Cox Communications vs. Philo vs. Verizon Fios Television plan comparison
Researched by
Reviewed by
We’re committed to transparency. We may earn money when you follow our recommendations, but compensation doesn’t affect our ratings. Learn more.
Staff rating
3.5
Customer rating
4.2
(40)- Plans starting at $20.00
- 250+ channels
Staff rating
3.8
Customer rating
4.4
(5)- Plans starting at $25.00
- 60 channels
Staff rating
4.5
Customer rating
4.4
(32)- Plans starting at $49.99
- 425+ channels
Check availability
See what providers service your area.
Staff rating
3.5
Good for bundling and premium channels, but not the best standalone value
Cox Communications is one of the most expensive cable TV providers on the market, especially when you consider all the hidden costs. But if you want sports and premium channels, have only one TV, and bundle with internet and other services, this provider could make sense for you.
What we like
- Large number of premium channels
- Tiered DVR storage and recording
- Searches streaming apps too
What we don't like
- Pricey plans and hidden costs
- Padded channel lineup
- No free DVR storage
Savings tip: Cox often has
sign-up promotions
for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.Check deals
Staff rating
3.8
Inexpensive live TV streaming with 70+ channels & AMC+
Philo is a great value with 70+ live TV channels, the full AMC+ library, and channel add-ons available. You can watch TV live and watch over 75,000 on-demand titles from the streaming library. If you love feel-good movies, reality TV, and shows about home and family, you'll love Philo. We tested Philo across browsers, phones, and streaming sticks, and it performed really well. Get started for just $28 a month or try a 7-day free trial.
What we like
- Affordable
- Entertainment & lifestyle channels
- Easy setup and navigation
What we dislike
- No sports or local channels
- Limited news coverage
Savings tip: Philo often has
sign-up promotions
for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.Check deals
Staff rating
4.5
Excellent value and customizable options
Verizon Fios TV offers an excellent value TV service. The customizable Your Fios plan is particularly attractive, but all tiers offer a lot of TV for the money. Add in outstanding internet, and it’s hard to go wrong with Verizon.
What we like
- No contracts
- Personalized channel lineup
- Excellent fiber internet bundles
What we dislike
- Pricey DVR storage
- For TV-only customers, a Verizon router is still required
Savings tip: Verizon Fios often has
sign-up promotions
for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.Check deals
Content
4.0
Above-average channel lineup, especially for sports and news
Cox has some of the best channel line-ups we've seen, with more to watch for just about everyone. Family-friendly entertainment is Cox's weakest link, but it's still better than a lot of competitors.
Local: 4/5
Cox has a great local lineup, including staples like NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, PBS, and The CW. It also includes some great Spanish-language locals like Univision, Telemundo, Unimas, and Estrella. However, it's missing Ion, Cozi, and Comet.
Sports: 4.5/5
Cox cable TV includes a great sports lineup in its Preferred (mid-tier) and Ultimate (top tier) plans. ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports, and the Golf channel are all included in a Preferred plan, and the Ultimate plan adds NFL Network, NFL Red Zone, the Tennis Channel, and the elusive MLB channel. Most competitors typically offer these last three as expensive add-ons, so Cox is ahead of the game here.
More Resources:
Family and education: 3.5/5
Cox has some decent family entertainment, especially when it comes to educational content. You'll get Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, History, National Geographic, and the Science Channel, but you'll miss out on Nat Geo Wild and Smithsonian. The kids will love Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr., but the little ones won't get to enjoy Disney Junior.
News and politics: 4.5/5
Cox has excellent news coverage and politics content. Not only do you get the local news shows, you get most of the big national news channels too. You get C-SPAN, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, Newsmax, and The Weather Channel. Our biggest gripe is that you'll miss out on the international perspective of BBC America.
Entertainment and lifestyle: 4/5
Cox has some decent entertainment options, including Comedy Central, Bravo, CMT, AMC, FX and FXX, two Hallmarks, and Sundance. It's missing some lifestyle channels though, like HGTV and The Cooking Channel, but it has the Food Network and TLC. But what makes Cox stand out is how many premium channels it includes in its top-tier plan. If you spring for the Ultimate plan, you’ll get ten HBO, eleven Cinemax, five SHOWTIME, and nine STARZ channels—at no extra charge.
Local news, sports, and entertainment channels vary based on your location. Check out
Cox channel offerings
in your area.View plans
Content
3.0
Plenty to watch, but no sports
If you love home renovation shows, feel-good movies, and reality TV, Philo has a channel lineup you’ll love. But you won’t find sports, local channels, or news.
Local: 0/5
Philo doesn’t offer any local channels, so that means no local news, no primetime favorites, no local sports, and no awards shows. If you want this programming, we recommend checking out live TV streaming options YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV or a traditional TV provider like your local cable company or satellite TV providers DISH or DIRECTV.
Sports: 0/5
Like with local channels, Philo doesn’t offer any sports coverage. You can catch some sports content on ESPN+ or get a decent variety on services like Fubo or Sling TV. If you want to catch every NFL game, you could even try the NFL Sunday Ticket premium channel from YouTube.
More Resources:
Family and education: 4/5
Philo is a great choice for families and kids. You get multiple channels from Discovery with the base package price, plus Animal Planet, Great American Family, Family Entertainment TV (FETV), three Nickelodeon channels, Story Television, and Science. There’s no Disney, Cartoon Network, or PBS, but we love that Philo makes it easy to access free programming from services including Crackle, Cheddar News, Gusto TV, and RetroCrush, the new station featuring classic anime hits.
News and politics: 2/5
While you can catch BBC America and BBC World News on Philo, there’s virtually none of the news or analysis you would expect from traditional TV. There’s no Late Night Tonight, and no 60 Minutes or PBS Newshour. You don’t get Fox News, MSNBC, HBO, or CNN either, and we didn’t find any foreign-language news programming in our tests.
Entertainment and lifestyle: 4/5
Philo really shines when it comes to stories, movies, and inspirational shows. You get all the Hallmark and Lifetime channels before add-on pricing. Plus, you get A&E and the INSP channel. We also found shows from TV’s rich past, including I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, Matlock, Doctor Who, and even Touched by an Angel. There’s a strong selection of shows about the Black experience, too, including Rasheeda Frost's Boss Moves and much more. Even better, you get to choose from four different MTV channels before add-ons.
Optional add-on channels include Fandor, FMC, HDNet Movies, Movies!, Reelz, Sony Movies, MGM+, MGM+ Hits, MGM+ Marquee, Starz, Starz Encore, and Starz Kids and Family.
Local news, sports, and entertainment channels vary based on your location. Check out
Philo channel offerings
in your area.View plans
Content
5.0
Hundreds of channels and easy customization
Great prices meet high channel counts and easy ways to pay for just what you want to watch with Verizon Fios TV. If you live in a coverage area, you’ll benefit from some of the best pay TV on the market.
Local: 5/5
Verizon has you covered when it comes to channels, with all the standard options in both English and Spanish. The exact selection and channel number varies based on where you live, but there’s a good chance you can get broadcast favorites in HD quality. You also get a variety of local public access stations and less-common but still-popular options like Comet, Bounce TV, Antenna TV, and StartTV. (1)
Sports: 5/5
Verizon TV’s premium package has a lot to offer for anyone who loves sports. In addition to your local channels, you can watch pro golf, baseball, football, and basketball, plus a variety of college games. The only downside is no Showtime (unless you buy an add-on).
More Resources:
Family and education: 4/5
When it comes to content for kids and families with Verizon Fios TV, there’s a lot to love. With The Most Fios TV package, you get Nick Toons, Disney XD, Disney Junior, and Boomerang plus Discovery, Nat Geo Wild, Science, Game Show Network, and much more. However, you’ll miss out on Family Entertainment TV (FETV), Me TV, UP, and Cartoon Network.
News and politics: 5/5
Whether you want political talk, international news and analysis, business news, or even sports and local news, Verizon Fios is a great option. It offers every single one of the top 100 channels in the US that offers news, including CNN, Fox News, Newsmax, CNBC, C-SPAN, and even the Weather Channel and Accuweather.
Entertainment and lifestyle: 4.5/5
You can watch all kinds of movies, reality TV favorites, and true crime documentaries with Verizon Fios TV’s premier package. To get HBO and Showtime, though, you’ll have to pay add-on prices. Unfortunately, you can’t get Grit, Ion Mystery, USA Network, Cartoon Network, or Laff with Verizon.
Local news, sports, and entertainment channels vary based on your location. Check out
Verizon Fios channel offerings
in your area.View plans
Value
3.0
Great channels, but lineups are inflated by filler channels
Although it looks like Cox has a ton of channels, its lineup (which varies by plan and location) is padded with up to 50 music channels. (1) Other than that, Cox delivers a great channel lineup, especially in its top-tier plan. However, it’ll cost you more than other companies.
You’ll get the most bang for your buck (and some sweet premium channels) with the Ultimate plan, but a Premium plan has plenty of channels for most people and the option to add inexpensive premium channels à la carte, which range from $5–$15 per. We don’t generally recommend the Starter plan because you can get most of its channels for free with an HD antenna, though that signal is less reliable than what Cox provides.
Cox Communications has two types of plans. Cox TV includes live TV and on-demand TV. Cox Contour adds the ability to connect streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime to your TV and search their content using a remote. All plans come with a one- or two-year contract, after which you’ll be on month-to-month pricing, which is around $15/month more.
Get the best value by speaking directly with a sales rep at 1-844-448-0617 or check your address at
Cox's website.
Check address
Value
4.0
Less than half the cost of top competitors
Cleverly named after the inventor of the television, Philo is one of the cheapest live TV options available. It’s a great value for live TV and vast array of movies, entertainment, and lifestyle shows. There are other add-ons, but even if you pay for them all, you’ll still pay less than most of the other live TV services. You’ll also find more than 75,000 titles in the on-demand library.
Philo stays super cheap by skipping local channels, sports, national news, and many of the most popular national networks. (1) You’re also locked out of recently aired entertainment from PBS, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox. A digital antenna is an easy workaround that can enable you to watch your local news.
Philo is easy to sign up for, and it's easy to manage your subscription. Philo comes with a free, 7-day trial, and it's easy to cancel online.
Get the best value by speaking directly with a sales rep or check your address at
Philo's website.
Check address
Value
5.0
Excellent value, especially with the customizable channel lineup
Verizon isn't the cheapest option for traditional TV—you can get TV service for less elsewhere. It’s also not the best in terms of channels per dollar—although it holds its own. However, the ability to personalize the Your Fios plan means you can get more of the channels you actually want without having to pony up for a more expensive plan. It's a fantastic feature, and relatively uncommon in the cable TV space.
Of course, if you do want all the channels, you can get that, too: the top-tier Most Fios plan comes with well over 400, which is one of the highest channel counts in the business.
Get the best value by speaking directly with a sales rep at 1-833-970-0848 or check your address at
Verizon Fios's website.
Check address
Equipment and features
4.0
The app could save you money, but DVR will cost you
When it comes to equipment and features, Cox is ahead of the pack. From a great app to exceptional DVR features to a search remote that simultaneously searches streaming apps and cable TV, using Cox is a top-notch experience.
Ability to watch: Great
Cox offers some solid features that make for a great entertainment experience. Cox TV uses cable infrastructure to keep you reliably binging your favorite shows. Your first Contour box is free, and every additional one is $8.50/month, which is cheaper than average. Plus, it has the Cox Contour app, so if you have smart TVs and don't need DVR on all of them, you don't need additional boxes. On the down side, the Cox Contour App has low ratings for both iOS and Android, so you might want to opt for more Contour boxes anyway.
Ability to record: Excellent
The Cox DVR service uses cloud storage so you can access recorded shows anywhere with the Cox Contour app. The Contour app also lets you download on-demand content to watch offline from anywhere.
How much storage you get (50–1,000 HD hours) and how many shows you can record at a time (1 to a whopping 24!) depends on which DVR package you buy. Or you can skip DVR altogether to avoid the additional cost.
Ability to find: Great
While at home with your TV, you’ll use a voice remote to sort through your shows—even the ones on streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu. You don't have to remember which app your show is on to find it, which we loved. It made our entire watching experience—not just our live TV experience—a delight.
Features and equipment may vary based on package. Visit
Cox's website
or call 1-844-448-0617 for more information.Features and usability
3.5
Simple interface and easy login
Philo is pleasant on a day-to-day basis, and works better than some of its higher-priced competitors. There's no 4K, though, and we found some platform-specific quirks.
Ability to watch: Good
We tested the Philo interface on iOS and Android mobile phones, a few different web browsers, and an Apple TV. The interface was similar across devices, and the setup was one of the simplest among all the live TV streaming services we tested. After we entered payment info, we got right into the guide. The original browser saved our login info. Signing in later on different browsers and apps required two-step verification using a mobile phone number or email address, but we never had to enter (or remember) a password.
We didn’t run into any issues when we tried multiple devices and browsers from different locations, which was a refreshing change from services like Hulu + Live TV, which tracks your IP address. Unfortunately, there is no way to watch in 4K—Philo maxes out at 1080p resolution no matter how you’re watching.
The viewing experience is about what you’d expect from a live TV provider, but with some oddities. Watching live, the only way to skip commercials is to record the episode in progress, wait several minutes, and skip ahead whenever the commercials come on. You can also fast forward through most commercials on DVR content, and some channels let you skip ads with one click on Roku streaming devices.
We ran into some buffering issues with Philo on the Apple TV we tested, particularly with the channel guide. It happened on different devices in multiple locations, so we’re pretty sure it wasn’t a bandwidth issue. The slow loading wasn’t a dealbreaker, but we can see how channel surfers would be annoyed.
Ability to record: Excellent
The DVR and on-demand experiences with Philo were pretty par for the course in our tests, and Philo recently upgraded its cloud DVR to save recordings for up to a year. We are impressed that you get three extra months to watch your recordings, compared to competitors Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, which give you only nine months. Unlimited recordings is also pretty sweet, and we liked Philo’s 72-hour Rewind feature. You can use it to watch almost anything that’s aired in the last 72 hours, even if you forgot to add it to your library before it aired.
To get the most out of Philo, we recommend spending some time in the beginning to find and add your favorite shows. Within a few days, your Saved library will fill up with dozens of episodes to choose from.
Ability to find: Good
When you get to the Home screen on Philo, you’ll find a roundup of trending live and recommended shows, plus top movies and other categories. You can see whether a show is available on demand by clicking through to the episode description or by hovering your mouse over a particular episode, but there’s no way to tell at the series level. However, you can favorite shows at either the episode or series level, and saving a series means all future episodes will be recorded in your Saved library. You can also favorite channels, and that makes them show up first in the channel guide. It’s fairly simple to unfavorite, and the changes appear across devices instantly.
The channel guide itself is less impressive. Channel numbers aren’t listed (just logos) and you have to click into a program to get additional preview info. It works, but there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles to rave about.
Ability to share: Good
Philo offers many of the features you’d expect from a modern live TV streaming service. In our tests, it was easy to create profiles for different viewers, and the DVR libraries and favorites were kept separate. You can add up to 10 profiles and assign each a separate mobile phone number, so different users can sign in using their personal phones. However, there were no parental controls to be found.
You can watch Philo on up to three screens at a time, without a lot of verification or hassle.
Equipment and features
4.0
A highly rated mobile app lets you save on set-top box rental
The day-to-day experience with Verizon Fios TV is better than with most cable TV competitors, but the company puts less focus on its DVR setup than its competitors in the satellite TV arena.
Ability to watch: Great
Verizon TV comes with your fist set-top box included, and it’s not bad. The signal is delivered over very fast internet, so picture quality is good and reliable. Almost all channels are available in HD. The service also offers a free mobile app for paying customers, so you only really need the one box. If you want more, however, you can lease them for $12 each per month.
Ability to record: Good
Verizon Fios TV comes with all the features you’d expect from a fiber company. On higher packages, it offers multi-room DVR with 100 hours of storage at the base price, and you can record 6 shows at once. For an additional $10 per month, you can double the storage and record up to 12 shows at once. You can record via the remote, the smartphone app, or using a streaming device you already own (like an Apple TV or Fios TV). If you opt for the lowest tier, you’ll have to pay $12 per month for DVR capability and will be limited to just 50 hours of recording space. However, you could also just skip DVR altogether and won’t incur charges.
Ability to find: Excellent
Verizon offers voice remote functionality, easy ways to get to your favorites, and simple parental controls. It also has a mobile app that enables on-the-go streaming of your favorite channels—and it is surprisingly well-rated. (2, 3)
Features and equipment may vary based on package. Visit
Verizon Fios's website
or call 1-833-970-0848 for more information.Customer experience
3.0
Solid service and installation, but could use more transparency
Most customers report that Cox has solid customer service, and that's been our experience too. Cox also has some good self-help content on its website. We liked having the option to save money by signing a contract or skip the commitment altogether. However, Cox could work on its transparency. It has some hidden fees that you can't see until after you supply personal information. We'd love the ability to build a cart and see what our bill will be before sharing that.
Installation is generally fast and priced about average. If your house is already wired with cable jacks for all your TVs, self-install is a free, easy option. Professional installation varies by location but will run you around $75, which is pretty inexpensive. Learn how to choose between self installation or professional installation.
Visit Cox's website
or call 1-844-448-0617 for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.Go to provider
Customer experience
5.0
Simple, clear, and intuitive options
Philo makes it easy to sign up for the service, easy to sign in on different devices, and easy to cancel if you so choose. It’s also fairly simple to find and understand add-on pricing, and we love that the free trial lasts a full seven days even if you cancel midway through.
If you run into trouble, there’s a nice Help Center, a chat line, or a phone number to call. In this category, we believe Philo’s perfect score is well-deserved.
Visit Philo's website
or call for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.Go to provider
Customer experience
4.0
Installation is a little pricey (unless you order online)
The Verizon Fios TV professional installation fee is $99, and there’s no self-install option. However, online ordering and promotions often waive this fee, so you can save some money on your first TV bill. Apart from that, the other major setup costs are the router and the DVR. You'll need the $18-per-month router if you don't already have Verizon Fios internet, and the company recommends against using your own equipment.
Once installation is handled, most customers are happy with the service. Some wish they could pay less, but complaints about the mobile app and channel lineup are relatively rare.
Visit Verizon Fios's website
or call 1-833-970-0848 for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.Go to provider
Made up your mind?
Find out what providers are available near you.
Cox Communications
4.2
(40)5 Star
40%
4 Star
45%
3 Star
12%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
3%
L
Lynnfrom Olmsted Twp, OH
Cox Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 7/26/2022
I normally have no problems with the service, it is just they continue to raise the price and nothing gets any better in the TV or the internet.
C
Chrisfrom Ocala, FL
Cox Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 7/20/2022
I'm very happy with cox The only thing they could do better is to add more channels
R
Richardfrom Salina, KS
Cox Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 7/4/2022
The service has been pretty decent. The picture and audio quality is good. The service has been surprisingly reliable. It's rare when we have an outage. If there is an outage it doesn't take long for a repair person to come out, and fix the problem. I would like to see a better quality remote control system for their wall-mounted digital cable boxes. It's pretty east get out of range where the remote doesn't work. Also, I'd like a way to record programs, and be able to play the recordings on other devices. It makes a person wish that analog TV was still available.
F
Francisfrom Wethersfield, CT
Cox Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 6/22/2022
I like that they broadcast all channels in 1080 resolution and lower the bill
Philo
4.4
(5)5 Star
40%
4 Star
60%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
J
Jenniferfrom Cincinnati , OH
Philo Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 9/15/2022
The value could be a little less expensive. Philo is the most expensive app I have. I do like all the shows I am able to watch though.
H
Hattiefrom Bellville , TX
Philo Customer for Less than a year
Reviewed on: 9/11/2022
Programs are shown with clarity very nice. Would like to have local channels in package
T
Toshafrom Cincinnati , OH
Philo Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 7/20/2022
It's an affordable service, and one of the cheaper ones. They have a ton of channels for everything you want to watch. It's easy to use. Prefer it over cable or satellite.
C
Camronfrom Port Richey, FL
Philo Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 6/28/2022
The DVR feature works great! I love that I can save movies but not that I can't access all of them all of the time.
Verizon Fios
4.4
(32)5 Star
50%
4 Star
41%
3 Star
9%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
J
Jacobfrom Marshall , IL
Verizon Fios Customer for 4+ years
Reviewed on: 8/16/2022
Love it great service
E
Enricofrom East Lansing, MI
Verizon Fios Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 7/17/2022
i love the deals that verizon has given me through promotion, i've had to switch from xfinity to verizon and they go hand in hand with my phone plan and i pay less than before
R
Richard from Fairfax , VA
Verizon Fios Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 6/25/2022
Selection is good. Prices are too high. Should have different packages to choose from.
E
Edwardfrom Joppa, MD
Verizon Fios Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 6/23/2022
I get NO extra channels just basics and my bill is still to high. $123.88
Providers near you
See all options in your area within seconds.
Endnotes and sources
1. "Channel Lineup," Cox Communications. Accessed 3 April 2023.
Endnotes and sources
(1) “Network Ratings 2021 Top Channels.” Variety. Retrieved August 19, 2022.As an Amazon Associate, Switchful.com may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Endnotes and sources
(1) "Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2022’s Winners and Losers," Variety. Accessed 4 April 2023.(2) "Fios TV Mobile," App Store. Accessed 17 October 2022.(3) "Fios TV Mobile," Google Play. Accessed 17 October 2022.
© 2023 Switchful. All rights reserved.