DIRECTV STREAM vs. Hulu Live TV - Which Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for a new live TV streaming service, is Hulu Live TV or DIRECTV STREAM a better choice? The decision may depend on what you value most. Both are excellent streaming options with lots of pros and cons. Each offers a free trial and no contract.
If you’d like a quick comparison on channels, check out The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker. Let’s dig in to compare your options.
Winner on Price: Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is $76.99 / month and DIRECTV STREAM starts at $79.99 / month and goes up from there.
It’s important to note that Hulu Live TV includes free access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on-demand. It’s a nearly unbeatable value.
Winner on Overall Channels: DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM’s most basic package includes 31 of the top 35 cable channels, but Hulu has 33.
Overall, Hulu Live TV can provide a maximum of 143 channels while DIRECTV STREAM offers 265 when you add every available package.
DIRECTV STREAM should be your choice if you need AMC and WE tv.
But you should choose Hulu if you’d like to watch A&E, History, Lifetime, and Travel Channel without paying extra. (Those channels are available with DIRECTV, but you’d have to pay up to the $108.99 tier to get them.
| Hulu | DIRECTV STREAM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Hulu Live TV” | “Entertain.” | “Choice” | “Ultimate” | “Premier” | ||
| Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | ||
| $76.99 | $79.99 | $108.99 | $119.99 | $164.99 | ||
| A&E | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| AMC | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| WE tv | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Channel Upgrade Bundles
With Hulu Live TV, the primary upgrade package is the “Entertainment” group for $8 / month: 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.
DIRECTV STREAM offers a whopping four different tiers of services.
-
Entertainment: 91 channels for $79.99 / month.
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Choice: 168 channels for $108.99 / month. Jumping to this tier is a fantastic choice for sports fans.
The Choice package adds more regional sports channels than any other streamer, along with A&E, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, Bounce TV, Cheddar, CNBC World, Comedy.TV, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, FanDuel TV, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, Fuse, Great American Family, GetTV, Golf Channel, Grit, GSN, Heroes & Icons, History, JusticeCentral.TV, Lifetime, MeTV, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, OWN, POP TV, Science, SEC Network, SEC Network+, Shorts TV, Tastemade, Tennis Channel, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, UniMás, UPtv, and Vice TV.
- Ultimate: 196 channels for $119.99 / month.
The Ultimate package adds American Heroes, aspireTV, BBC World News, BET Her, CBS Sports Network, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Fox Sports 2, Fuse Music, FXM, FYI, Great American Country, Lifetime Movie Network, LOGO, Magnolia Network, MTV Classic, Nat Geo Wild, NHL Network, Ovation HD, Oxygen, Revolt, Smithsonian Channel, Sportsman Channel, Starz Encore, TUDN, Universal Kids, and Universo.
- Premier: 201 channels for $164.99 / month.
The Premier package adds Cinemax, Hallmark Mystery, HBO, Parmount+ with SHOWTIME, and Starz.
Winner on Local Channels: Draw
Both services offer ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, and The CW.
Winner on Sports Channels: DIRECTV STREAM
Pro Sports Networks
The two services are quite evenly matched here, but DIRECTV should be your choice if you need NBA TV and NHL Network.
Remember that Hulu gives you free ESPN+, which includes thousands of live sporting events, including 1000+ exclusive out-of-market NHL games.
| DTV STREAM | Hulu | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | ||
| $79.99 | $76.99 | ||
| beIN Sports | - | - | |
| Next Level Sports | + $15 | - | |
| ESPNEWS | + $15 | ✓ | |
| FanDuel TV | + $15 | + $10 | |
| Fox Soccer Plus | - | - | |
| Golf Channel | + $15 | ✓ | |
| MLB Network | + $15 | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | - | |
| NFL Network | + $15 | ✓ | |
| NFL RedZone | + $15 | + $10 | |
| NHL Network | + $15 | - | |
| Tennis Channel | + $15 | + $10 | |
| Willow TV | + $15 | - |
Regional Sports Networks
This is the biggest benefit if you choose DIRECTV STREAM. It offers the widest access to RSNs of any live streaming service, though your price can escalate quickly to get them.
Only DIRECTV STREAM offers Altitude, SportsNet Pittsburgh, Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Oklahoma, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West, Bally Sports 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, and YES Network.
However, Hulu Live TV wins if you need these channels: NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Philadelphia+.
Both services offer these regional sports networks: Monumental Sports Network, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago, and SportsNet NY.
College Sports Networks
When it comes to college sports, both services are comparable. Both provide ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, and truTV.
Hulu Live TV gets the edge if you need ACC Network Extra.
Winner on Included Features: Hulu Live TV
DVR
Both services offer an unlimited DVR that will hold your recordings for nine months.
On Demand Library
Hulu Live users get access to Hulu’s vast library of on demand content. You’ll be able to see classic sitcoms, FX shows, “The Handmaid's Tale,” “Pam & Tommy,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Palm Springs,” and a great rotating library of blockbuster movies.
The Disney Bundle
Subscribers to Hulu Live TV get automatic, free access to Disney+ and ESPN+. That means you’ll be able to stream the Marvel Cinematic Universe, every Star Wars film, Pixar movies, and classic Disney animation.
ESPN+ 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.
Best of all? It’s all free with your Hulu Live subscription. You will have ads on all these services unless you’re willing to pay more, however.
| Standard Hulu Live TV | Remove Ads from Disney+ | Remove Ads from Hulu and Disney+ |
|---|---|---|
| $76.99 / month | $81.99 / month | $89.99 / month |
| Ads on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ | Ads on Hulu and ESPN+ | Ads only on ESPN+ |
| No downloads | Disney+ downloads available | Download Hulu and Disney+ content |
| No downloads for Hulu and ESPN+ | No downloads for ESPN+ |
4K
Neither service currently offers 4K.
Maximum Streams
DIRECTV STREAM allows up to 20 devices streaming at once. Hulu Live TV limits you to two devices unless you choose their unlimited screens add-on for $9.99 / month.
Verdict
If you need a regional sports channel or you just want to max out your live TV options, DIRECTV STREAM is your best choice. If you’re transitioning from cable to streaming for TV, this is a great choice with an unbeatable channel lineup.
Hulu Live TV offers the most attractive TV package among the premium-priced live streaming services. Not only do you get a majority of the most popular TV channels, you also get three premium streaming services at no extra cost. Hulu on-demand is a top-notch streamer for adults. Disney+ is the gold standard of kids’ entertainment. ESPN+ offers a fantastic lineup of sports. Unless you need a channel Hulu Live doesn’t carry, it’s hard to pass up the combined value here.