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Entertainment · head to head

Adobe After Effects vs Philo

Adobe After Effects logo

Adobe After Effects

Entertainment

Visual effects and motion graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Philo logo

Philo

Entertainment

Cheap entertainment-only live TV streaming with no sports and no local broadcast channels

From
$33/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adobe After Effects the Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's After Effects page on 1 January 2022 priced the standalone app at US$20.99 per month, with the full Creative Cloud All Apps bundle at US$52.99 per month; current prices may differ.; Philo there is no sports coverage of any kind, and no add-on exists to get it, so anyone wanting even occasional live sports needs a different service entirely.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe After Effects and Philo actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe After Effects and Philo differ
AttributeAdobe After EffectsPhilo
Starting price$22.99/month$33/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer household per month, single plan
PlatformsWindows, MacosWeb, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV
Founded1990Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics
  • Visual effects
  • 2D and 3D compositing
  • Animation tools
  • Keying and rotoscoping
  • Color correction
  • Text animation
  • Particle systems

Only in Philo

  • Unlimited cloud DVR
  • Around 70 channels
  • No contracts
  • Multiple simultaneous streams
  • Low base price
  • On-demand library

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe After Effects

  • Motion graphics creationnot Philo
  • Visual effects compositingnot Philo
  • Title sequencesnot Philo
  • Commercial advertisingnot Philo
  • Social media contentnot Philo

Philo

  • A household that gets local news over an antenna and does not need it duplicated in a streaming bundlenot Adobe After Effects
  • Someone who wants reality, lifestyle and general cable channels and has no interest in sports at allnot Adobe After Effects
  • A budget cord-cutter comparing the lowest possible monthly cost among mainstream live TV servicesnot Adobe After Effects
  • A second household or vacation home subscription where a full sports-inclusive bundle is not worth the costnot Adobe After Effects

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe After Effects

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Adobe's After Effects page on 1 January 2022 priced the standalone app at US$20.99 per month, with the full Creative Cloud All Apps bundle at US$52.99 per month; current prices may differ.

Philo

  • There is no sports coverage of any kind, and no add-on exists to get it, so anyone wanting even occasional live sports needs a different service entirely.
  • It carries no local ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC affiliate feeds, so live local news and network prime time require an antenna or another service.
  • The channel count, at around 70, is meaningfully smaller than fuboTV or DirecTV Stream, so genre variety outside entertainment and lifestyle is limited.
  • News coverage is thin, with no major 24-hour cable news network included on the base lineup in the way some competitors carry CNN or Fox News.
  • Because it deliberately stays in one narrow lane, households whose needs change to include sports have to switch providers entirely rather than upgrading a Philo tier.

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe After Effects

$22.99/month
  • After Effects Single App$22.99/month
    • Motion graphics and VFX
    • 3D design space
    • Data-driven animation

Philo

$33/month
  • Philo$33/month
    • Around 70 entertainment and lifestyle channels
    • Unlimited cloud DVR
    • No sports or local broadcast channels

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe After Effects if

  • You need motion graphics.
  • You work on Windows, Macos.
  • You also want visual effects.
Adobe After Effects review

Choose Philo if

  • You need unlimited cloud dvr.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.
  • You also want around 70 channels.
Philo review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe After Effects or Philo better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and Philo at $33/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe After Effects or Philo?
Adobe After Effects starts at $22.99/month and Philo at $33/month.
Does Adobe After Effects or Philo run on more platforms?
Adobe After Effects runs on Windows, Macos. Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.
What is Adobe After Effects best used for?
Adobe After Effects is most often used for motion graphics creation, visual effects compositing, title sequences, commercial advertising. Of those, motion graphics creation and visual effects compositing are not what Philo is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe After Effects do that Philo cannot?
Adobe After Effects covers Motion graphics, Visual effects, 2D and 3D compositing, Animation tools. Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Philo: Does Philo have any sports channels?

No, it excludes sports entirely, including ESPN and regional sports networks, and there is no add-on to get them.

Philo: Does Philo include local channels like ABC or NBC?

No, local broadcast affiliates are not included; you would need an antenna or a different streaming service for those.

Philo: Why is Philo so much cheaper than fuboTV?

Because it excludes the two most expensive categories of content to carry, sports rights and local broadcast retransmission fees.

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