If you’re looking for a new live TV streaming service, is YouTube TV or Hulu Live TV a better choice? The decision may depend on what you value most. Both are excellent streaming options with lots of pros and cons. If you’d like a quick comparison, check out The Streamable’s Service Matchmaker. Let’s dig in to compare your options.
Winner on Price: Draw
Hulu clocks in at $64.99 / month and YouTube TV is $64.99 / month, so there’s no benefit to one over the other. We’ll have to look elsewhere to make the choice.
Winner on Overall Channels: YouTube TV
YouTube TV includes 31 of the top 35 cable channels, which tops Hulu’s 26. Overall, YouTube TV has 102 channels while Hulu offers 87.
YouTube TV offers these channels that Hulu doesn’t: AMC, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, VH1, and WE tv. However, Hulu recently reached a deal with ViacomCBS that will see these channels added soon.
But Hulu will be your choice if you like to watch A&E, History, and Lifetime
| YouTube | Hulu | |
|---|---|---|
| “YouTube TV” | “Hulu Live TV” | |
| Sign Up | Free Trial | |
| $64.99 | $64.99 | |
| 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 | • | - |
Winner on Local Channels: Draw
Both services offer ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, and The CW
Winner on Sports Channels: YouTube TV
Pro Sports Networks
YouTube TV offers access to MLB Network, NBA TV, and NFL Network. For $11/month, you can also add Sports Plus for Fox College Sports, Fox Soccer Plus, GOLTV, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, Stadium, and TVG. NFL RedZone is an absolute game-changer for any football fan.
Hulu offers none of those options.
Regional Sports Networks
Both services offer the same regional sports networks: NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Northwest, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Philadelphia+, NBC Sports Washington, and SportsNet NY
College Sports Networks
When it comes to college sports, neither service offers an advantage over the other. Both provide ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, and SEC Network.
Winner on Included Features: Draw
On Demand Library
Hulu Live users get access to Hulu’s vast library of on demand content, although you will see ads unless you’re willing to upgrade for another $6/month. That’s honestly a great deal for the amount of movies and shows you’ll get. Normally, ad-free access to Hulu’s library would cost $11.99 / month. You’ll be able to see “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Palm Springs,” “PEN15,” “Shrill,” and a great rotating library of blockbuster movies.
YouTube TV offers no similar feature.
DVR
If you’re the kind of person who records a lot of TV, you will prefer YouTube TV and its unlimited cloud DVR. You can store recordings up to nine months.
Hulu includes a cloud DVR with 50 hours of capacity, though you can’t fast-forward through commercials. (Brutal, if you ask us.) You can upgrade to the Enhanced Cloud DVR for $9.99/month. That provides 200 hours of storage space and you can fast forward through ads.
Verdict
There seems to be a pretty clear choice to be made, depending on what you watch.
If you’re more inclined toward entertainment channels and movies, Hulu makes more sense because you’ll get access to that great library, and the cost for the ad-free version of that service is very reasonable.
If you like sports, YouTube TV offers the most options.