By Philo
Report updated Apr 19, 2026
Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV
For budget-conscious TV viewers looking for a cable-alternative that focuses on entertainment and lifestyle networks without the high cost of sports or news-heavy bundles.
Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV is a challenged entertainment app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.8/5 rating from 67.8K reviews, it faces significant user friction. Users particularly appreciate content variety, though excessive ads remains a common concern.
What is Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV?
Current Momentum
v8.8
Bug fixes and improvements
Active Nemesis
Frndly TV
By Frndly TV
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
EntertainmentRating Pulse 🇺🇸
Recent User MoodAI-powered deep analysis surfacing high-signal insights. Still in beta, accuracy improves daily. For informational purposes only.
What makes this app unique?
How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?
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What Are The Key Features?
Cloud-based recording storage that saves content for up to a year with ad-skipping capabilities.
Access to 120+ live channels, movies, and shows without requiring an account or credit card.
Supports up to 10 personalized profiles per account with individual watch history and recommendations.
Allows up to 3 simultaneous streams across mobile, desktop, tablet, and TV devices.
Optional subscriptions for additional content like STARZ, MGM+, and Hallmark+.
How much does it cost?
- Free tier: 120+ channels with no account required
- Essential plan: 70+ live channels starting at $25/month
- Bundle+ plan: Includes Essential content plus HBO Max, AMC+, and discovery+
Philo utilizes a low-cost, entertainment-focused subscription model combined with a 'top-of-funnel' free ad-supported tier to lower barriers to entry and compete with traditional cable.
Who Built It?
Philo
Providing a budget-conscious 'cable-lite' streaming experience focused on entertainment and lifestyle content without the cost of sports or news.
Portfolio
2
Apps
Who is Philo?
Philo differentiates itself through a 'skinny bundle' strategy that aggressively excludes high-cost sports and news networks to maintain a lower price point than major MVPD competitors. Their moat lies in this specific content curation and a hybrid monetization model that leverages a robust free ad-supported tier to funnel users into premium subscriptions. The integration of transactional VOD via ROW8 suggests a strategic move to capture the full lifecycle of film releases, from theatrical windows to library content, within a single ecosystem.
Who is Philo for?
- Budget-conscious viewers seeking a cable alternative focused on lifestyle
- Entertainment networks rather than sports or news
Portfolio momentum
Maintained an intense development pace with 14 updates across its 2 active apps in the last 6 months, with the most recent major update occurring 16 days ago.
What other apps does Philo make?
What do users think recently?
High confidence · Latest 100 of 67.6K total reviews analyzed
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a frustrated sentiment. Users appreciate content variety and cable alternative, but report excessive ads and app stability and performance.
What Users Love
What Frustrates Users
What is the competitive landscape for Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV?
How's The Entertainment Market?
How does it evolve in the Entertainment market?
| Country | Category | Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 US | Entertainment | iOSGrossing | #26 | ▼1 |
| 🇺🇸 US | Entertainment | iOSFree | #100 |
The rivals identified
The Nemesis
Frndly TV
Frndly TV
The most direct competitor focusing on a low-cost, sports-free, lifestyle and family-oriented live TV bundle.
Head-to-head analysis pending — refresh this report for a detailed comparison.
Contenders
Zero-Fee Streaming
Live TV Integration
Love Leaderboard
Netflix Membership Integration
Peers
Personalized Recommendations
Kids Profiles
Multi-Service Bundling
Live Linear Streams
New Kids on the Block
Local Now: News, TV & Movies
★3.9 (3.4K)Weather Group, LLC
⚡A rapidly growing FAST service focusing on local news and lifestyle content Philo typically excludes.
The outtake for Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Industry-leading 1-year Unlimited DVR
- Strong value-based pricing ($25/mo)
- Robust free tier for user acquisition
- Strategic premium bundles (HBO Max/AMC+)
Critical Frictions
- Significant technical instability and crashing
- High ad frequency on paid tiers
- Lack of support for older iOS devices
- No local news or sports content
Growth Levers
- Introduce an ad-free premium tier
- Improve app performance on legacy hardware
- Integrate more FAST local news partners
- Expand ROW8 movie rental integration
Market Threats
- Frndly TV's lower-priced lifestyle bundle
- Rapid expansion of free services like Pluto TV and Tubi
- Direct-to-consumer consolidation (e.g., Disney/Hulu)
- Rising content licensing costs
Key Takeaways
Philo: Shows, Movies & Live TV is a challenged entertainment app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.8/5 rating from 67.8K reviews, it faces significant user friction. Users particularly appreciate content variety, though excessive ads remains a common concern.
Where Is It Heading?
Trend analysis
Available very soon