How does Xfinity TV compare to DISH?
Entertainment has evolved over the years, but sitting down to watch your favorite TV show or sports team is still a favorite activity for families nationwide. You rely on having a solid TV provider to give you the choices you want at a price point you can handle. Xfinity TV and DISH are two top TV providers, featuring a variety of plans and packages for all types of TV lovers.
But how do they differ, and which one is right for you? We’ve compared these two providers to reveal differences, compare them side by side, and highlight how they rank according to industry experts.
- Who Xfinity TV and DISH are for
- Key considerations
- What others say about Xfinity TV and DISH
- How do Xfinity TV and DISH plans compare?
Who Xfinity TV and DISH are for
Xfinity TV
Xfinity TV is a popular choice with many due to it running on the Comcast cable network, which makes it reliable and available nationwide. This means you can access Xfinity TV in the vast majority of the US, so if you have to move, you don’t have to choose a new provider. For people that want the absolute basic channels, Xfinity TV offers the Choice TV plan at $20 to $30/month (pricing varies by location) with just 10 channels. They also offer higher-tier packages which include 185+ channels with additional optional services such as download capabilities and premier channels.
DISH
DISH offers four different TV packages ranging in price from $69.99 to $104.99/month with the number of channels starting at 190 and going up to over 250. Each plan offers a wide variety of choices, so you’re sure to find what you are looking for no matter what you like to watch. These base channels are in addition to local channels, which are included in every package. Installation for DISH is free and all prices are guaranteed for your first two years of service.
Key considerations
Contracts
Most Xfinity TV plans require a one-year contract to lock in a lower price, which will save you $20-$30/month on average. DISH offers a $10-$15/month discount with a two-year contract, which may appeal to users that want longer-term savings because they’re shielded from a price bump after one year of service.
Additional channel charges
Xfinity TV charges a fee of up to $24.95/month for Broadcast TV and up to $14.45/month for Regional Sports Networks. DISH does not charge a Broadcast TV fee and their Regional Sports Network fee is very low at just $3/month.
Local channels
Xfinity TV includes local channels in each of their plans while DISH charges an additional $12/month. You can choose to remove these channels from your plan if you’d like to eliminate additional fees.
Bundles
Xfinity has a variety of options for bundling your TV, internet, and home phone services starting at $99/month for 24 months. This includes internet speeds up to 1200Mbps and over 185 TV channels. DISH gives you the option of choosing to connect with HughesNet internet or finding another provider in your area. You simply choose which TV package you want, then combine it with the best available internet to potentially save $120 a year or more.
DVR
Xfinity TV offers DVR services at an additional charge of up to $20/month depending on the plan you choose. You can record up to five shows at once, and they provide up to 500GB of storage. DISH has two DVR options available with their Hopper Smart HD DVR. The Hopper Duo is available for free with most packages and gives you 125 hours of storage. You can record two shows at a time, too. The Hopper 3 is $5/month, has 500 hours of storage and is capable of recording 16 shows simultaneously.
What others say about Xfinity TV and DISH
The 2021 American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Xfinity at 66 out of 100 which is just above the national average of 65. The J.D. Power 2021 Residential Overall Customer Satisfaction Index set Xfinity at number two with a score of 725 out of a possible 1,000.
J.D. Power ranked DISH as number one nationally in “Overall Customer Satisfaction” for four years in a row from 2018 to 2021. In 2021, the American Customer Satisfaction Index gave DISH a score of 66 out of 100.
How do Xfinity TV and DISH plans compare?
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*Pricing varies by location and availability. Speeds may vary. All prices subject to change; for current pricing and availability visit our TV service page. Prices as of 3/11/22.
Disclosure | Updater articles are based on our own data and research, independent from partner relationships. We are not compensated by partners for information and opinions presented here. Our Editorial Terms of Service can be found here.
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