Philo has now launched a new Essential plan that’s priced at just $25 a month. The introduction of the new plan sees the entry cost of Philo returning back to the price it was before the most recent price increases. The new plan has also resulted in a name-change for the existing Core package.
Key Takeaways
- Philo has introduced a new $25/mo Essential plan, restoring the service’s original lower entry price by removing bundled add-ons like AMC+ and HBO Max.
- Essential also includes a 7‑day free trial, giving budget‑focused customers a way to try the service out at no cost.
- The previous Core plan has now been renamed Bundle+. Still priced at $33/mo, Bundle+ includes access to AMC+, HBO Max (Basic with Ads), and Discovery+
One of the big changes to the Philo base package in recent years was the bundling of AMC+. Although good for customers looking for more content to stream each month, the addition of AMC+ also resulted in the cost of the Core package increasing to $28 a month.
Last year, the value on offer with Philo’s base Core package increased further through the bundling of HBO Max and Discovery+. However, this also resulted in another $5 being added to the price.
These two increases totaled $8, and considering the low cost of Philo in general, that’s a notable increase for customers. For those that found the increases to be too much, the new Essential plan resets everything.
Basically, unlike the Core package, the new Essential plan costs just $25 a month and doesn’t include AMC+, HBO Max or Discovery+.
The new plan now means new and existing Philo customers can once again sign up to a $25/mo plan. While no access to the extra add-ons, Essential subscribers do get access to the same 70+ paid channels, as well as the 120+ FAST channels included in Philo’s free tier.
Although the new Essential plan is not replacing the Core package, the latter has now been rebranded as Bundle+.
This change is designed to make it easier for customers to understand exactly what’s on offer with the $33/mo package. In addition to everything included in Essential, Bundle+ also bundles AMC+, HBO Max (Basic with Ads), and Discovery+.
“This is about giving customers genuine choice. Essential reflects our commitment to keeping live TV accessible and affordable, and doing it without compromise. Bundle+ is for viewers who want more, and we’ve made it easy to upgrade at any time. Both plans reflect where we’re headed as a company: building a platform that meets customers where they are, at every stage,” said Mike Keyserling, CEO, Philo.
In a true return to form, the Essential plan also includes a 7-day free trial, once again making it possible to test out Philo’s paid live TV package without having to pay for the first month.
For those more interested in Bundle+ (formerly Philo Core), unfortunately there’s still no free trial available, after the option was removed late last year.
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