What Is Philo TV?
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for budget-conscious cord cutters. It launched with a simple pitch: give people the entertainment and lifestyle channels they actually watch, cut out the expensive sports and local channels that inflate cable bills, and offer it all at a price that undercuts every major competitor.
For many households, that pitch lands perfectly. For others, the trade-offs are deal-breakers. Here's the full picture.
Channel Lineup: Entertainment-Focused
Philo carries 70+ channels with a strong emphasis on entertainment, lifestyle, and reality TV. You'll find:
- Entertainment: AMC, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, TV Land
- Lifestyle & Reality: HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Discovery, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery
- News (limited): BBC World News, Bloomberg
- Family: Disney Channel, Freeform, Nick Jr., Cartoon Network
What Philo Does NOT Carry
This is the critical part. Philo intentionally excludes:
- Local broadcast channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) — pair with a TV antenna
- Sports channels (ESPN, Fox Sports, NFL Network, etc.)
- News heavy-hitters (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC)
If any of those are essential, Philo isn't the right fit. But if your watching is mostly reality TV, dramas, and lifestyle content, Philo covers you well.
Pricing: The Main Attraction
Philo's pricing is its biggest selling point. At approximately $25 per month, it's dramatically cheaper than competitors like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. For what you get — 70+ channels, unlimited DVR, and up to 3 simultaneous streams — the value per dollar is hard to match in the live TV streaming space.
DVR and On-Demand
Philo includes unlimited DVR storage with recordings saved for up to one year — one of the most generous DVR policies in the industry. You can save live content and access a solid on-demand library of shows and movies at no extra charge.
Simultaneous Streams
Philo allows up to 3 simultaneous streams on its base plan with no additional charge for extra screens within your home. This is a practical advantage for families or roommates sharing a subscription.
Device Support
Philo is available on all major streaming platforms: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, iOS, Android, and via web browser. Setup is quick and the interface is clean and easy to navigate.
Pros and Cons at a Glance
- ✅ Extremely affordable — among the lowest-priced live TV services
- ✅ 70+ entertainment and lifestyle channels
- ✅ Unlimited DVR with 1-year storage
- ✅ 3 simultaneous streams included
- ✅ Clean, simple interface
- ❌ No local broadcast channels
- ❌ No sports channels (ESPN, Fox Sports, etc.)
- ❌ Limited news options
Who Is Philo Best For?
Philo is an outstanding choice for:
- Households that primarily watch reality TV, lifestyle content, and entertainment cable channels
- Budget-focused cord cutters willing to use a TV antenna for local channels
- People who don't follow live sports and don't need ESPN or regional sports networks
Final Verdict
Philo won't replace cable for sports fans or news junkies. But for everyone else — especially entertainment and lifestyle TV watchers — it's one of the best value propositions in the live TV streaming market. Pair it with a cheap TV antenna for local channels and a budget on-demand service, and you have a very capable, very affordable cord-cutting setup.