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DStv vs GOtv vs StarTimes: which TV package is best in Kenya (2026)

Packages, prices, channels, sports coverage, paybill numbers, and which fits your household.

11 min read Updated 27 April 2026by paybillke editorial

Kenya has three serious pay-TV operators: DStv (MultiChoice, South African), GOtv (also MultiChoice, the budget cousin), and StarTimes (Chinese, the value challenger). All three accept M-PESA, all three serve millions of Kenyan households, and all three want your monthly KES. The choice depends almost entirely on what you actually watch and how much you're willing to spend.

The 30-second answer

For most Kenyan households, GOtv Plus (KES 1,150/month) is the sweet spot — local channels, SuperSport Select for some Premier League, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network for kids, and documentary channels for adults. DStv only justifies its price if you watch full Premier League, Champions League, or premium movies. StarTimes wins on sheer value if your priority is local content and the cheapest possible TV bill.

DStv Kenya packages and prices (2026)

DStv runs eight tiers in Kenya. The full ladder, from cheapest to premium:

  • DStv Padi — KES 1,200/month. ~50 channels. Local Kenyan content, kids, news, lifestyle. No SuperSport. Best for: budget households who want more than free-to-air.
  • DStv Lite — KES 1,500/month. ~70 channels. Adds movies, basic sports highlights. No live Premier League.
  • DStv Family — KES 2,500/month. ~110 channels. Adds Discovery, Nat Geo, more kids channels. Some SuperSport (Variety 4).
  • DStv Compact — KES 4,200/month. ~155 channels. Most SuperSport channels except SS1 and SS3, plus M-Net Movies 2.
  • DStv Compact Plus — KES 6,500/month. ~175 channels. Adds SS1 and SS3 (key Premier League games), more M-Net.
  • DStv Premium — KES 11,700/month. ~200 channels. Everything — all SuperSport, M-Net Movies Premiere, BoxOffice rentals included.
  • DStv Asia — KES 6,500/month. South Asian channels for Kenyan-Indian households.
  • DStv Yanga / Confam — variants for East African content tilt.

Prices change roughly annually. Check the live prices on dstv.com/ke before subscribing. The 2026 prices above reflect the post-January adjustment.

GOtv Kenya packages and prices (2026)

GOtv is MultiChoice's lower-cost terrestrial digital service. Same parent company as DStv, but it uses a UHF terrestrial signal instead of satellite — meaning a small antenna instead of a dish, lower install cost, and a more modest channel count.

  • GOtv Lite — KES 700/month. ~25 channels. Local Kenyan stations, basic news, music, religious.
  • GOtv Value — KES 1,000/month. ~45 channels. Adds Disney Junior, lifestyle, more local.
  • GOtv Plus — KES 1,150/month. ~65 channels. SuperSport Select, Nickelodeon, basic movies. The mainstream pick.
  • GOtv Max — KES 1,750/month. ~85 channels. Adds SuperSport Variety 4, more sports content.
  • GOtv Supa — KES 2,750/month. ~100 channels. SuperSport Premier League and major leagues, plus broader entertainment.
  • GOtv Supa Plus — KES 3,500/month. ~115 channels. Top GOtv tier with maximum SuperSport coverage available outside DStv.

GOtv's value comes from the Plus tier upward. Below Plus, you lose access to most SuperSport channels, which is the main reason most households take pay-TV in Kenya.

StarTimes Kenya packages and prices (2026)

StarTimes is the Chinese-owned challenger that has aggressively undercut both DStv and GOtv on price. Its channel count is lower and its sports coverage is narrower, but the value proposition is real for cost-conscious households.

  • StarTimes Nova — KES 599/month. ~30 channels. Local Kenyan, kids, basic news, music.
  • StarTimes Smart — KES 999/month. ~60 channels. Adds movies, more international, basic sports.
  • StarTimes Classic — KES 1,499/month. ~80 channels. Adds StarTimes Sports (carries some Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga rights — but rights vary year-to-year), more documentaries.
  • StarTimes Unique — KES 1,899/month. ~95 channels. Top tier for StarTimes, with maximum sports and entertainment.

StarTimes also sells a separate satellite product (StarSat) targeting customers in remote areas without UHF terrestrial reception. Pricing is similar with slightly higher install costs.

Head-to-head: which one wins by use case

For Premier League / Champions League fans

DStv Premium or Compact Plus is the only realistic answer. SuperSport holds the Kenyan Premier League rights and most major European football. GOtv Supa offers a SuperSport subset, which means roughly 60-70% of Premier League games but not every match. StarTimes carries fewer top-tier rights — you'll get some Bundesliga and Serie A but not the full Premier League schedule. If you cannot miss a Liverpool match, only DStv works.

For family households watching kids and news

GOtv Plus at KES 1,150 is the value champion. You get Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney Junior, KTN, Citizen, NTV, BBC, Al Jazeera, and a respectable lineup of documentaries. DStv Family at KES 2,500 is similar but adds Discovery and Nat Geo if those matter. StarTimes Smart at KES 999 is even cheaper but the kids selection is thinner.

For absolute budget households

StarTimes Nova at KES 599 is the cheapest pay-TV in Kenya. You get the major Kenyan broadcasters plus a handful of international channels. If your alternative is going without TV altogether, this is the floor. GOtv Lite at KES 700 is 100 shillings more for similar Kenyan content.

For movie watchers

DStv Premium has M-Net Movies Premiere, M-Net Movies 1-4, and BoxOffice (rotating recent releases) — the strongest movie lineup in Kenya. GOtv Max has basic movie channels. StarTimes carries Star Movies and ST Movies but the catalogue is older.

Hardware and install costs

Forgotten in monthly comparisons, the install cost can swing the decision:

  • DStv: Decoder + dish + install ~KES 7,500 - 12,000 depending on retailer. Decoder owned outright.
  • GOtv: Decoder + UHF antenna + install ~KES 2,500 - 4,500. Far cheaper to start.
  • StarTimes: Decoder + UHF antenna ~KES 2,200 - 3,500. Cheapest entry.

DStv's install is two to three times the cost of the others. For households unsure about committing long-term, GOtv or StarTimes lets you experiment cheaply.

How to pay each one via M-PESA

The mechanic is identical for all three:

  1. Open M-PESA on your phone.
  2. Select Lipa na M-PESA → Pay Bill.
  3. Enter the business number: 444900 (DStv), 423655 (GOtv), or 585858 (StarTimes).
  4. Enter your IUC / smartcard number as the account number.
  5. Enter the package amount in KES.
  6. Enter your M-PESA PIN and confirm.

Activation is usually instant. If your decoder doesn't reactivate within 5 minutes, unplug it for 30 seconds and plug back in. If still inactive after 30 minutes, contact the operator with your M-PESA transaction code.

Service reliability differences

DStv satellite signal is the most reliable in normal weather but cuts out during heavy rain (every Kenyan in the long rains knows this). GOtv terrestrial UHF is rain-resistant but more sensitive to terrain — works fine in towns, struggles in deep valleys. StarTimes also uses UHF terrestrial with similar coverage characteristics.

For coverage inside Nairobi, all three work fine. In rural Kenya, DStv tends to win on sheer signal availability since it bounces off Intelsat — anywhere with a clear southern sky view gets a signal. GOtv and StarTimes need a UHF transmitter within ~80km.

Our recommendation

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheapest?

StarTimes Nova at KES 599/month is the cheapest entry-level pay-TV package.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes — all three are month-to-month. Stop paying and the service deactivates after your last paid period ends. There's no contract penalty.

Can I pause my DStv / GOtv subscription?

DStv and GOtv allow temporary disconnection without losing your decoder configuration. Useful if you travel for a month — request via the My DStv or My GOtv app.

Where is my smartcard / IUC number?

DStv: printed on the smartcard inserted in the decoder, usually a 10-digit number. GOtv: printed on the back of the decoder, 10 digits. StarTimes: same — 10-12 digits on the decoder back panel.

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