The vast live streaming bundle market just got more crowded. The introduction of Hulu, an on-demand video streaming service that is well recognized for giving tough competition to the niche entertainment service providers like Amazon and Netflix, has invaded the market.
As the name suggests, Hulu + Live TV offers live streaming channels, which is the main reason why it competes directly with other streaming giants like Sling TV. Although Hulu + Live TV is still under beta construction, we will still analyze it early to take a look at the outstanding service of how it stacks up against its rivals. We will give Hulu + Live TV Review thoroughly.
There is only a handful of well-known live streaming services that are as popular as Hulu. Hulu is one of the oldest rivals of Netflix as Hulu is a budget-friendly streaming service that boasts a comprehensive selection of on-demand movies and live TV shows. It includes a whooping state of originals that goes straight up against HBO Max and Netflix lineups.
But none can deny that Hulu is in a very crowded market, so it is very tough to maintain its competency against HBO Max and Netflix. So the main concern is, can Hulu hold against them? To know the answer, keep reading the article.
Hulu + Live TV Review 2023 | Watch Live TV & Movies Without Cable
Live streaming services are forever changing, and Hulu + Live TV is no exception. Going head-to-toe with YouTube TV and Sling TV, Hulu offers some of your best live cable TV channels along with other shows that come bundled with cable TV connections making it one of the most amazing streaming services.
Unlike the other replacements for Cable TV, Hulu offers a live streaming service worth $65 per month that gets integrated seamlessly into your robust subscription service (cost included). Our only hope is that the price doesn't get hiked up.
At one glance, Hulu + Live TV is colorful, navigation friendly, new content recommendation effective, and fairly priced. However, random ad pop-ups, laggy interface, and overly priced bevy extras are few drawbacks of Hulu that keep it away from being called the best cable replacement medium in the market currently.
However, a company that is still under the beta phase had a surprisingly strong head start. Hulu's live streaming service isn't a much-required thing for cord-cutters alternatives (not yet), but it does deserve its rightful consideration.
But that's for the latter part of the topic to discuss its flaws. First, we will take a glance at what Hulu + Live TV really is and what services it provides. Let's dive right into it.
What Is Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu was introduced in the year 2007 and soon became the industry's leading television streaming service. It dominated the space that was a joint venture between News Corporation and NBC Universal. Walt Disney and Comcast are the few companies that followed through their journey, and in the year 2019, Hulu was operationally taken over by Disney. Hulu then became the world's one of the most popular video services with a whopping 32 million subscribers currently.
Hulu has two subscription plans. The base plan comes with on-demand service content with a huge collection of movies, live TV programs, and Hulu originals. It is priced at $5.99 per month with additional advertisements. The other subscription plan, Hulu + Live TV, costs $54.99 per month that offers live TV channels, which means that you can watch sports, news, and other real-time shows. This subscription has an on-demand library, too, and you can upgrade it for an additional ad-free viewing experience over the on-demand content by paying $6 extra per month.
Here are few things that we found about Hulu + Live TV that was worth mentioning:
- As one of the most widely popular streaming services, Hulu + Live TV is undeniably a service that every cord-cutter can rely on
- However, until recently, Hulu just hiked up their subscription charges by $10, and we have no clue as to what they are bringing as the channels, features, or enhanced cloud DVR storage are the same.
- Although it is hard to say if the Hulu services are worth considering because of their price, if you are into lots of television and on-demand content all under one roof, then this might be the best choice for you.
If you are under a strict budget and can't afford to pay heavy bills every month, then you might want to consider cutting the cord and buy Hulu + Live TV subscription. It could be a great money-saving opportunity for you. This is an extremely good option for the cord-cutters and leaves the cable TV connections for good.
When you see advertisements of Hulu, you must have thought about video streaming services with popular and featured on-demand movies and TV series for years. However, you may not be aware that this company also supports a live streaming service called Hulu + Live TV, which offers lots of popular TV networks in the market.
In case you are wondering what the “Plus” sign means in Hulu, then we would like to clarify that it means that you will get both the services for one subscription price. Therefore, you will get all the popular additional channels that were mentioned in the on-demand channel list of Hulu that had original content like The Handmaid's Tale. Thus, unlike any other cable TV subscription, this comes without any extra fees for cable boxes, dish antennas, remotes, or any other long-term commitment. You can discontinue their service anytime.
Pricing & Channels
If you have scolded over the intro part of the article, then we would like to mention it again: Hulu + Live TV prices have increased by $10, and we have no idea why the company took such a step. There are no new features, channels (Hulu Live could be made better with MLB Network and NBA TV), or larger enhanced cloud DVR storage (just 50 hours, really?)
If you are considering Hulu, then obviously you won't mind the on-demand content and live TV channels all under one roof, and if this is the case, then getting the $71 per month plan without any additional ads in your VOD content wouldn't be a big deal.
Furthermore, you won't have to worry about the random 2-minute pop-up ads of exercise equipment or cologne before starting any show. Just get straight to the good stuff. Another benefit that your Hulu TV has is that it comes with the option of bundling it with Disney+ and ESPN+ just at $6 more. This is $6 cheaper than the one where you choose these services individually.
Let us check the Hulu plan offers in detail:
Hulu Live TV (With Ads):
It costs $65 a month with a 7-day free trial. This plan allows you to stream over 65+ channels that include the local broadcasting networks in most markets, with shows like news, regional sports, and entertainment. It has 50 hours of storage on the cloud DVR, and you can stream on two separate screens simultaneously. It also lets you have unlimited access to over 80,000 movies and TV programs with Hulu original content as well. The only drawback of this plan is that it comes with ads, so you will see 2 minutes of cologne and exercise equipment commercials before the start of every show. These ads would be played in the live TV broadcasts.
Hulu Live TV (Without Ads):
It costs $71 a month with a 7-day free trial. This plan features everything that the basic Hulu Live plan has. The greatest advantage of this plan over the basic plan is that it is add-free when it comes to VOD entertainment. Therefore, most of the movies and shows in the streaming library won't feature commercials, but there are still few ads here and there on the live channels.
A standard subscription of Hulu includes ads that cost $5.99 every month, but you also get to choose the $59.99 annual subscription plan to save a few bucks. You can add $11.99 per month to get rid of the annoying ads and commercials.
Let's see the chart below:
Plan: Hulu + Live TV (with ads)
Price: $64.99/ month
TV Channel Count: 65+
Details: View Plan
Plan: Hulu + Live TV (No ads)
Price: $70.99
TV Channel Count: 65+
Details: View Plan
With the exception of Philo, Hulu + Live TV has the lowest price out of all. But unlike Philo, Hulu offers all the major local broadcasting channels in the market. You can see the comparison chart below to take a look at the Hulu Live TV comparison between the other media service providers.
Pricing
Hulu with Live TV lets you get access to a wide variety of add-on services that the customers can purchase over the basic plan that costs $65 per month. To get rid of the commercials and ads, you need to add around 5 bucks to your monthly rate. Adding $15 will expand your total DVR storage from 50 to 200 hours while allowing you to stream on unlimited screens simultaneously. In the default plan, it was just 2 supported devices that cost $15. However, you can save around $10 if you purchase both unlimited simultaneous streams and an expanded DVR package together.
In comparison to that, Showtime costs around $9 per month, which, when added to your basic plan, would bring your total amount to $74 per month – or $99 with the below-given options. If you add in all the extras, then you will find some of the most decent fully-fledged channel packages at the least prices while obliterating the cord-cutter saving plan.
Base Price
Hulu VOD streaming library is among the best in the streaming service market currently, with a perfect blend of movies, TV series, and the latest updated episodes from few networks. This streaming service also boasts an amazing list of Hulu's exclusive titles too. Overall, Hulu is a tough contender in that perspective.
Company: Hulu
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Monthly Fees: $5.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 2 screens
Add Free: Optional
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Netflix
Rating: 4.3 / 5
Monthly Fees: $8.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 4 screens
Add Free: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Amazon Prime Video
Rating: 4 / 5
Monthly Fees: $8.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 4 screens
Add Free: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Disney+
Rating: 4 / 5
Monthly Fees: $7.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 4 screens
Add Free: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Funimation
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Monthly Fees: $0 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 5 screens
Add Free: Optional
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: HBO Max
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Monthly Fees: $14.99
Multiple Streams: up to 3 screens
Add Free: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Peacock
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Monthly Fees: $$0 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 3 screens
Add Free: Optional
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Crunchyroll
Rating: 3.7 / 5
Monthly Fees: $0 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 2 screens
Add Free: Optional
Learn More: Try Premium Free
Company: Paramount+
Rating: 3.6 / 5
Monthly Fees: $5.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 3 screens
Add Free: Optional
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Apple TV+
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Monthly Fees: $4.99
Multiple Streams: up to 6 screens
Add Free: yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
(*Note: regarding the $5 add-free surcharge, neither will it cut out the ads from on-demand shows on the individual networks, nor will it remove every Hulu ad; some channels need the ads to be displayed before and after any show starts rather than in the middle of the stream. We don't like paying for the services and still have to deal with the ads either, as it is our least favorite part of the Hulu experience too. But then again, it is as obtrusive as ever.)
Hulu vs. Competitors
Beyond Hulu Live content, Hulu lets you get plenty of features along with user experience. While Hulu's most content streams are in 720p resolution, few titles like the Hulu exclusives can give you full Ultra HD 4K streams.
Additionally, the professional reviews on the recent Hulu's user interface changes have been complimentary, which was later updated with a better intuitive design last year. While it still lacks in the user-friendliness part as compared to some of its rival services, it is much easier for navigation, especially while looking and browsing for the title's key information at one glance.
Company: Hulu
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Monthly Fees: $5.99 and above
Multiple Streams: up to 2 screens
User Profiles: up to 6 profiles
Add Free: Optional
Trial Period: 7 Days
Parental Controls: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
Company: Netflix
Rating: 4.3 / 5
Monthly Fees: $8.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 4 screens
User Profiles: up to 5 profiles
Add Free: Yes
Trial Period: 30 Days
Parental Controls: Yes
Learn More: Try Netflix
Company: Amazon Prime Video
Rating: 4 / 5
Monthly Fees: $8.99 and up
Multiple Streams: up to 3 streams
User Profiles: up to 6 profiles
Add Free: Yes
Trial Period: 30 Days
Parental Controls: Yes
Learn More: Start Free Trial
(*Note: in comparison to Hulu's competitors, it is averagely priced with the rest of the streaming services. Fairly priced at $64.99 per month, it has an on-demand library, live channels, and 50 hours of cloud DVR storage)
Hulu vs. Netflix
Both Hulu and Netflix are the on-demand streaming giants making it one of the most popular streaming services in the current market. Netflix has been securing the top spot for the past few years simply because of the reason that it has a huge subscriber base, an intuitive user interface, a strong original content lineup that makes it easier to find new content to enjoy, and a vast movie and TV series library of any genre you could think of.
However, Hulu does have an upper edge over Netflix. For example, Netflix doesn't give you access to the latest episodes for some most popular network TV shows. Hulu also has cheap starter packs if you are totally fine with commercials here and there, and unlike Netflix, Hulu lets you upgrade to Live TV Streaming Services packages too.
Hulu vs. Amazon Prime Video
If you are paying full Amazon membership, then Amazon Prime video can be an excellent choice for being a budget-friendly streaming service because it's included with any Prime membership. The content lineup of Amazon Prime Video is pretty solid with series like “The Boys,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “Fleabag,” “which were award-winning series in their arsenal, including an on-demand library as well.
However, Hulu doesn't lack behind with its updated episode list either. It has a solid content lineup for streamers looking to avoid spoilers of the ongoing seasons and Hulu's originals like “The Handmaid's Tale.”
However, Hulu's up-to-date episodes make it a solid pick for streamers who want to avoid spoilers from current-season series and its original series, like “The Handmaid's Tale,” which took recognizable awards as well.
In addition to that, while Amazon Prime menus can be a bit tricky to navigate, mostly when your content is included within your subscription plan, Hulu offers menus that are easier to organize and customize according to your needs, which makes it easier and simpler to search for content that you have been looking for.
Channels:
Hulu offers over 74 channels for just $65 every month, which is a decent amount for a cable TV replacement. Hulu also includes such channels that you were dying to watch for most of the part. The live TV lineup includes channels like CNN, NFL, ESPN, Food Network, A&E, FX, Bravo, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, Fox Sports, Fox News, Food Network, National Geographic, History, TNT, TBS, USA, Syfy, etc.
There are plenty of other worthy programming channels like kids' entertainment and sports content. You will receive a generous assortment of local channels, too, like CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox depending on your region.
Hulu's content list isn't as robust as Amazon Prime Video or Netflix, and you would have to deal with ad commercials even if you pay that extra amount for ad-skipping. On the other hand, it costs $8 per month for the service costs anyway. Therefore the additional $32 for a full cable replacement isn't that bad after all. Furthermore, Hulu brought back The Thick of It season 4, which is a British satirical comedy, to the USA, which is a perk.
With all the services and features in mind, we are glad to welcome you to the brave new world of media entertainment services over the internet. If you are confused just like any other user in finding the best streaming service or bundled streaming packs, then read on!
We will break it down to the best services that offer the most popular channels (with sports networks) and how to make the most of your streaming setup, Fire TV sticks, or any other streaming device. We are here to update the best streaming service for you periodically while things change.
Depending on your region, in addition to local broadcasters, the channels that you will find on Hulu + Live TV are:
Hulu + Live TV Channels
Hulu with Live TV offers the users over 10,000 channels and a comprehensive range of options for content, from the best VOD movies and TV shows to live TV. And if that wasn't enough, it also provides premium add-on channels. Thus it is safe to say that there is no insufficiency in terms of content availability.
The live TV channels that you are provided with the Hulu subscription depend upon your geographic location, especially the local networks. So, you must do a thorough checkup of the number of channel lineups in your respective area. Otherwise, you receive good stuff anyway. So now, you can watch Hannity, and your daughters can enjoy their favorite shows like Raven's Home.
The Hulu + Live TV channel list are:
- HGTV
- MSNBC
- CNN
- National Geographic
- Animal Planet
- Discovery Channel
- Disney Channel
- Cartoon Network
- Lifetime
- USA
- Food Network
- FX
- Telemundo
- TBS
- TNT
- FOX News
Hulu + Live TV Add-Ons
Hulu has almost all the premium channels that you would require (besides EPIX) to conveniently add to your monthly subscription. So much for getting everything under one place, after all. Moreover, these mentioned prices are typically for the premium channels for most cable, streaming, and satellite services.
Channel: HBO Max
Add-On Monthly Price: $14.99 per month
Channel: STARZ
Add-On Monthly Price: $8.99 per month
Channel: SHOWTIME
Add-On Monthly Price: $10.99 per month
Channel: CINEMAX
Add-On Monthly Price: $9.99 per month
Channel: Español add-on
Add-On Monthly Price: $4.99 per month
Channel: Entertainment add-on
Add-On Monthly Price: $7.99 per month
The Español add-on offers live sports, news, and Spanish shows. The channels that are included under this package are:
- ESPN Deportes
- NBC Universo
- CNN en Español
- History Channel en Español
- Discovery en Español
- Discovery Familia
The Entertainment add-on lets you watch a variety of cooking, reality TV channels, and lifestyle. The channels that are included under this package are:
- Discovery Family
- CNBC World
- Lifetime Movies
- Cooking Channel
- Destination America
- Science
- American Heroes Channel
- FYI
- DIY
- Discovery Family
Hulu + Live TV Sports Channels
After going through all the discussions about the Hulu features and services, you have finally made it to the most important section of the article, and we are here to share the sports channel list for Hulu + Live TV.
Well, you may or may not get the ESPN 2 or Tennis Channel, but we are confident that any live sports fans will appreciate that they are getting the live TV channels with Hulu + Live TV subscription. Also, you need to make sure that you put your current location while checking the sports channel lineup for your region.
The sports channels that are included under this package are:
- Golf Channel
- Big Ten Network
- ESPN
- ESPN 2
- ESPNU
- ESPN news
- ESPN College Extra
- ACCN
- FS1
- FS2
- SEC Network
- CBS Sports Network
- Olympic Channel
- NBC Sports Network
Hulu Originals Movies & TV Shows
If you are a movie binge-watcher, then consider yourself lucky with your Hulu + Live TV subscription. It has a library full of over 10,000 movies and TV shows along with Hulu Originals. Users have the add-on premium options for movie channels like Cinemax, HBO, STARZ, and Showtime for an extra charge that ranges from $8.99 to $14.99 every month.
Top rivalry in the world of movies and TV programs, Netflix is still running ahead for many customers due to its vast movie library and popular Netflix originals.
Hulu Device Compatibility
Hulu + Live TV can be watched on almost any mobile device after the user permits to download the service provider's application. Otherwise, other options include “Web Browser” on Desktop computers. The list of devices it is compatible with are:
- Apple TV (Generation 4 and above)
- Android mobile devices (smartphones & tablets)
- iOS devices (iPhone & iPad)
- Roku & Roku Stick
- Amazon Fire Tablets
- Amazon Firestick or Amazon Fire TV Stick
- Xbox 360 & Xbox One
- Playstation
- Nintendo Switch
- Samsung & LG Smart TV
- Google Chromecast & Google Chromecast Ultra
- Safari & Chrome Web Browsers
It is also worth mentioning that Hulu + Live TV suggests that you must have at least an 8 Mbps internet connection to utilize the benefits of this application.
Is It Possible To Watch Hulu + Live TV With VPN?
This might sound like a bummer to you that Hulu services are typically view restricted in the US, and since they have licensing restrictions, Hulu blocks the VPN users. But still, some of you want to watch your favorite content with VPN encryption for faster connection speed due to the router-based VPN restriction.
If we get into the details, then according to our research, IPVanish VPN is the best VPN service on our list that also includes ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, ProtonVPN, and Surf Shark. They all have their dedicated Web Pages from where you can download their application and stream on Hulu + Live TV.
The Final Verdict:
Hulu is an amazing option for cord-cutters. In addition to carrying dozens of sports, news, and live entertainment, this service also offers an impressive library of on-demand movies and TV programs. Hulu + Live TV plans also provide a solid user experience where the subscribers can create up to 6 profiles for every account and restrict the content that is available to the individual users.
New users who are interested in testing their services before paying for their monthly subscription can take advantage of Hulu's 7-day free trial. For any further information, you can visit our Website.