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DIRECTV’s Choice XTRA vs DISH America’s Top 250

Last updated on April 20th, 2015 by George Levint

In our first installment of head-to-head plan battles between DIRECTV and DISH Network, we’ll profile two of the most popular packages going: Choice XTRA and America’s Top 250. They each have plenty of subscribers and share some quality features, but if you’re trying to decide between the two, there are a few important differences. In the table below, we’ll compare each of the major categories and give a nod to the winner (the larger the “advantage” text, the bigger the upside). If there’s no significant difference in a category, we’ll declare it a draw.

Quick conclusion: If you’re looking to maximize your long-term savings and want the NFL package, go with CHOICE XTRA. Otherwise, movie lovers will probably find a bit more value with the Top 250.

Note: visit each of the plans’ respective page for more details (linked in the header below).

Category

Choice XTRA

America’s Top 250

Price

Promo (yr 1): $39.99/mo
Promo (yr 2): $63.99/mo
Regular (yr 3+): $68.99/mo

✓ Advantage

Promo (yr 1): $39.99/mo
Regular (yr 2+): $69.99/mo

Number of Channels

Primary channels: ~152
Music/misc: 58
Total: 210

Primary channels: ~158
Music/misc: 102
Total: 260

✓ Advantage