Philo is a cable and satellite TV alternative that caters to cord-cutters who are serious about keeping their costs down with a plan that offers more than 60 channels for $20 per month.
It includes favorites like AMC, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, OWN, Nickelodeon and Hallmark Channel.
Philo Live TV Streaming Service: Everything You Need to Know
Team Clark signed up for a free trial and quickly discovered what makes Philo different from competitors like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
Read on to learn the five things you need to know before you sign up!
Table of Contents:
1. How Much Does Philo Cost?
Most of the leading live TV streaming services have starter packages that cost around $50 to $65 per month, but Philo is less than half that price.
Philo discontinued its $16 per month plan in early May 2019, leaving a single $20 package for new subscribers.
Philo offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. You must provide an email address or phone number to sign up, as well as future payment information.
However, you can cancel the service before the trial expires and you won’t be billed.
DEAL ALERT: Philo has partnered with Best Buy for two special offers: Get one month of Philo free with a qualifying purchase or 50% off your first month of Philo if you sign up through Best Buy.
2. What Channels Do You Get With Philo?
Philo’s lineup is unlike its main competitors because it doesn’t include any local or sports channels. However, you will find plenty of reality TV shows, children’s programming, documentaries and movies.
If you like Philo’s channel lineup but still want local channels, here’s how you can get them without cable.
Philo Channel Lineup
| Philo |
|---|
| A&E |
| AccuWeather |
| AMC |
| American Heroes Channel |
| Animal Planet |
| aspireTV |
| AXS TV |
| BBC America |
| BBC World News |
| BET |
| BET Her |
| Cheddar |
| Cleo TV |
| CMT |
| Comedy Central |
| Cooking Channel |
| Crime-Investigation |
| Destination America |
| Discovery Channel |
| Discovery Family |
| Discovery Life |
| DIY Network |
| Food Network |
| FYI |
| Game Show Network |
| getTV |
| Great American Country |
| Hallmark Channel |
| Hallmark Drama |
| Hallmark Movies & Mysteries |
| HGTV |
| History Channel |
| IFC |
| INSP |
| Investigation Discovery |
| Law&Crime |
| Lifetime |
| LMN |
| Logo |
| MotorTrend |
| MTV |
| MTV Classic |
| MTV Live |
| MTV2 |
| Newsy |
| Nick Jr. |
| Nickelodeon |
| Nicktoons |
| OWN |
| Paramount Network |
| PeopleTV |
| REVOLT |
| Science Channel |
| Sundance TV |
| Tastemade |
| TeenNick |
| TLC |
| Travel Channel |
| TV Land |
| TV One |
| UPtv |
| VH1 |
| Vice |
| WE tv |
T-Mobile’s TVision Vibe plan is the closest thing to Philo. At launch, TVision Vibe is $10 a month for T-Mobile wireless subscribers. It includes about half as many channels as Philo.
3. Does Philo Come With DVR Capabilities?
If Philo has the channels that you like, you’ll be happy to learn that it includes unlimited DVR. Save any shows you want and they’ll be available to view for 30 days — with the ability to fast-forward through commercials.
In addition, the company says it lets users replay just about everything that’s aired within the last 72 hours.
4. How Do You Stream Philo on Your TV?
Like all live TV streaming services, you must have a high-speed internet connection and a supported device. They include Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV streaming media players, plus Google Chromecast as of July 2020.
Philo is also available on most mobile phones and web browsers. See a list of all supported devices here.
5. Does Philo Allow for Multiple Streams?
If you have multiple people in your house who want to use Philo, a subscription allows three different streams to be played at the same time. The oldest stream will stop working when you reach four streams.
Final Thought
I had no trouble using Philo during my free trial period. Its interface took a few minutes to get used to, but I found the TV guide function pretty user-friendly once I played around with it. I also had no issues with buffering.
Philo is priced below the competition, but the absence of ESPN, Bravo, CNN and Disney will be deal-breakers for many households.
Philo: Pros and Cons |
|
| Pros | Cons |
| Lots of entertainment networks for a very low price | No local or sports channels |
| Unlimited DVR included | |
| Three streams at a time allowed | |
If you’re willing to spend $50 to $65 per month, some of the other live TV streaming services offer bundles with channel lineups that will more closely resemble a traditional cable or satellite TV package.
Compare your options in Team Clark’s guide to the best live TV streaming plans and deals!
