Philo TV vs. Sling TV vs. Hulu + Live TV – Which streaming service proves most ideal?
With multiple live streaming services in the market currently, it can become quite a task choosing the best. However, they are all unique, and narrowing down based on features becomes easy.
Philo TV and Sling TV are considered ‘laid back’ and very affordable, especially when they are compared to other live streaming services in the market today. They come with assorted channels, but they do not have a wide variety from which to choose. On the other hand, Hulu + Live TV is one of the best and most comprehensive live streaming platforms, offering a good deal of channels to choose from.
Table of Contents
When to use Philo TV
This live streaming service is most ideal for persons that have a preference for all things entertainment and lifestyle. It is a service that does not come with sports and news channels, making it a bit limiting, especially in a household with sports lovers. It comes with an app and can be enjoyed on multiple internet enabled devices which include smart TVs and phones.
When to use Sling TV
When it comes to assortment, Sling TV does not disappoint. It is ideal for people who like a balance between sports, entertainment, news and lifestyle. It, however, does not have a wide array from which to choose, but it has a decent number of channels. It also comes with an app, making it ideal to use on smart devices.
When to use Hulu + Live Stream
This streaming service is made for individuals and families who like to explore loads of viewership options, ranging from sports, lifestyle, entertainment and news. It is considered pricey, but many users find that the money is worth it. It can also be played on multiple smart devices.
Philo TV vs. Sling TV vs. Hulu + Live TV Feature Comparison
Feature |
Philo TV |
Sling TV |
Hulu + Live TV |
On Demand TV |
Available |
Available |
Available |
Number of Channels |
>55 |
>50 |
>70 |
App |
Available |
Available |
Available |
Monthly Subscription |
$20 |
$30 to $40 |
$64.99 to $70.00 |
Action |
Philo TV vs. Sling TV vs. Hulu + Live TV – What criteria did we use?
To make a detailed comparison, we decided to center our research around the number of available channels on each, as well as the cost of the base bundle. In addition, we reviewed the ease of upgrade and channel customization available on each stream service to determine the best of all three.
Philo TV vs. Sling TV vs. Hulu + Live TV – A Detailed Overview
Philo TV Review
If you are looking to make the shift from cable TV to a live streaming service and are would like to spend as little as possible, you might want to subscribe to Philo TV. It is easily one of the most affordable, coming in at a monthly subscription of $20 only. There is, however, a catch.
Philo TV, unlike most live streaming platforms, does not include content that falls under the sports ad news category, and you will, therefore, not have access to sports and news channels. In addition, this bundle (the base bundle) can neither be upgraded or downgraded, meaning that you cannot have any add-on channels. What it comes with is all you can watch.
It presents a total of 55 channels, and can be accessed via internet enabled devices such as TVs and laptops. It allows for a total of 3 streams at a time.
Feature |
|
Bundle Cost |
$20 |
Cloud DVR |
Unlimited – Keeps recorded content for 1 month |
Streams per account |
Maximum of 3 |
Pros
- Very affordable
- Can be streamed across three devices
- Ideal for lifestyle and entertainment lovers
Cons
- Does not support add-ons
Sling TV Review
This live stream channel is definitely an upgrade from Philo TV, allowing users access to over 50 channels. It however, includes channels that fall under the sports, entertainment, lifestyle and news categories, only that they are pretty limited.
It comes with two main bundles; Orange and Blue Sling. Both cost $30 a month each, and you also have the option to have a combined Blue-Orange bunch that costs $45 a month. Through an app, you can gain access to Sling TV on your TV, phone and even tablet.
This live stream channel allows for streaming across three devices at the same time.
Feature |
|
Bundle Cost |
$30 – Upgradable to $45 |
Cloud DVR |
10 hours – Upgradable To 50 hours |
4K/ HDR Content |
Not available |
Trials |
7 days free trial |
Pros
- Affordable
- Comes with all categories
- Can be streamed on three different devices
Cons
- Cannot stream in 4K
Hulu + Live TV Review
When it comes to variety and customization, Hulu + Live TV brings the game a notch higher, bringing in a total of over 70 live stream channels. They include content from all categories which are lifestyle, entertainment, news and sports.
This live stream service comes with a base subscription of $64.99, but you can upgrade it to $70 so that you can watch your content advertisement free. It can be streamed across three devices at a time, but for an extra $9.99 a month, you gain access to unlimited screens.
Feature |
|
Bundle Cost |
$64.99 – Upgradable to $70 |
Cloud DVR |
50 hours – Upgradable To 200 hours |
4K/ HDR Content |
Not available |
Trials |
7 days free trial |
Pros
- Comes with a wide range of channels
- Has all categories of content
- Can be streamed on multiple devices
- Comes with 7 days free trial
Cons
- Considered expensive
Philo TV vs. Sling TV vs. Hulu + Live Tv – How do they compare?
Number of available channels
Philo Tv comes in with a total of 55 channels, but they are limited to entertainment and lifestyle only. This bundle costs just $20 on a monthly basis. However, you cannot customize your viewership preferences since you cannot upgrade or have add-on channels.
Sling TV comes with a total of 50 channels, and the good thing is that there is a balance between all categories, allowing it to include sports, entertainment, news and lifestyle. You can choose from two bundles; Orange Sling and Blue Sling, both of which cost $30 each. You can upgrade a bundle higher to include both Orange and Blue Sling which costs $45 per month.For any add-ons, you have to add an extra $5.
Hulu + Live TV comes with the widest selection, providing up to 70 live streaming channels, making it better than Philo TV and Sling TV. This costs $64.99 every month, but you have to watch your content with advertisements. To watch your programs without this, you have to pay a total of $70 a month which is actually quite reasonable. The bundle is, however, static, and cannot be altered. You, however, gain access to on-demand TV.
Cloud DVR
With Philo TV, you gain access to unlimited cloud DVR storage, meaning that you can record as much content as you would like to, making it better than Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV. It, however, just stays one month before it is deleted from the cloud.
Sling TV, on the other hand, comes with cloud DVR storage of 10 hours. However, with an additional $10, you can increase this limit to 50 hours, but your content stays in place just a couple days.
Hulu + Live TV provides 50 hours of cloud DVR, but for an additional $9.99, you can upgrade this to 200 hours. The content is also only available for a couple days.
Streams per account
For both Philo TV ad Sling TV, you are allowed a maximum of three streams at any one given time, meaning that you can only connect three devices at the same time.
This is the case with Hulu + Live TV which allows a maximum of three devices at a time as well. However, with an additional $9.99 per month, you can live stream programs on an unlimited number of gadgets at a time, meaning that you can watch Hulu + Live TV content on as many screens as you want to, making it better than Philo TV and Sling TV.
Conclusion
With as many live stream options as Hulu + Live TV offers, it is only expected that it offers a better experience than both Philo TV and Sling TV.It comes with a wide variety of channels, the possibility of watching content on many screens, and content that is considered new.
FAQs
-
Can I watch HBO on Hulu + Live TV?
Yes, you can.
-
Is Fox News available on Sling TV?
Yes, it is.
