Philo vs Paramount+: which is better?
Philo and Paramount+ are not as big as Netflix or Youtube TV, but they have unique offers between them that are worth considering.
To help you choose which one is for you, we have listed their differences in a number of criteria below.
In Live TV, Philo wins
Paramount+ has a meager channel lineup: CBS local affiliates, CBS News (CBSN), CBS Sports, and ET Live.
Philo offers over 60 channels, including AMC, BBC America, Lifetime, TLC, MTV, and even the Paramount Network channel.
In on-demand content, Paramount+ wins on quantity, but Philo on choice
Philo's on-demand library includes 60,000 movies, shows, and specials. Paramount+ is stacked with content you can choose from as well, but it is mostly from their partner channels: Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Smithsonian Channel, etc.
Channels on Philo and not Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
The channels that Philo has and which are not available on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME:
Channels on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and not Philo
The channels that Paramount+ with SHOWTIME has which are not available on Philo:
- CBS local channels
- CBS Sports HQ
- CBSN
- ET Live
Popularity: Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is more popular than Philo
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME has 42,000,000 subscribers whereas Philo has 1,000,000 subscribers. This means that Paramount+ with SHOWTIME has 41,000,000 more subscribers than Philo. That's a pretty big difference.
Price: Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is cheaper than Philo
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME's costs $12 whereas Philo costs $28. Getting Philo instead of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME will set you back $16 more every month.
Why get Philo?
Nothing beats the price: $28 is really cheap, one of the cheapest ways out there to get Live TV. And the fact that you get unlimited DVR -if you care about that kind of stuff- on top of that is kind of crazy. Just as a comparison, Youtube TV offers unlimited DVR but it costs three times as much.
Go to Philo
Why get Paramount+ with SHOWTIME?
Soccer fans can enjoy every UEFA Champions League game and every UEFA Europa League game on Paramount+. Football fans can enjoy many NFL and College Football games on CBS Sports. Plus, there are CBS local channels that cover most of the United States.
Go to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Devices: Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is more widely available than Philo
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is available on Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Shareplay supported, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X or Xfinity Flex.
Whereas Philo is available on Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, iPhone, Roku or Samsung TV. That's 8 less devices than Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
Channel count: Philo has 84 channels more than Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Philo's lineup includes 88 channels whereas Paramount+ with SHOWTIME has only 4 channels. Getting a subscription to Philo will give you access to 84 more channels than Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. That's quite a bit of channels.
Trial: Philo offers a trial
Philo has a trial. The trial duration is 7 days.
Find out more on Philo
Trial: Paramount+ with SHOWTIME offers a trial
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME has a trial. The trial duration is 7 days.
Find out more on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Philo's specialty
The specialties of Philo are: Lifestyle, News, True Crime.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME's specialty
The specialties of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME are: Action, College basketball, Family, Movies, Old TV shows, Original series, Science fiction, Soccer, Sports, TV shows.
Channels on both Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Philo
The channels that are available on both Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Philo are:
If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (previously Paramount+ Premium) is mostly a Netflix-style streaming service, offering movies and TV shows on-demand like The Good Fight and Yellowstone.
It gives you access to Live TV from CBS: CBS local channels, CBS News (CBSN), CBS Sports, ET live, and some live sporting events like NFL on CBS Live. It also offers on-demand access to programming from Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Paramount Pictures, and Smithsonian Channel.
As of 2023, it increased its monthly price to $11.99, but with that comes a significant upgrade: members now have access to all of Showtime's content, which includes movies and shows like Billions, Dexter, and Yellowjackets, as well as live coverage on sports including boxing, football, and MMA. Since Showtime shut down its standalone service in early 2024, this Paramount+ plan is now one of the few ways to watch Showtime without cable.
Price: $11.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Airplay supported, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Shareplay supported, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xfinity Flex
Channel lineup: CBS local channels, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, ET Live
Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.
More lists
Lists on how to save money by cutting the cord.
The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.