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. Best of all, there are no long-term contracts. You’ll only pay for one month at a time. Let’s dig in to compare your options.
Winner on Price: YouTube TV
Hulu clocks in at $82.99 / month and YouTube TV is $72.99 / month. But remember that Hulu Live TV automatically gives you free Disney+ and ESPN+. Hulu gives you much more bang for your buck, especially since it only costs $4 more per month to get thousands of hours of amazing movies, documentaries, kids’ shows, and live sports.
Winner on Overall Channels: Hulu Live TV
Hulu includes 33 of the top 35 cable channels, which tops YouTube TV’s 32.
Overall, YouTube TV has 121 channels while Hulu offers 105.
YouTube TV offers these channels that Hulu doesn’t: AMC and WE tv.
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 3-Day Trial | ||
| $72.99 | $82.99 | ||
| 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. Both services also provide PBS.
Winner on Sports Channels: Draw
Pro Sports Networks
Do you prefer baseball or basketball? That may be the only main difference. YouTube TV carries NBA TV, but Hulu does not. Hulu offers MLB Network, while YouTube TV does not.
YouTube TV offers access to NBA TV and NFL Network. For $11/month, you can also add Sports Plus for beIN Sports, Billiard TV, FanDuel TV, Fight Network, Fox Soccer Plus, IMPACT Wrestling, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, Outside Television, Overtime, PlayersTV, PokerGO, SportsGrid, Stadium, Tennis Channel, and VSiN.
Hulu Live TV includes NFL Network. NFL RedZone is included in its $9.99 Sports Add-On, which also includes MAVTV, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, TVG, and TVG2.
| Hulu | YouTube | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Free 3-Day Trial | Sign Up | ||
| $82.99 | $72.99 | ||
| beIN Sports | - | + $11 | |
| Next Level Sports | - | - | |
| ESPNEWS | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FanDuel TV | + $10 | + $11 | |
| Fox Soccer Plus | - | + $11 | |
| Golf Channel | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MLB Network | ✓ | - | |
| NBA TV | - | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NFL RedZone | + $10 | + $11 | |
| NHL Network | - | - | |
| Overtime | - | + $11 | |
| Tennis Channel | + $10 | + $11 | |
| Willow TV | - | - |
Regional Sports Networks
Both services offer the same regional sports networks: Monumental Sports Network, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Philadelphia, and NBC Sports Philadelphia+.
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, SEC Network, and truTV.
Winner on Included Features: Hulu Live TV
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 $18.99 / month.
You’ll be able to see “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Handmaid's Tale,” “Little Fires Everywhere,”, amazing FX series like “The Bear,” “Fargo,” and “Shogun,” and a great rotating library of blockbuster movies.
YouTube TV offers no similar feature.
The Disney Bundle
Hulu Live TV includes an automatic subscription to Disney+ and ESPN+. That means you’ll get on-demand access to every Star Wars movie and almost every Marvel movie. Kids will love Pixar and Disney’s animated classics. There are also wonderful original series like “The Mandalorian,” “WandaVision,” “Andor,” and “Loki.”
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.
DVR
Both services offer an unlimited DVR that can hold recordings up to 9 months.
Simultaneous Streams and 4K
Hulu Live TV offers two simultaneous streams. If you need more, they offer an Unlimited Screens package for an additional $9.99/month.
YouTube TV offers three simultaneous streams. If you upgrade to YouTube’s 4K Plus plan (free for 30 days, $4.99 for the first year, then $9.99/year), you can watch on unlimited screens.
The YouTube TV 4K plan allows you to see ultra-high-definition shows on Discovery, ESPN, FOX (some sporting events only), FX, National Geographic, NBC (some sporting events only), Tastemade, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NBC Sports Chicago.
Hulu does not offer a 4K plan, but you would be able to watch 4K sports through the Fox Sports app if you log in with your Hulu credentials.
Verdict
Hulu is a slam-dunk choice between the two. Its on-demand offerings are far better than YouTube TV, and the inclusion of ESPN+ means you’ll have access to thousands of sporting events not available to YouTube TV subscribers. Throw in the Disney+ standouts of Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and the Disney animated library, and it’s the best value in entertainment.
YouTube TV is a very solid live TV streamer with a fantastic mobile app. It has a great channel lineup and it has proven reliable over the long term. But when you compare it to Hulu’s value, it falls short. It’s hard to make the case that YouTube TV is the better choice, though it is very popular.