Observed Signal · Aug 22, 2026 · Review · Source: Cord Cutters News · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Philo vs Frndly TV: Best Budget Live TV 2026
This Cord Cutters News article (by Jess Barnes, published August 22, 2026) compares two budget live TV streaming services: Philo and Frndly TV. It summarizes available plans and pricing for each service (Philo: Free tier, Essential $25/month, Bundle+ $33/month with add-on services; Frndly: Basic $8.99, Classic $10.99, Premium $12.99), channel counts and examples, DVR and streaming quality differences, and device compatibility. The piece lists channel lineups side-by-side and notes both services support major devices including iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. The article includes affiliate disclosures and links.
Comparison of two consumer streaming platforms affects CTV inventory, pricing and device compatibility—relevant to advertisers and publishers but not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Philo offers a Free streaming lineup, an Essential plan at $25/month, and a Bundle+ plan at $33/month.
- Philo’s Essential plan includes 70+ live TV channels, 150+ free streaming channels, 80,000+ movies and shows on demand, and unlimited DVR with one-year storage.
- Frndly TV offers three plans: Basic $8.99/month (40+ channels, SD, 1 screen), Classic $10.99/month (HD, 2 screens, 3-month DVR retention), and Premium $12.99/month (HD, 4 screens, 9-month DVR retention).
- Philo’s Bundle+ includes access to HBO Max, Discovery+, and AMC+ as add-ons included in that tier.
- Both Philo and Frndly TV support major devices including iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast.
Connected Companies & Entities
7 Entities mapped“Philo's free streaming lineup is available to anyone, without a subscription and without adding payment info.”
“Frndly's starter package includes 40+ channels live and on-demand, SD video quality, and users can watch one screen at a time for $8.99 per ...”
“© 2025 Cord Cutters News. All rights reserved.”
“A Philo Bundle+ plan costs $33 per month and comes with everything in the Essential plan as well as access to HBO Max, Discovery+, and AMC+.”
“A Philo Bundle+ plan costs $33 per month and comes with everything in the Essential plan as well as access to HBO Max, Discovery+, and AMC+.”
“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”
“Freestar.com (ads.freestar.com) appears as an advertising partner on the page.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Which Live TV Streaming Service Is Best — July 2026
This CordCuttersNews comparison (updated July 10, 2026; published July 11, 2026) evaluates six major live TV streaming services — DIRECTV, Fubo (FuboTV), Hulu + Live TV, Philo, Sling TV, and YouTube TV — across channel lineups, packages/pricing, DVR policies, and simultaneous-stream limits. The article lists base plan prices for each service, enumerates which national and specialty channels appear on each platform (noting region-specific RSNs and local-channel variability), and summarizes included DVR durations and concurrent-stream allowances. It provides consumers a side-by-side reference of features and costs to help choose a service based on channels, sports availability, recording limits, and multi-device viewing rules.
Frndly TV: 99¢/month for First Two Months
Cord Cutters News reports that Frndly TV is offering a promotional price of $0.99 per month for the first two months to new subscribers starting June 22, 2026 through July 6, 2026. The service normally costs $12.99/month after a 7-day free trial and offers a family-focused channel lineup of 30+ networks (including Lifetime, Hallmark, History, MeTV and The Weather Channel), plus features like 72-Hour Look Back and unlimited cloud DVR. The article also notes additional 99-cent Prime Video Channel deals for Prime Day (examples: Paramount+, Starz, Hallmark+). The piece is authored by Jess Barnes and includes affiliate-link disclosures.
State of Streaming Publishes Philo Profile
Philo is a budget-friendly live TV streaming app headquartered in San Francisco, founded in 2017. It positions itself as a low-cost vMVPD offering 70+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, with no sports programming. The State of Streaming page lists recent coverage about Philo’s product and commercial moves — including a metadata partnership with Reelgood (Apr 14, 2026), expansion of a free channel lineup (Feb 11, 2026), and a prior price hike and bundling of HBO Max and Discovery+ (Oct 2, 2025). The page includes links to related State of Streaming analysis and site navigation resources and links to Philo’s website (philo.com).
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