Live TV streaming services have surged in popularity over the last decade. As consumers cut the cord from expensive cable and satellite packages, streamlined digital platforms like Philo and Sling TV have filled the gap.
This article provides an insider‘s comprehensive guide to how Philo and Sling compare across critical categories like channel variety, user experience, and cost efficiency. I‘ll break down their strengths and weaknesses to reveal which service most closely matches your viewing priorities. Whether you‘re a sports fanatic, entertainment junkie, or casual viewer, this breakdown shares the pros/cons you need to determine the best live TV deal.
A Brief Background on Philo and Sling
First, let‘s explore how each service arrived and what they set out to accomplish. Understanding their histories provides insight into their channel priorities and business models.
Philo launched in 2016 by Andrew McCollum and his team of fellow former Facebook engineers. They recognized that entertainment viewers were still underserved in the streaming landscape – most services crammed expensive sports channels alongside entertainment offerings, resulting in higher costs.
Philo catered specifically to entertainment fans by leaving out sports programming. For just $25 per month, subscribers gained access to 63 popular entertainment, lifestyle and knowledge channels.
According to 2021 estimates, Philo sees nearly 800,000 subscribers tuning into its line-up of entertainment networks.
Comparatively, Sling TV entered a year earlier in 2015 as an early pioneer of the mainstream live TV streaming market. Owned by satellite provider Dish Network, Sling TV targeted cord-cutters by packaging popular cable channels into customizable, budget-friendly packages without the high equipment or installation costs of traditional pay TV.
Sling promotes affordability and choice by letting users select base packages starting at $35 per month, then personalize with extras like sports events, news channels, and Network add-ons a la carte. This model has brought Sling TV over 2.1 million subscribers as of early 2023.
Now that we‘ve covered some background, let‘s directly compare Philo and Sling‘s key features.
Detailed Feature Comparison: Philo vs. Sling
Philo and Sling share similarities – both enable low-cost live TV streaming without cable contracts or set-top boxes. But looking closer exposes some important differences that cater each service to distinct viewers.
Pricing and Packages
First, their pricing and plan options differ quite significantly:
| Service | Starting Packages | Price | Add-Ons | Potential Extra Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philo | Single 63-channel pack | $25/month | None | No add-on charges |
| Sling TV | Sling Orange (31 channels) Sling Blue (41 channels) |
$35/month | Extras like Sports, Comedy, News Premiums like HBO, Starz |
Varies by add-ons – Sports Extras ($11+ per month) Premium Movies ($6-$18 per month) |
Philo sticks to a simple, single entertainment package at a locked-in rate. But Sling uses an à la carte model – choose base packs then customize with add-ons…for additional fees which can quickly raise costs.
The Verdict: Philo is simpler and cheaper, but Sling provides more personalization.
Content and Channels
Now, let‘s explore how their actual channel and content selection compares:
| Category | Philo Channel Examples | Sling Channel Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | AMC, Discovery, VH1, Hallmark | A&E, Comedy Central, FX |
| Lifestyle | HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel | |
| News | CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Bloomberg | |
| Sports | ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, MLB Network | |
| Broadcast Networks | Fox (select markets), NBC (select markets) |
Philo focuses primarily on entertainment, with popular channels like AMC, Discovery, Paramount Network and MTV alongside lifestyle staples like HGTV and Food Network. Access to 63 total channels covers most non-sports viewing interests.
By comparison, Sling divides entertainment channels across its Orange and Blue base packages. Each plan offers around 30 channels, with some overlap. Beyond entertainment, core additions like news networks CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC plus ESPN, FS1 and other sports coverage greatly widen the scope. The option to add local broadcast networks in select markets provides local news and shows.
The Verdict: Philo is stronger for entertainment and lifestyle fans. Sling offers more well-rounded content.
Sports Programming
Given the channel breakdowns above, you may have noticed a key distinction around sports:
- Philo does not offer ANY sports networks or coverage
- Sling provides ESPN, Fox Sports regional networks, NFL Network, MLB Network and more
This difference comes down to strategic trade-offs. Philo dropped sports to keep costs at $25 monthly for subscribers less interested in sports. Contrarily, Sling incorporates sports alongside entertainment, news and broadcasts to serve wider interests – though starts at a higher $35 monthly base price.
For sports enthusiasts, Sling clearly comes out ahead. But entertainment-first households who don‘t watch sports may prefer saving with Philo.
The Verdict: Sling is better equipped for sports fans. Philo drops sports to keep prices low.
Streaming Quality
In terms of video output quality, both services come up a bit short compared to leading competitors:
- Maximum resolution capped at 720p
- Sling Orange limits simultaneous streams for bandwidth reasons
- Sling offers SOME 1080p on-demand content
- No 4K streaming support currently
The limit to 720p resolution keeps picture quality below premium standards. Sling Blue allows up to 3 concurrent 720p streams matching Philo‘s capability. But Sling Orange restricts users to only 1 simultaneous stream potentially causing playback conflicts in multi-viewer homes.
The Verdict: Video quality lags behind top competitors. Sling Blue matches Philo for streams.
Cloud DVR Functionality
DVR functionality to record and replay content reveals a major advantage for Philo:
- Philo – Unlimited DVR storage for 30 days
- Sling TV – 50 hour DVR storage, upgradable to 200 hours for $5/month
Philo offers market-leading DVR capacity – store unlimited recordings for a full month before deletion. This makes catching up on favorite cable shows easy with no space limits.
By comparison, Sling‘s paltry 50 hours of base DVR space severely restricts storage and doesn‘t properly serve households generating lots of recordings. The 200 hour DVR Plus upgrade adds capacity but comes as another monthly charge.
The Verdict: Philo delivers vastly superior, unlimited DVR storage.
Supported Devices
In terms of device support, both Philo and Sling cover the most popular media streaming platforms:
- Philo works on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS/Android mobile devices
- Sling adds support for Chromecast, Xbox, LG/Samsung smart TVs
Sling also holds a edge reaching more niche platforms. But Philo covers the leading streaming boxes, sticks and mobile apps accessing over 85% of streaming households.
The Verdict: Sling has slightly wider device support, but Philo covers the essentials.
User Experience
Evaluating the user experience ecosystem also showcases some notable differences:
| Philo | Sling TV | |
|---|---|---|
| User Interface | Simple, easy discovery | More personalized customization |
| Account Management | Solid app and web tools | Wider cross-device syncing |
| Multiple Viewers | Up to 3 simultaneous streams | Varies by base package |
| Customer Support | Email and web support | Adds phone assistance |
Philo‘s interface prioritizes an intuitive design that makes finding content easy. Sling counterbalances by allowing channels to be moved and organized to match preferences. For simultaneous streams, Philo allows 3 viewers while Sling limits Orange plans to 1 stream limiting household sharing. And Sling users gain the option of phone support in addition to email and web tickets.
The Verdict: Philo has the edge for simplicity. Sling provides a more tailored experience.
Determining the Right Service Based on Viewing Habits
Comparing all the factors above paints a picture of two services matching distinct users. Let‘s summarize some viewer personas best fit for Philo or Sling:
Philo is a fit for:
- Entertainment fans and cord-cutters – With 60+ top entertainment/lifestyle channels and low pricing, Philo perfectly suits viewers valuing AMC, Discovery, VH1 above sports. Unlimited 30-day DVR sweetens the deal.
- Streamers on a budget – For just $25 monthly, you‘d be hard pressed to find a streaming TV service with more entertainment networks. The set pricing structure keeps costs predictable.
On the flip side, Sling TV better serves:
- Sports enthusiasts – Access to ESPN, Fox Sports networks, NFL Network and more satiates fans. Philo completely omits sports content.
- News junkies – Major outlets like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News appeal to engaged viewers wanting daily coverage. Local broadcast networks in some markets also help.
- Streamers wanting customization – Sling lets you match packages and incremental add-ons to viewing interests from sports to comedy to lifestyles.testapp
In the end, choosing comes down to budget and priorities:
- Philo for entertainment on a budget
- Sling TV for flexible sports/news packages
I hope mapping out their differences helps steer you toward the live TV streaming provider that best aligns with your needs and viewing habits. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
