When it comes to pay-tv services two of the prominent contenders are DISH and cable service providers. Both provide a multitude of channels, pausing live TV and recording, on-demand television, and much more. However, there is a notable dissimilarity between these two types of stores when it comes to price. Is it, therefore, cheaper to subscribe to DISH than cable? Let us proceed further into the details.
Upfront Costs
This is an area where DISH has a clear advantage over cable since there are no complicated installation procedures and little equipment to purchase. Installation or activation fee: Most cable companies will charge you an installment or activation fee when subscribing and costs about $50 or more than that. However, despite all the services, DISH offers customers free installation services. The only investment costs that are incurred at this stage are the equipment including satellite dishes and receivers. There is a possibility that you will be offered the promo deal that makes the equipment fees minimum or even covered by DISH Network.
Another obvious cable fee every consumer should expect to pay is a modem or equipment rental fee. Cable subscribers rely on the provider to supply them with a modem and cable box for a price range from $5 to $15 per month. However, customers do not have to pay for DISH equipment such as receivers and DVRs because these are part of the initial subscription cost. And so it is with the initial costs, which are again lower at DISH.
Monthly Subscription Rates
This is where the real cost difference that was previously demonstrated comes into play. In all the tiers of the services, DISH has a subscription cost that is significantly lower than that of an average cable. Let's run through some examples:
The DISH America’s Top packages are offered at $94. 99-$104. 99 with a range of 190-240+ stations. Other cable packages are usually around $150 per month, similar to that.
Our reviewed service is DISH’s America’s Top 120 – it costs 69. 99 dollars a month and includes 190+ channels. A similar cable package, in all likelihood, would cost fifty to a hundred and twenty dollars, or more per month.
First and foremost, the comparison of entry-level packages demonstrates the cost difference. The package from DISH under the name of America’s Top 120+ that includes 235+ channels costs $89. 99 per month. The cable channel lineup of the equivalent is normally $100+ monthly.
Overall, DISH can offer $10-60 less a month depending on the number of channels selected. Alas, prices might differ from one region to another, but as for DISH, they are always cheaper than cable.
Premium Add-Ons
All the cable providers and DISH offer movie packages such as HBO MAX, and Cinemax, and sports packages including NFL Sunday tickets. These enhanced features cost extra, and they are typically $15 per month for each movie channel and $10-15+ per each sports package.
The rates offered for the most popular channels and packages are relatively close to what cable providers offer. This, however, comes in a cheaper package than the basic DISH package in most circumstances while the premium upgrades also come at a cheaper cost.
Other Considerations
There are a couple of other cost factors to keep in mind when comparing DISH and cable:
- DVR Service Fees: The subscription cost for cable operators to offer DVR service ranges from $10-$20 monthly. DISH DVR service comes with every package provided at any extra cost.
- Regional Sports Fees: Cable providers have been accused of increasing the “regional sports fees” which increase costs in the range of $5- $15 every month. These fees are not common among DISH.
All in all, DISH saves an average of $15-60+ per month compared to the average cable package, which it has been doing consistently. Hence, while the channel and capability matrices are nearly identical, the former is significantly cheaper than the latter in almost every instance for DISH.
Ready to upgrade your TV experience? Call us now at (877) 471-4808 to find the perfect Dish Network plan for you! Don’t miss out on great entertainment—our team is here to help you choose the best package and get you started today.
