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Entertainment · head to head

Philo vs Plex

Philo logo

Philo

Entertainment

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

From
$33/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Plex

Entertainment

Cloud ERP for smart manufacturing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Plex has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Plex plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
  • They diverge on capability: Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Plex covers Financial management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Philo and Plex actually diverge.

Attributes where Philo and Plex differ
AttributePhiloPlex
Starting price$33/monthFree
Pricing modelPer household per month, single planUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TVRoku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
FoundedUnknown2009

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 Philo

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

Only in Plex

  • Financial management
  • Manufacturing execution
  • Supply chain
  • Quality management
  • Analytics
  • IoT platforms
  • REST APIs
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

Philo

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

Plex

  • Industry 4.0not Philo
  • Real-time monitoringnot Philo
  • IoT integrationnot Philo
  • Smart manufacturingnot Philo

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Plex

  • Plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
  • Remote streaming quality degrades significantly if Plex cannot establish direct connection and falls back to relay mode
  • Upcoming sunsetting of plugins, Cloud Sync, and Watch Later features

Pricing, plan by plan

Philo

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

Plex

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Plex review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Plex if

  • You need financial management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want manufacturing execution.
Plex review

Questions people ask

Is Philo or Plex better?
Neither clearly leads. Philo starts at $33/month and Plex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Philo or Plex?
Plex has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $33/month for Philo and Free for Plex.
Does Philo or Plex run on more platforms?
Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV. Plex runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Plex for free?
Yes. Plex has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Philo starts at $33/month.
What is Philo best used for?
Philo is most often used for a household that gets local news over an antenna and does not need it duplicated in a streaming bundle, someone who wants reality, lifestyle and general cable channels and has no interest in sports at all, a budget cord-cutter comparing the lowest possible monthly cost among mainstream live tv services, a second household or vacation home subscription where a full sports-inclusive bundle is not worth the cost. Of those, a household that gets local news over an antenna and does not need it duplicated in a streaming bundle and someone who wants reality, lifestyle and general cable channels and has no interest in sports at all are not what Plex is typically brought in for.
What can Philo do that Plex cannot?
Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams. Plex covers Financial management, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain, Quality management.

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.

Plex: Is Plex Media Server free?

Yes. Plex Media Server and the ad-supported streaming catalog are free. Plex Pass is an optional subscription at 6.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year that adds features like hardware transcoding and offline sync.

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.

Plex: Can I access Plex content offline?

Yes, but downloads have limitations. Downloaded content may have an expiration period and is specific to the device where downloaded. Downloads are not available on shared libraries in some cases.

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.

Plex: What devices does Plex support?

Plex apps are available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, iOS, Android, and web browsers. Server software runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS devices, and Docker.

Source
Plex: What is included in the free Plex catalog?

Plex's free ad-supported streaming catalog includes 14,000+ movies and shows from Lionsgate, MGM, Warner Bros, and Crackle Originals.

Source
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