Hulu is an excellent option for anyone who wants to stream TV and movies, but it can be confusing to understand what Hulu offers.
“Hulu” can refer to two different things:
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An on demand video catalog of movies and TV shows (essentially similar to Netflix or Disney+). This includes movies and series like “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Bear,” and “Shogun.”
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A TV service with dozens of live channels (similar to YouTube TV or Sling TV). This includes access to as many as 140 channels. Subscribers to this service also get access to the Hulu on demand catalog, as well as free ESPN+ and Disney+.
How Many Hulu Plans Are There and What Are They?
The least expensive plan is $7.99 / month and it goes up from there. Removing ads or adding live channels will increase the price.
Ad-Supported Plan ($7.99 / month)
The least expensive version of Hulu is the ad-supported plan. That gives you access to the on demand library but not live TV. Any movies or shows you watch will be interrupted by commercials.
No Ads Plan ($17.99 / month)
You get full access to the on demand library, and eliminate ads entirely at this higher rate. There is no live TV at this level. If you are interested in the on demand version (with or without ads), Hulu makes it easy to try with a 30-day free trial.
Hulu + Live TV ($76.99 or $89.99 / month)
This version is more expensive because you are adding live television to the service.
Hulu Live TV gives you A&E, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, E!, ESPN, Food Network, Fox News, Freeform, FX, FXX, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MSNBC, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Syfy, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA Network, and VH1.
Live sports channels include ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, FanDuel TV, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NFL Network, NFL RedZone, SEC Network, and truTV.
Importantly, Hulu Live TV gives you free access to the Disney Bundle. Your subscription includes the normal Hulu on-demand catalog, as well as everything on Disney+ and ESPN+.
With your free Disney+, you’ll be able to watch many of the most-beloved films and TV shows of all time: Disney animated classics, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, The Simpsons, and The Muppets. You’ll get Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Avatar films. You’ll see musicals like “Hamilton,” “The Greatest Showman,” and “The Sound of Music.”
The free ESPN+ access gives you more NHL hockey than any other service. You’ll get 75 weekly national games and 1000+ out-of-market games. You can also watch UFC, Monday NIght Football, MLB, PGA TOUR LIVE, LaLiga, Top Rank Boxing, and more — plus a variety of college sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track & field, gymnastics, swimming & diving, lacrosse, wrestling, volleyball, golf from 20+ conferences.
The combined value of all these services is really the best bang for your buck when it comes to streaming entertainment.
| DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get $10 Off | Sign Up | |||
| $79.99 | $91.99 | $76.99 | $25 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| A&E | + $29 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ABC News Live | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ACC Network | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| ACC Network Extra | - | - | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Animal Planet | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Big Ten Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| Bloomberg TV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| CBS Sports Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| Cheddar | + $29 | + $8 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| CMT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| CNBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| CNN | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CNN International | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Comedy.TV | + $29 | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| Cozi TV | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Disney Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Disney Junior | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $6 | - | ✓ | |
| Disney XD | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $6 | - | ✓ | |
| E! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN Bases Loaded | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| ESPN College Extra | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| ESPN Goal Line | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN3 | - | + $10 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPNEWS | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| ESPNU | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Food Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox Business Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Fox News | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox Sports 2 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| FOX Weather | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FXM | + $40 | + $8 | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| FYI | + $40 | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| Golf Channel | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Hallmark Mystery | + $5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| HGTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| History | + $29 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| HLN | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Investigation Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| JusticeCentral.TV | + $29 | + $8 | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| Lifetime | + $29 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Lifetime Movie Network | + $40 | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| MLB Network | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | + $11 | - | |
| Monumental Sports Network | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| MotorTrend Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| MSNBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| MyNetworkTV | - | + $10 | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NASA TV | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| Nat Geo Wild | + $40 | + $8 | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| National Geographic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Bay Area | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Boston | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports California | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Chicago | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Northwest | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Philadelphia | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Philadelphia+ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBC Sports Washington+ | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| NECN | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| NewsNation | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Nick Jr. | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| OWN | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| Oxygen | + $40 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| PBS | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| PBS Kids | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| POP TV | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| SEC Network | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| SEC Network+ | + $29 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Smithsonian Channel | + $5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| SportsNet NY | + $29 | - | ✓ | - | - | - | - | |
| Start TV | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Syfy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TBS | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TCM | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Telemundo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| The CW | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| The Weather Channel | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| TLC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Travel Channel | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | + $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TV Land | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | - | ✓ | |
| Universal Kids | + $40 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Vice TV | + $29 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
Hulu Bundles
If you don’t want live TV, you can still save with a Hulu bundle. You’ll get a discount when you add Disney+ and an even bigger discount if you tack on ESPN+. As always, you’ll pay more if you want to avoid commercials.
| Hulu with Ads | Hulu No Ads | Duo Basic | Trio Basic | Trio Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $7.99 / month | $17.99 / month | $9.99 / month | $14.99 / month | $24.99 / month |
| Just Hulu | Just Hulu | Disney+ and Hulu | Disney+ and Hulu and ESPN+ | Disney+ and Hulu and ESPN+ |
| Has ads | No ads | Has ads | Has ads | No ads on Disney+ and Hulu |
| No downloads | Downloads available | No downloads | No downloads | Downloads available |
Hulu Live TV Add-Ons
If you go with a Hulu Live TV option, you can add premium channels like Cinemax, HBO, Parmount+ with SHOWTIME, and Starz for $9-$15 each. There are also channel bundles available.
- Entertainment Add-on (+$7.99): additional news and lifestyle channels: American Heroes, BET Her, Boomerang, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Great American Family, Great American Country, Hallmark Family, Magnolia Network, MTV Classic, MTV2, Nicktoons, Science, and TeenNick.
- Sports Add-on (+$9.99): extends Hulu’s sports lineup with live and on-demand content from FanDuel TV, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, TVG, and TVG2.
- Español Add-on (+$4.99/month): Spanish-language live streams and on-demand content from CNN En Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, History En Español, and Universo
Which Plan is Right for You?
Since each Hulu plan offers a free trial, we’d recommend sampling Hulu + Live TV for 3 days to see if you like what it has to offer. If you already have a preferred live TV provider, it’s worth trying the on-demand-only version of Hulu for 30 free days.