When it comes to conveniently watching movies in your home, Netflix is a great option–it definitely beats renting DVDs from your local video store, especially now that Blockbuster is now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But how does Netflix compare to traditional services like DirecTV, DishNetwork, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, or Xfinity by Comcast?
Netflix Pricing: Netflix is pretty cheap. You can get it for $7.99 for streaming only and if you need the DVD service, you’ll pay $2 per month extra. It’s cheap and certainly beats buying DVDs at Blockbuster (Blockbuster entered bankruptcy if you didn’t already know). Stock ticker: NFLX (NASDAQ)
DirecTV Pricing: DIRECTV will cost you upwards of $29.99 a month and you’ll get a ton of awesome channels in the basic package. They will throw in great shows like ABC Family, HBO, and Showtime. DirecTV provides over 285 channels and even had DirecTV Cinema, a service that let’s you view movies on DirecTV up to 30 days before they become available on services like Netflix or Redbox. DirecTV has special access to Hollywood studios which allow them to access premium access sooner than other providers like Redbox. Also, DirecTV will let you view every single NFL game that is played, all season long, a big plus for sports buffs! Lastly, the other thing we like about DirecTV is that nearly all the channels come in HD, so that you get a clean and crisp picture on your new flatscreen! Stock ticker: DTV (NASDAQ)
Xfinity Comcast Pricing: Xfinity is like the gold standard in high quality viewing across devices in your home but unfortuantly, Comcast charges a lot for their service. You’ll be locked into $99.95 per month for 12 months. Yikes! You better start earning more or generate some more capital gains, because Xfinity will put you back in a big way! Some of the great things about Comcast Xfinity are that it includes HBO if you’re a drama watcher. Also, one of the coolest things about Xfinity is the feature that allows you to view and record movies in any room in your house, regarless of there you start recording them. Stock ticker: CMCSA (NASDAQ)
Verizon FiOS Pricing: Verizon FiOS is really popular these days as Verizon has expanded FiOS into new geographies. Basically, FiOS wasn’t available in some parts of the country until Verizon did some work to improve the network. One great thing about Verizon FiOS is that it received the “best in class” award in terms of HD picture quality, beating out rivals like Xfinity by Comcast, DirecTV, and AT&T U-verse. The basic FiOS TV package includes 185 channels, which is less than DirecTV and will cost you $64.99 a month. Another great benefit of Verizon FiOS is that you can use FiOS on your smartphone, saving you time and keeping you entertained when you’re on the go. Verizon FiOS is a good service but it seems a little expensive compared to others.
AT&T U-verse TV Pricing: It’s all in the name–At&T U-verse TV is the universe when it comes to watching great TV in your living room. U-verse is a fantastic product at a reasonable price, especially compared to rival services like Verizon FiOS, DirecTV, Comcast Xfinity, and even offline services like Redbox. TV plans with AT&T U-verse start at only $19/month, which is a good bargain. AT&T U-verse TV has a ton of premium channels like HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime, so you won’t get bored. One thing we don’t like about AT&T U-verse TV is how aggressively they bundle their internet and phone service with the U-verse product, which was annoying to us when we signed up.
