Best Satellite Dishes

Best Satellite Dishes - If you’re in the market for a new satellite dish, be warned. Things can get complicated. Not every dish is compatible with every provider, and what are those weird ones with the dome? Before you throw your money in the wrong direction, let us fill you in on all the details. We’ve found the best satellite dishes—now let’s find which one’s right for you.

DISH vs. DIRECTV

Before we get into the dishes themselves, it's important to first understand that the two major satellite TV providers, DISH and DIRECTV, each use their own satellite technology. That means most satellite dishes are compatible with one or the other, but not both.

We'll cover the best dishes for both DISH and DIRECTV in each category, but you'll need to decide which provider you want before you pick your dish. Generally speaking, DISH offers a better DVR (the Hopper 3) and guaranteed two-year pricing, while DIRECTV has better sports programming (like NFL SUNDAY TICKET

Best satellite dish for your home

This decision is pretty simple. For most people, the dishes that come with your DISH or DIRECTV plan are just fine, and they're included in your monthly bill. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s nice to have someone else take care of the installation. For that reason, we'd recommend sticking with what comes with your package. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Best satellite packages for your home

While dishes from DISH and DIRECTV are basically the same, the programming is a different story. Second only to choosing your satellite provider, choosing the right package for your home is an important decision you’ll want to get right the first time. Here are our favorite options for DISH and DIRECTV.

DISH

Our favorite DISH TV package is America’s Top 200™. This plan gets you 240+ channels for $94.99 per month, and it offers the best balance of price and variety of all the DISH satellite packages. For a limited time, you can also get SHOWTIME®, STARZ®, and DISH Movie Pack free for three months when you sign up. You’ll also get access to DISH Anywhere® for watching TV on the go.

DIRECTV

For DIRECTV, the best value is DIRECTV ULTIMATE. This package gets you 250+ channels for $60 per month. Like our DISH pick, we think it offers the best balance of what you pay and what you get. And if you’re a sports fan, don’t forget about NFL SUNDAY TICKET, which lets you catch every out-of-market game of the season included for the first year when you sign up for select DIRECTV packages.

Best satellite dish for your RV

Should I get an in-motion, stationary/mounted, or portable satellite dish?

Good question! While home satellite dishes are pretty straightforward, things get interesting when it comes to receiving a satellite signal on the go. There are three types, and we'll break them down for you in the sections below.

Best in-motion satellite dishes