Is Hulu or Philo better?

Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Philo at $33/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Hulu or Philo?

Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Philo at $33/month.

Does Hulu or Philo run on more platforms?

Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.

What is Hulu best used for?

Hulu is most often used for tv streaming, live tv, next-day episodes, sports. Of those, tv streaming and live tv are not what Philo is typically brought in for.

What can Hulu do that Philo cannot?

Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams.

Entertainment · head to head

Hulu vs Philo

Hulu

Entertainment

Stream TV and movies live and online

From: $7.99/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

Philo

Entertainment

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

From: $33/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: Hulu pricing page redirects to Disney+ bundle site rather than standalone Hulu pricing, preventing direct pricing lookup; 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: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hulu and Philo actually diverge.

Attributes where Hulu and Philo differ
Attribute	Hulu	Philo
Starting price	$7.99/month	$33/month
Pricing model	subscription	Per household per month, single plan
Platforms	Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles	Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV
Founded	2007	Unknown

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 Hulu

On-demand streaming
Live TV
Cloud DVR
Downloads
Current episodes
Smart TVs
Gaming consoles
Mobile devices

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.

Hulu

TV streamingnot Philo
Live TVnot Philo
Next-day episodesnot Philo
Sportsnot Philo

Philo

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hulu

Pricing page redirects to Disney+ bundle site rather than standalone Hulu pricing, preventing direct pricing lookup
No specific Hulu pricing details published on accessible landing pages; pricing information requires interaction with Disney+ ecosystem
Bundling with Disney+ through default redirects obscures Hulu standalone plan options and costs

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

Hulu

$7.99/month

Hulu (With Ads)$7.99/month
- Full library
- Ad-supported
Hulu (No Ads)$17.99/month
- Full library
- Ad-free
- Downloads
Hulu + Live TV$76.99/month
- Live TV
- On-demand
- Cloud DVR

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 Hulu if

You need on-demand streaming.
You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
You also want live tv.

Hulu 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 Hulu or Philo better?: Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Philo at $33/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hulu or Philo?: Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Philo at $33/month.
Does Hulu or Philo run on more platforms?: Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.
What is Hulu best used for?: Hulu is most often used for tv streaming, live tv, next-day episodes, sports. Of those, tv streaming and live tv are not what Philo is typically brought in for.
What can Hulu do that Philo cannot?: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hulu: What is Hulu's pricing?

Hulu pricing details are not available on the standard pricing page due to redirect to Disney+ bundle offerings. Specific Hulu standalone plan costs require navigation through Disney+ site or direct contact with support.

Source

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.

Hulu: Does Hulu offer a free trial?

Free trial availability for Hulu is not disclosed on accessible pricing pages; details require checking Disney+ bundling options or contacting support directly.

Source

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.

Hulu: Can Hulu be purchased separately from Disney+?

Hulu pricing and availability as a standalone product is unclear from published pricing pages; Hulu appears bundled with Disney+ offerings without separate pricing disclosure.

Source

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.

Hulu vs Philo

Hulu

Philo

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Hulu

Only in Philo

What people use each for

Hulu

Philo

Where each one falls short

Hulu

Philo

Pricing, plan by plan

Hulu

Philo

Which should you pick?

Choose Hulu if

Choose Philo if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Hulu

More on Philo

Keep looking

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