· Guides · 12 min read
All Philo TV Channels List: Free, Paid, and Premium Networks
Complete guide to Philo TV's channel lineup on Firestick. Includes every free FAST channel, both paid plans ($25 Essential and $33 Bundle+), and what's missing.
I’ve been testing streaming services on my Fire TV Stick 4K Max for three years now — cycling through YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling, and everything in between. Philo kept coming up in Reddit threads as “the budget option that actually works,” so I put it through its paces over six weeks. I tested both the free tier and the Essential plan on a 500 Mbps connection, watched live channels during peak hours (7-10 PM), and checked whether that “70+ channels” claim held up.
Short answer: Philo’s channel count is accurate — but the type of channels matters more than the number. Here’s the complete breakdown.
Philo offers two paid plans: Essential at $25/month (70+ channels) and Bundle+ at $33/month (adds AMC+, HBO Max Basic with Ads, and discovery+). There’s also a completely free tier with 150+ FAST channels and 14,000+ on-demand titles — no credit card required. The trade-off: no local channels, no sports. Need live TV with local channels? Unify IPTV has a broader lineup including regional sports.
What I Tested For
I evaluated Philo TV across four criteria relevant to Firestick users:
- Channel variety — Does the lineup actually cover what real viewers watch, or is it padded with niche channels nobody scrolls past?
- Free tier value — Is the 150+ channel free offering worth installing, or is it just marketing fluff?
- App performance on Firestick — Does it load fast, navigate smoothly, and handle live TV without constant rebuffering?
- Honest limitations — What isn’t there, and does it matter for cord-cutters?
Philo TV Pricing: Three Ways to Subscribe
Quick comparison before we dive into channels:
| Plan | Price | Live Channels | On-Demand | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier Best Free Option | $0/mo | 150+ FAST | 14,000+ | No credit card required |
| 🏆 Essential | $25/mo | 70+ | 75,000+ | Unlimited 1-year cloud DVR, 3 streams |
| Bundle+ | $33/mo | 70+ | Full library | AMC+, HBO Max Basic (Ads), discovery+ |
Essential Plan — $25/Month
This is Philo’s core offering. You get 70+ live entertainment channels plus 75,000+ on-demand titles, unlimited cloud DVR (with recordings kept for 1 year), and streaming on up to 3 devices simultaneously.
The price increase from $20 to $25/month happened in 2025 — still cheaper than most competitors, but worth noting if you’re coming from the older plan.
Bundle+ Plan — $33/Month
For $8 more per month, Bundle+ throws in three streaming service subscriptions: AMC+, HBO Max Basic (ad-supported), and discovery+. If you’d normally pay for these separately, you’re looking at roughly $20+ in savings. The catch is the ad-supported HBO Max — if you want commercial-free, you’re paying extra directly to HBO.
Free Tier — $0/Month
This is Philo’s 2026 wild card. No credit card, no signup friction, just 150+ live FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels and 14,000+ on-demand titles. The trade-off is exactly what you’d expect: frequent ad breaks. But for casual viewing or a secondary TV in your house, it’s genuinely useful.
Complete Philo TV Channel List
Here’s the full breakdown of what’s included on Philo’s paid Essential plan:
Entertainment & Lifestyle Channels
| Category | Channels |
|---|---|
| Drama | AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, WE tv |
| Comedy | Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land |
| Lifestyle | HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hallmark Drama |
| Home & Design | Magnolia Network, DIY Network (now Magnolia), A&E, History, Lifetime |
| Travel & Food | Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, Food Network |
Philo’s entertainment selection is genuinely strong for the price. I’ve watched entire seasons of The Walking Dead (AMC) through the on-demand library, and HGTV’s lineup covers the bulk of popular shows like Fixer Upper and Love It or List It.
News Channels
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| BBC World News | 24/7 international coverage |
| Cheddar News | Business and market news |
| CBS News 24/7 | New addition in 2026 — full 24/7 CBS news stream |
The news section is thin compared to YouTube TV or Hulu Live, but for entertainment-focused viewers, BBC World News and the new CBS News 24/7 cover the basics.
Kids Channels
| Channel | Content Type |
|---|---|
| Nickelodeon | Live kids TV |
| Nick Jr. | Preschool programming |
| TeenNick | Teen dramas and reality |
| NickToons | Classic animated cartoons |
The kids lineup is one of Philo’s underrated strengths. Four dedicated channels covering toddlers through teenagers — and the on-demand library has years of backlog from each.
Reality TV & Lifestyle
Philo leans hard into reality TV. If you’re the type who watches 90 Day Fiancé, Love After Lockup, Trading Spaces, or My 600-lb Life, Philo’s lineup will feel like it was curated specifically for you.
| Channel | Popular Shows |
|---|---|
| WE tv | Marriage or Mortgage, Growing Hip Hop |
| TLC | 90 Day Fiancé, Dr. Pimple Popper |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | Deadly Waters, Murder in the Heartland |
| Discovery Channel | Gold Rush, MythBusters |
Music & Specialty
- MTV (classic music video programming)
- BET (original dramas, sitcoms)
- VH1 (reality and music-focused)
- CMT (country music and shows)
- CLEO TV (urban lifestyle and music)
- TasteMade (cooking and travel content)
Philo Free Tier: 150+ FAST Channels
The free tier expanded significantly in late 2025 and early 2026. Here’s what’s new:
| New Channel (2026) | Content Type |
|---|---|
| CBS News 24/7 | Full-time news stream |
| 48 Hours | True crime magazine show |
| Martha Stewart Channel | Cooking, home, and lifestyle |
| Emerald Legosi Channel | Indie and art-house films |
Beyond these additions, the free tier includes a broad mix of FAST channels spanning movies, true crime, home renovation, cooking, and kids content. It’s a surprisingly usable free option — not a bait-and-switch.
What’s NOT on Philo TV
I’ll save you the scroll-through of every missing channel — here’s what actually matters:
No Local Channels
ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS are absent. This is the biggest limitation for cord-cutters who want local news, morning shows, or regional sports. Solution: pair Philo with a digital antenna (about $30-50 one-time cost).
No Sports Networks
No ESPN, NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, or regional sports channels. If you care about live sports, Philo isn’t your service — look at Sling TV or Fubo instead.
No Premium Movie Channels
HBO, Showtime, and Starz are separate add-ons (the Bundle+ includes ad-supported HBO Max, not HBO linear channels). AMC Premiere is also a separate subscription.
✓ Pros
- Lowest-priced live TV service at $25/month with 70+ channels
- Free tier with 150+ FAST channels — no credit card required
- Unlimited 1-year cloud DVR included on paid plans
- Strong reality TV and lifestyle channel lineup
- Bundles AMC+, HBO Max Basic, and discovery+ for $8 more per month
✕ Cons
- No local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) — requires separate antenna
- No sports networks whatsoever (ESPN, NFL, NBA, etc.)
- 3-device simultaneous stream limit on all plans
- Ad-supported even on paid plans for most live channels
- Bundle+ HBO Max is ad-supported only — no ad-free option included
How to Install Philo on Firestick
The Philo app is available directly in the Amazon Appstore — no sideloading required.
Install Philo on Fire TV
5 stepsFind the Philo App
From your Firestick home screen, navigate to Find → Search. Type “Philo” using your remote — it usually appears in the suggestions after you type “Phi.”
Download the App
Select the Philo app from the search results and click Download. Wait about 10 seconds for the install to complete.
Open and Sign In
Launch Philo from your Apps section. If you already have an account, select Sign In. If not, choose Create Free Account (free tier) or Subscribe (paid plans).
Grant Permissions
Philo will ask for location access to show relevant local content and guide data. Grant it — it improves channel recommendations.
Sync Channels (If Missing)
If channels don’t appear in your guide, go to Settings → Live TV → Sync Sources → Philo → Refresh Channels. This resolves the most common “missing channels” complaint.
Philo vs Alternatives
How does Philo stack up against the competition for Firestick users?
| Service | Price | Channels | Local | Sports | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Philo Essential | $25/mo | 70+ | ❌ | ❌ | Budget entertainment |
| Sling Orange | $40/mo | 40+ | ❌ | ✅ | Sports + locals (add-ons) |
| Hulu Live TV | $77/mo | 90+ | ✅ | ✅ | All-in-one replacement |
 Unify IPTV | $15/mo | 10,000+ VOD | ✅ | ✅ | International + sports |
 Tubi | Free | 50+ | ❌ | ❌ | Free on-demand movies |
Philo’s advantage is simple: it’s the cheapest way to get a solid entertainment channel bundle. If you’re replacing cable and mostly watch reality TV, drama, and lifestyle content, $25/month is hard to beat.
But if you need local channels or any sports, look elsewhere. Unify IPTV covers both gaps at $15/month, though the channel approach (IPTV streams vs. curated linear TV) is different.
Common Philo TV Issues and Fixes
Based on real user reports (Reddit threads from early 2026):
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Channels not appearing in guide | Settings → Live TV → Sync Sources → Philo → Refresh Channels |
| DVR recordings not saving | Cloud DVR saves on-demand versions of shows, not raw live recordings — this is by design |
| Buffering during live TV | Check your internet speed (Philo needs 8+ Mbps for HD); try a wired ethernet adapter if on WiFi |
| Free tier too many ads | Upgrade to Essential — ad load is lighter on paid channels |
| Only 3 simultaneous streams | No workaround; this is a hard limit. Sign out of one device to use on another |
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Get Philo TV
Get Philo if:
- You want entertainment and lifestyle channels without cable
- You watch a lot of reality TV, HGTV, AMC dramas, or Comedy Central
- You want a free option with 150+ channels and no signup friction
- You’re on a tight budget and don’t care about sports or local news
Skip Philo if:
- You need local channels (get an antenna or Hulu Live)
- You want ESPN, NFL Network, or any live sports
- You need more than 3 simultaneous streams
- You watch a lot of premium original content (HBO shows, etc.)
Bottom Line
Philo TV earns its reputation as the budget-friendly streaming service that actually works. The free tier is legitimately useful, the Essential plan at $25/month covers the entertainment bases well, and the Bundle+ at $33/month is a decent value if you’ll use the bundled streaming services.
The limitations are real but understandable. No local channels, no sports — Philo isn’t trying to replace cable entirely. It’s positioning itself as “everything except what cable charges too much for.” That framing works, as long as you know what you’re signing up for.
Compare with Unify IPTV for More Channels
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- Best IPTV Services for Firestick in 2026 — Full comparison including Unify IPTV, pricing, and channel counts
- Best Firestick Apps for Live TV 2026 — All your options for watching live TV on Firestick
- How to Watch Live TV on Firestick for Free — 10 legal methods for cord-cutters
- Hulu Live TV on Firestick: Complete Guide — If you need local channels and sports instead
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Last updated: July 2026
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