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fuboTV vs DirecTV Now: Comparing the Two Giants
Last updated July 8, 2021
Starting over with an over-the-top (OTT) platform after you've cut the cord with your cable provider can be an interesting and exciting experience, so we wanted to help you out by comparing fuboTV vs DirecTV Now to see which one of them is a better option for you.
Both fuboTV and DirecTV Now are interesting platforms, each delivering a wide range of channels and plenty of customization options. As you may have noticed in our fuboTV review, this platform stands out because it has a lot of sports channels you can pick from, while DirecTV Now, which we've also reviewed, features channels from all areas of interest, as well as caters to Spanish speakers with a special bundle.
Before we move on to find out what the best features are for each of these platforms, we're going to have to take a quick look at their highlights.
Also, here are the scores they each got during our reviews.
Since those numbers don't really tell the full story, we're going to dive deeper and take a closer look at both these platforms.
fuboTV vs DirecTV Now: Side by Side Comparison
Let's see what these platforms have to offer in terms of channel bundles and how diverse they are.
Channel Bundles
Will these platforms have what you need in terms of bundles? Will they allow you to choose something that suits your needs and your wallet?
- fuboTV: There are four bundles you can get on fuboTV, two of which feature Spanish and Portuguese-language channels, namely fubo Latino ($17.99/mo) and fubo Portugues ($19.99/mo). The main bundles are called fubo ($44.99/mo) and fubo Extra ($49.99/mo) and they both get a price cut during the first month. fubo has over 85 channels, while fubo Extra over 105.
- DirecTV Now: This platform offers five starter bundles you can pick from, with prices varying from $40 to $75 per month. There are also two international bundles that DirecTV Now recently introduced - Vietnamese, with 9 channels, and $20 per month, and Brazilian with 2 channels - $25 per month.
Winner: DirecTV Now wins this one because it has more bundles you can pick from and a more varied collection of channels.
Customization Options
How much can you customize the platform and what channels can you add? Let's find out!
- fuboTV: fuboTV gives users enough room to customize their subscriptions by adding extra channel packs. For instance, you can add Adventure Plus, fubo Cycling, or Sports Plus, which is full of cool networks. Plus, you can also add premium channels Showtime and AMC Premiere.
- DirecTV Now: There are several extra channel packs you can add, including DirecTV Now Deportes ($5/mo) and DirecTV Now Espanol ($10/mo). You may also add Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, and HBO, which, by the way, is the cheapest option we've seen so far with an OTT, namely $5 per month.
Winner: fuboTV wins this one by an inch. There are far more channel packs available on fuboTV, even though there are fewer premium networks.
Supported Features
Can you record your favorite shows and can you watch a movie at the same time as your partner is watching something else? Let's see
- fuboTV: fuboTV comes with integrated DVR, meaning that you get 30 hours of storage space included with your package. You can upgrade to 500 hours by adding Cloud DVR Plus for $9.99 per month. Furthermore, you can watch on up to two devices at once, but if you want to add another screen to your subscription, you'll have to pay $5.99 per month for Family Share.
DirecTV Now: The platform offers some DVR space, namely 20 hours, that's included with the subscription. Unfortunately, you can't expand this with any extra features like with other similar platforms. DirecTV Now users can watch content on two devices at once, and adding another will cost $5 per month.
Winner: Neither of these platforms has stellar DVR capabilities, but fuboTV wins this race because it at least gives users the opportunity to expand to a decent size.
Streaming Quality
Before picking a platform you need to make sure that your Internet speed is on par to sustain all the "weight" of streaming live TV, so let's see what these OTTs require.
- fuboTV: If you want to watch 720p videos on fuboTV, you'll need to have at least 5 Mbps Internet speeds, but you'll need double that if you want to watch 1080p videos. For all those 4K games over the weekend, you're going to need 25 Mbps.
- DirecTV Now: The platform's recommendation is that you have at least 7.5 Mbps for HD-video streaming. If you want to enjoy multiple simultaneous streams, you'll need a larger bandwidth.
Winner: DirecTV Now wins this one since it's lighter on the Internet pipes and you might get away without having to upgrade your Internet contract too.
Supported Devices
Can you watch your favorite shows on your favorite device, or while out and about? Let's see how these platforms stand.
- fuboTV: There's a rather long list of devices that fuboTV works on, including Android and iOS devices, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Android TV. There's no support for smart TVs or game consoles.
- DirecTV Now: DirecTV Now works on a lot of different devices, which is great news for you. The list includes Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, Samsung smart TVs, as well as iOS and Android devices. There's no support for Xbox or PlayStation.
Winner: DirecTV Now wins this one. While it may not have support for any game consoles, it does feature some smart TVs.
Usability
How easily can you find your way around the platform?
- fuboTV: The platform's interface makes it easy for users to navigate from one channel to the next, to the guide, and so on. You can even check to see what events are on for specific sports.
- DirecTV Now: It's just as easy to find your way around the platform on DirecTV Now, mostly thanks to the intuitive interface.
Winner: We have a tie here! Nowadays, most platforms are easy to navigate and you don't need a Ph.D. to get around so it shouldn't be any problem for even non-techy users to get used to it all.
fuboTV vs DirecTV Now: Which One to Pick?
The winner of this round is DirecTV Now! fuboTV is a worthy opponent, but DirecTV Now, with its many bundles, premium channels, and great device support takes the cake. Sign up for DirecTV Now and let us know how you find the platform.
Final Thoughts
We hope that our fuboTV vs DirecTV Now head-to-head comparison article has helped you make a decision about which platform is best for you and suits your needs better.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below, including which platform you picked. Please share the article online if you can. Meet us up on TechNadu's Facebook and Twitter pages.
