Their budget-friendly plans make Disney Plus and Philo attractive to a wide range of viewers. Yet the content provided by both streaming services is vastly different. While Philo focuses on streaming live network television channels, greatly competing with cable networks, Disney Plus streams content that is exclusive Disney property including cartoons, movies as well as movies from the Disney-affiliated production houses like Marvel Studios, Pixar, and Star Wars. The choice you make will therefore not solely depend on your budget but also on the kind of content you prefer watching.
A look at the pros and cons of both streaming services is sure to offer greater clarity.
Disney Plus:
Pros:
Streams the latest content produced by Disney:
Disney Plus subscribers will have exclusive access to all the latest content produced by Disney which includes a wide variety of shows and movies you can enjoy with your friends and family, animated shows, and cartoons for kids to enjoy. In addition, viewers also get access to original content churned by production houses owned by Disney like Pixar. Comic books and sci-fi nerds can have a field day binge-watching all series and movies produced by Marvel Studios and Star Wars. Recently, Marvel has been focusing on a lot of original series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, What If, Wanda Vision, and Loki that Marvel-heads can enjoy only on Disney Plus.
Disney Plus is the best choice for people on a budget:
With a monthly deal of $7.99, Disney Plus is the most budget-friendly streaming service out there and offers much better lucrative deals than streaming services like DIRECTV Stream. There is no long-term contract to be compulsorily maintained and viewers can cancel their subscription any time they want.
Cons:
The content is more suited for teens than adults:
If you choose Disney Plus, you should note that one hardly has access to content that is unsuitable for children and teenagers to watch. Most of the shows and movies are tailored to cater to the tastes of children and families.
Disney Plus has no live-streaming channels:
While a deal with Disney Plus will not offer you live-streaming channels from cable networks, a bundle deal with the streaming service Hulu does offer you access to these channels.
The latest movies released by Disney require an extra cost:
While Disney Plus does offer you access to all content exclusively produced by Disney, the latest movie releases often require an additional fee for viewing which shoots up viewing costs considerably.
Philo:
Pros:
Offers access to live streams of popular cable television channels at a lesser cost:
The best pitch for Philo has to be its ability to provide access to live streams of the same channels of cable TV at a lesser cost than the cable and satellite networks. You can watch the same content you watch on cable networks in real-time but without burning a hole in your pocket.
A wider range to choose from compared to Disney Plus:
Since Philo live streams content available on the most popular cable channels, its content is not confined to any particular age group. Further, popular channels like HGTV and AMC have teamed with Philo offering a wide variety of cable TV content suitable for adults.
Cons:
Philo is considerably costlier than Disney Plus:
While Disney Plus’s monthly plans begin at a mere $7.99, Philo offers a single monthly deal of $25 with which you can access more than 60 channels of cable television networks. Further, this deal includes the cloud DVD feature which allows unlimited recording.
A limited on-demand catalog and no original content:
While Disney Plus boasts of a massive library of exclusive original content produced by Disney coupled with a commendable on-demand online movie catalog, Philo’s on-demand content is limited to shows and movies recently aired on television. Further, Philo lacks any original content whatsoever.
Conclusion: Which streaming service should you choose then?
While both streaming services have their pros and cons, your choice can be narrowed down to two factors: the age and preferences of the viewers and your budget. If you are on a tight budget, Disney Plus is the choice for you. However, if you are a cable TV fan and do not prefer animated content, Philo is what you should be aiming for. We suggest narrowing down your priorities and preferences and going for either of the two.
Do any of the streaming services provide access to news and sports channels?
Unfortunately, a major drawback of both Philo and Disney Plus is their lack of access to any sports or news channels. However, with a special deal, Disney Plus does offer an option to bundle ESPN Plus with a Disney Plus subscription.
Which of the two streaming platforms supports maximum devices?
Disney Plus. Philo offers its services on a considerably limited number of devices and screens.
