Hulu highlights
- Starting at $5.99/mo.
- Wide catalog of anime, originals, and more
- Start a free 30-day trial
Get 65+ channels along with a library of 80,000+ TV episodes and movies on-demand! Bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ for even more great content.
Hulu review
When it comes to balancing your favorite network shows with the series you need to watch to keep up with office chit-chat, Hulu streaming offers the best of both worlds.
In 2008, NBC officially launched Hulu in partnership with Fox’s parent company, News Corporation. In its first year alone, Hulu’s offerings increased from just a few dozen shows to thousands of shows and series.
In 2018, Hulu had 25 million paying subscribers. Recently, The Walt Disney Company reported that Hulu ended the second quarter of 2020 with 32.1 million paid subscribers.
So how does Hulu work? Through the Hulu app or Hulu online, you can stream on-demand episodes of top shows just a day after they air, Hulu Original shows and lots of movies. With certain plans, you also have the option to watch and record live TV or bundle with other services like ESPN+ and Disney+.
Why Hulu may be the right streaming service for you
Hulu streaming is ideal if you’re a cord-cutter but still want to watch network TV shows. It offers access to a wide variety of current and past seasons of shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, ER, Grey’s Anatomy, South Park, This is Us and more. Even if you’re not a regular network TV-watcher, there’s still plenty to explore in Hulu’s massive content library. Plus, its DVR capabilities make it a useful service for recovering DVR hoarders.
Keep in mind that Hulu doesn’t have as many movies as other services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, so if you fancy yourself a movie buff, this service may not be right for you.
Compare Hulu packages and pricing
Hulu allows you to try out different subscription levels and add-ons for free, and you can switch back and forth between plans from month to month. The Hulu on-demand plans offer a 30-day free trial, while the Hulu + Live TV options provide free 7-day trials. Read our Hulu Live review to learn more about Hulu’s live TV offerings.
Compared to other major streaming services like Netflix, whose plans start at $8.99/mo., or Amazon Prime, which starts at $12.99/mo., Hulu gives you access to awesome content for as little as $5.99/mo. for basic on-demand streaming with ads. Ad-free live TV streaming will set you back $50.99/mo., which is more expensive than comparable services like Sling TV, which starts at $25/mo. for entry-level live TV plans.
When it comes to movies, Hulu falls short of Netflix and Amazon Prime. While Hulu has around 2,500 movies available, Netflix has around 4,000 and Amazon Prime has close to 18,000 movies available for streaming.
Here’s a quick look at the available Hulu packages:
| Hulu (With ads) | Hulu (No ads) | Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ Bundle | Hulu + Live TV (With ads) | Hulu + Live TV (No ads) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $5.99 | $11.99 | $12.99 | $54.99 | $60.99 |
| Free trial length | 1 month | 1 month | None | 7 days | 7 days |
| Number of titles and channels | 80,000+ TV episodes and movies | 80,000+ TV episodes and movies | 80,000+ TV episodes and movies | 80,000+ TV episodes and movies and 65+ channels | 2,500+ films, 85,000+ episodes and 65+ channels |
| Cloud DVR storage | None | None | None | 50 hours | 50 hours |
| Number of simultaneous streams | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Live sports streaming available | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline viewing | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Hulu offers their subscribers several network and premium add-ons to choose from. Customize the way you watch with enhanced Cloud DVR storage, unlimited screens and premium additions like SHOWTIME and HBO Max. Browse the full list of Hulu add-ons to see each feature’s details and pricing.
If you’re not ready to commit to a plan or add-ons, we recommend trying different options out with the free trials Hulu makes available. If you decide a plan is not for you or that you want more features, Hulu makes it easy to switch plans from month-to-month—and you can cancel anytime.
Need more info? Read our full guide on Hulu’s packages, pricing and add-ons to find your perfect plan.
Hulu bundles, deals and free trials
Hulu offers several different ways to save on their services, from a bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ to free trials to test subscriptions and add-ons, risk free. Learn more in-depth about Hulu deals offers and promotions in 2020.
Bundle Hulu with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $12.99/mo.
If you want to experience the Hulu TV library but have FOMO for a wider range of entertainment, bundling with Disney Plus and ESPN+ is a great option—and it won’t break the bank.
This bundle automatically comes with the standard version of Hulu, which is an ad-supported experience. If you can’t stand ads interrupting your binge-watching flow, upgrade your Hulu subscription to the ad-free on-demand service for $18.99/mo. Additionally, if you want to sub in Hulu + Live TV (with ads), the bundle will set you back $61.99/mo. and Hulu + Live TV (no ads) will cost $67.99/mo.
Spotify Student subscribers get a special Hulu deal
If you are a student, subscribing to Spotify Premium Student will give you access to Hulu (with ads) and SHOWTIME for $4.99/mo.. This promotion is a great way to enjoy all three services for a low monthly price, but you’ll have to forgo ad-free Hulu and add-ons to qualify. Visit our guide on the Spotify Hulu student bundle for more information.
See related: Details of this offer are available on the Spotify website.
Try Hulu with a 30-day free trial, cancel whenever
Hulu takes the stress out of commitment by offering a 30-day free trial for their on-demand services (both with and without ads) and a 7-day free trial for Hulu + Live TV (both with and without ads).
Hulu also lets you take their add-ons for a test run. Try SHOWTIME, HBO, Cinemax and Starz for seven days, free. Every Hulu free trial can be cancelled anytime. The Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+ bundle does not currently offer a free trial.
Device compatibility
Most modern smart TVs, including iOS and Android models, support Hulu. If you’re working with an older TV, though, you may need to use supplementary technology to access the service. The desktop version of the app gives you the same search and customization features as the TV-based interface. The Hulu Plus mobile app allows you to watch your movies and TV shows on the go, right on your phone.
Here are some of the devices that give you access to Hulu:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android devices
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast
- iOS devices
- LG Smart TV
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 3
- PlayStation 4
- Roku devices
- Samsung Smart TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
- Web browsers
- Xbox 360
- Xbox One
- Xfinity
Hulu features
While Hulu’s movie library is not as extensive as other competitors, the service still offers plenty of features to make your streaming experience enjoyable.
Never miss another show with Cloud DVR
Subscribe to Hulu + Live TV and get 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage space to record your favorite shows. Though the baseline allowance of 50 hours is lower than YouTube TV (unlimited hours) and AT&T TV Now (500 hours), Hulu Cloud DVR storage never expires, so your recorded shows will never be deleted automarically.
If you’re hooked on your DVR and 50 hours of storage doesn’t cut it, you can always add-on up to 200 hours of Cloud DVR storage.
To read more about how to download Hulu content to watch later, visit our Hulu download guide.
Refine your queue with Tastepicker
Tell Hulu what types of shows, movies and genres interest you most, and Tastepicker will give you content recommendations.
Store you favorite shows
Use the My Stuff feature to saveTV shows and movies you want to keep track of or watch later.
Get tailored recommendations
Hit Like or Dislike to let the service know if you enjoyed a particular show. Hulu uses the information to suggest content similar to what you’ve “Liked” in the past.
Enjoy a better experience with Stop Suggesting
This feature comes in handy when you see content on Hulu that doesn’t interest you. Use the Stop Suggesting function to put an end to seeing a particular recommendation.
What to watch on Hulu
Hulu includes current and previous seasons of hundreds of shows and movies as well as Hulu Original content. With a Hulu + Live TV, watch live or record popular shows. Hulu even has 4K content, if you prefer a higher quality streaming experience.
Live TV channels
Hulu + Live TV subscriptions offer access to roughly 65 channels across national and local entertainment, news and sports. Top partners include ABC, CNN, ESPN, Food Network and FOX. Key channels missing from the Hulu Live lineup are AMC, MTV and Comedy Central.
Check out the full list of Hulu channels to see if your favorites are available, and if you’re interested in what sports are available with the Live TV offering, visit our guide on Hulu’s sports channels.
Shows and movies
Shows
You can browse by network, TV show, movie, genre, Hulu originals and more. There’s a huge bank of network content to choose from, including Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, Modern Family, Saturday Night Live and The Voice. Read our Hulu show guide for recommendations on the best Hulu shows to watch right now.
Movies
Hulu has over 2,500 classic and new movies to choose from in its library. Some of the top movies to watch now on Hulu include 2020 Oscar Best Picture Parasite, the 1967 film The Graduate starring Dustin Hoffman and The Dark Knight, the second installment of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. For more movie recommendations, visit our guide to the best movies on Hulu.
Original content
The service offers a variety of critically-acclaimed original television content like The Act, Castle Rock, Catch-22, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Mindy Project, Ramy and Shrill. It also has a growing list of original movies like Crime + Punishment, Frye Fraud, Minding the Gap and Too Funny to Fail.
Our hot take
So is Hulu worth it? Well, there’s a reason Hulu is among the biggest players in streaming right now. Its huge library of third-party and original content makes it a draw for lots of viewers. Hulu’s movie library is not as extensive as some of its competitors, so if you pride yourself on being a movie connoisseur, a streaming service like Netflix might be a better choice. However, if you’re a TV-lover and enjoy DVR and live TV capabilities, Hulu’s free trial is worth a spin.
Get 65+ channels along with a library of 80,000+ TV episodes and movies on-demand! Bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ for even more great content.