Hulu makes cutting the cord easy with its basic plan starting at just $6.99 a month, but it has its downsides. Is the $6.99 plan enough for you or will you end up paying much more than you planned?
If you cut the cord you may have Hulu on your list of options. Here’s everything you must know to decide if it’s right for you.
What is Hulu?
Hulu started as a streaming service to air recently aired TV shows, like Grey’s Anatomy but it’s now so much more. Today’s Hulu is more like Netflix but with a twist. It still has the most recently aired TV shows, though, which is what draws most people to this platform.
How Does Hulu Work?
Hulu is a streaming service that works on almost any internet-enabled device. You can have one account, but up to six users each with their profile. This makes it easy for each person in your family to watch their favorite shows, and pick up where they left off without anyone else messing with their settings.
Each profile will receive recommendations based on what they’ve watched. You can also set up parental controls in each account as needed.
Unfortunately, Hulu isn’t free, though. There are several plans to choose from based on what you want from the service.
Hulu Features
Hulu offers many features to make watching TV even more convenient and fun. Each of these features is included in the Hulu no ads and Hulu plus Live TV plan.
- Download
You can download select movies and shows with no ads to watch without the internet. Just look for the download icon to see what you can download.
- Hulu Watch Party
Up to 8 people can watch a Hulu movie or show together from their own home. This is a great way to spend time with family and friends that are far away!
- Cloud DVR
If you subscribe to Hulu (no ads) plus Live TV, you get access to 50 hours of cloud DVR service. Your DVR recordings will have ads but if you upgrade to the enhanced cloud DVR, you can fast forward through the ads.
How Much Does Hulu Cost?
Hulu has several plans and add-ons to choose from to help you get the TV you want. It has one of the lowest entry points to streaming TV, but the cost can skyrocket if you want Hulu + Live TV.
Ad-Supported Hulu
The add-supported Hulu plan is just $6.99 a month. With this plan, you can watch thousands of TV shows and movies streaming on Hulu. If you choose an annual subscription, you can save even more, paying just $69.99/year.
Hulu No Ads
If paying for TV and still watching ads drives you crazy, try the Hulu No Ads plan for $12.99/month. You get access to the same streaming library but without the ads.
Hulu plus Live TV
Hulu plus Live TV provides access to the large Hulu library plus access to live TV as you would get with cable. You can choose from an ads plan or no ads plan.
Hulu (with ads) plus Live TV costs $69.99/month and Hulu (no ads) plus Live TV costs $75.99/month.
You can also subscribe to Live TV only for $68.99 per month. This plan does not include access to the Hulu library.
Disney Bundle
Hulu also offers a bundled plan with Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. This includes a subscription to the ad-supported Hulu library, plus a subscription to Disney+ and ESPN+ at a bundled discount.
Are Hulu Add-Ons Worth It?
Along with the many plans Hulu offers, there are add-ons to choose from, just like you did when you had cable. The add-ons include:
- HBO – $14.99/month
- Cinemax – $9.99/month
- Showtime – $10.99/month
- Starz – $8.99/month
- ESPN+ – $6.99/month
Other add-ons include if you subscribe to Hulu Live TV include:
- Enhanced Cloud DVR – $9.99/month
If you subscribe to Live TV, you can upgrade your DVR storage so you can record more shows.
- Unlimited screens – $9.99/month
Hulu allows you to stream on two devices at one time. If you have a large family and no one can agree on what to watch, you may want to upgrade to unlimited screens for more options.
- Entertainment add-on – $7.99/month
If you’re a DIY-er, love reality TV, or can’t live without your MTV, this add-on is a must-have for you. It includes the Cooking Channel, Discovery, MTV, TeenNick, DIY, and more.
- Sports add-on – $9.99/month
Sports fanatics (especially football fans) love the sports-add on which includes NFL Red Zone, Outdoor Channel, TVG2, Sportsman Channel, Motorsports Network, and TVG.
- Espanol networks – $4.99/month
If you need access to the Spanish networks, you can add them onto your Hulu plan and get access to CNN, Discovery, Discovery Family, Fox, History, and NBC in Spanish.
How Often Does Hulu Release New Content?
Hulu adds and changes content monthly. Fortunately, Hulu lets you know when a show in your watchlist is going to expire so you can binge-watch it before it’s gone. Whenever they remove shows, though, it’s to make room for new, exciting content each month.
What Shows and Movies are on Hulu?
Before you sign up for Hulu, you should know what shows and movies are available on the streaming service. Here’s an overview of what they offer:
- Recently aired network shows one day after they air
- Full seasons of popular shows to binge watch
- Hulu exclusive series and movies
- Kid content
- Spanish content
- Anime content
TV Shows on Hulu
Some of the more popular TV shows streaming on Hulu include:
- The Voice
- The Rookie
- General Hospital
- Chicago Fire
- Good Morning America
- Family Guy
- A Million Little Things
Movies on Hulu
- Boss Baby
- The Matrix
- Rush Hour
- The Hunger Games
- Grown Ups
- Love, Simon
Hulu Exclusive Content
Hulu, like its competitors, has exclusive content only to be found on Hulu including:
- Nine Perfect Strangers
- Little Fires Everywhere
- Dopesick
- No Man’s Island
- Looking for Alaska
Hulu Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The basic Hulu plan is very affordable compared to other streaming services. While you have to deal with ads, it’s a small price to pay for the low cost.
- You can see newly aired episodes from major networks the next day. You don’t have to wait to binge watch an entire season a year after it airs. Hulu airs episodes the next day to all of the most popular shows.
- You can have up to 6 profiles. It’s easy to share an account with your family members and still give everyone their own settings.
- There are a lot of add-ons to consider. If you want to create the perfect way to watch TV, you can add on many services to make Hulu even better for you.
Cons:
- The ads can be overbearing. If you buy the basic plan, you have to put up with a large number of ads which can get annoying after a while.
- Hulu has less content than other streaming services, like Netflix. Their draw is the content that airs the next day, versus a large content library.
- Not all shows are available for download. If you want to watch without an internet connection, your options are limited.
FAQs – Is Hulu Worth It?
How many people can use Hulu at once?
You can have up to 6 profiles on one account but you can only watch on 2 screens at a time. The profiles are nice because you can save where you left off and not worry about someone else losing your spot. You can also play around with the settings and controls so each person gets content tailored to their preferences.
What devices does Hulu work on?
Hulu works on most internet-enabled devices including smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android). It also works on Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, Fire Sticks, game consoles including Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation as well as select LG and Samsung TVs.
Does Hulu have sports?
If you subscribe to Hulu plus Live TV, you’ll have access to over 75 sports channels. You can also pay for the sports add-on to get even more access to football games and other specialized channels.
Is Hulu free with Amazon Prime?
Hulu is not free with Amazon Prime. Hulu and Amazon Prime are competitors. You can have both services at the same time, but you’ll pay for them separately too. There isn’t a bundle for them either. The only bundle Hulu offers is with Disney+ and ESPN+.
Final Thoughts – Is Hulu Worth It?
Hulu can be worth it if you pay only for the basic plan. The add-ons are tempting and make Hulu seem so much better, but honestly, it’s good on its own. If you can live without live TV, you’ll get the best bang for your buck. Even if you have to pay for the upgraded (no ads) version, it’s still quite affordable.
Once you get into the add-ons, though, you’re back at cable prices, which is likely the reason you cut the cord and considered Hulu in the first place.
