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Entertainment · head to head

Philo vs StubHub

Philo logo

Philo

Entertainment

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

From
$33/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StubHub logo

StubHub

Entertainment

Ticket resale marketplace charging both buyers and sellers, with combined fees often a large share of face value

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only StubHub 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.; StubHub combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • They diverge on capability: Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Philo and StubHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Philo and StubHub differ
AttributePhiloStubHub
Starting price$33/monthFree
Pricing modelPer household per month, single planFree to browse, two sided transaction fees on buyers and sellers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TViOS, Android, Web

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 StubHub

  • Buy and sell marketplace
  • FanProtect guarantee
  • Price alerts
  • Interactive seat maps
  • Mobile and PDF ticket delivery
  • Seller payout tracking

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

StubHub

  • A fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary sellernot Philo
  • Someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell themnot Philo
  • A buyer wanting a guarantee that a resold ticket will be valid and delivered on timenot Philo
  • Comparing seat locations and prices across multiple listings for the same event before buyingnot 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.

StubHub

  • Combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • Buyer fees are typically not shown until near checkout, which regulators in the US and UK have specifically targeted as a form of drip pricing in the ticketing industry.
  • Sellers receive less than their listed price after StubHub's seller fee is deducted, which can surprise first-time sellers expecting to net the full listed amount.
  • As a secondary market, prices for popular events can be well above face value, and there is no guarantee of a cheaper option appearing before the event date.
  • Refund and guarantee terms depend on FanProtect policy conditions, and disputes over cancelled or changed events can take time to resolve through customer support.

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

StubHub

Free
  • Buyer fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee added at checkout, commonly around 20 to 30 percent or more of ticket price
    • Fee amount varies by event and is shown before final purchase confirmation
  • Seller fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee deducted from the sale proceeds, historically around 10 to 15 percent
    • Rate can vary by event and seller volume

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 StubHub if

  • You need buy and sell marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want fanprotect guarantee.
StubHub review

Questions people ask

Is Philo or StubHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Philo starts at $33/month and StubHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Philo or StubHub?
StubHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $33/month for Philo and Free for StubHub.
Does Philo or StubHub run on more platforms?
Philo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV. StubHub runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use StubHub for free?
Yes. StubHub 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 StubHub is typically brought in for.
What can Philo do that StubHub cannot?
Philo covers Unlimited cloud DVR, Around 70 channels, No contracts, Multiple simultaneous streams. StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace, FanProtect guarantee, Price alerts, Interactive seat maps.

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.

StubHub: Does StubHub charge fees to both buyers and sellers?

Yes, it charges a service fee to sellers deducted from their proceeds, and a separate service fee to buyers added at checkout.

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.

StubHub: How much are StubHub fees in total?

They vary by event, but buyer fees are commonly in the range of 20 to 30 percent or more of the ticket price, and seller fees historically around 10 to 15 percent, so combined fees can be a large share of face value.

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.

StubHub: Are resold tickets guaranteed?

StubHub's FanProtect guarantee covers ticket validity, on-time delivery and event cancellation or significant changes, subject to its terms.

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