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Hulu is a streaming service that offers both basic plans and live TV plans, starting at just $8/mo.
Hulu has a massive on-demand library of fan-favorite movies and TV shows that will rival the offerings of any other provider, along with original content that you won't find anywhere else. In addition, Hulu also offers a live TV service that can fully replace your cable provider. The live TV option is great whether you're a sports fan, news junkie, or you just want to watch this week's episode of your favorite show. And for both the standard streaming service and the live TV plan, subscribers can choose to pay a little extra for an ad-free experience.
Hulu has a few different plans available to subscribers, both for on-demand viewing and live TV viewing. For Hulu and Hulu (No Ads), you can enjoy a 30-day trial before officially taking the plunge on a subscription. However, if you're interested in Hulu + Live TV, there is currently no free trial available, unfortunately.
Hulu's 30-day trial is one of the best free trials for a streaming service. Competitors like Netflix don't offer a free trial at all, so with 30 days, you can really get a feel for the on-demand library Hulu has to offer. With your trial, you can check out Hulu originals like Normal People, The Dropout, Pam & Tommy, and more. You'll be able to stay up to date with the hottest new titles streaming, which will probably convince you to stick around after your free trial is over.
Hulu offers a range of prices that start at $8/mo. and top off at $76/mo. Hulu has two plans available for each of its prime services -- the on-demand service and the Hulu + Live TV service, in which live TV is paired with the on-demand service. You can opt for ads or no ads (for an additional cost), or various bundle deals, while there are a variety of add-on channels and services you can select.
Hulu | Hulu (No Ads) | Hulu + Live TV | Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV | |
Monthly price | $8/mo. | $15/mo. | $70 | $76 |
Free trial length | 30 days | 30 days | None | None |
Access to Hulu's on-demand library? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
No ads | X | ✔ | X | ✔ |
Live channels | X | X | 85+ | 85+ |
Number of screens | Two | Two | Two | Two |
*The price of Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads) will increase from $69.99/month to $74.99/month beginning on 12/08/22.
Hulu has two bundles on offer and both include Disney+ and ESPN+ (also known as the Disney Bundle). Hulu used to offer a Live TV bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ but now it's the default.
*The price of the Disney Bundle (with Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (With Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads)) will increase from $13.99/month to $14.99/month beginning on 12/08/2022.
Previously, Hulu subscribers could bundle their Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+ for a reduced price compared to subscribing to all three separately. You can still opt for this bundle deal with Hulu (both with and without ads), but if you subscribe to Hulu + Live TV, ESPN+ and Disney+ are automatically included. For $70/mo., you can get Hulu + Live TV with ESPN+ and Disney+. For $83/mo., you can get the same bundle but without the ads for Hulu on-demand titles.
For Hulu and Hulu (No Ads), you can also do this bundle. For $14/mo., you can get Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+, and for $20/mo., you can get the same bundle with no ads.
Hulu + Live TV comes equipped with many of the top channels you'd find with a traditional cable package. This includes:
With Hulu's ad-supported and ad-free plans, you can add on premium channels, such as HBO Max for $15/mo., Cinemax for $10/mo., Showtime for $11/mo., and Starz for $9/mo., to make your viewing experience even richer. Right now, subscribers can get Starz for $3/mo. for the first four months before the price goes back to $9/mo.
Additionally, there is a sports add-on, for $10/mo., that includes MavTV, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, TVG, and TVG2. The entertainment add-on package, which is $8/mo., offers more than 15 channels, including the Cooking Channel, Destination America, DIY Network, Military History, MTV Classic, MTV2, Nick Toons, SCI, and Teen Nick. The Español add-on for $5/mo. offers seven channels in the Spanish language, including ESPN Déportes, Fox Déportes, and Universo.
There are even more upgrade options specific to Hulu's live TV plans. Subscribers can opt for unlimited screens for an extra $10/mo., meaning they would no longer be subject to Hulu's two-screen simultaneous streaming limit. Subscribers also can opt to add enhanced cloud DVR for $10/mo. This increases your DVR storage from 50 hours to 200 hours. You can also add both unlimited screens and enhanced cloud DVR for $15/mo. for a savings of $5/mo. However, starting April 13, all Hulu + Live TV subscribers will receive unlimited DVR storage.
Price Per Month | Available with Hulu | Available with Hulu (No Ads) | Available with Hulu Live TV Only | Available with Hulu + Live TV | Available with Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV | |
HBO Max | $15 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cinemax | $10 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Showtime | $11 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
STARZ | $9 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Unlimited Screens | $10 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Enhanced Cloud DVR (Unlimited Cloud DVR starting on April 13) | $10 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Unlimited Screens + Enhanced Cloud DVR | $15 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Sports Add-On | $10 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Entertainment Add-on | $9 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Spanish Add-on | $5 | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
In addition to all of the nationwide channels available through Hulu + Live TV, you also get access to your local news and sports channels in many cities. This could include ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. To find out exactly which local channels are available to you, enter your zip code on Hulu's website. The ability to live-stream local channels is one of the big selling points for Hulu for subscribers who want to fully replace their current cable plan.
Hulu is an excellent choice for anyone looking to add on-demand content to their entertainment options. It's a good choice for people who want to switch to a live TV streaming service on their devices. However, the service's recent price increase for live TV plans is a negative factor to consider. For all of Hulu's plans, you can customize your monthly cost by choosing whether to have ads, and if you want to add on premium channels, extra channel packages, or additional features.
If you're looking for something that more closely resembles cable, in addition to the on-demand content, Hulu offers two live TV plans, giving you access to more than 85 channels and even more if you opt to purchase add-ons. You can watch all of this on your favorite devices and customize it to suit you -- some of it even in 4K. If flexibility and a robust streaming replacement for your cable package are what you're looking for, then Hulu + Live TV is probably right for you. The best Hulu plan for you depends on your budget, but there's definitely something for everyone