Hulu Live TV Review
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $82.99/month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels, 33 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra charge.
The service provides an unlimited DVR with the ability to skip through commercials. You also have the option to upgrade for premium channels, unlimited screens, and commercial-free access to Hulu’s on-demand library.
Review
We tested Hulu Live TV and other live TV streaming services for more than 100 hours. Hulu Live TV is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.
We show you how to watch live TV with Hulu, using their Hulu + Live TV streaming service.
Features
Unlimited Cloud DVR
Hulu includes Unlimited DVR storage, allowing you to keep shows for up to 9 months. You can fast-forward through recorded content.
You cannot record individual episodes of a show—only an entire series.
Up to 2 Devices
This service allows for two simultaneous streams (among TV devices, smartphones, tablets, and computers).
For $9.99/month, you can upgrade to use Hulu Live TV on unlimited screens at home and three mobile screens.
34 TV Everywhere Apps
Hulu Live TV gives you access to 34 different TV Everywhere apps.
List of Compatible Apps
- A&E App
- Bravo Now
- BTN2GO
- CBS App
- CBS Sports App
- CNBC App
- DisneyNow
- E! Now
- FOX News App
- FOX Now
- Fox Sports Go
- Freeform App
- FX Now
- FYI App
- History App
- Lifetime App
- Max
- MSNBC Now
- Nat Geo TV App
- NBC Sports App
- POP TV App
- Showtime Anytime
- Syfy Now
- Telemundo Now
- Universal Kids App
- VICELAND App
- Watch ABC
- Watch Cooking Channel
- Watch DIY
- Watch ESPN
- Watch Food Network
- Watch HGTV
- Watch TCM
- Watch Travel Channel
On Demand
Hulu’s major strength is its on demand library of movies and shows. You will get access to their full streaming library, which means full seasons from networks like FX (“What We Do In the Shadows,” “Atlanta,” “Fargo”) and ABC (“Abbott Elementary,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Modern Family”). Hulu’s movie library includes hits like “Prey,” “Parasite,” and “Moneyball.”
One frustrating part of Hulu’s on demand content is that the ads are exceedingly long (~3 minutes). If you want to remove commercials, you can eliminate ads from Hulu and Disney+ for another $13/month.
Parental Controls
To use parental controls with Hulu Live TV, you need to create a user profile with “Kids Mode” enabled.
DIRECTV STREAM and Sling TV also have parental control features.
Hulu Originals Feature
Hulu Live TV users get access to Hulu’s original content like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Pam & Tommy,” “The Bear,” and “The Patient.”
The Hulu documentary section is a special treat.
Commercial-Free On Demand Feature
You can watch Hulu and Disney+ commercial-free for an additional $13/month.
Compatible Devices
Hulu Live TV is compatible with these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast (Google Cast)
- Roku
- Android TV (4.4+)
- iPhone/iPad (iOS 13+)
- Android Phone/Tablet (5.0+)
- Mac
- Windows
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- Nintendo
- LG Smart TV (WebOS 3.5+ (some 3.0))
- Samsung Smart TV (2016+)
- Sony Smart TV
- VIZIO Smart TV (2016+)
Hulu Live TV is not compatible with onn devices.
Phone & Tablet Apps
When you first sign-up for Hulu, you build a profile of your favorite channels, shows, and sports teams.
When you launch the Hulu app, it brings you to a “Lineup” of live, recorded, and on demand content from your favorite shows.
They recently added a new feature called the Live Guide which makes it much easier to find live shows in their apps.
The Live Guide includes a portrait video player with a grid guide below. If you turn your screen horizontally, the live channel will play in full screen mode.
TV App
On television devices, Hulu recently added a Live TV tab which includes a grid guide to see live channels.
Computer
You can watch Hulu Live TV on Mac or Windows computers with any popular browser.
Channels
Local Channels
Live local channels are available only in certain markets. However, on demand content is available in all areas the following day.
For complete local availability, check the Hulu Live TV Channel Lookup tool.
Top Cable Channels
Hulu Live TV offers 33 of the top 35 cable channels.
The service does not presently carry AMC and WE tv.
The top 35 cable channels are listed below. For a list of all channels, look at Hulu’s full channel lineup.
- 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
- VH1
-
AMC -
WE tv
Sports Channels
National Sports Channels
Hulu Live TV includes all the national sports channels, such as ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Fox Sports 2, TBS, TNT, and USA Network.
Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)
Hulu Live TV gives access to regional sports networks (RSNs) from NBC Sports, but they no longer carry Sinclair-owned Fox Sports RSNs, YES Network, and Marquee Sports Network.
RSNs in Other Markets
You should check the Hulu Live TV RSN lookup tool before subscribing, to make sure it has the regional networks you need.
- Monumental Sports Network
- NBC Sports Bay Area
- NBC Sports Boston
- NBC Sports California
- NBC Sports Philadelphia
- NBC Sports Philadelphia+
- SportsNet NY
-
Altitude -
Arizona's Family Sports -
SportsNet Pittsburgh -
Chicago Sports Network -
FanDuel Sports Network Detroit -
FanDuel Sports Network Florida -
FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes -
FanDuel Sports Network Indiana -
FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City -
FanDuel Sports Network Midwest -
FanDuel Sports Network North -
FanDuel Sports Network Ohio -
FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma -
FanDuel Sports Network SoCal -
FanDuel Sports Network South -
FanDuel Sports Network Southeast -
FanDuel Sports Network Southwest -
FanDuel Sports Network Sun -
FanDuel Sports Network West -
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin -
Marquee Sports Network -
MASN -
MASN2 -
MSG -
MSG Sportsnet -
NESN -
Rockies.TV Channel -
Root Sports Northwest -
Space City Home Network -
Spectrum SportsNet -
Spectrum SportsNet LA -
Utah 16 (KUPX) -
YES Network
Pro Sports
Hulu offers MLB Network, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone, but they do not currently offer NBA TV and NHL Network as part of their channel line-up.
College Sports
Hulu Live TV offers some college sports channels, including ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, and truTV.
Other Sports Channels
ESPNEWS and Golf Channel are available on Hulu Live TV.
Hulu + Live TV now also offers a “Sports Add-On” ($10) that includes channels like FanDuel TV, MAVTV, MLB Network Strike Zone, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, Tennis Channel, TVG, and TVG2.
Premium Channels
You can add Showtime ($11), HBO ($15), Cinemax ($9), or Starz ($9) to your Hulu Live TV account.
Add-Ons
Tech Specs
- High definition video is similar to other streaming services.
- Live streaming works well and rarely has playback issues.
- Live content is about 30 seconds behind cable TV, which is average compared to other services.
720p HD
Streams are at least 720p and most channels now stream in 60 FPS.
To reduce playback interruptions, Hulu Live TV will adapt the stream quality to match your network connection.
60 FPS
Most video streams in 60 FPS.
Stereo Sound
Content has stereo audio.
Reliability
Other streaming services usually have unstable playback with frequent buffering. Hulu’s streaming is rock solid.
We rarely had issues with video playback freezing, pausing, or hiccups changing channels.
Live Delay
Live Delay
Live content is about 30 seconds behind cable TV, which is average compared to other services.
Channel Switching
Channel Switching
It takes about 3.5 seconds to switch between channels, which is slightly slower than average.
User Experience
- The apps are well designed and make it easy to find both on demand and live TV
- There is standard channel guide across all platforms
- Search is very accurate and easy to use.
- You can rewind most live channels to the beginning of the show.
Home Screen
The Hulu Live TV home screen has a personalized lineup of your favorite shows and list of your frequently watched channels.
TV Guide
They have a standard grid guide across all platforms. It makes it easy to find what’s currently on and quickly record shows to your DVR.
Search
The Hulu app’s search functionality really shines. Search results appear quickly and are grouped into “Top Results,” “Movies,” and “Episodes.”
Show Details
The show details page has nice visuals and a description of each episode available live, upcoming, and on demand.
Playback
Hulu Live TV has a really nice feature: you can rewind most live channels to the beginning of the show.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does Hulu Live TV cost?
Hulu Live TV is available starting at $82.99 / month. See the full list: Hulu Live TV Pricing & Plans
Does Hulu Live TV have a free trial?
Yes, Hulu Live TV has a Free 3-Day Trio Trial.
Does Hulu Live TV have a DVR?
Hulu Live TV includes Unlimited of Cloud DVR storage.
What channels are on Hulu Live TV?
Hulu Live TV includes 70 channels including 33 top cable channels. See the full list: Hulu Live TV Channels.
How many streams are allowed at once on Hulu Live TV?
Hulu Live TV allows up to 2 devices at the same time. See more details: Hulu Live TV Simultaneous Streams
Does Hulu Live TV have local channels?
Hulu Live TV includes ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, and The CW in most, but not all markets. See the full list: Hulu Live TV Local Channels.
Does Hulu Live TV have live sports?
Hulu Live TV includes live sports from ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Fox Sports 2, MLB Network, NFL Network, TBS, TNT, and USA Network. See the full list: Hulu Live TV Sports Channels.
Does Hulu Live TV offer premium channels?
Hulu Live TV offers premium channels like Cinemax, HBO, Parmount+ with SHOWTIME, and Starz for an additional fee. See the full list: Hulu Live TV Premium Channels.
Does Hulu Live TV offer on demand content?
Hulu Live TV includes on demand content from most of the channels they offer. Unlike content on your DVR, you won’t be able to skip ads.
Does Hulu Live TV support TV Everywhere apps?
Hulu Live TV includes access to many TV Eveywhere Apps with your Hulu Live TV credentials. See the full list: Hulu Live TV TV Everywhere Apps.
Does Hulu Live TV have a TV Guide?
Hulu Live TV includes a TV Guide similar to what you would get with your cable or satellite set-top box.
Does Hulu Live TV have ads?
Hulu Live TV includes ads during live viewing of shows, as well on all on-demand content. You can skip ads when you watch shows recorded to your DVR.
Does Hulu Live TV offer 4K streaming?
Hulu Live TV does not include 4K content as part of the service.
Does Hulu Live TV offer Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound?
Hulu Live TV does not include Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound as part of the service.