Is There A Free Trial Available
Philo TV does offer a seven-day free trial for its service. As well as a seven-day free trial for STARZ and EPIX when you add those to your account.
To get started, you can and then enter your phone number or email address. This will get the process started for you. Philo TVs free trial sign up process is a bit unique. You initially sign up with your phone number or email. And then a couple days later youll be asked to add your credit card information. And of course youll be billed after the seven days are up, unless you cancel.
Is Philo TV Worth It
If you want a live TV service for a low cost, and Philo’s channel lineup has your favorites, then it is possibly the most affordable streaming service out there. You get a lot of bang for your buck, since Philo offers 50 channels, live viewing, unlimited DVR and a ton of on-demand content.
However, if you want local channels or your preferred networks aren’t in the lineup, then Philo may not be the best streaming service for you. It could get expensive if you have to add on another service on top of Philo, because it doesn’t give you everything you want to watch. In that case, you may want to consider a more expensive streamer with a more robust channel lineup.
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+ Channels For Every Kind Of Content
As part of Philo, you will gain access to 60+ live TV channels that cover most areas of interest you might have:
- News: Bloomberg Television, BBC America, BBC World News and more.
- Films and TV series: Hallmark, Lifetime, Sundance TV and more.
- Documentaries: Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, History, Science Channel etc.
- Music: 4 MTV channels, VH1.
- Cartoons: Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr.
- Entertainment: BET, BET Her, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Game Show Network etc.
To be fair, regular cable TV comes with hundreds of channels, and even YouTube TV has 85+ channels , but Philo is hard to beat on a channel-per-dollar basis.
Overall, if you want to watch a certain type of content, Philo will almost certainly have multiple channels for that.
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Philo TV Channels Cost Plans And More
With Philo, you can get cable TV without cable TV prices. Philo allows you watch many of your favorite live TV channels, and while it recently raised its price, the cost is still low at $25 per month. You can view and record live TV from over 60 channels and the Philo app is available on most major streaming devices, including Roku, Chromecast and Apple TV. Philo channels are also now integrated into Google TV and users can access them right from the Live tab.
While Philo TV doesn’t have local channels nor every major cable network, it does feature a lot of popular channels. Plus, the service offers Starz and Epix as premium add-ons. For the price, Philo could be the perfect streaming solution to get rid of headache-inducing cable bills and impossible-to-cancel contracts. A seven-day free trial gives new users the chance to check out Philo before committing to a subscription.
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As we noted in our Philo TV review, the service is also easy and pleasurable to use, with a bright, slick interface. Plus, it’s great for viewers who like to record a ton of shows and movies to watch later, since Philo’s DVR lets you keep an unlimited number of recordings for 30 days. All of those great features makes Philo one of the best streaming services in the market.
Philo Movies And More
In September 2021, Philo added a Movies & More channel add-on package. The package costs an additional $3 per month and includes the following five channels:
- Sony Movies. Sony Movies features the most exciting collection of action, western, crime, and comedy movies. It delivers high-energy, unapologetically entertaining programming.
- REELZ. Real Lives. Real Stories. Real Celebrities.® REELZ spotlights compelling stories about celebrity culture and Hollywood in revealing documentaries and poignant profiles of the famous and infamous.
- HDNET MOVIES. HDNET MOVIES is home to box office hits, award-winning films, and memorable movie marathons. Each month, the channel presents a diverse line-up of unique films, ranging from modern blockbusters to cult classics.
- MGM HD. MGM HD, the 24/7 movie network, showcases films from the legendary MGM collection. This channel features blockbusters, genre films, hidden gems, and the iconic MGM film franchises.
- CINÉMOI. CINÉMOI focuses on film, fashion, and international style. Its re-introducing American audiences to outstanding vintage and contemporary films and transporting them to the most glamorous events and exotic destinations.
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Does Philo Offer Any Deals
Like most streaming TV services, Philo offers a 7-day free trial to new subscribers.
You get started with either your phone number or email address, plus payment information like a credit card number. To avoid being charged, simply cancel Philo before your trial end date.
Aside from the free trial, T-Mobile began offering a $10 monthly Philo discount to select wireless and home internet customers in 2021.
Thats in addition to a $10 a month YouTube TV discount for T-Mobile customers.
But even if you dont have T-Mobile, you may be able to score a one-time deal when you sign up for Philo with a promo code.
I performed a Google search for Philo promo code and quickly found a code for $5 off.
What Channels Are On Philo
Philo’s low price is due to the channels that it doesn’t have: local stations, cable news networks, and sports channels. That’s a significant thing. Most options on the skinny bundle market offer ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NBCSN, and even regional sports networks. Most offer at least a few of the major networks , with live local feeds in select areas. And most offer CNN and, sometimes, other cable news networks. Philo, by contrast, has none of these.
But that’s the whole point of Philo! Philo is designed to target the folks who don’t care about these omissions. It’s supposed to provide that non-news, non-sports network TV goodness: reality shows, sitcoms, dramas, movies, and more. So if you’re going to , the question to ask isn’t what Philo doesn’t have it’s what channels does Philo have?
Aside from the aforementioned exceptions, Philo’s channel selection is pretty comprehensive. From history to sitcoms to dramas, you’ll have a lot to choose from. Though ESPN is nowhere to be found, other skinny bundle staples like AMC and HGTV are present and accounted for.
On the other hand, a couple of familiar channels that air occasional sports, like TBS and TNT, are missing due to Philo’s anti-sports position. Still, the selection is solid. You’ll find Viacom channels like Comedy Central and MTV on Philo, which is more than some competitor skinny bundles can say.
Here’s a quick summary of some of Philo’s channel selection highlights:
- AMC
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Philo: Everything To Know About The Live TV Streaming Service
Cutting the cable cord isnt necessarily cheaper than paying for cable anymore. Many top streaming services offer massive channel lineups compared to cable but after paying for them , you may just be breaking even.
But do cord cutters really need extensive channel offerings? Philo, a live TV streaming service thats a competitor to Sling TV and other live TV streamers, believes the answer is no.
While device support was initially limited to Roku, the Philo app is now on Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more devices. Now that its available in so many places, its a great time to take a look at Philo if youre looking to save some money without sacrificing live TV entirely.
Philo TV Channel Packages And Cost
Philos channel lineup is made up of an interesting mix of channels, but the price is what really sets it apart.
Philos channel lineup includes 58 popular channels like HGTV, Comedy Central, A& E, AMC, Food Network and Nick/Nick Jr, all for just $20 per month.
Based purely on the number of channels you get for the money, Philo TV is one of the best values of all live TV streaming services on the market.
Philo also offers a 7 Day Free Trial so you can find out for yourself if you like it before even committing to the first month of service.
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How Philo Dvr Works
Philos DVR works just like DVR does in the past: Users select the program theyd like to save, select the record option, and then watch when they have time. Best of all, you dont need to be watching a channel to record whats playing on it.
While Philos DVR is largely standard, it does have a few cool features.
Users can fast-forward and rewind during their recordings to avoid those nagging commercials. Some services, like Hulu with Live TV, make users pay a premium to skip ads, and some block fast-forwarding through the ads entirely. Skipping ads is one area in which Philo stands out.
Another is its generous DVR space limits. Philio has no hard-stated limits on what or how much users can record. The company offers unlimited DVR. You cannot delete recordings until after 30 days go by .
Why Is Philo So Cheap
The reason why cable and many live TV streaming services are so expensive is that companies like Walt Disney, Time Warner and NBCUniversal charge these companies a lot for the use of their channels. Philo did a great job of providing a streamlined set of channels from more affordable providers, which lets you watch some great channels without paying up for the expensive channels.
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How Much Does Philo TV Cost
Update: On May 25, 2021, Philo announced that prices will be increasing to $25 per month for the service. And this starts on June 8. The price is only for new customers, so if you sign up before June 8, you will be locked into the $20 per month price.
Philo TV, much like YouTube TV, aims to keep things simple. Offering a single plan that includes all of its channels. That plan will cost you $20 per month.
Philo TV users do have the ability to add STARZ for $9 per month. And EPIX is available for $6 per month. Philo TV does routinely offer some great discounts on these add ons. In fact earlier this year, you could sign up and get either one for half price for the first three months. So keep a look out for some special on STARZ and EPIX through Philo TV.
At launch, Philo TV was just $16 per month for 45 channels. And offered a second plan that was $20 for 58 channels. It eliminated the cheaper plan in May 2019. Sticking with just one plan, and continuing to add more channels to that plan.
Our Testing How Good Was It
I tested Philo over a period of 7 days on a variety of devices including a pair of Roku boxes, an iPad, an iPhone and an Android phone .
I found Philos layout to be much more user friendly and refined than that of many other live streaming services. The menus are simple and easy to use, the guide is easy to navigate and I was able to find what I was looking for quickly and easily.
Channels loaded quickly with very minimal buffering and the picture looked clear throughout. Other live TV streaming services have given me trouble with buffering after changing channels but channel changes on Philo loaded quickly and were very smooth.
I really liked that shows would start from the beginning when I pulled them up on the guide and being able to watch old episodes of a particular show was a nice touch as well.
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Is Philo Still Worth It
Despite its price increase, Philo is one of the few remaining values in live TV streaming.
If you watch a lot of reality TV and like to keep up with your favorite shows as new episodes premiere, Philo is worth considering.
But a growing number of people are dropping live TV in favor of on-demand apps.
For example, Discovery+ starts at $5 a month. It features content from Discovery-owned networks like HGTV, TLC and Food Network.
But it also has shows from A& E Networks like A& E, History and Lifetime.
Discovery+ allows you to stream on your own terms, but the tradeoff is that it leans heavily on library content.
Meanwhile, Philo has live channels of Discovery-owned networks and dozens more.
The choice is yours. If youre committed to the bundle, I see Philo as a good fit for two types of consumers:
- People who watch reality and drama TV but can live without live sports, cable news and broadcast stations
- People who have another live TV streaming service but are looking for must-have channels that they dont currently get
If you want to try out Philo, remember that it offers a 7-day free trial. Get started hereand let me know how you like it in the comments below!
It Just Runs Well And Has Nice Quality Of Life Features
Besides all the headline features such as DVR, channel lineup, price etc., Philo simply works well and without any technical glitches.
For example, Philo does not suffer from buffering issues or stuttering when streaming shows and films. Its also very stable, and you never have to worry if Philo is going through a blackout or technical glitches.
The actual user interface is very clean and easy to navigate. To be fair, sometimes there are quite a few elements on the screen but they have a logical structure to them and are easy to follow.
Glimpse of the TV guide:
In general, the UI guides users so they know what each button does, and how to use each and every single feature out of Philo.
This is great, because Philo does offer quite a few quality-of-life features such as:
- Up to 10 user profiles, each one with its own DVR list. No mixing up DVR lists between family members.
- Surround sound 2.0.
- A TV guide that has all 60+ channels at once.
- A very good recommendation feature that shows related shows.
Just to give you an idea of how good the Related feature is, below are two examples:
- Taken 2, an action thriller movie with a former spy. Below are other, very similar spy action thriller movies.
That being said, one important feature thats completely missing from Philo are parental controls.
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Dvr And Other Features
Philo works differently than other services when it comes to DVR content. Instead of adding a single episode or program at a time, you add entire shows and Philo makes all the available content ready for binge-watching. Philo does not impose any storage limits on your DVR content and will soon retain content for up to a year for subscribers to the $25-per-month plan. If you stay with the $20-per-month tier, the DVR keeps saved shows for only 30 days.
Again, Philo does not currently allow you to download saved shows for offline viewing. Many on-demand video streaming services support offline downloads, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Now, but I have not tested any live TV services that allow you to do with DVR content.
You can save shows and movies from as far back as two weeks, but previously aired shows are only available for playback if they were broadcast in the past 72 hours. In any case, saving a TV show or movie makes it easier for you to find out if and when it will air again.
For comparison, YouTube TV imposes no DVR storage limit and keeps shows for nine months. FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV allow you to record up to 250 and 50 hours’ worth of content respectively and keep it as long as you subscribe. Sling TV’s base DVR limit is 50 hours. DirecTV Stream limits you to 20 hours of storage by default. You can pay to upgrade the storage capabilities of DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu, and Sling TV.
Easy To Setup And Supports 3 Devices
To create a Philo account, youll have to provide an email address or phone number and also a valid payment method.
To use Philo, youll only need a stable Internet connection and a compatible device. For reference, Philo recommends a 7 Mbp/s connection for 1 HD stream, or 14 Mbp/s for multiple HD streams. You can test your Internet speed here.
After youve created your account all you have to do is install the Philo app on your device, login and youre good to go.
As part of a Philo subscription, you can also connect and stream with up to 3 different devices to the same account. If you try to add a 4th device, it will automatically disconnect the 1st device you logged in to Philo.
In terms of compatible devices, Philo supports most popular devices and operating systems:
- All Roku devices.
- Any PC or Mac device through your Internet browser.
- Any Android or iOS device.
Unfortunately, Philo does not support Xbox or PlayStation consoles.
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Is Philo Worth It
Philo isnt the only live TV streaming service offering cable channels for cheap. The closest alternative is AT& T Watch, which includes nearly 40 channels for $15 per month . While AT& T Watch offers some Turner-owned channels, including CNN and TNT, it has fewer channels overall, and it doesnt include DVR service like Philo does.
Jared Newman / TechHive
Philo: A cheap way to binge-watch Triple-D and the like.
A couple other notable improvements since launch: Philo supports TV Everywhere authentication, so you can log into individual apps for most networks, and its added deeper integrations with streaming players. You now can launch Philo shows directly from Apples TV app, or tune to live channels from the home screen on Amazon Fire TV and Android TV devices.
Beyond those two options, live TV streaming becomes a lot more expensive. Sling TVs base Orange and Blue packages both start at $25 per month now, and DVR service costs $5 per month extra. From there, the price of live TV jumps to $45 per month for Hulu with Live TV or PlayStation Vue, and then to $50 per month for YouTube TV and DirecTV Now. FuboTV is even pricier at $55 and up per month.
Philo, by comparison, is offering a long list of channels for less than half the price of nearly all those options. Its living proof that non-sports fans are paying too much for TV, and if enough of them get fed up and switch to Philos service, maybe those other networks will start to feel their own form of desperation.