A Philo subscription unlocks access to more than 70 live TV channels for as little as $25 a month. With services like Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV costing more than three times as much, Philo is a good option for those looking for an affordable way to stream live TV.
What You Need to Know
- Starting at $25/mo, Philo offers more than 200 channels (70+ paid channels plus 150+ free FAST channels).
- Philo’s channel lineup skews heavily in favor of lifestyle, reality, and kids programming and lacks in terms of local channels, news, and sports.
- For $33/mo, subscribers get AMC+, Discovery+, HBO Max, and several extra premium channels.
The number of channels included with Philo is actually much greater than 70, as the live TV service also provides access to a huge variety of free channels as well.
However, as subscribers do not have to pay anything to access these free channels, those considering signing up to Philo should primarily focus on the paid channel lineup, and whether the selection meets their needs.
Philo Paid Channels List
All of the channels listed below are included with Philo’s cheapest $25/mo live TV package (Essential).
- A&E
- AccuWeather
- AMC
- American Heroes Channel
- Animal Planet
- aspireTV
- AXS TV
- BBC America
- BET
- BET Her
- Catchy Comedy
- CLEO TV
- CMT
- Comedy Central
- Cooking Channel
- Crime + Investigation
- Dabl
- Destination America
- Discovery Channel
- Discovery Family
- Discovery Life
- Discovery Turbo
- EarthX
- FETV
- Food Network
- FYI
- Game Show Network
- Great
- Great American Faith and Living
- Great American Family
- Hallmark Channel
- Hallmark Family
- Hallmark Mystery
- Heroes and Icons
- HGTV
- HISTORY
- HSN
- IFC
- INSP
- Investigation Discovery
- Law and Crime
- Lifetime
- LMN
- Logo
- Magnolia Network
- MeTV
- MeTV Toons
- MeTV+
- Military History Channel
- MTV
- MTV Classic
- MTV Live
- MTV2
- Nick Jr.
- Nickelodeon
- Nicktoons
- Oprah Winfrey Network
- Paramount Network
- Pop TV
- QVC
- Science Channel
- Smithsonian Channel
- Start TV
- Story Television
- Sundance TV
- Tastemade
- TeenNick
- TLC
- Travel Channel
- TV Land
- TV One
- UPtv
- VH1
- Vice
- We TV
- WEST
Philo’s Bundle+ Plan
Philo also offers a Bundle+ plan. Priced at $33/mo, Bundle+ provides access to additional premium services, including AMC+, Discovery+ and HBO Max.
Bundle+ subscribers also get access to the following additional premium channels at no additional cost.
- All Reality
- AMC+
- Discovery+
- HBO Max
- Shudder TV
- Sundance Now
- The Walking Dead Channel
Regardless of whether signed up to Essential or Bundle+, all paid subscribers also get access to the same selection of FAST channels as free users.
With more than 150 free channels available, Philo subscribers currently get access to more FAST channels than paid channels.
Free Philo Channels
See the full list of free channels
Although a paid subscription is not required to access these channels, they are still included with Philo’s live TV packages and worth being aware of.
Philo Channels vs the Competition
Before signing up to Philo it is important to decide if the channel lineup works for you. If it doesn’t, then it might be worth considering an alternative live TV service.
Philo vs Sling TV
The closest in terms of price is Sling TV.
While Sling’s channel lineup may prove to be a better match for some homes, and especially those in need of news and sports, Sling TV’s cheapest $20/mo Select plan is more limited than Philo’s packages.
As a result, those opting for Sling TV will probably need to compare Philo to one of Sling’s $46/mo packages, making it a more expensive option overall.
Philo vs Sling TV
What’s the difference and which is best?
Philo vs Frndly TV
Then there’s Frndly TV.
With Frndly TV’s plans starting at just $8.99/mo, Frndly TV it is an even cheaper option than Philo.
However, the lower price does result in a very different channel lineup, and many homes will find the selection to be even more limiting than Philo.
Frndly TV also suffers from the same local, news, and sports issues as Philo.
Philo vs Frndly TV
Which cheap live TV service is best?
If neither Frndly TV nor Sling TV meet your needs then it may be time to consider paying more each month for a service with a richer channel lineup.
Is Philo The Right Choice for You?
Overall, Philo offers a good selection of channels and especially when considering a subscription starts at just $25 a month.
That said, the lineup is far more suited to those looking for entertainment, reality TV, and kids programming.
It is this careful balancing of channels and content that makes it possible for Philo to maintain its lower price point, making it a good option for those looking for an affordable live TV package.
If, however, access to local channels is important, then Philo is unlikely to be the right live TV solution for you. Philo is also not going to be a good option for those wanting access to news and sports channels.
In particular, the lack of sports is something to be aware of before signing up, as subscribers will need to make additional arrangements if they want to watch live sports.
As long as the lack of access to local, news, and sports isn’t a concern, we think Philo is worth a subscription. With a 7-day free trial also available, it is possible to check Philo out before making a decision and paying for a subscription.
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