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Hulu Live TV Philo

Hulu + Live TV vs. Philo: Which streamer is right for you?

Hulu + Live TV vs. Philo: Which streamer is right for you?

One does it all; one does it cheap. Here’s the difference between these two live TV streaming choices.

Bill Frost
Bill Frost is a journalist and TV reviewer with a career dating back to the 4:3-aspect-ratio 1990s. His work has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other publications. In addition to his role as a writer for The Streamable, Frost was a senior staff writer at CableTV.com and a syndicated streaming TV columnist for Salt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weekly papers. He is also the host and producer of the TV Tan Podcast, where he shares insights on television and streaming trends.
Read full bio ›
Bill Frost
•
A TV critic since the 4:3 era, he brings decades of experience and sharp analysis to The Streamable. When he’s not writing, he’s playing his Flying V guitar at local bars.
A TV critic since the 4:3 era, he brings decades of experience and sharp analysis to The Streamable. When he’s not writing, he’s playing his Flying V guitar at local bars.

When it comes to live TV streaming services, Hulu + Live TV is one of the best and most well-known cable replacements you can get. Philo, on the other hand, is a smaller, niche service that caters to a specific audience not looking to completely recreate the erstwhile cable bundle.

Hulu + Live TV offers the full range of sports, entertainment, kids, and local channels you’d expect from cable; Philo doubles down on entertainment and nothing else, keeping its price down by eschewing expensive sports and news networks. Let’s take a look at the many ways that Hulu + Live TV and Philo differ in their approach to live TV streaming.

Hulu + Live TV vs. Philo: Which is right for you?

The Essentials

Feature Hulu + Live TV Philo
Price per month $82.99 $28
Channels 105 70
Local Channels Yes No
Sports Channels Yes No
Regional Sports Networks Yes No
DVR Unlimited for 9 months Unlimited for 12 months
On-Demand Services Yes Yes

Price

Cost is just one differentiator between the services: Hulu + Live TV starts at $83 monthly for its basic package; Philo offers only one plan at $28 a month, making it the least expensive live TV streaming service that carries more than 50 popular channels.

Both offer add-on channels that can bump up your monthly tab, but Hulu + Live TV has a pair of streaming perks that no competitor can match: the entire Disney Bundle is included at no extra cost with the deal. That means that not only do subscribers get the live TV benefits of Hulu + Live TV, but they also get the on-demand Hulu library, as well as everything from Disney+ and ESPN+ as well. This one-two punch helped Hulu + Live TV take the edge over the popular YouTube TV in The Streamable’s head-to-head comparison review.

Overall Channels

Hulu + Live TV offers more channels than Philo, simple as that. The streamer is aimed at viewers who want an experience similar to what they were accustomed to with cable. If you’re looking for all your favorite channels and shows in one service, Hulu + Live TV has them, except for cable channels from AMC Networks.

Philo is cheaper for a reason: It doesn’t have any sports, news, or local channels, which cuts down on carriage costs and, therefore, your monthly bill. If entertainment, reality TV shows, and movies are your jam, and you have no interest in sports or local programming, Philo is the skinny-bundle package that you could never get with cable.

Popular Channels

Channel Hulu Live TV Philo
A&E ✓ ✓
AMC X ✓
BET ✓ ✓
Bravo ✓ X
Cartoon Network ✓ X
CNN ✓ X
Comedy Central ✓ ✓
Discovery ✓ ✓
Disney Channel ✓ X
E! ✓ X
ESPN ✓ X
Food Network ✓ ✓
Fox News ✓ X
Freeform ✓ X
FX ✓ X
FXX ✓ X
Hallmark Channel ✓ ✓
HGTV ✓ ✓
History ✓ ✓
Investigation Discovery ✓ ✓
Lifetime ✓ ✓
MSNBC ✓ X
MTV ✓ ✓
Paramount Network ✓ ✓
Syfy ✓ X
TBS ✓ X
TNT ✓ X
Travel Channel ✓ X
truTV ✓ X
USA Network ✓ X
VH1 ✓ ✓
WE tv X ✓

Local Channels

Hulu + Live TV carries local affiliate stations for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, and The CW in most regions of the United States, so you won’t miss out on your favorite network shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “Fire Country,” or “Law & Order” (both “SVU” and original flavor). Only YouTube TV and DIRECTV Stream rival Hulu + Live TV in local channel streaming.

Philo is more interested in keeping the price down than being a complete live TV streamer — there are no local channels in its lineup. If you need access to local channels but like the affordability of Philo, you can supplement your TV options with an over-the-air antenna (remember those?), which will get you every broadcast channel in your area for a one-time purchase. Use the airwaves — they’re free.

Sports Channels

Pro Sports Channels

Speaking of antennas, you’ll also need one to watch sports with Philo because you won’t find any there. As mentioned before, sports carriage is expensive, so Philo sidesteps it completely.

Hulu + Live TV carries all of the sports channels you’d get with cable, including every iteration of ESPN, as well as FS1 and [FS2][fox sports 2], CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, and MLB Network. Hulu + Live TV’s $10 monthly Sports Add-On package nets you even more, including NFL RedZone, MAVTV, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, Tennis Channel, TVG, and TVG2.

College Sports Channels

Hulu Live + TV also carries a solid lineup of college sports channels: ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, and SEC Network. Philo, again, doesn’t play sports — unless you count auto and racing channel MotorTrend Network.

Pro and College Sports Channels

Channel Hulu + Live TV Philo
ACC Network ✓ X
beIN Sports X X
Big Ten Network ✓ X
CBS Sports Network ✓ X
ESPN ✓ X
ESPN2 ✓ X
ESPNews ✓ X
ESPNU ✓ X
FS1 ✓ X
[FS2][Fox Sports 2] ✓ X
Golf Channel ✓ X
MLB Network ✓ X
MLB Network Strike Zone Sports Add-On X
MotorTrend Network X ✓
NBA TV X X
NFL Network ✓ X
NFL Sunday Ticket X X
NHL Network X X
SEC Network ✓ X
Sportsman Channel Sports Add-On X
Tennis Channel X X

Regional Sports Channels

Hulu + Live TV offers a decent array of regional sports networks (RSNs), including Monumental Sports Network, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Philadelphia, and NBC Sports Philadelphia+. Missing from its RSN lineup are FanDuel Sports (formerly Bally Sports RSNs), AT&T SportsNet, or Spectrum Sports RSNs.

As you’d guess, Philo doesn’t do RSNs, either.

Included Features

On-Demand Library

Not only can you watch content from Hulu + Live TV’s channel lineup on-demand, but you’re also afforded access to Hulu and the Disney+ and ESPN+ libraries. With live TV channels and three popular on-demand services included for one price, it’s hard to beat Hulu + Live TV.

Likewise, you can also stream shows and movies from Philo’s channel lineup on-demand, as well as select AMC+ shows and movies from AMC, IFC, Shudder, Sundance Now, and “The Walking Dead” collection. Philo on-demand does come with unskippable ads, but it’s still a nice perk.

Add-On Channel Packages

Along with its Sports Add-On package, Hulu + Live TV also offers Max, Cinemax, Paramount+ with Showtime, and STARZ as premium channels for additional monthly fees. Hulu + Live TV features a 16-channel add-on Entertainment package that includes niche networks like Boomerang, MTV Classic, and Destination America, and a nine-channel Español package, as well.

Philo offers a smaller batch of add-on channels: ALLBLK, AMC+, Hallmark+, MGM+, and STARZ, which is the most expensive at $11 a month. For just $3 a month, you can also add Philo’s Movies & More package, which includes content from HDNet Movies, REELZ, Sony Movie Channel, FMC, and Fandor.

DVR

The days of hour-limited cloud DVR storage are seemingly over for live TV streaming services, as even Sling TV has finally lifted its cap. Hulu + Live TV and Philo are both solidly in the unlimited DVR camp, the only difference being how long each will let you procrastinate before finally getting to all those “Storage Wars” episodes you’ve ironically let pile up: Hulu + Live TV will keep your recordings for nine months before deletion; Philo gives you a full year.

Simultaneous Streams and 4K

Philo sticks to the industry standard of three simultaneous streams, but Hulu + Live TV (and Hulu on-demand) still inexplicably offers only two. Hulu Live + TV does have an Unlimited Screens option for an extra $10 a month, but an included third stream should be a no-brainer when your competition has already been there for years.

Philo offers zero 4K options, which is unsurprising given its no-frills approach to live TV streaming. But guess what? Hulu + Live TV doesn’t do 4K, either. If high-def 4K is a dealbreaker, you might want to look into YouTube TV or DIRECTV STREAM.

Device Compatibility

Device Hulu + Live TV Philo
Roku ✓ ✓
Amazon Fire TV ✓ ✓
Apple TV and devices ✓ ✓
NVIDIA SHIELD ✓ ✓
Samsung ✓ ✓
Vizio ✓ ✓
LG ✓ ✓
Android devices ✓ ✓
Chrome, Firefox, Safari,
and Edge browsers		 ✓ ✓

Which is Right for You?

If you’re looking for a straight-up replacement for cable TV, Hulu + Live TV is it. With over 100 channels and several available add-on channels (not to mention the inclusion of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+), it has something for every taste in your household. Most live TV streaming services are friendly to newbie cord-cutters, but Hulu + Live TV is an impressive package — if you’re willing to pay for it.

But, if you find the steadily rising prices of live TV streaming services off-putting (rightfully so — there’s little daylight between cable, satellite, and streaming price tags anymore), Philo is a streamlined alternative for under $30 a month. It may not have everything, but Philo still provides plenty of entertainment bang for your buck.

  • Free 3-Day Trial
    hulu.com

    Hulu Live TV

    Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.

    …

    Where it really separates itself is value. Your subscription doesn’t just cover live TV — it also includes full access to Hulu’s on-demand library, plus bundled subscriptions to Disney+ and ESPN Select content at no extra cost. That means you’re getting everything from next-day network TV episodes and Hulu Originals, to Marvel, Star Wars, and live sports content all in one place without juggling multiple bills.

    For sports fans, Hulu + Live TV also includes regional sports networks (RSNs) in select areas, a feature many competing services have dropped. That can be a big deal if you’re trying to follow local MLB, NBA, or NHL teams.

    The DVR experience is another strong point. Subscribers get unlimited cloud DVR storage and the ability to fast-forward through commercials on recorded content — a feature that used to cost extra but is now standard. It’s designed to feel closer to a traditional cable DVR, just without the box.

    If you want to customize further, several add-ons are available. You can upgrade to premium channels like HBO, Showtime, or Starz, add an unlimited streams option for households with lots of viewers, or go ad-free on Hulu’s on-demand content (live TV will still include ads).

    Overall, Hulu + Live TV is less about being the cheapest option and more about being the most comprehensive. It’s built for people who want live TV, on-demand shows, and bundled streaming services all under one roof — without having to piece everything together themselves.

    Free 3-Day Trial
    $89.99+ / month
    hulu.com
  • 7-Day Trial
    philo.com

    Philo

    Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers, offering flexible ways to watch without the high price of traditional TV bundles. The service now features two paid plans — Essential and Bundle+ — alongside its existing free streaming offering, giving customers a range of options depending on how much live and premium content they want.

    …

    The Essential plan costs $25 per month and includes 70+ live TV channels focused on entertainment and lifestyle programming, such as AMC, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, Nickelodeon, and Food Network. Subscribers also get access to 120+ free streaming channels, more than 80,000 movies and shows on demand, and unlimited DVR with one-year storage. Essential also includes a 7-day free trial for new customers.

    For viewers who want more premium content, Philo offers the Bundle+ plan for $33 per month (formerly the Philo Core plan). Bundle+ includes everything in Essential, plus ad-supported AMC+ and access to the HBO Max (Basic with Ads) app. Users can also access discovery+ content directly within the Philo app. While Bundle+ adds a full premium streaming bundle for just $8 more per month, it does not include a free trial.

    The service is available on most major devices, including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, smart TVs, mobile devices, and web browsers. In addition to its paid plans, Philo also offers a free ad-supported streaming experience, allowing users to explore content before deciding whether to upgrade to a live TV subscription.

    While it doesn’t include local broadcast stations or sports networks like ESPN, FS1 or NBC Sports Network, Philo remains one of the most affordable live TV streaming options for entertainment-focused viewers. With a simple lineup, generous DVR storage, and a clear path from free streaming to live TV and premium bundles, Philo is an appealing choice for cord-cutters who want to keep costs down while still enjoying a wide range of popular programming.

    7-Day Trial
    $25+ / month
    philo.com
Bill Frost
Bill Frost is a journalist and TV reviewer with a career dating back to the 4:3-aspect-ratio 1990s. His work has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other publications. In addition to his role as a writer for The Streamable, Frost was a senior staff writer at CableTV.com and a syndicated streaming TV columnist for Salt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weekly papers. He is also the host and producer of the TV Tan Podcast, where he shares insights on television and streaming trends.
Read full bio ›
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