The Basics
If you’re interested in watching sports and still having access to local channels after cutting cable, Philo isn’t the streaming service for you. The company has positioned itself as an affordable alternative to more expensive services. The lower prices are possible because Philo doesn’t include sports, most news, or local stations to its content lineup.
Philo has less channels than some competitors, but still has plenty to offer for the whole family. You’ll find live programming on the grid style guide, along with on demand content. Most channels allow users to catch up on programming for days after airing.
The service certainly isn’t the right option for every cord cutter. But, for those who want an affordable option and aren’t interested in having hundreds of channels to choose from, it’s an option that shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s also worth mentioning that the service is relatively new, and additional content could always be added, if there’s a way to make it fit with the vision of the company.
Plans and Pricing
Budget is a major consideration for Philo. The company has been focused on keeping costs down, while still offering options that users will appreciate.
Currently, there are two plans available. The basic plan has 37 channels available, for $16/month. An extended plan has an additional 9 channels and costs $20/month.
Like most other services, you can get a 7 day free trial before signing up for a monthly subscription. Unlike most other services, Philo will not ask you for credit card information when you sign up for a free trial. Instead, you’ll use your mobile number to confirm your identity and get started.
Supported Devices
As with most other streaming services, you can watch Philo content on your computer, tablet, smartphone, and some streaming devices. Here’s the full list of compatible devices:
- Mac or PC with updated web browsers
- iPhones and Android devices
- iPads and Android tablets (5.0 and newer)
- Roku
The company says more compatible devices will be added to that list soon.
Features and Content
Philo focuses on simplicity, both with content and with design. A grid style makes it easy to browse content and choose from channels and programming available to stream. After selecting the show you want to watch, you’ll see whether the show is airing live at that time, when it will be on live again, and previous episodes to catch up on.
With your Philo account, you can watch on up to 3 devices simultaneously. Each account also comes with cloud storage, allowing users to save unlimited content for up to 30 days.
While you won’t get to watch sports, local channels, or much news with Philo, you’ll still get a good amount of channels and plenty of great content. Those who aren’t interested in sports, along with cord cutters who can get local channels with an antenna, might be happy with the slimmed down selection. Both the basic and extended packages include entertainment, lifestyle, movies, and cartoons.
Here’s what you’ll get for $16/month with the basic plan:
- A&E
- AMC
- Animal Planet
- AXSTV
- BBC America
- BBC World News
- BET
- Cheddar
- CMT
- Comedy Central
- Discovery
- DIY
- Food Network
- FYI
- GSN
- HGTV
- IFC
- ID
- Lifetime
- Lifetime Movies
- MTV
- MTV2
- Nick
- OWN
- Sci
- Spike
- Sundance TV
- Nick Jr.
- Teen Nick
- History
- TLC
- Travel
- TV Land
- Velocity
- VH1
- Viceland
- We
With the extended package at $20/month, you’ll get all of the basic channels, along with the following:
- AHC
- BET Her
- Cooking
- Destination America
- Family
- Life
- Logo
- MTV Live
- Nick Toons
Philo has more exciting updates lined up. Representatives for the company have discussed plans to add a social element to the service. The idea is to connect users with friends and family, making it easy to share their favorite shows and give recommendations. There’s even talk of syncing your content streaming with another user, so you can watch together from your own homes.
You can signup for a free trial of Philo no credit card needed HERE.
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