish
  • MTV 2
  • MTV Classic
  • My TV
  • Nat Geo Wild
  • National Geographic
  • NBA TV
  • NBC News Now
  • NBC Universo
  • NBCLX
  • NBCSN
  • NECN
  • News Nation
  • Nick Jr.
  • Nickelodeon
  • Nicktoons
  • Orlando City Channel
  • OWN
  • Oxygen
  • Oxygen True Crime
  • PBS Kids
  • PC Mag
  • Pop
  • Recipe.TV
  • Scripps News
  • SEC Network
  • Smithsonian Channel
  • SNY
  • Start TV
  • Sundance TV
  • Tastemade
  • Teen Nick
  • TeleHit
  • The CW
  • The Great Courses
  • The Weather Channel
  • Travel Channel
  • Tru TV
  • Turner Classic Movies
  • TYT
  • Unimas
  • Unimas local channels
  • Universal Kids
  • Univision local channels

Popularity: YouTube TV is more popular than DirecTV Stream

YouTube TV has 6,500,000 subscribers whereas DirecTV Stream has 788,000 subscribers. This means that YouTube TV has 5,712,000 more subscribers than DirecTV Stream. That's a pretty big difference.

Price: YouTube TV is cheaper than DirecTV Stream

YouTube TV's costs $73 whereas DirecTV Stream costs $80. Getting DirecTV Stream instead of YouTube TV will set you back $7 more every month.

Why get DirecTV Stream?

DirecTV Stream is a Live TV streaming platform with a twist: you can download the app on any of your existing devices, or for a $120, you can get a box with a custom remote control for the service. But without the box, DirecTV Stream functions like a Netflix or Hulu, allowing you to stream Live TV from anywhere by downloading the app. Within your home, you can stream on up to 20 devices (!), and from outside your home you can stream on up to three devices.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Why get YouTube TV?

Youtube TV boasts a wide offering of almost every major channel, unlimited DVR, six accounts, and up to three simultaneous streams. It's the perfect option for families. The cost is a little steep, and there are cheaper options out there, but with a great interface (Live TV services are not known to always have the most intuitive interfaces) and wide availability across devices, it's fair to say that you'll get your dollar's worth.

Go to YouTube TV

Devices: YouTube TV is more widely available than DirecTV Stream

YouTube TV is available on Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Shareplay supported, Sharp, Vizio or Xbox.

Whereas DirecTV Stream is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV or Samsung TV. That's 6 less devices than YouTube TV.

Channel count: YouTube TV has 56 channels more than DirecTV Stream

YouTube TV's lineup includes 134 channels whereas DirecTV Stream has only 78 channels. Getting a subscription to YouTube TV will give you access to 56 more channels than DirecTV Stream. That's quite a bit of channels.

Trial: DirecTV Stream offers a trial

DirecTV Stream has a trial. The trial duration is 5 days.

Find out more on DirecTV Stream

Trial: YouTube TV offers a trial

YouTube TV has a trial. The trial duration is 7 days.

Find out more on YouTube TV

DirecTV Stream's specialty

The specialties of DirecTV Stream are: College basketball, College football, Lifestyle, News, Soccer, Sports.

YouTube TV's specialty

The specialties of YouTube TV are: Baseball, College basketball, Lifestyle, News, RSNs, Science fiction, Soccer.

Channels on both YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream

The channels that are available on both YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream are:

If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is the most extensive live TV streamer available today. 85 channels, multiple simultaneous streams, and unlimited DVR storage, all for $73 a month. You don’t have to sacrifice live sports or local channels either, as is the case with some other live streamers. Basically, it’s cable without the hassle of cable.

Go to YouTube TV

Price: $72.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Shareplay supported, Sharp, Vizio, Xbox

Channel lineup: ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery, Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN2, ESPNews, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Family, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBS, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telemundo local channels, The CW, The Great Courses, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, WE tv

Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.

More lists

Lists on how to save money by cutting the cord.
15 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting
11 Best Services to Watch ESPN live Without Cable
30 Best Streaming Bundles in 2024
10 Best Live TV Services That Offer Free Trial
Philo Channels, Plans, and Costs 2022
Sling TV Channels List
YouTube TV Channel List
Hulu+ Live TV Channel List

The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.