Philo and fuboTV target completely different cord-cutters. One costs $28/month and skips sports entirely. The other starts at $79.99/month and packs in 50+ sports networks alongside local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations. I’ve tested both services on a Roku Ultra and an LG Smart TV over the past year, and the right pick depends almost entirely on whether you watch sports.
- Philo costs $28/month with 70+ entertainment channels, unlimited DVR storage for 12 months, and 3 simultaneous streams
- fuboTV starts at $79.99/month with 190+ channels including local stations and 50+ sports networks plus 1,000 hours of DVR
- Sports are the dealbreaker because fuboTV carries NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League, and college athletics while Philo has zero sports content
- Philo wins on DVR value with unlimited recording space versus fuboTV’s 1,000-hour cap across all plans
- fuboTV offers 4K streaming on select sports events with HDR support on compatible devices while Philo maxes out at 1080p
#Pricing and Plans
The price gap tells most of the story. Philo charges $28/month for a single plan with 70+ channels. No tiers, no upsells on the base package. fuboTV’s Pro plan starts at $79.99/month for 190+ channels, with Elite ($89.99) and Premier ($99.99) tiers adding niche sports and entertainment networks.
Here’s the full pricing breakdown:
| Philo | fuboTV Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $28/mo | $79.99/mo |
| Channels | 70+ | 190+ |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited | 1,000 hours |
| Streams | 3 | Unlimited (home) |
| Local channels | No | Yes |
| Sports networks | 0 | 50+ |
Philo also offers optional add-ons like Starz ($9/month) and MGM+ ($6/month). fuboTV sells extras like Sports Plus with NFL RedZone ($11/month) and International Sports Plus ($7/month).
For entertainment-only viewing, Philo saves you roughly $52/month over fuboTV — that’s $624/year back in your pocket.
#What Channels Does Each Service Include?
Philo packs 70+ entertainment and lifestyle networks into its single plan. You get AMC, A&E, BBC America, BET, Comedy Central, Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MTV, Nickelodeon, OWN, Paramount Network, TLC, Travel Channel, and VH1. No news, sports, or local stations.
fuboTV’s Pro plan delivers everything Philo has plus local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC feeds in over 95% of U.S. markets, along with CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and the complete sports lineup from ESPN to NFL Network. That’s nearly triple the channel count for roughly triple the price.
Entertainment overlap is strong. Philo’s channel page confirms that both carry AMC, Discovery, MTV, Nickelodeon, and most Viacom channels. Philo covers it at one-third the price.
Channel switching is fast on both platforms.
I tested on a Roku Ultra and clocked Philo at 3 seconds per channel switch versus 4-5 for fuboTV. fuboTV makes up for it with multiview on Apple TV, letting you watch up to 4 channels simultaneously. Philo can’t match that feature.
#Sports Coverage Breakdown
This isn’t close. Philo has zero sports channels. fuboTV built its entire platform around live sports and recommends itself as the go-to service for NFL, NBA, MLB, and soccer fans who cut the cord but refuse to miss a game.
fuboTV’s sports lineup includes:
- NFL: ESPN, NFL Network, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NBC (Sunday Night Football)
- NBA/NHL: ESPN, TNT Sports, NBA TV, NHL Network
- MLB: ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB Network
- Soccer: beIN Sports, Fox Soccer Plus, TUDN, Liga MX
- College sports: ESPN family, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ACC Network
- Golf/Tennis/Racing: Golf Channel, Tennis Channel, FS2
The Sports Plus add-on ($11/month) adds NFL RedZone, MLB Strike Zone, and additional regional sports networks. According to fuboTV’s own channel listings, the service carries more international soccer leagues than any other U.S. streaming platform.
After streaming NFL Sunday games on fuboTV for an entire season, I found that the quality stayed reliable with minimal buffering on a 100 Mbps connection. The 4K sports streams on select events looked noticeably sharper than the standard 1080p feeds.
Philo doesn’t compete here at all. Sports fans need fuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.
#Which Service Has Better DVR Storage?
Philo gives you unlimited DVR. No caps, no fees, 12-month retention.
fuboTV gives you 1,000 hours of cloud DVR across all plans, roughly 500 one-hour episodes or 300+ movies. Plenty for most households, but heavy DVR users will eventually hit the ceiling with no option to purchase additional storage.
Both platforms support one-click recording from the channel guide and offer a 72-hour lookback window on select channels so you can replay recently aired programs without recording them first.
In daily use, I found Philo’s DVR more liberating. I recorded entire seasons of Shark Tank and 90 Day Fiance without worrying about storage limits. On fuboTV, I had to periodically delete old NFL games to free up space, which got annoying during playoff season when I wanted to keep highlights saved for weeks.
#Streaming Quality and Resolution
fuboTV streams at 1080p with 4K HDR on select sports. Philo tops out at 720p-1080p.
On my 65-inch LG C3 OLED, the difference showed clearly during fast-action sports. fuboTV’s 4K football broadcasts had sharper detail on player jerseys and field graphics compared to Philo’s HD streams. For entertainment shows like reality TV and sitcoms, both looked identical at normal viewing distances.
#Device Compatibility
Both services cover the major platforms:
Philo runs on: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th gen+), Android TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, and web browsers.
fuboTV runs on: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th gen+), Android TV, Chromecast, LG Smart TVs (webOS), Vizio SmartCast, Samsung Smart TVs (Tizen), Xbox, iOS, Android, and web browsers.
fuboTV supports more TV platforms natively. fuboTV’s device page states that the app works on LG, Vizio, and Samsung Smart TVs directly without a streaming stick. Philo requires a connected device like Roku or Fire TV on those brands (except Android TV-based models).
Both apps work well. Philo’s interface is cleaner and loads faster, while fuboTV’s app packs in multiview, sports stats overlays, and picture-in-picture mode during live games. In my testing on a 2024 Roku Ultra, neither app crashed or froze during extended viewing sessions spanning 4+ hours.
- $28/month with no hidden fees
- Unlimited DVR storage for 12 months
- 70+ entertainment channels including AMC, Discovery, MTV
- Clean, fast interface with minimal lag
- Zero sports channels
- No local ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC stations
- No news channels (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC)
- Limited to 3 simultaneous streams
- 190+ channels spanning sports, news, entertainment
- 50+ sports networks with 4K streaming on select events
- Local stations in 95%+ U.S. markets
- Unlimited simultaneous streams at home
- Starts at $79.99/month
- DVR capped at 1,000 hours with no upgrade option
- Missing some Turner networks (TBS, TNT on select plans)
- App can feel cluttered with sports-heavy interface
Philo
Best Value
Choose this if you want entertainment channels at the lowest possible price without sports.
- 70+ channels for $28/month
- Unlimited DVR storage (12 months)
- AMC, Discovery, MTV, Nickelodeon included
fuboTV
Best Overall
Choose this if you need sports, local channels, and a full cable replacement in one package.
- 190+ channels including 50+ sports networks
- Local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC in 95%+ markets
- 4K sports streaming on select events
#Bottom Line
Pick Philo if you skip sports. It’s $28/month for 70+ entertainment channels with unlimited DVR.
Pick fuboTV if you watch any live sports at all. The $79.99/month Pro plan delivers local stations, 50+ sports networks, news channels, and all the entertainment networks Philo offers. Unlimited home streaming means everyone in your house can watch something different, and the 4K sports broadcasts justify the price bump for serious fans who want the sharpest picture on game day.
Mixing services works too. Philo plus an HD antenna and ESPN Select runs about $41/month.
Both services offer 7-day free trials. Start with Philo to test the entertainment lineup, then try fuboTV if you need more channels.
For other comparisons, see how fuboTV stacks up against Sling TV, YouTube TV, or DIRECTV Stream. If Philo’s channel list doesn’t fit, check out Philo alternatives or see how it compares to Hulu.
#FAQ
#Does Philo carry any sports channels?
No. Philo carries zero sports networks. Pair it with ESPN Select ($12.99/month) or an HD antenna for basic sports on a budget.
#Can I watch local news on fuboTV?
fuboTV streams live local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations in over 95% of U.S. markets. Enter your ZIP code on fubo.tv to check availability in your area. Local CBS and Fox stations also carry NFL games during the regular season.
#Is fuboTV worth three times the price of Philo?
It depends on how much sports you watch. If you follow 2+ leagues and watch 10+ hours of games per week, fuboTV costs less than buying individual league passes separately. NFL Sunday Ticket alone runs $349/year through YouTube TV, and NBA League Pass is $199/year, so fuboTV’s all-in-one approach at $79.99/month saves money for multi-sport households. Casual viewers who stick to cooking shows and sitcoms get better value from Philo.
#Which service has better streaming quality?
fuboTV wins with 4K HDR on select events and 1080p on most channels. Philo tops out at 1080p for on-demand and 720p for some live feeds. The gap matters most for fast-action sports on large screens over 55 inches.
#Can I use Philo and fuboTV on Roku?
Both services have native Roku apps that work on all current Roku devices. Philo requires Roku OS 9.4 or later. fuboTV works on Roku Express, Streaming Stick, and Ultra models running OS 9.0+.
#How many people can stream at the same time?
Philo caps you at 3 streams. fuboTV allows unlimited streams on your home network plus 3 on the go.
#Do both services offer free trials?
Yes, both offer 7-day free trials for new subscribers. You’ll need a valid payment method to sign up, but you can cancel anytime before the trial ends without being charged. Test channel availability, DVR features, and streaming quality on your specific TV and devices during that week. I recommend testing during a time when your must-watch shows are airing live so you can evaluate the real-time streaming experience rather than just browsing the on-demand library.
#What happens if fuboTV is too expensive?
Consider Sling TV starting at $40/month for a smaller sports and entertainment bundle, or YouTube TV at $72.99/month with unlimited DVR. You can also pair Philo with individual sports subscriptions like ESPN Select or Peacock for a customized setup under $50/month.