remote pointing at tv

Philo vs Sling TV: Which is a better deal?

Watching tv and using remote control
Philo and Sling TV are over-the-top (OTT) streaming services that work like traditional TV providers. As long as you have a good Wi-Fi connection, you can stream many of the same channels available through dish and cable providers.

Owned by Dish Network, Sling TV is a highly customizable service. It offers three plans: Orange, Blue, and Orange + Blue. The latest numbers reported by Statista at the end of 2019 put Sling TV at over 2.5 million subscribers. 

Philo launched in 2013 and is supported by investors like Mark Cuban. A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Discovery Inc., and ViacomCBS all own part of the company. Philo offers a single “skinny bundle” plan with 59 channels. The service does not provide access to live sports, and its news offerings are limited. 

Philo does not include local channels. But to be fair, Sling TV’s local coverage is not the best either — and what is available depends on your region. 

Plans and pricing for Philo vs. Sling TV

Philo Sling Orange Sling Blue Sling Orange + Blue
Monthly price $20 $30 $30 $45
Free trial length 14 days* 14 days 14 days 14 days
Number of titles 59 32 47 53
Streaming quality 720p-1080p 720p-1080p 720p-1080p 720p-1080p

*Updated on 03/26/2020

Comparing the Sling TV vs. Philo experience

User experience 

Sling TV’s app has the same design and menu functions across devices, making it easy to operate. Its colors are black and grey, and the interface features an effective menu bar, a search tool, and a Settings icon. The My TV section contains recorded content and preferred channels. With Sling TV, you can fast forward — a functionality that is perfect for avoiding commercials. Sling TV also lets you record numerous shows concurrently. 

Philo’s user interface is less helpful than Sling TV’s. For starters, you are only able to search through its channel guide on a desktop. Its other apps do not include the channel guide feature, which can make it challenging to find programs. The interface features a home screen with a menu that lets you navigate to various sections. It also has a search bar and your account icon.

Device compatibility

Philo: 

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android devices
  • Android TV
  • Apple TV
  • Google Chromecast
  • iOS devices
  • Nintendo
  • Roku
  • Smart TVs 

Sling TV: 

  • Apple TV
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android devices
  • Google Chromecast
  • iOS devices
  • Roku
  • Smart TVs
  • Web browsers
  • Xbox One

Personalization

Sling TV has several personalization features, including the ability to add premium bundles like Sports and Kids and channels like HBO. It also lets you purchase extra storage. But, since you cannot create a personal profile with any of its plans, you will not be able to differentiate your watch history from others in your household. 

Philo gives you the ability to personalize your experience with up to 10 profiles per account. But it does not offer premium channels or bundles. 

Features

You can save and store unlimited content for 30 days with Philo. Sling TV comes with 10 hours of DVR storage, which you can upgrade to 50 hours for an extra $5/mo. Sling TV allows you to keep your recorded content for as long as you have your account. 

Philo is a good option for families since it offers three simultaneous streams. Sling TV’s Orange plan only provides one stream, but its Blue option lets you watch on up to three devices. Orange + Blue provides four simultaneous streams. 

Philo vs. Sling TV channels

Philo and Sling TV offer several channels, including:

Philo Sling TV
A&E X X
ACC Network X
Adult Swim X
AMC X X
American Heroes Channel X X
Animal Planet X
Aspire X
AXS TV X X
Baby TV X
BBC America X X
BBC World News X X
beIN Sports X
BET X X
BET Her X
Blaze TV X
Bloomberg Television X
Boomerang X
Bravo X
Campus Insider X
Cartoon Network X
Cheddar X X
Cheddar Big News X X
Cinemax X
Cleo TV X
CMT X X
CNBC X
CNN X
Comedy Central X X
Comet X
Cooking Channel X X
Cowboy Channel X
Destination America X X
Discovery X X
Discovery Family X
Discovery Life X
Disney Channel X
Disney Junior X
Disney XD X
DIY Network X X
Duck TV X
E! X
EPIX X
EPIX Drive-In X
EPIX Hits X
EPIX 2 X
ESPN X
ESPN Bases Loaded X
ESPN Deportes X
ESPN Goal Line X
ESPN U X
ESPN 2 X
ESPNews X
Euronews X
Fla Ma X
Food Network X X
FOX X
France 24 X
FreeForm X
Free Speech X
FS1 X
FS2 X
Fuse X
Fusion X
FX X
FXX X
FYI X X
Galavision X
Game Show Network X X
Golf Channel X
Great American Country X
Hallmark Drama X X
Hallmark Channel X X
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries X X
HDNet Movies X
HGTV X X
History X X
HLN X
IFC X X
Investigation Discovery X X
Law&Crime X
Lifetime X X
Lifetime Movies X X
Local Now X
Logo X X
MLB Network X
MotorTrend X
MSNBC X
MTV X X
MTV 2 X X
MTV Classic X
MTV Live X
National Geographic X
Nat Geo Wild X
NBA TV X
NBC X
NBC Sports Network X
NBC Sportsnet X
NDTV X
Newsmax X
Newsy X
News 18 X
NFL Network X
NHL Network X
Nick Jr X X
Nickelodeon X
Nicktoons X X
Olympic Channel X
Outdoor Channel X
Outside TV X
OWN X
Oxygen X
Pac12 Network X
Paramount Network X X
People TV X
Revolt X X
RFDTV X
Ride TV X
RT Network X
Science Channel X X
SEC Network X
Showtime X
Sportsman X
Stadium X
Sundance TV X X
SyFy X
Tastemade X
TBS X
Teen Nick X X
TLC X X
TNT X
Travel Channel X X
Tru TV X
Turner Classic Movies X
TV Land X X
Unimas X
UP tv X X
USA X
VH1 X X
Vice X
Viceland X X
WE tv X X
YES X
YES Network X

The final cut 

Sling TV is more expensive than Philo. But Sling works more like a well-rounded replacement to traditional TV thanks to its add-on channels and features. Philo is more bare-bones and works well as a supplement to another streaming service. Both offer a 7-day free trial.

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