Frndly TV can be watched on as many as four devices at the same time, but the exact number of simultaneous streams will depend on the plan a household is signed up to. While Frndly TV is only one of many live TV streaming services now available in the US, it is considerably cheaper than many of the others. Naturally, there are some trade-offs with a lower-priced service, and to some degree, same-times streams is one of them.
When it comes to watching live TV over the internet, plans are far from cheap. YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV are two of the most popular live TV streaming services and both cost more than $60 per month. While there is also the likes of Sling TV and Philo, both of which cater to those looking for more affordable subscriptions, Frndly TV’s plans start from as little as $7 per month.
Frndly TV offers three live TV plans for consumers to choose from with the maximum number of devices that can be watched on at the same time limited to four. Compared to some other live TV services, this is far fewer streams and especially when compared to their at-home allowances. However, as Frndly TV does not differentiate between being at home and away from home, it offers a relatively similar level of simultaneous streams support to other services when watching outside the home network.
It is worth noting that the maximum of four streams is only available with Frndly TV’s Premium plan, priced at $10.99 per month. If signed up to the $8.99 per month Classic plan then subscribers are limited to just two streams at the same time. If opting for the cheapest, $6.99 per month Basic plan, subscribers are reduced to watching on just one device at a time.
- Basic Frndly TV: 1 device at a time
- Classic Frndly TV: 2 devices at the same time
- Premium Frndly TV: 4 devices at the same time
How many streams do you need?
Unlike other live TV streaming services which tend to offer different plans based on the channels included, Frndly TV doesn’t actually make this distinction. Instead, subscribers to any of the three Frndly TV plans get access to the exact same channel selection. This does mean that the number of streams is one of the areas which will dictate how much someone needs to pay for Frndly TV. If one device at a time is enough, and the video quality capped at SD is okay, then the $6.99 Basic plan should work fine.
If in need of more than one stream, then consumers will need to consider choosing between the Classic and Premium plans. While the video quality is an additional factor with the Basic plan, that’s not the case with Classic and Premium – both are capped at HD. This should make the decision between these two plans a little easier by deciding on whether a home wants access to 2 or 4 simultaneous streams.
For reference, there are some other differences that could play into the decision-making process, with DVR the prime example. Those opting for the Basic plan don’t get access to a DVR and are resigned to watching live or on-demand. Similar to the simultaneous streams situation, the DVR doesn’t differ massively between the Classic and Premium plan considering both have access to an unlimited recording experience.
Where there is a difference is in how long recordings can be kept for. While Classic subscribers can only keep recordings for three months, Premium subscribers can keep theirs for nine months. If access to a DVR is less important, then deciding on how many streams are needed, and at which resolution, will determine which plan is the best for a home.
Frndly TV simultaneous streams summary
The Frndly TV plan a subscriber signs up to directly affects how many devices the live TV service can be accessed on at the same time. The cheapest Basic plan is the most limiting with only 1 stream available. Upgrading to the Classic plan unlocks an additional stream to take the total to 2. For those willing to pay the most each month for the Premium plan, an additional 2 streams are unlocked, taking the total to 4. At present, Frndly TV does not offer any way to increase the number of simultaneous streams beyond 4.
Unlike other live TV services, Frndly TV doesn’t appear to make any distinction between where the device is when accessing the service. As a result, subscribers get access to a maximum of four same-time streams regardless of whether they are at home or away from home.
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