Rated 7+ IMDb · 70%+ RT Little-known finds Curated by humans
Rated 7+ IMDb · 70%+ RT Little-known finds Curated by humans
| Feature | PhiloOur pick | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal for | Budget cord-cutting | on-demand content |
| Base price | $25/mo | $88.99/mo |
| Channels | 86+ | 97+ |
| Free trial | 7 days | 3 days |
| Subscribers | 0.8 million | 4.5 million |
| Try Philo free for 7 days | Try Hulu with Live TV free for 3 days |
If you just want the lowest possible bill, here is exactly what each service’s cheapest plan gets you.
| Feature | Philo Essential | Hulu with Live TV Live TV Español Only |
|---|---|---|
| Price / month | $25.00 | $28.99 |
| Streams at Home | 3 | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DVR Keeps For | 12 months | 9 months |
| Profiles | 10 | 7 |
| Max Quality | 720p | 1080p/60fps |
| Audio | Standard stereo | 5.1 surround sound |
| Min. Speed | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get Essential → | Get Live TV Español Only → |
| Philo 2 plans | Hulu with Live TV 5 plans | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Essential | Bundle+ | Cheapest Live TV Español Only | Hulu with Live TV Español | Live TV Only | Live TV (Ads) | Live TV (No Ads) | |
| Price / month | $25.00 | $33.00 | $28.99 | $29.99 | $88.99 | $89.99 | $99.99 |
| Streams at Home | 3 | 3 | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DVR Keeps For | 12 months | 12 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months |
| Profiles | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Max Quality | 720p | 720p | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps |
| 4K Support | – | – | – | Available for on-demand streaming | – | Available for on-demand streaming | Available for on-demand streaming |
| Audio | Standard stereo | Standard stereo | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound |
| Min. Speed | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
The original Philo plan without all the add-ons
32 channels are available on both services. Philo has 64 exclusive channels not on Hulu with Live TV. Hulu with Live TV has 74 exclusive channels not on Philo.
| Channel | Philo | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| A&E | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABC | – | ✓ |
| ABC News Live | – | ✓ |
| ACC Network | – | ✓ |
| AMC | ✓ | – |
| AMC Plus | ✓ | – |
| AXS TV | ✓ | – |
| AccuWeather Network | ✓ | – |
| Adult Swim | – | ✓ |
| American Heroes Channel | ✓ | – |
| Animal Planet | ✓ | ✓ |
| BBC America | ✓ | – |
| BBC News | ✓ | – |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ |
| BET Her | ✓ | – |
| Baywatch | ✓ | – |
| Big Ten Network | – | ✓ |
| Bloomberg Television | – | ✓ |
| Bravo | – | ✓ |
| CBS | – | ✓ |
| CBS News | – | ✓ |
| CBS Sports Network | – | ✓ |
| CBS local channels | – | ✓ |
| CMT | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNBC | – | ✓ |
| CNN | – | ✓ |
| CNN International | – | ✓ |
| CW | – | ✓ |
| Cartoon Network | – | ✓ |
| Catchy Comedy | ✓ | – |
| Cheddar News | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cleo TV | ✓ | – |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy TV | – | ✓ |
| Cooking Channel | ✓ | – |
| Cook’s Country | ✓ | – |
| Cozi TV | – | ✓ |
| Crackle | ✓ | – |
| Crime-Investigation | ✓ | – |
| Dabl | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deck the Hallmark | ✓ | – |
| Destination America | ✓ | – |
| Discovery Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Discovery Family | ✓ | – |
| Discovery Life | ✓ | – |
| Disney Channel | – | ✓ |
| Disney Junior | – | ✓ |
| Disney XD | – | ✓ |
| E! | – | ✓ |
| ESPN | – | ✓ |
| ESPN College Extra | – | ✓ |
| ESPN2 | – | ✓ |
| ESPNU | – | ✓ |
| ESPNews | – | ✓ |
| FETV | ✓ | – |
| FOX | – | ✓ |
| FOX SOUL | – | ✓ |
| FX | – | ✓ |
| FXM | – | ✓ |
| FXX | – | ✓ |
| FYI | ✓ | ✓ |
| Food Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Business | – | ✓ |
| Fox News Channel | – | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | – | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 2 (FS2) | – | ✓ |
| Fox Weather | – | ✓ |
| Freeform | – | ✓ |
| Game Show Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Get TV | – | ✓ |
| GetTV | ✓ | – |
| Golf Channel | – | ✓ |
| Great American Family | ✓ | – |
| Great American Living | ✓ | – |
| Gusto TV | ✓ | – |
| HGTV | ✓ | ✓ |
| HLN | – | ✓ |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hallmark Family | ✓ | – |
| Hallmark Mystery | ✓ | ✓ |
| Heroes & Icons | ✓ | – |
| History | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID | – | ✓ |
| IFC | ✓ | – |
| INSP | ✓ | – |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | ✓ | – |
| Justice Central TV | – | ✓ |
| KIN | ✓ | – |
| LMN | ✓ | – |
| Law&Crime | ✓ | – |
| Lifetime | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lifetime Movies | – | ✓ |
| LiveNOW | – | ✓ |
| Localish | – | ✓ |
| Logo | ✓ | – |
| MSG SportsZone | ✓ | – |
| MSNBC | – | ✓ |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ |
| MTV Classic | ✓ | – |
| MTV Live | ✓ | – |
| MTV2 | ✓ | – |
| Magnolia Network | ✓ | – |
| MeTV | ✓ | – |
| MeTV Toons | ✓ | – |
| Military History Chanel | – | ✓ |
| Motor Trend | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBC | – | ✓ |
| NBC News Now | – | ✓ |
| NBC local channels | – | ✓ |
| NBCLX | – | ✓ |
| NBCSN | – | ✓ |
| NFL Network | – | ✓ |
| Nat Geo Wild | – | ✓ |
| National Geographic | – | ✓ |
| News Nation | – | ✓ |
| Nick Jr. | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nicktoons | ✓ | – |
| OWN | – | ✓ |
| Oprah Winfrey Network | ✓ | – |
| Overtime | ✓ | – |
| Oxygen | – | ✓ |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Perform by LIFETIME | ✓ | – |
| PlayersTV | ✓ | – |
| Pop | – | ✓ |
| Pop TV | ✓ | – |
| QVC | – | ✓ |
| REVOLT | ✓ | – |
| RetroCrush | ✓ | – |
| Revry | ✓ | – |
| Ryan and Friends | ✓ | – |
| SEC Network | – | ✓ |
| SYFY | – | ✓ |
| Scares by Shudder | ✓ | – |
| Science Channel | ✓ | – |
| Smithsonian Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Start TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Story Television | ✓ | – |
| Sundance TV | ✓ | – |
| TBS | – | ✓ |
| TLC | ✓ | ✓ |
| TNT | – | ✓ |
| TV Land | ✓ | – |
| TV One | ✓ | – |
| TVLand | – | ✓ |
| Tastemade | ✓ | – |
| TeenNick | ✓ | – |
| Telemundo | – | ✓ |
| The Grio | – | ✓ |
| Travel Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Turner Classic Movies | – | ✓ |
| UPtv | ✓ | – |
| USA Network | – | ✓ |
| Universal Kids | – | ✓ |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo 80s | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo 90s | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo Country | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo Features | – | ✓ |
| Vevo Hip-Hop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo Holiday | ✓ | – |
| Vevo Pop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vice | ✓ | ✓ |
| WE tv | ✓ | – |
| Weather Channel | – | ✓ |
| Xtreme Outdoor by History | ✓ | – |
| aspireTV | ✓ | – |
| pocket.watch | ✓ | – |
| truTV | – | ✓ |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a breakdown based on the device apps each service lists.
| Device / Platform | Philo | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Airplay | ✓ | Not listed |
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google TV Streamer | ✓ | ✓ |
| LG Smart TV | ✓ | Not listed |
| LG TV | Not listed | ✓ |
| Nintendo Switch | Not listed | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xbox | Not listed | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| iPhone | ✓ | ✓ |
“Not listed” means the service doesn’t list an app for that device; it may still work via casting or a browser.
Hulu with Live TV has 4.5 million subscribers compared to 0.8 million for Philo. That makes Hulu with Live TV 463% more popular by subscriber count.
Philo starts at $25/month, while Hulu with Live TV starts at $88.99/month. That’s $63.99 more per month for Hulu with Live TV, or $767.88 more per year. Hulu with Live TV costs more but carries more channels (97+ vs 86+), which may justify the difference depending on what you watch.
Before you pick either one, here is the drawback of each service, plainly stated.
Philo carries no sports, no news networks, and no local channels at all; that is exactly how it stays cheap.
Hulu + Live TV only comes as the full bundle, and live TV is tucked inside the regular Hulu app rather than a dedicated interface.
Is Philo cheaper than Hulu with Live TV?
Yes. Philo starts at $25/month, while Hulu with Live TV starts at $88.99/month. That's a difference of $63.99/month, or $767.88 per year.
Do Philo or Hulu with Live TV offer a free trial?
Philo offers a 7-day free trial. Hulu with Live TV offers a 3-day free trial.
Are Philo and Hulu with Live TV the same company?
No. Philo is owned by Philo, while Hulu with Live TV is owned by The Walt Disney Company. They are separate, competing subscriptions.
Is Philo included with Hulu with Live TV?
No. Neither service includes the other: a Hulu with Live TV subscription does not give you Philo content, and vice versa. You need a separate subscription for each.
Which has more channels, Philo or Hulu with Live TV?
Hulu with Live TV carries 106 channels, while Philo carries 96. 32 channels are available on both services.
What channels does Philo have that Hulu with Live TV doesn't?
Philo has 64 channels not available on Hulu with Live TV, including: AccuWeather Network, AMC, AMC Plus, American Heroes Channel, aspireTV, and more.
What channels does Hulu with Live TV have that Philo doesn't?
Hulu with Live TV has 74 channels not available on Philo, including: ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Big Ten Network, and more.
Which has better DVR, Philo or Hulu with Live TV?
Philo's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage. Hulu with Live TV's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage.
Can I cancel Philo or Hulu with Live TV anytime?
Yes. Both Philo and Hulu with Live TV are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
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