Xfinity vs Dish comparison
Dish is the second-largest satellite TV provider in the US, with about 13.7 million pay television subscribers to DIRECTV's 20 million.
Xfinity is the largest cable television provider in the US. That doesn't mean they're automatically the right TV service for you, though.
There are several factors you should look at before you decide on a pay TV provider.
Dish vs Xfinity: TV packages
At first glance, Dish vs Xfinity pricing looks fairly similar. If we dig a little deeper though, we find that there are a few extra fees that can add up quickly on your monthly Xfinity bill.
- Separate DVR rental and HD service fees
- Broadcast TV fee
- Regional Sports fee
- Installation fees (for both self-install and professional installation)
These fees can total up to $30 or more just on their own, which turns that nice introductory into a big dose of sticker shock.
With Dish, you get the first Hopper 3 free, although you do pay a monthly DVR service charge.
In terms of promotional pricing, most of Xfinity's deals last 12 months. Dish guarantees your pricing for two years.
Xfinity TV packages
- Download
- 400-1,200 Mbps
- Channels
- 10-185
- Calls
- Unlimited
- Monthly Price
- $20-110
Xfinity offers internet, TV & landline services with plans starting at $20.To order service call: (888) 473-8978
Xfinity TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic TV | 10 Channels | $20.00 | ||
Extra TV | 125 Channels | $67.27 | ||
Preferred TV | 185 Channels | $69.99 |
Xfinity TV & Internet Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic TV + Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | 10 Channels | $54.99 | |
Extra TV + Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | 125 Channels | $89.99 | |
Preferred TV + Internet 800 Mbps | 800 Mbps | 185 Channels | $99.99 |
Xfinity Triple Play Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Extra TV + Internet 400 + Voice | 400 Mbps | 125 Channels | Unlimited | $99.99 |
Preferred TV + Internet 1000 + Voice | 1000 Mbps | 185 Channels | Unlimited | $109.99 |
Pros
Flexible bundles
Month-to-month service option
Quality DVR choices
Mobile app
Cons
Rate hikes after promotional pricing expires
Negative customer support ratings
Benefits
Optional no contract plan
Great flexible bundle deals
Top quality DVR choices
Good add on channel options
Plenty of on demand content
Includes a voice remote
Online virtual support
24/7 customer support
Xfinity TV deals & pricing
| Package | Channels | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Basic TV | 10 | $20 |
| Xfinity Extra TV | 125 | $67.27 |
| Xfinity Preferred TV | 185 | $69.99 |
All of the packages include music channels, and Premier gives you premium movie channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax.
Dish packages
- Download
- Channels
- 190-290
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $70-105
Dish offers TV service with plans starting at $70.To order service call: (888) 474-3462
Dish TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
America's Top 120 | 190 Channels | $69.99 | ||
America's Top 120 Plus | 190 Channels | $84.99 | ||
America's Top 200 | 240 Channels | $94.99 | ||
America's Top 250 | 290 Channels | $104.99 |
Pros
Transparent pricing
Strong sports offerings
Whole-home DVR
Compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa
Cons
No HBO
No NFL Sunday Ticket
Benefits
Whole Home DVR
Consistent pricing throughout contract
No contract option
Good sports coverage
Standard installation included
99% signal reliability - in all weather
Up to 80,000+ movies and shows available On Demand
Google Voice remote
Dish deals & pricing
| Package | Channels | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dish America's Top 120 | 190 | $69.99 |
| Dish America's Top 120 Plus | 190 | $84.99 |
| Dish America's Top 200 | 240 | $94.99 |
| Dish America's Top 250 | 290 | $104.99 |
All plans include local channels and 70+ Sirius XM music channels.
Dish vs Xfinity: TV channels
Both providers give you a decent selection of the most popular channels across their mid-tier offerings. Dish has a bit of an edge on sports coverage while Xfinity excels at on-demand content with over 84,000 titles to Dish's 20,000+.
Dish channels
- Broad sports coverage starts at the very bottom tier with ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, Fox Sports 1, and NBC Sports Network
- NFL Network comes with three out of the four packages
- Multi-Sport package comes with over 35 premium and regional sports networks, including NFL RedZone
- Unique sports add-ons available like Willow Cricket channel and Racetrack Television Network (horse racing)
- Top tier - America's Top 250 - comes with The Movie Channel, Showtime, Starz, STARZ Encore, Epix, and FXM
Xfinity channels
- Typical selection of sports and family channels across lower tiers
- NFL Network and MLB Network included in top three plans
- Sports Entertainment Package sold separately with NFL RedZone and out-of-market regional sports
- Starz Encore channels come with all plans from Preferred and up
- Premier plan includes HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, Encore, and The Movie Channel
Bottom line: The big news here is that at the time of this writing, HBO and Cinemax are noticeably absent from the Dish premium movie channel lineup. This is due to a fee dispute with AT&T and may change over time.
Other than that issue, both offer PPV events and the typical menu of premium sports add-ons like NHL Center Ice and NBA League Pass. Dish channels are great for sports fan while Xfinity channels are suited to those who are more interested in a varied blend of different entertainment types and must-have their HBO shows (at least for the time being).
Dish vs Xfinity: DVR & equipment
Dish Network's Hopper 3 is notorious for its massive capacity and flexibility. XFINITY's X1 Cloud DVR is no slouch, but it's tough to compete with the Hopper.
Dish DVR
- 2 TB - up to 500 hours of HD recording/2000 SD
- Record up to 16 shows simultaneously
- Connect up to 8 TVs total (extra receivers - called Joeys - incur additional monthly fees)
- Voice-controlled remote
- Manage and watch on other devices with the Dish Anywhere app
- Download programs for offline viewing
Xfinity DVR
- 500 GB - up to 60 hours of HD recording/300 SD
- Record up to 6 unique streams at once
- Voice-controlled remote
- Download recordings for offline viewing
- Manage and watch on the go with the Xfinity app
Bottom line: Despite Xfinity adding flexibility via their cloud DVR, it's still a weak contender against the Hopper 3. In fact, since you can also access your recordings, live TV, and on-demand content on your mobile with the Dish app, it's tough to pinpoint many advantages to the Xfinity cloud DVR.
Dish vs Xfinity: availability
Availability is where satellite TV service really shines over traditional cable.
States with Dish: 50
States with Xfinity: 40
Still, if you're a die-hard fan of cable television you'll have a much better chance of finding Xfinity near you than other cable TV providers. For example, AT&T availability is limited to just 21 states, while Spectrum rivals Xfinity with service in 41 states.
Dish vs Xfinity: contract & fees
Contract terms can influence your decision as much as price or selection.
Dish contract & fees
- 24-month service agreement required
- Price guaranteed for the duration of the contract
- Early termination fee is $20 for each month left in your contract
Xfinity contract & fees
- Promotional pricing offers require a 12-month commitment
- Prices go up in your second year
- No-contract service costs more per month
Bottom line: If you're not desperate to avoid commitment, it's worth it to calculate the potential savings you'll see over two years with Dish compared with XFINITY's pricing plus their extra fees.
Considerations when comparing Dish & Xfinity
Promotional pricing can lure you in quickly, but remember - no matter which TV provider you choose, that attractive pricing is temporary. It's best to look at the big picture.
- What other fees are added to your bill?
- Are your favorite channels available?
- Is there a contract?
- How long does the promotional pricing last?
- What kind of equipment do you get?
Find out all about how Dish measures up against Xfinity in the following comparison.
Dish vs Xfinity FAQs
How does Dish Internet compare to Comcast?
There are differences between these two providers. Xfinity is a TV and Internet service owned by Comcast. You can compare the two in our comparison article above, or head to the package overview pages on MoneySavingPro.
Is Xfinity better than Dish?
What's best for you won't be right for everyone. You can use the Money Saving Pro tools and guides to narrow the search. After reading our comprehensive comparison of these two providers above you're still not sure, you can take a look at packages Dish offers, then see what packages Xfinity offers for more information.
Which is better dish or cable?
The main difference between a satellite dish and cable service is the instillation. One runs their service via a dish, the other through a physical cable or internet service. Use the TV service ZIP code checker to find out who offers the best service in your area.
Recap
Ultimately your choice of the best TV provider boils down to personal preference. You might be willing to pay a little more to stay out of a contract, or maybe you'd rather have the larger storage capacity offered by Dish's DVR system.
Xfinity may also tip the scale with their affordable internet and TV bundles. Don't count out Dish for bundled services either as the satellite company partners with internet providers in your area to offer more value as well.
Still undecided? Check out our full reviews of Dish and Xfinity before making a final decision!
