UPDATE: T-Mobile is shutting down TVision in April 2021 and partnering with YouTube TV and Philo to offer discounts to subscribers. Compare the best live TV streaming plans here.
T-Mobile’s launch of a $10 a month live TV streaming plan called TVision Vibe is getting a lot of attention from cord-cutters, but how does it compare to Philo?
At first glance, it may seem like TVision Vibe is the best deal around. But there are other factors to consider.
Philo vs. TVision Vibe Comparison
This article will review the key features of both TVision Vibe and Philo. I’ll take a look at the plans and pricing, channels lineups, DVR, compatible devices and multiple streams.
By the end of this article, you’ll know which streaming TV plan is best for you. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents:
Plans and Pricing
- TVision Vibe: $10
- Philo: $20
- No free trial with TVision
TVision Vibe offers 30+ channels for $10 a month, while Philo carries 60+ networks for $20 a month. When you do the math, that’s about 30 cents per channel for both services.
| TVision Vibe | Philo |
| $10/month | $20/month |
| 33 channels | 63 channels |
| 30 cents per channel | 32 cents per channel |
Philo previously offered a $16 a month bundle, but that was eliminated back in May 2019. So, it seems unlikely that Philo would lower its price in response to TVision Vibe.
Philo has a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, but there is no free trial period with TVision Vibe.
At launch, TVision is available only to T-Mobile wireless subscribers. It won’t expand access to everyone until sometime in 2021, and we don’t know what the price will be for non-T-Mobile customers.
Both services have no contracts or long-term commitments. You can cancel without penalty.
Channel Lineups
- TVision Vibe: 30+ channels
- Philo: 60+ channels
- Entertainment-focused
- No sports, cable news or locals
TVision Vibe and Philo have similar channel lineups that feature entertainment networks like AMC, Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, OWN and TLC.
These services don’t offer live sports, major cable news networks or local stations.
When I took a closer look at the channel lineups side-by-side, I realized that Philo includes everything in TVision Vibe’s plan and about 30 additional channels that Vibe doesn’t offer.
Cloud DVR
- TVision Vibe: $5/month add-on for 100 hours of storage
- Philo: Unlimited DVR storage space
If you want to record your favorite reality show or drama series, Philo’s plan includes unlimited cloud DVR storage and recordings can be kept for 30 days.
Meanwhile, cloud DVR is an add-on with the TVision Vibe plan. (It’s included with the pricier TVision Live plans.)
If you pay an extra $5 per month with the TVision Vibe plan, you’ll get 100 hours of storage and your recordings can be kept for up to nine months.
Both services let you skip through the ads of your recordings. You can fast forward and rewind as much as you want!
Compatible Devices
- TVision Vibe: Roku not supported
- Philo: Top devices supported
You can stream either TVision Vibe or Philo to your TV set using a compatible device.
Philo has expanded its list of supported devices over the years. They include Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Chromecast with Google TV.
TVision Vibe works with most of those, but not Roku players at launch. That’ll be a dealbreaker for many streamers.
In addition to its streaming plans, T-Mobile has introduced the TVision HUB streaming media player. It’s an Android-powered device that’s optimized for the TVision services.
TVision HUB is a good device, but it’s not necessary. I recommend that you save the $50 and use a streaming media player that you already own.
Learn more about TVision HUB in my full review of TVision.
When you’re away from a TV, you can access Philo and TVision on the go with a mobile device or tablet.
Multiple Streams
- TVision Vibe: 2 simultaneous streams
- Philo: 3 simultaneous streams
Philo allows three devices to stream the service at the same time, while TVision Vibe allows for only two simultaneous streams. Both services let you create up to 10 profiles per account.
If multiple people in your house frequently stream at the same time, Philo is probably the way to go.
Final Thought
If you’re an eligible T-Mobile subscriber, TVision Vibe is an incredible deal at $10 a month. But I wouldn’t switch my cell phone provider just to save a few bucks compared to Philo.
Remember that Philo includes everything in the Vibe plan and more — and it’s still only $20 a month.
If you’re looking beyond the price, Philo offers a better channel lineup, cloud DVR, more compatible devices and an additional simultaneous stream. Plus, there’s a free trial offer.
To learn more about TVision, see my full review and demo of the streaming service here.
I personally LOVE Philo and as a TMobile subscriber it is great. Although the process is EXTREMELY wonky and not well thought out I think it will be ok?