Philo Review
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers which includes 60+ channels for $28 per month. It’s an especially attractive option for fans of live TV who don’t watch sports. Your subscription includes ad-supported AMC+. Anyone can sign up for Philo's free service, which offers 80+ channels.
They have a single $28 plan with major channels from A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Discovery, Hallmark, and ViacomCBS. These include A&E, AMC, BET, Comedy Central, Discovery, HGTV, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Network. The service also has a Unlimited DVR, which now keeps your recordings for up to a year.
You’ll also get channels like Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, LOGO, and Nicktoons.
While it doesn’t include any local or sports channels like ESPN, FS1 or NBC Sports Network, it is the cheapest option for live entertainment-only TV.
Review
We tested Philo and other live TV streaming services for more than 100 hours. Philo is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.
Features
Unlimited Cloud DVR
Philo has Unlimited DVR storage, which lets you keep shows for 12 months. Those grandfathered on their legacy plans ($16 or $20 a month), will have their recordings stored for 30 Days.
You can only record an entire series, not a single episode. If you start recording after you tune into a channel, the recording will start from the beginning of the program.
While it’s still recording, you can watch from the beginning but you won’t be able to fast forward through commercials.
Up to 3 Devices
Philo allows you to stream on up to 3 devices simultaneously.
33 TV Everywhere Apps
Philo gives you access to 33 different TV Everywhere apps.
List of Compatible Apps
- A&E App
- AHC Go
- AMC App
- Animal Planet Go
- BBC America App
- BET NOW
- CMT App
- Comedy Central App
- Destination America Go
- Discovery Life Go
- DisneyNow
- FYI App
- Hallmark Channel Everywhere
- IFC App
- Investigation Discovery Go
- Lifetime App
- LOGO App
- MTV App
- Nick App
- Nick Jr. App
- Paramount Network App
- Science Channel Go
- SundanceTV App
- TLC GO
- TV Land App
- VH1 App
- VICELAND App
- Watch Cooking Channel
- Watch DIY
- Watch Food Network
- Watch HGTV
- Watch Travel Channel
- WE tv App
On Demand
There is a variety of on demand content to stream within the Philo app.
No Parental Controls
There are no parental controls for Philo.
Only DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and Sling TV have parental control features.
72-hour Rewind Feature
This feature allows you to watch shows that you didn’t record, for up to three days after it aired. This feature adds a lot of additional shows that aren’t normally available on demand.
Compatible Devices
Philo is compatible with these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast (Android only)
- Roku
- Android TV
- iPhone/iPad (iOS 13+)
- Android Phone/Tablet (5.0+)
- Mac
- Windows
- LG Smart TV
- Samsung Smart TV
- Sony Smart TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
Philo is not compatible with PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or onn devices.
Phone & Tablet Apps
Philo has an iPhone app, but does not currently offer an iPad app (you can use the iPhone app on iPad though). The look and feel mimics their other apps, but there is no standard channel guide.
While on Android, there is not a native app, you can play using Chrome on Android 7.0+. The interface looks similar to a native platform, but feels more sluggish.
TV App
Philo has support for Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Samsung TV (for TVs newer than 2017). They don’t support Android TV, Chromecast, or AirPlay. While they have an alphabetical grid of currently live shows, they don’t have a standard channel guide.
Computer
You can watch Philo on Mac and Windows computers using most major browsers. It is the only platform that includes a standard channel guide.
Channels
Local Channels
Top Cable Channels
Philo offers top cable channels from A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Discovery, and Paramount.
You get 18 of the top 35 cable channels.
The top 35 cable channels are listed below. For a list of all channels, look at Philo’s full channel lineup.
- A&E
- AMC
- BET
- Comedy Central
- Discovery
- Food Network
- Hallmark Channel
- HGTV
- History
- Investigation Discovery
- Lifetime
- MTV
- Nickelodeon
- Paramount Network
- TLC
- Travel Channel
- VH1
- WE tv
-
Bravo -
Cartoon Network -
CNN -
Disney Channel -
Disney Junior -
E! -
ESPN -
Fox News -
Freeform -
FX -
FXX -
MSNBC -
Syfy -
TBS -
TNT -
truTV -
USA Network
Sports Channels
In order to keep monthly pricing low, Philo doesn’t include access to any national sports channels, regional sports networks, or college or pro networks.
Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)
Philo doesn’t include access to regional sports networks (RSNs) as part of their service.
RSNs in Other Markets
-
Altitude -
Arizona's Family Sports -
SportsNet Pittsburgh -
Chicago Sports Network -
FanDuel Sports Network Detroit -
FanDuel Sports Network Florida -
FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes -
FanDuel Sports Network Indiana -
FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City -
FanDuel Sports Network Midwest -
FanDuel Sports Network North -
FanDuel Sports Network Ohio -
FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma -
FanDuel Sports Network SoCal -
FanDuel Sports Network South -
FanDuel Sports Network Southeast -
FanDuel Sports Network Southwest -
FanDuel Sports Network Sun -
FanDuel Sports Network West -
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin -
Marquee Sports Network -
MASN -
MASN2 -
Monumental Sports Network -
MSG -
MSG Sportsnet -
NBC Sports Bay Area -
NBC Sports Boston -
NBC Sports California -
NBC Sports Philadelphia -
NBC Sports Philadelphia+ -
NESN -
Rockies.TV Channel -
Root Sports Northwest -
Space City Home Network -
Spectrum SportsNet -
Spectrum SportsNet LA -
SportsNet NY -
Utah 16 (KUPX) -
YES Network
Premium Channels
You can add STARZ ($9) and MGM+ ($6) to your Philo account.
Add-Ons
Tech Specs
- The service currently offers 720p / 30 fps across all channels.
- Limited buffering or playback issues in our testing.
- Changing channels only takes 4.5 seconds, which was slower than most services.
720p HD
Most video streams are in 720p HD.
30 FPS
Video streams in 30 FPS.
Stereo Sound
Content has stereo audio.
Reliability
Philo was generally stable for both live and on demand content. We had no issues when streaming content.
Philo recommends at least 5 Mbps for each HD stream.
Live Delay
Live Delay
Live content is about 25 seconds behind cable TV, which is similar to the other services.
Channel Switching
Channel Switching
It takes about 4.5 seconds to switch between channels, which is slower than most of the other services.
User Experience
- Simple and consistent design across apps to switch from Home, Live, & Saved.
- Channel guide is informative, but feels odd because it lists channels horizontally. Unfortunately, it’s not available on mobile.
- Search works well and offers quick access to both live and on demand content.
Home Screen
The Philo app’s home screen gives personalized suggestions of shows to keep watching, those you’ve saved, and top shows on Philo.
TV Guide
On most platforms, Philo channel guide lists all available channels alphabetically in a grid, but does not include a standard channel guide.
Search
The Philo search interface is very intuitive. Series, episodes, and people appear as you type.
Show Details
The show details page displays episodes currently live, on demand, and upcoming on a future date. You can automatically record future airings by clicking “Save”.
Playback
When you tune into a live channel, Philo takes you to the beginning of the show. You can skip ahead to live, but you may be shown commercials if it’s also available on demand.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does Philo cost?
Philo is available starting at $28 / month. See the full list: Philo Pricing & Plans
Does Philo have a free trial?
Yes, Philo has a 7-Day Free Trial.
Does Philo have a DVR?
Philo includes Unlimited of Cloud DVR storage.
What channels are on Philo?
Philo includes 60 channels including 18 top cable channels. See the full list: Philo Channels.
How many streams are allowed at once on Philo?
Philo allows up to 3 devices at the same time. See more details: Philo Simultaneous Streams
Does Philo have local channels?
Does Philo have live sports?
Sports channels are not available on Philo.
Does Philo offer premium channels?
Philo offers premium channels like MGM+ and Starz for an additional fee. See the full list: Philo Premium Channels.
Does Philo offer on demand content?
Philo includes on demand content from most of the channels they offer. Unlike content on your DVR, you won’t be able to skip ads.
Does Philo support TV Everywhere apps?
Philo includes access to many TV Eveywhere Apps with your Philo credentials. See the full list: Philo TV Everywhere Apps.
Does Philo have a TV Guide?
Philo includes a TV Guide similar to what you would get with your cable or satellite set-top box.
Does Philo have ads?
Philo includes ads during live viewing of shows, as well on all on-demand content. You can skip ads when you watch shows recorded to your DVR.
Does Philo offer 4K streaming?
Philo does not include 4K content as part of the service.
Does Philo offer Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound?
Philo does not include Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound as part of the service.