In a Nutshell
pros
- Affordable price for a basic plan
- Quality original programming
- Various bundles and add-ons available
cons
- Frequent commercials (“no ads” add-on available)
- Limited download availability
Hulu: Plans & Pricing
Basic Plan
Best for those looking for an affordable streaming service
Hulu (No Ads)
Best for those wanting to skip the ads
Hulu+ Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN
Best for those who want to watch their favorite sports and a variety of kid-friendly shows
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN+
Best for those looking to enjoy a range of sports and shows with no ads
How Much Does Hulu Cost?
Hulu offers four main pricing plans. These include:
Basic Plan
Starting at $6.99, the Basic Plan offers access to thousands of TV shows and movies. You can sign up for its annual plan to save some money and pay $69.99/year. This makes it much more affordable than Netflix, which starts at $9.99/month, Prime Video, which starts at $8.99/month, and HBO, which starts at $14.99/month.
In addition to Hulu’s original content, this plan also gives you access to award-winning documentary series and movies, as well as access to the previous night’s episodes from major networks including CBS, ABC, HGTV, and the Discovery Channel.
This plan allows you to stream different channels on two screens at a time.
Hulu (No Ads)
Available for $12.99/month, this plan allows you to get access to most of the shows and movies on the Basic Plan without the ads. A few shows are excluded from their streaming library and will play with a short ad break before and after each episode.
This plan also allows you to download select TV shows and movies, and it gives you access to Hulu Watch Party, which enables you to stream TV shows and movies with friends and family members in other locations.
You can stream on two screens at a time and create up to six profiles for members of your household. This plan also includes Cloud DVR, which allows you to record up to 50 hours of live TV.
Hulu+ Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN
This plan, at $69.99/month, gives you access to everything in Hulu’s streaming library, plus over 85 live TV channels. You’ll have access to live streams and additional on-demand content from various sports, entertainment, and news channels, as well as content on ESPN+ and Disney+. On-demand channels you’ll gain access to include BET, Bravo, TBS, MTV, ESPN, Fox News, and CNN.
You can record up to 50 hours of live TV on this plan using Cloud DVR, and you also get access to a Live Guide, which makes it easy for you to scroll through what’s airing now and in the coming two weeks. With this plan, you can activate your account on an unlimited number of devices, and stream on up to two screens at once. With the Unlimited Screens add-on ($9.99/mo), you can stream on an unlimited number of screens connected to your home WiFi network, and up to three screens on the go (e.g., from a mobile phone).
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV now with Disney+ and ESPN
This plan includes all of the same offerings as the previous plan but without the ads, for $75.99/month. However, there are a few excluded shows that will play with ads at the beginning and end of each episode.
Unlike the previous plan, this plan also gives you access to Hulu Watch Party and select downloads on TV shows and movies.
Optional Add-Ons
Hulu offers a selection of Premium and Partner Add-ons for its subscribers:
- HBO for an additional $14.99/month
- SHOWTIME for an additional $10.99/month
- Starz for an additional $8.99/month
- ESPN+ for an additional $6.99/month
- Cinemax for an additional $9.99/month
- Disney+ for an additional $2.99/month
Live TV subscribers can also gain access to the following add-ons:
- Unlimited screens for $9.99/month
- Sports Add-on for $9.99/month
- Español Networks for $4.99/month
- Entertainment networks for $7.99/month
You can also add unlimited screens for an additional $9.99/month.
How Does Hulu Work?
After selecting which plan works for you, head to your desktop browser and visit hulu.com/welcome. If you’re opting for either their Basic Plan or the Hulu (No Ads) Plan, you can click the option for a 30-day free trial. Other plans do not offer a free trial.
Once you’ve selected a plan, you’ll be prompted to enter your name, email address, and some other personal information. You can then choose your payment method, add your billing information, and click Submit to complete the sign-up process. You’ll then be directed to a page that allows you to personalize your recommendations before you begin streaming. Overall, we found Hulu’s sign-up process to be simple and straight-forward.
If you opt for a monthly plan, you can easily cancel at any time. Once you’ve signed up via desktop, you can download Hulu’s mobile app and stream content from your mobile device.
Is Hulu Reliable and Safe?
Hulu is a reliable and safe streaming service. While it has low scores on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau, most of the complaints are related to the frequency of ads, not the safety of the service.
Hulu has an extensive privacy and security policy, which states that it collects the following information:
- Personal information you provide the service
- Usage, technical, and log data information
- Account and profile data from third-party services
- Information from partners and other services
- Data collected through cookies or similar technologies
Hulu also allows adults to restrict access to non-kid profiles by setting up a PIN through the account settings.
Help and Support
Hulu offers an FAQs page and a blog page. You can find these by navigating to its Contact Us page, where you can select from a comprehensive list of topics that you might need support with, and Hulu will provide you with answers.
If these answers don’t suffice, you can live chat with an agent 24/7, call the service 24/7 at 877-824-4858, or ask a question in the Hulu community. Live chat help is instant, while call wait times tend to be about five minutes or more.
What About the Hulu App?
The Hulu app is available for all of its plans and can be downloaded via Android or iOS devices. The app will give you access to all of the TV shows and movies available on the Basic Plan and the Hulu (No Ads) plan. You can also use the app to download select movies and TV shows.
Bottom Line
Hulu is an excellent streaming service for those looking for a wide array of original content and access to network TV shows shortly after they premiere. With plans starting at just $6.99, Hulu has many of its competitors beat in terms of affordability.
The wide availability of add-ons means you’ll never get bored with the service’s content. The Hulu Watch Party feature is also a great way to connect with family and friends over your favorite TV shows and movies. While downloads aren’t available for all content, there are plenty of downloadable shows to choose from in Hulu’s library.
It also offers an extensive free trial period compared to many competitors.
