Hulu Cost and Plans

Hulu is one of the oldest streaming services, and one of the most popular. Find out how much Hulu costs and how it compares to competitors like Netflix down below.

What Is Hulu?

Hulu is one of the most popular streaming services today. They're best known for their on-demand streaming library, which is home to series like The Handmaid's Tale. With plans starting at just $9.99 per month, it's easy to see why they're so popular.

What some people don't realize is that Hulu actually has 4 different subscription plans. Some of them even include live TV streaming for cord cutters who don't want to sacrifice cable offerings.

Find out all about Hulu costs, features, and more down below:

• Hulu Subscription Plans and Cost
  
• What Can I Watch on Hulu?
  
• Hulu Features and Add-Ons
  
• How It Compares
  
• Frequently Asked Questions

Hulu Subscription Plans and Cost

Hulu offers 4 subscription plans, which range from $9.99 per month all the way up to $95.99 per month. Which Hulu plan deserves your hard-earned money? It depends on what you're looking for from a streaming service.

All 4 plans give you access to their on-demand library of TV shows and movies. With the more expensive plans, you also get live TV channels.

Here's what you get with each Hulu Subscription Plan: ^[1]

• Hulu Basic: $9.99 per month; access to streaming library only
  
• Hulu (No Ads): $18.99 per month; access to streaming library without ads
  
• Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+: $82.99 per month; access to streaming library and 95+ live channels
  
• Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+: $95.99 per month; access to ad-free streaming library and 95+ live channels

The price leap between Hulu Basic and Hulu + Live TV is pretty big. But that's because the Live TV plans come with more than 80 live channels, like Disney Channel, CBS, and FX. If you're looking to cut the cord on your cable TV service, this can be an excellent alternative.

Hulu also offers a ton of add-ons and bundles so you can get even more of the content you want. Of course, you'll have to pay more for them. Find out if these extras are worth it for you.

Compare Streaming Deals

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What Can I Watch on Hulu?

With prices that start at $9.99 per month, Hulu is one of the cheapest streaming services out there today. But does that low price sacrifice content?

While it doesn't have the biggest streaming library, Hulu definitely has a good range of popular shows and movies that are frequently updated.

If you opt for one of the live TV plans, you'll get access to these channels too:

Hulu offers over 95 channels, but your exact channel selection depends on your area. Depending on where you live, you'll have access to different local news and sports channels.

If you didn't see all the channels you want (HBO Max, anyone?), don't worry. You can still add them onto your Hulu subscriptions, with an extra cost. Learn more about Hulu add-ons below.

Features and Add-Ons

Hulu has a host of extra options for you to customize your viewing experience. Here are all the extras you can get through Hulu and how much they cost:

Premium Networks
You can add on four channels to your Hulu subscription:^[2]

• Max (With Ads) ($9.99/month)
  
• Max (No Ads) ($16.99/month)
  
• Cinemax ($9.99/month)
  
• Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($12.99/month)
  
• STARZ for $10.99/month

With these add-ons, you can watch premium content from the Hulu app. While this content won't go on commercial breaks, you might run into ads for other shows and movies before certain videos.

Live TV Add-Ons
All Live TV subscribers can stream from 2 screens at a time and get unlimited DVR recording, plus the ability to fast forward through ads in recordings for up to nine months. If that's not enough, you have the option to add these features:^[3]

• Unlimited Screens Add-On ($9.99 per month): Stream live TV on any number of supported devices
  
• Español Add-on ($4.99 per month)
  
• Entertainment Add-on ($7.99 per month)
  
• Sports Add-on ($9.99/month)

Español Add-on:

• CNN en Español
  
• Discovery en Español
  
• Discovery Familia
  
• ESPN Deportes
  
• FOX Deportes
  
• History Channel en Español
  
• NBC Universo

Entertainment Add-on:

• American Heroes Channel
  
• BET Her
  
• CNBC World
  
• Cooking Channel
  
• Crime + Investigation
  
• Destination America
  
• Discovery Family
  
• Discovery Life
  
• Hallmark Drama
  
• Magnolia Network
  
• Great American Country
  
• Military History Channel
  
• Nicktoons
  
• MTV2
  
• MTV Classic
  
• Science
  
• TeenNick

Bundle Options
If multiple streaming services are calling your name, you can save money by bundling them together. You can get Hulu Basic, Disney+, and ESPN+ together for $16.99 per month.

Or, upgrade to Hulu (No Ads) with Disney + and ESPN+ for $26.99 per month.

Spotify teamed up with Hulu to offer a special bundle for students. You can get Spotify Premium and Hulu's (With Ads) plan for $5.99 per month.^[4] This is only available for students, but you can use it for up to 12 months from the date you subscribed if you graduate or leave school.

Hulu has a standalone plan for students too. Eligible college students can get full access to tons of shows and movies with Hulu (ad-supported) plan at $1.99/month (regularly $7.99).

Bundling can help lower the cost of Hulu. But there's also a way you can watch Hulu for free. Stick to the end to find out how.

How It Compares

How does Hulu compare to top competitors like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video? Find out if Hulu is really worth your hard-earned money below.

Netflix
With plans that start at $6.99 per month, Netflix costs cheaper than Hulu. With Netflix, you can watch popular shows and movies like The Queen's Gambit and Lady Bird.^[5]

If TV shows are your main obsession, Hulu has a great streaming library at a more affordable price. But Netflix is a better option for movies. Netflix doesn't have an option for live TV, so keep that in mind if you're looking for a replacement for your cable TV channels.

Amazon Prime Video
On its own, Amazon Prime Video costs $8.99 per month. You can also pay $14.99 per month or $139 per year for an Amazon Prime subscription,^[6] which includes Prime Video. Prime Video actually has one of the largest streaming libraries, though their original content isn't as popular as Hulu or Netflix's.

One big difference between Amazon Prime Video and Hulu is the ability to rent and buy shows and movies. You don't need a subscription to rent or buy content.

Disney+
Disney+ Premium costs $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year.^[7] In addition to Disney classics and Pixar movies, you also get access to Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content. For die-hard fans of any of these franchises, Disney+ is a no-brainer.

But if you want a wider range of content, including indie films and reality shows, Hulu might be a better option. Remember, there's also option #3: taking advantage of the Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+ bundle for $16.99 per month.

YouTube TV
For $72.99 per month, YouTube TV offers 100+ live TV channels. Channels you won't find on Hulu include NFL, NBA, and MLB networks, PBS, BET, and Comedy Central. YouTube TV includes unlimited cloud DVR recording in their monthly cost. Plus, you can stream on 3 devices at a time instead of 2 with Hulu.

YouTube TV's original shows and movies pale in comparison to Hulu's. But if you just want a cable TV replacement and don't care too much about on-demand content, YouTube TV might be a better option for you.

Sling TV
Sling TV is one of the most affordable live TV options starting at $40 per month.^[8] If you're coming from cable and still want to watch your favorite channels, this could be a good option. Sling offers 30+ channels, some of which aren't available with Hulu, including AMC, Comedy Central, and Nick Jr.

You don't get any on-demand content with Sling, but it could be worth it for the live channels that cost less than half the price of Hulu + Live TV.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get Hulu for free?
Take advantage of Hulu's free 30-day trial to get a feel for the service before you commit. You can cancel your service at any time. Once the trial ends, your account will be charged and your billing cycle will start.

Does Hulu work on my device?
The latest Hulu app works with these supported devices:

These older devices also work with the Classic Hulu app, which doesn't give you access to live TV and some add-ons and features:

• LG TVs (select models)
  
• Roku and Roku Stick (select models)
  
• Samsung TVs (select models)
  
• VIZIO TVs (select models)

Does Hulu have ads?
Hulu (No Ads) and Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV run on-demand content without ad breaks. However, live TV channels do have commercial breaks. There are a few exceptions. Grey's Anatomy and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have ads between episodes due to differences in streaming rights.

How do you cancel Hulu?
Since there are no contracts or hidden fees, you can cancel Hulu at any time. Just go to your account and click Cancel in the Your Subscriptions section. Once you cancel, you can still watch Hulu until your billing cycle ends.

Does Hulu have local channels?
Hulu + Live TV subscribers get local news and sports networks, like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, in most areas of the country.

Bottom Line

Hulu is a good option for live TV and on-demand content. While they aren't the most affordable option for live TV, the combination of their streaming library with 95+ channels makes it a pretty attractive choice.

If you only want to watch on-demand content and don't mind ads, Hulu Basic is one of the most affordable streaming services. For $9.99 per month, most viewers would be happy with their selection of shows and movies.

Overall, Hulu is worth checking out—especially if you need a replacement for cable TV channels. You'll probably have no problem finding something good that's on.

References