Is Overcast or Philo better?

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

Which is cheaper, Overcast or Philo?

Overcast has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Overcast and $33/month for Philo.

Does Overcast or Philo run on more platforms?

Overcast runs on iOS, macOS, watchOS. Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.

Can I use Overcast for free?

Yes. Overcast has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Philo starts at $33/month.

What is Overcast best used for?

Overcast is most often used for podcast listening, apple integration. Of those, podcast listening and apple integration are not what Philo is typically brought in for.

What can Overcast do that Philo cannot?

Overcast covers Podcast app, Smart Speed, Voice Boost, Sync. Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams.

Entertainment · head to head

Overcast vs Philo

Overcast

Entertainment

The best podcast app for iPhone

From: Free
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

Only Overcast has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Overcast iOS and Mac only, with no Android version or plans for one; 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: Overcast covers Podcast app, Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Overcast and Philo actually diverge.

Attributes where Overcast and Philo differ
Attribute	Overcast	Philo
Starting price	Free	$33/month
Pricing model	Unknown	Per household per month, single plan
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	iOS, macOS, watchOS	Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV
Founded	2014	Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Overcast

Podcast app
Smart Speed
Voice Boost
Sync
Discovery
Apple services
Podcast services
Privacy-focused

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.

Overcast

Podcast listeningnot Philo
Apple integrationnot Philo

Philo

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

Where each one falls short

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

Overcast

iOS and Mac only, with no Android version or plans for one
No web version for accessing podcasts across browsers
Dependent on Apple ecosystem, limiting accessibility for Windows and Android users

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

Overcast

Free

FreeFree
- Podcast playback
- Smart Speed
- Voice Boost
Premium$9.95/year
- No ads
- Custom icons
- Upload personal audio

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 Overcast if

You need podcast app.
You want to start without paying.
You work on iOS, macOS, watchOS.
You also want smart speed.

Overcast 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 Overcast or Philo better?: Neither clearly leads. Overcast starts at Free and Philo at $33/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Overcast or Philo?: Overcast has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Overcast and $33/month for Philo.
Does Overcast or Philo run on more platforms?: Overcast runs on iOS, macOS, watchOS. Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV.
Can I use Overcast for free?: Yes. Overcast has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Philo starts at $33/month.
What is Overcast best used for?: Overcast is most often used for podcast listening, apple integration. Of those, podcast listening and apple integration are not what Philo is typically brought in for.
What can Overcast do that Philo cannot?: Overcast covers Podcast app, Smart Speed, Voice Boost, Sync. Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Overcast: Is Overcast free or paid?

Overcast is free with ad banners promoting podcasts. Premium subscription of $9.95 per year removes ads, enables custom icons, and allows uploading personal audio files.

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.

Overcast: What platforms does Overcast support?

Overcast is available on iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Mac with Apple M1 or later. It is not available on Android, Windows, or web.

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.

Overcast: What are Overcast's signature features?

Overcast features Smart Speed, which dynamically shortens silences in podcasts while maintaining natural sound, and Voice Boost, which normalizes audio levels across episodes.

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.

Overcast: Who develops Overcast?

Overcast is developed and maintained by Marco Arment, a software developer who previously created Instapaper and served as CTO of Tumblr.

Source

Overcast vs Philo

Overcast

Philo

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Overcast

Only in Philo

What people use each for

Overcast

Philo

Where each one falls short

Overcast

Philo

Pricing, plan by plan

Overcast

Philo

Which should you pick?

Choose Overcast if

Choose Philo if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Overcast

More on Philo

Keep looking

Other head to heads