Is Philo Still Worth It in 2026? 5 Things to Know Before You Sign Up

Philo is an affordable live TV streaming service that I’ve recommended to a lot of people over the years, even though it’s not my personal favorite. 

The service focuses on entertainment programming, not sports and news — keeping the price down.

I’ve tested Philo multiple times since it launched in 2017 and even interviewed its former CEO on my YouTube channel several years ago. 

After recent changes, I’ve updated this article to help you decide if it’s still worth it in 2026.

Philo Live TV Streaming Service Review: Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Relatively low monthly price; flexible plans	Not for sports or cable news junkies
Lots of entertainment and lifestyle networks	No local channels
Unlimited cloud DVR storage	Some “filler” channels included
Free trial offered with Essential plan

1. How Much Does Philo Cost in 2026?

Philo did something unusual in March 2026 by lowering the starting price for its paid plans. There are now two plans: Essential and Bundle+

• The Essential plan focuses on more than 70 cable channels and costs $25 a month after a 7-day free trial. 
• For $33 a month, the Bundle+ plan adds in HBO Max Basic, AMC+ and Discovery+. 

These new plans are flexible because users are not forced to pay for the extra streaming apps if they don’t want them. 

The service also has a lineup of more than 100 free channels that don’t require signing up. These are separate bonus channels, not the same as the paid lineup.

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Savings tip: For a paid plan, sign up for Philo directly from the company’s website. You may see higher pricing if you subscribe through a third party. 

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2. What Channels and Content Do You Get With Philo?

Philo’s channel lineup isn’t as well-rounded as some live TV streaming competitors.

To charge less than other live TV services, Philo doesn’t offer local broadcast stations, live sports and the major cable news networks. 

Its list of channels focuses on entertainment and lifestyle networks. Things like reality TV, true crime and dramas. 

The service has programming agreements and investment from four leading groups: A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. 

Channels owned by those four groups are among those carried in Philo’s main bundle. Here’s a partial list:

A&E Networks	AMC Networks	Warner Bros. Discovery	Paramount
A&E History Lifetime LMN FYI	AMC  BBC America IFC Sundance TV WE tv	Discovery HGTV TLC ID Food Network	MTV BET VH1 Nickelodeon Comedy Central

Channels aren’t usually added to pay-TV bundles individually, so it’s useful to know what big media company is controlling your must-have networks.

That knowledge can also help you understand why some networks are left out. 

For example, ESPN, FOX News and NBC aren’t available on Philo because it doesn’t have deals with Disney, FOX and NBCUniversal. You can review Philo’s full channel lineup here. 

In addition to the live TV channels, Philo’s Bundle+ plan now includes HBO Max, Discovery+ and AMC+.

3. Does Philo Offer Cloud DVR?

Philo is a live TV streaming service, but you don’t have to watch shows as they premiere thanks to its cloud DVR. 

For paid plans, Philo’s DVR offers unlimited storage and recordings can be saved for a full year. All live TV services include ads, but you can fast-forward through all the ads on your recorded content.

When you’re using Philo’s DVR, which it refers to as Saved or Saved Shows, there are a few things to know:

1. When you find a show or movie that you want to record, just select “Save” before it starts 
2. Philo’s DVR records all future airings, new and reruns 
3. Access your recordings from the “Saved” section and select the DVR version to fast forward through the ads

Philo records nearly everything that’s aired in the last 72 hours on its own, which comes in handy if you forget to set your DVR.

But in that case, the on-demand version (VOD) will include unskippable ads.

4. How Do You Stream Philo?

You can stream Philo on your phone, computer or to a TV set with a compatible device.

Supported Devices 

If you subscribe to my YouTube channel, you know I recommend Roku devices for first-time streamers. I’ve been using the Roku Ultra with Philo. 

Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, plus some Samsung, LG and VIZIO TVs are also supported. 

Minimum Internet Speed 

Philo recommends a high-speed internet connection with a download speed of at least 13 Mbps for HD streaming, even with multiple streams or devices. 

You can stream at slower speeds, but video quality and performance may be affected.

You can test your current internet speed for free at Speedtest.net.

Multiple Users 

You can stream Philo on up to three devices at the same time, and there are up to 10 user profiles per account. Each user gets their own sign-in credentials, DVR and viewing history.

5. Is Philo Still Worth It? 

Weeks before Philo adjusted its plans and pricing, I questioned in a YouTube video whether the service had pushed the price too high at $33 a month. 

Now that there is a $25 a month option again, it’s easier for me to recommend. 

Ask Yourself:

• Do you watch a lot of reality TV, true crime and dramas from cable networks?
• Do you prefer a live TV service over standalone apps? 
• Do you want the ability to easily skip ads on your recorded content? 

If you answered yes to those three questions, Philo may be worth it to you. 

Of course, it’s not for everyone. There are many entertainment-focused streaming options that Philo competes with – both live TV bundles and standalone apps. 

Plus, anyone who wants live sports, news and locals will likely want a full service such as YouTube TV.

If you are thinking about Philo, it offers a 7-day free trial with the Essential plan. You can also use its Free Channels experience to preview the user interface.

For more ways to save on streaming TV, follow Michael Saves on YouTube!