DISH to raise prices next month; is it time to cut the cord?
DISH to raise prices next month; is it time to cut the cord?
If the new price increase from DISH has you searching for the exit, we will show you the best live TV streaming alternatives.
No one in the pay-TV ecosystem is safe from price increases. DISH, unfortunately, gave customers a reminder of that fact this week, when it announced that it was raising prices on a host of its English-language channel packages in the United States. We’ll give you the details on that, and show you alternatives for watching your favorite channels on live TV streaming services if you’re ready to cut the cord.
Key Details:
- Cost you a fiver: DISH is raising prices on its packages by $5 per month.
- Coming soon: Price increases will take effect as of Sept. 11.
- Lots of alternatives: There are six top live TV streaming services that would serve as good alternatives for a DISH subscription.
DISH has announced that it is raising prices by $5 per month on a variety of packages. In a blog post, DISH explained that it was enacting this price hike because programming costs have continued to rise, and because programmers force customers to accept all of their owned channels to receive their content in channel bundles.
The price increases will take effect as of Sept. 11. Check out its new prices in the table below:
| DISH package | New monthly price |
|---|---|
| Welcome Pack | $67 |
| Smart Pack | $71 |
| Flex Pack | $73 |
| DISH America | $88 |
| America’s Top 120 | $103 |
| America’s Top 120+ | $108 |
| America’s Top 200 | $118 |
| America’s Top 250 | $128 |
| America’s Everything Pack | $153 |
| Local Channels | $14 |
DISH is beset with issues these days, as its parent company, EchoStar, is just barely managing to stave off bankruptcy. The company has been losing pay-TV customers, and its Boost Mobile wireless service isn’t growing at a fast enough pace to keep up with losses on the TV side.
If you’re looking to cut the cord and leave DISH behind after this latest price jump, keep reading. We’ve got a number of great options for you to pick from if you want to go with a live TV streaming service to receive your favorite channels instead.
Which live TV streaming services can you use to replace DISH?
DIRECTV
DIRECTV has a huge selection of channel plans to pick from, and customers who choose to receive their package via streaming on their on device get a five-day free trial with this service as well.
Let’s start with DIRECTV Signature packages, which come with 90+ channels or more starting at $85 per month. These plans include local broadcast channels, as well as popular cable news, sports, and entertainment. You can get regional sports networks and other popular selections as you step up your channel package with DIRECTV, as well.
DIRECTV also sells Genre Packs, which have fewer channels in them and are built around themes like kids’ channels, news, sports, and more. Many of DIRECTV’s Genre Packs also include free access to on-demand streamers such as Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max, and they start at just $20 per month, but can vary in price somewhat widely.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Fubo
Fubo is the best alternative to DISH for sports fanatics. The streamer has channel packages starting at $85 per month after a free trial, but there is a bit of a trade-off with Fubo: a regional sports network (RSN) fee of up to $17 per month will bump the price higher for most subscribers, as this fee is not optional.
The upside of that fact is that Fubo subscribers get their local RSN in almost all American TV markets. For most, this means a large selection of NBA, NHL, and MLB games are available each year, in addition to all the national sports channels, as well as news and entertainment options that Fubo has to offer.
Fubo
Fubo is a live TV streaming service offering a robust lineup of approximately 150 premier channels, with plans starting at $63.99 per month. This entry-level package provides access to local broadcast affiliates 18 of the leading 35 cable channels channels, and valuable regional sports networks (RSNs).
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is another good choice for viewers with diverse viewing tastes. It carries a balance of news, sports, and entertainment networks in its package, which has 90+ total channels in it and comes with a three-day free trial for all new subscribers.
The real bonus with Hulu + Live TV is that all plans starting at $83 per month include the Disney Bundle at no extra charge, giving audiences access to Disney+, Hulu, and the new ESPN streaming service without having to pay a dime extra every month.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.
Philo
Philo doesn’t have some of the channel options that other streamers on this list offer; namely, there are no live sports channels or local broadcast networks that come with a subscription. But the Philo package does include nearly 20 of The Streamable’s top entertainment channels, including AMC, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, and more, plus access to on-demand entertainment from AMC+ at no extra cost.
In exchange for fewer premier programming options, Philo has a base price of just $28 per month for its channel package. If you don’t need a huge lineup of live sports or cable news networks, this is a great way to replace your DISH subscription and save big money.
Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers, offering flexible ways to watch without the high price of traditional TV bundles. The service now features two paid plans — Essential and Bundle+ — alongside its existing free streaming offering, giving customers a range of options depending on how much live and premium content they want.
Sling TV
Let’s say you want to stay in the DISH pond, even if you’re ready to ditch your DISH satellite plan. Check out Sling TV, which comes with two base channel packages for $46 per month each: Sling Orange, which focuses more on kids and sports programming, and Sling Blue, which has more news and entertainment options. Sling Orange has 30+ channels, and Sling Blue offers around 40.
Customers can also combine the plans into one with Sling Orange and Blue for $61 per month. In addition, Sling has a new Select plan with 10 of the most popular channels from Sling Blue for $20 per month, or customers can sign up for Sling TV Passes and watch Sling Orange programming for as little as $5 for one day of service.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
YouTube TV
Our last alternative to DISH is YouTube TV, which has a good channel package that sprinkles in something of everything, totaling up to 90+ networks in all. It starts at $83 per month, and comes with a free trial of between two and 14 days, depending on various factors like what time of month you subscribe.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
