Is Philo or Starz better?

Neither clearly leads. Philo starts at $33/month and Starz at $6.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Philo or Starz?

Philo starts at $33/month and Starz at $6.99/month.

Does Philo or Starz run on more platforms?

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

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 Starz is typically brought in for.

What can Philo do that Starz cannot?

Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams. Starz covers Streaming, Original series, Movies, Exclusive content.

Entertainment · head to head

Philo vs Starz

Philo

Entertainment

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

From: $33/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

Starz

Entertainment

Premium originals and hit series

From: $6.99/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

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.; Starz standard monthly rate after 3-month promotion not disclosed on landing page; requires signup to see renewal pricing
They diverge on capability: Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Starz covers Streaming.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Philo and Starz actually diverge.

Attributes where Philo and Starz differ
Attribute	Philo	Starz
Starting price	$33/month	$6.99/month
Pricing model	Per household per month, single plan	subscription
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV	Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv
Founded	Unknown	1994

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 Philo

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

Only in Starz

Streaming
Original series
Movies
Exclusive content
Downloads
Smart TVs
Streaming devices
Account security

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 Starz
Someone who wants reality, lifestyle and general cable channels and has no interest in sports at allnot Starz
A budget cord-cutter comparing the lowest possible monthly cost among mainstream live TV servicesnot Starz
A second household or vacation home subscription where a full sports-inclusive bundle is not worth the costnot Starz

Starz

Drama streamingnot Philo
Original series watchingnot 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.

Starz

Standard monthly rate after 3-month promotion not disclosed on landing page; requires signup to see renewal pricing

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

Starz

$6.99/month

Standard$6.99/month
- HD
- Ad-supported
Premium$12.99/month
- 4K
- Ad-free
- Downloads

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 Starz if

You need streaming.
You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
You also want original series.

Starz review

Questions people ask

Is Philo or Starz better?: Neither clearly leads. Philo starts at $33/month and Starz at $6.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Philo or Starz?: Philo starts at $33/month and Starz at $6.99/month.
Does Philo or Starz run on more platforms?: Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV. Starz runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
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 Starz is typically brought in for.
What can Philo do that Starz cannot?: Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams. Starz covers Streaming, Original series, Movies, Exclusive content.

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.

Starz: What is the current STARZ subscription cost?

STARZ offers a limited-time promotional rate of $4 per month for the first three months. The standard monthly rate after this period is not displayed on the website and appears during signup.

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.

Starz: How many devices can stream simultaneously on STARZ?

STARZ subscriptions allow streaming on up to 4 devices at the same time, with unlimited HD streaming and downloads included.

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.

Philo vs Starz

Philo

Starz

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Philo

Only in Starz

What people use each for

Philo

Starz

Where each one falls short

Philo

Starz

Pricing, plan by plan

Philo

Starz

Which should you pick?

Choose Philo if

Choose Starz if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Philo

More on Starz

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