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Hulu Review
Hulu is a U.S.-centric streaming service that pairs a large on-demand library with an optional live TV bundle. Current plan choices include Hulu (With Ads) at $7.99/month (or $79.99/year), Hulu (No Ads) at $17.99/month, and Hulu + Live TV at $76.99/month (With Ads) or $89.99/month (No Ads + Live TV). Both Live TV plans include Disney+ and ESPN+ access and Unlimited Cloud DVR by default (pricing/plan details) and (Live TV inclusions). You can tailor your experience with channel add-ons, multiple plan types, and Live TV features like Unlimited DVR and Multiview on select devices. Hulu’s library blends Hulu Originals with a deep FX slate (e.g., FX’s The Bear and Shōgun streaming on Hulu in the U.S.) (FX: The Bear) (FX: Shōgun), plus rotating licensed movies/series and next‑day episodes for select ABC shows (Hulu Help Center). Popular long‑running comedies and cult favorites like “30 Rock,” “Broad City,” and “Community,” along with several other choices, also rotate in and out based on licensing windows.
As part of Disney’s streaming portfolio, Hulu is frequently bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, and eligible subscribers can access “Hulu on Disney+” in the U.S., which surfaces Hulu’s general entertainment inside the Disney+ app while maintaining separate plans and controls (Hulu on Disney+ launch). Hulu remains the primary U.S. streaming home for FX’s acclaimed slate, with returning and event series streaming after their linear premieres (FX: The Bear) (FX: Shōgun). You’ll also find Disney-owned brands, and broader Disney franchises appear across the ecosystem, including Marvel series, depending on rights and plan selections.
Hulu Packages at a Glance
| Price | Free trial length | Catalog | Ad-free | |
| Hulu with ads | $7.99/mo. (or $79.99/yr) | When offered: up to 30 days for on-demand; check current offer | Hulu Originals, FX on Hulu, select next‑day ABC shows, rotating licensed films/series | No |
| Hulu (no ads) | $17.99/mo. | When offered: up to 30 days for on-demand; check current offer | Same on-demand library with ad‑free playback on most titles (some titles may still include ads due to rights) | Yes (on-demand; some titles still include ads) |
| Hulu + Live TV | $76.99/mo. | Typically no free trial for Live TV; check current offer | Live TV channels + full Hulu on‑demand library; includes Disney+ and ESPN+; Unlimited Cloud DVR (9‑month retention) | No (Live TV has ads) |
| Hulu (no ads) + Live TV | $89.99/mo. | Typically no free trial for Live TV; check current offer | Live TV + ad‑free Hulu on‑demand; includes Disney+ and ESPN+; Unlimited Cloud DVR (9‑month retention) | On-demand: Yes; Live TV: No |
*Live TV channels include commercials and rights-based ad breaks. Hulu + Live TV includes Unlimited Cloud DVR with a 9‑month retention window, and you can fast‑forward through ads on DVR recordings (ad‑skipping doesn’t apply to on‑demand versions) (Cloud DVR).
How We Evaluated Hulu
We focused on current plan pricing and bundles, add‑on options, Live TV features (Unlimited DVR, Multiview, 60 fps live playback), offline download rules, and the evolving content mix (FX pipeline, next‑day broadcast changes, and the Hulu‑on‑Disney+ integration). All details were cross‑checked against Hulu’s official pages and Disney announcements (plans/pricing) (Live TV) (offline downloads) (Hulu on Disney+) and market changes like FOX’s next‑day episodes leaving Hulu in favor of FOX platforms/FAST (FOX next‑day shift).
Hulu vs. Other Video Streaming Services
| Hulu | Amazon Prime Video | Apple TV+ | Netflix | |
| Base Price | $7.99/mo. (With Ads); $17.99/mo. (No Ads) (Hulu plans) | Included with Prime; ads by default; ad‑free upsell available (Prime Video ads) | See provider site for current plans | See current plans; ad‑supported tier available (Netflix ads) (plans) |
| Free trial length | On‑demand: up to 30 days when offered; Live TV: typically none (check current offer) (Hulu offers) | Varies; check provider | Varies; check provider | Varies; check provider |
| Simultaneous viewing | 2 streams standard; Unlimited Screens add‑on for Live TV (unlimited at home + 3 mobile; network limits may apply) (Unlimited Screens) | Varies; check provider | Varies; check provider | Varies; check provider |
| Streaming quality | On‑demand up to 4K on select titles/devices; Live TV typically up to 1080p at 60 fps; live 4K generally not offered (4K) (60 fps) | Varies by title/device | Varies by title/device | Varies by title/device |
Hulu Features
Enjoy a range of content
Hulu’s on‑demand plans unlock a broad library of Hulu Originals, FX on Hulu hits (e.g., The Bear, Shōgun), and rotating licensed movies and series. Hulu continues to offer next‑day episodes for select ABC shows; NBC’s next‑day pipeline shifted to Peacock years ago, and FOX’s next‑day episodes left Hulu for FOX platforms/FAST in 2024 (FX: The Bear) (FX: Shōgun) (FOX next‑day shift) (Hulu Help Center). If you want live sports, news, and local channels, Hulu + Live TV includes major broadcast/cable networks with Unlimited Cloud DVR and access to Disney+ and ESPN+ in the bundle—blackout restrictions apply (Live TV overview).
Regarding NBC content, Peacock now serves as NBCU’s next‑day streaming home; Hulu’s current next‑day focus centers on ABC and its FX pipeline, supplemented by licensed titles that rotate regularly (Hulu on Disney+ integration) (library/rights overview). The result is a library that mixes weekly fresh episodes during broadcast seasons with binge‑ready back catalogs anchored by FX and Hulu Originals.
Available add-ons
Hulu offers premium networks and Live TV add‑ons so you can customize your lineup. Premiums include Max ($15.99/mo), Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($12.99/mo), STARZ ($9.99/mo), and Cinemax ($9.99/mo). Live TV add‑ons include the Entertainment Add‑on ($7.99/mo), Sports Add‑on ($9.99/mo), Español Add‑on ($4.99/mo), and Unlimited Screens ($9.99/mo). Unlimited Screens expands streams to unlimited devices on your Home network plus up to 3 mobile streams while away; some premium networks may impose their own limits. Prices and availability come from Hulu’s official add‑on pages; ad presentation on premium content can vary by network (add‑ons list/pricing) (Unlimited Screens details).
Personalized and aesthetically pleasing interface
Create up to six profiles—including Kids profiles—to tailor recommendations and manage viewing for your household. Use My Stuff to follow shows, movies, and networks, and to manage Cloud DVR if you have Live TV. Hulu + Live TV includes a grid‑style Live Guide with Favorites and Recently Watched filters, plus start‑over options when available. Playback supports subtitles/closed captions and audio description on supported titles; select on‑demand titles stream in 4K with 5.1 audio on compatible devices. Hulu’s ad‑supported plans also feature lighter‑touch ad formats like Pause Ads and Binge Ads designed to minimize disruption (profiles) (My Stuff) (Live Guide) (4K/5.1) (Pause Ads) (Binge Ads). Eligible subscribers can also browse Hulu content within the Disney+ app via the Hulu hub for unified discovery (Hulu on Disney+).
Watching offline
Offline downloads are available only on ad‑free plans (Hulu No Ads and Hulu No Ads + Live TV) and only for eligible on‑demand titles. Downloads work on supported mobile devices (iOS/iPadOS, Android phones/tablets, Amazon Fire tablets) and are subject to caps on the total number of downloadable titles and the number of mobile devices tied to your account. Typical expiration windows apply: you generally need to start within about 30 days, and once you press play you usually have around 48 hours to finish; titles may expire sooner if licensing changes. Live TV channels and Cloud DVR recordings can’t be downloaded. If you have access to Hulu on Disney+, eligible Hulu titles can also be downloaded inside the Disney+ app when you have the required ad‑free entitlements (Hulu downloads) (plan eligibility) (supported devices) (DVR limitations) (Hulu on Disney+ downloads).
The Bottom Line
Hulu stands out for its ad‑supported value, FX on Hulu pipeline, and next‑day access to select ABC series—now surfaced both in the Hulu app and, for eligible subscribers, inside Disney+ via Hulu on Disney+. The Live TV bundle adds local channels, sports, and Unlimited DVR with ad‑skipping on recordings, but live content remains ad‑supported and generally tops out at 1080p/60 rather than 4K. Offline downloads require ad‑free plans and are limited to eligible on‑demand titles on mobile devices. If you want a single subscription for on‑demand general entertainment with the option to fold in live channels (plus Disney+ and ESPN+), Hulu’s current lineup and bundles deliver strong flexibility at clearly posted prices (plans/pricing) (Live TV) (Hulu on Disney+).
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