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In recent years, the emergence of live TV streaming services has reinstated the best parts of scheduled programming from a bygone era. Now, a new service called ZipWave TV has entered the chat, and we have the intel on how it compares to the well-established Philo.
What Is ZipWave TV?
In June 2024, Wyoming-based ZipWave TV made its US debut as an affordable, streamlined live TV platform. According to a release supplied by PR.com, ZipWave hopes to "provide an accessible streaming option," distinguishing itself from more expensive cable providers. In addition to its news offerings, the streamer curates a "wholesome" and "uplifting" collection of channels, and it does it all for as little as $10/month.
What Is Philo?
With a US launch in 2017, Philo has been around longer than ZipWave, but both companies share the goal of making live television more accessible. Philo offers a month-to-month subscription service featuring over 70 channels and over 75,000 titles for $28/month.
ZipWave TV vs. Philo
I took a look at how ZipWave and Philo stack up in terms of cost, content, compatibility and UI.
Cost
ZipWave TV offers a $12 monthly subscription option or a discounted annual subscription of $120/year. It offers a four-day free trial to test the waters, although you should plan on providing card information and an address to activate your trial. The company claims there are no limitations on devices with a single account, making its low price point even more impressive.
Philo's subscription service, called Philo Core, is more expensive than ZipWave at $28/month, and the company does not have a discount for paying annually. Philo gives you a seven-day trial to explore its plentiful content, and it only takes a payment card to activate. One Philo Core subscription will support three devices and as many as ten profiles, and just like ZipWave, you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Service |
Monthly Cost |
Annual Discount |
Trial |
Add-Ons |
Limitations |
Free Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZipWave TV |
$12/Mo |
$120 ($10/Mo) |
4 Days |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
Philo |
$28/Mo |
N/A |
7 Days |
|
3 Devices, 10 Profiles |
Yes |
Philo's Core package might be more pricey than ZipWave, but Philo does also offer a completely free service. Its Free Channels experience gives you access to more than 80 ad-supported channels. With a free account, you can still DVR or save content for up to 30 days, whereas a paid account extends your DVR timeline to one year.
Content
With 38 channels currently listed on its website, ZipWave TV has less content variety compared to the impressive roster boasted by Philo, which includes major players like A&E and TLC as well as more niche gems like Crackle and IFC. But don't write off ZipWave just yet, as the streamer does feature major lifestyle outlets like QVC and HSN, government channels like NASA TV, and religious programming like BYUtv.
On ZipWave, only certain channels offer controls like DVR and restarting, while Philo offers both capabilities across its 70+ channels. Unlike ZipWave, Philo also offers an option to pay more per month for add-ons, including premium channels and ad-free upgrades.
User Interface
We owe ZipWave some leeway as it's in its early days, but so far, its interface leaves some to be desired. Initially, the UI appears attractively straightforward, but its personalization features beyond its actual streaming player do not currently perform reliably across all devices.
When trialed on iOS and macOS, ZipWave's User Profile and Favorites were often slow and sticky. That said, the app's streaming player performed fairly well, with options to pause content, adjust the aspect ratio, cast to another screen, and quickly access the channel guide.
At the time of writing, Philo's UI is simply more advanced. Philo's channel hub and search bar are on par with the major streaming services out there today. The streamer incorporates more thoughtful UI, like the fact that its player will default at the beginning of a title while still offering an option to Jump to Live. Philo's player also features an easily navigable timeline with visible ad breaks.
Compatibility
When you sign up, ZipWave presents three QR codes to easily download the app for the right device:
When tested on a Roku streaming device, the ZipWave TV app did not appear to currently be available. That said, because Roku supports casting and screen mirroring, you can still access ZipWave TV on a Roku-equipped television by using AirPlay.
Philo has established a more comprehensive compatibility with access on the following platforms:
Neither ZipWave nor Philo are accessible through gaming consoles like Xbox, and neither makes content available offline.
Is ZipWave Worth Its Economical Price?
Like Philo, ZipWave seems to leverage the demand for a limited live television streaming option without the high price tag and long-term contract. After all, there's no point in paying for sports channels if you'd rather be watching the Game Show Network. However, ZipWave feels like it's in beta mode when compared to Philo.
While ZipWave won't give you as much channel diversity as Philo, it will serve you a small selection of family-friendly channels, which may be all you really need. Plus, it's still early days for ZipWave, and the streamer could have additional offerings in the pipeline.