For the longest time, Netflix has been the go-to entertainment service for most people. You get quality and quantity as far as content is concerned, thanks to the Netflix on-demand vault. And there’s always a stream of good content on the horizon when you stay tuned to the platform.
But recently, Netflix has been on the decline. The company has been bleeding subscribers which has led to a huge loss in revenue. Because of this, we might be getting fewer quality shows from the streaming platform.
So, it might be time to look for some alternatives. Luckily, Peacock and Philo are both prime contenders.
Learn ins and outs of the two streaming platforms to help you choose between them.
1. Free Trials
Before deciding on anything, you want to sample the product you’re eyeing. And the same principle applies to streaming platforms.
You want to see if there are shows that interest you and if you’ll get your money’s worth. So let’s find out if Philo and Peacock offer free trial periods.
Philo free trial
If you’re interested in Philo, you’ll be happy to know that Philo offers a 7-day free trial period. During the free trial, you won’t be locked out of any content. You’ll get to sample the entire content library during your free week of Philo. And you can access all its features like DVR and simultaneous streaming.
If you enjoy Philo, you won’t have to do anything. Just keep watching, and you’ll receive your bill the following month. But, if you’re unhappy with Philo, all you need to do is remove your payment info from your account to avoid any charges. Your Philo account will automatically deactivate after the trial expires.
Peacock free trial
Unlike other streaming services, Peacock doesn’t offer a traditional free trial. Instead, you can opt to sign up for a free subscription
When you’re logged in on a free Peacock account, you’ll get access to 15,000 hours of content—which is most of the on-demand content library. This, however, comes with a caveat. You have to sit through 5-minutes of ads every hour on a free account.
You can keep watching Peacock for free if you’re satisfied with the limitations of the free account. However, if you want to unlock the full on-demand vault and have an ad-free viewing experience, you’re gonna have to shell out cash.
2. Pricing
The first thing to look for when shopping for a streaming service is the price. After all, a streaming platform can offer you all the bells and whistles, but if it’s out of your price range, you’re not gonna buy it.
Let’s take a look at how Peacock and Philo handle monetization.
Philo price
Currently, Philo only offers one type of subscription.
Philo Base
Try 7 days free
- Unlimited cloud DVR saved for 1 year
- Stream on three screens
- Shows movies and 70+ channels
- 7-day free trial
$28/month
The good news is that Philo let’s you customize your viewing experience by paying for add-on packages including:
- Movies and More Package - You can add channels like MGMHD and Cinemax to your Philo subscription
- MGM+ Package - You can add the MGM+ channels to your channel list.
- STARZ Package - You can add the STARZ channel lineup to your Philo account.
All in all, Philo will give you a great bang for your buck for the amount of content you get.
Peacock price
Besides the free tier, you can choose from 2 different subscription models when you buy into Peacock.
Thanks to its relatively low cost, Peacock is a great option for buyers on a budget.
3. Channels
Another thing you’ll look out for when shopping for an internet TV service is the channel lineup. You need to determine if you can watch the shows you want on the platforms you’re looking into. If you can’t watch your preferred programs, then a streaming service is pointless.
Philo channels
You’ll get to watch a wide variety of channels when you subscribe to Philo. Between kid-focused channels and news networks, you’ll find ‘em all on Philo. Here’s a list of some of the channels on Philo:
- AMC
- Animal Planet
- A&E
- BBC America
- Comedy Central
- Cooking Channel
- CRACKLE
- Crime + Investigation
- History Channel
- Nickelodeon
And, as we mentioned earlier, you can also add premium channels to your Philo lineup. You can get premium channels like:
- Cinémoi
- MGM+
- MGMHD
- Sony Movies
- STARZ
Overall, Philo will get you a healthy amount of channels for a very reasonable price.
Peacock channels
Unlike most internet TV platforms, Peacock tailors its content to NBC-focused programming. However, that doesn’t mean that you’re locked into just NBC channels on a Peacock subscription. In fact, you’ll get over 50 different channels when you subscribe to Peacock.
Some of those channels include:
- AFV Family
- In It To Win It
- Below Deck
- NBC Now
- NBC Sports
- NFL Channel
- Peacock Reality
- True Crime
- USA Network
- Witching Hour
If you’re an avid follower of NBC programming, you’ll be happy with what Peacock has to offer.
4. DVR
Because we have our day-to-day lives and jobs, we won’t be able to stay glued to the TV. Inevitably, you’re going to miss something, be it the latest episode of your favorite show or a live game of basketball. For this reason, DVR is an important feature to look out for.
Philo DVR
When you subscribe to Philo you’ll get a very healthy serving of cloud DVR. As a matter of fact, Philo gives subscribers unlimited hours of DVR storage. You can store all the shows you want, and you’ll never run out of space.
The only thing you have to look out for is the 30-day limit. After 30 days, the data you saved on your DVR will automatically be erased.
Peacock DVR
Currently, there’s no way to record shows on Peacock. But, for all Plus subscribers, they have the option of offline viewing.
With a Peacock Plus subscription, you can save any of the on-demand content to your offline library. This way, you won’t feel bored when you’re offline during a long plane ride or on a hiking trip.
Despite the lack of DVR functionality, Peacock still offers great features.
5. Simultaneous streaming
With technology these days, you don’t have to share a TV screen. Instead, you can use either a mobile phone or tablet to consume media. In the end, being able to simultaneously stream from different devices is an important factor to look out for when choosing a streaming platform.
Philo simultaneous streaming
When you subscribe to Philo, you’ll get to share your account across 10 different devices. Then between those devices, you’ll be able to stream on 3 devices simultaneously.
Thanks to this, you won’t have to fight with your siblings or parents to watch your favorite shows in the living room TV. Overall, Philo gives you a grade-a simultaneous streaming experience.
Peacock simultaneous streaming
Peacock doesn’t fall behind Philo when it comes to simultaneous streaming. When connected to the same network, you can share Peacock access across 3 different devices. As such, it's a tie between Peacock and Philo when it comes to simultaneous streaming functionality.
5. Device support
The last category on this list is something you should not forget. You need to make sure your devices are supported by the streaming service you’re researching. There’s nothing worse than getting a subscription to a service and realizing it’s not compatible with your devices.
Philo device support
Except for game consoles, you can rest assured that most modern devices have Philo app support.
- Streaming devices - Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Fire TV
- Web Browsers - Safari and all chromium-based browsers
- Mobile Devices - iOS and Android
When you subscribe to Philo, you won’t have to worry about not having a device that doesn’t support the platform.
Peacock device support
You can give a point to Peacock’s corner when it comes to device support. After all, besides the usual suspects, Peacock has console support.
- Streaming devices - Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Fire TV
- Web Browsers - Safari and all chromium-based browsers
- Mobile Devices - iOS and Android
- Game Consoles - Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Playstation 4/5
All in all, when it comes to device support, Peacock has got Philo beat.
Expand your streaming horizons with Peacock and Philo
With the future of Netflix looking uncertain, it might be a good time to look for a new streaming platform. But, with such a crowded market, how will you find the one right for you?
Well, between Peacock and Philo you won’t be disappointed. With these 2 platforms, you’ll get hours of content that gets added to regularly. If you’re looking to make the switch, choose the one that works for you wisely—then settle in for hours of entertainment at home or on the go.
Lisa Holden • Editor
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.
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