Hulu is one of the OGs when it comes to streaming. It has existed since the end of 2007. This is around the time that Netflix began to transition from mailing out DVDs to its customers as a streaming service. It was originally owned by NBCUniversal, Disney and Fox, owners of the largest OTA networks in the US. It is now majority owned by Disney and has seen some major changes over the years. But is it worth registering?
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Hulu, and even the differences between it and Hulu + Live TV. To help you decide if you should sign up for Hulu or not.
What about Hulu?
In the beginning, Hulu was a place where you could watch TV shows the day after they aired on ABC, FOX, NBC and a few other networks. Although they were the main ones. Movies were also available on Hulu, but big seller Hulu was able to watch the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy on Friday, the day after it aired. Basically a DVR without the actual DVR.
In the past, Hulu offered its service only with ads, which annoyed many people because they paid for the service and still saw ads. Now we are used to it. Other services do this too – Paramount+, Peacock and others. But Hulu also debuted ad-free for users to sign up for.
Since then, Hulu has taken it upon itself to create its own original content. And Disney now owns a majority of the service, and Comcast/NBCUniversal also has a significant stake. Disney acquired a majority stake after it bought a stake in the Fox companies, including 21st Century Fox.
Hulu has been a staple in the world of streaming services, right up there with Netflix. Usually when you think of streaming, you think of Netflix first and then Hulu.
What is Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu + Live TV is a little different than regular Hulu. It’s basically their live TV streaming service and starts at $65/month (there’s currently a promotion where you can get it for $54.99/month for the first three months). It includes regular Hulu and provides the largest on-demand library in the business.
If you’re looking to cut the cord, Hulu + Live TV is a really great option, with an entire library and over 65 live channels. Which also includes sports.
However, you can choose to get Hulu only and still be able to get most of the content you’d find on the Live TV version of the service. You can learn more about it here.
How much does Hulu cost?
Update: Disney has announced that prices for Hulu (as well as Disney+ and Hulu Live TV) are going up. Starting October 12, Hulu will cost $17.99 for the ad-free tier, which is $3 a month. The ad-supported tier remains the same. Disney has also introduced a new suite, Duo Premium. Which includes Disney+ and Hulu ad-free for $19.99, a $31.98 value.
The regular Hulu service has two plans. There is an ad-supported tier that costs $7.99 per month. And then the ad-free tier, which is $14.99 per month. Hulu shows and movies tend to have a fair amount of ads, so if ads annoy you, you might want to spend the extra money.
The service is the same for both levels. The only difference is in the ads. Unlike Peacock, all content available on Hulu’s ad-free tier is also available on the ad-supported tier.
Can I bundle it with Disney+?
Yes.
Since Hulu is now majority owned by Disney, it has included Hulu in the Disney+ bundle. Similar to Hulu, the Disney+ bundle also comes with two plans. You can bundle Disney+, Hulu (with ads), and ESPN+ for $14 a month. Or you can bundle the three with ad-free Hulu for $20 a month. It’s cheaper than paying for each separately. Where Disney+ is $8, ESPN+ is $6 and Hulu is $6 (or $11) per month, respectively.
And if you want the bundle with Hulu + Live TV, it will cost you $72.99 per month. Which is a really big deal. Basically more than $7 a month to add Disney+ and ESPN+ to your Hulu plan.
Update: On October 10, 2022, Disney package prices increase. Disney will increase the cost of the Disney+ and Hulu (ad-free) and ESPN+ (ad-supported) bundle to $19.99 per month. Debuting two new bundles that include Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $9.99 per month. Or you can buy Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ with ads for $12.99 per month.
How can I get it for free?
Many years ago, Comcast gave Hulu to its customers for free. But that’s not the case anymore. However, there are still other ways to get Hulu for free.
The easiest way is to be a Verizon customer. Verizon offers the entire Disney+ bundle in its Play More and Get More Unlimited plans. So if you subscribe to one of those, you can get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for free as long as you stay a Verizon customer.
What add-ons are available?
Hulu is still pretty affordable, even at $6 a month, it’s one of the cheapest streaming services out there right now. And it has a lot of content. But you can add even more content to Hulu with some of their add-ons.
You can add a variety of premium streaming services to your Hulu account. These include HBO MAX for $15, Cinemax for $10, STARZ for $9 or Showtime for $11 a month. Obviously, if you add all of that to your account, Hulu can get really expensive. But you’ll also have plenty of content to watch on your couch.
They can also be added if you have Hulu + Live TV.
What original content does Hulu have?
Hulu doesn’t spend as much on original content as Netflix, but it still has a nice library of original titles. It also helps that ABC is producing several originals for Hulu itself. Since both are owned by Disney, this makes a lot of sense.
Here are some of the biggest titles from Hulu’s original series library:
- Mother up!
- The wrong men
- harlots
- Hard sun
- The first
- Bisexual
- Holly Hobby
- Catch-22
- Weekly edition
- This Way Up
- An accident
- Endlings
- Utopia Falls
- Madagascar: A bit wild
- The most powerful
- Trolls: TrollsTopia
- Confession
- East Los High
- 11.22.63
- Road
- Peculiar
- Chance
- Close your eye
- Size 404
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- Runaways
- Silk Tower
- Castle Rock
- In the dark
- Light as a feather
- Action
- Wu-Tang: The American Saga
- Looking for Alaska
- Revenge
- The battlefield
- Quick draw
- Deadbeat
- Hotwives
- Neighbors
- Difficult People
- Basic
- The man of the future
- All night
- PEN15
- Bright
- Ramy
- Four weddings and a funeral
- High precision
- The big one
- I woke up
And that’s just some of the original titles currently available on Hulu. There are many more available and many more. So there’s definitely something for everyone to watch.
What devices are compatible with Hulu?
Hulu is available on just about anywhere you can think of, from browsers, smartphones, to smart TVs and beyond. Here’s a full list of all devices that support the current Hulu app.
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV (select models)
- Apple TV (4th generation or later)
- Chromecast
- Echo show
- Fire tablets
- Fire TV un Fire TV Stick
- iPhone un iPad
- LG TV (select models)
- Nintendo Switch
- Mac and PC browsers/apps
- PlayStation 3
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- Roku (select models)
- Samsung TV (select models)
- VIZIO SmartCast TV
- Xbox 360
- Xbox One X
- Xbox One S
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox S series
- Xfinity Flex Streaming TV Box
- Xfinity X1 TV kastes
If you have an older device, you may have to use the “Classic Hulu app,” which means you won’t be able to access live TV or some extra add-ons. But you can still watch Hulu. These devices include:
- Apple TV (3rd generation)
- LG TVs and Blu-ray players (select models)
- Roku and Roku Stick (separate models)
- Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players (select models)
- Sony TVs and Blu-ray players (select models)
- TiVo
- VIZIO TVs (select models)
How fast does my internet need to be to watch Hulu?
Hulu rarely buffers anymore because the internet is fast enough for most of us to stream it without issue. And it has had many years to optimize its streaming as well. However, Hulu HD requires a download speed of at least 6Mbps and Hulu + Live TV at least 8Mbps. The more the merrier, as always. Especially if you have others in your home streaming or doing other things on your network.
Here are Hulu’s recommendations for internet connection speed:
- Standard definition: 1,5 Mbps
- 720p HD: 3Mbps
- 1080p HD: 6Mbps
- Hulu + Live: 8Mbps
- Ultra HD 4K: 16Mbps
How do I sign up for Hulu?
You can sign up for Hulu by clicking here.
You will be able to start a free trial period of 30 days. During the registration process, you will be asked which level you would like to register for. And which premium networks you want to add. And that’s it/ It’s really quite easy to do.
And of course, as with all streaming services, there are no contracts to sign and you can cancel at any time. However, if you cancel before the next billing date, you will not be refunded for unused days. Instead, your account will continue to run until that billing date. Hulu allows you to suspend or cancel your account for a few months. And if you want to check in again, all your information is there, including your watchlist and recommendations.
2024-04-04 21:10:55
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