Many people immediately think of Netflix when they hear "oldest streaming service," but Hulu didn't debut until a year later, in 2009. Despite never expanding outside US territories, it is still among the best streaming services, with many movies, TV shows, and even Live TV.
Hulu has been in an unusual position since Disney launched Disney Plus. The service is still worthwhile, thanks to shows like The Handmaid's Tale and Only Murders in the Building, specifically for Hulu. It's only available in the United States. Instead, Disney Plus has decided to expand into international markets with its Star brand, featuring more mature content like shows created for Hulu.
What exactly is Hulu, and is it worth the money? In this detailed manual, we address all of these issues and more.
Want to give the service a whirl for yourself? Get a free month of Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus with a
Disney Bundle subscription, or pay just $13.99 (with ads) or $19.99 (no ads) per month for all three services individually.
What is Hulu?
Hulu has been around for a while, streaming videos on demand for over a decade. Having over 40 million users, it is a top contender for the title of the best and largest streaming platform in the USA.
Hulu is a superb cable-free option for many current cable TV viewers. Hulu Plus Live TV is a live TV streaming service that complements Hulu's massive library of over 2,500 movies and 40,000 episodes of TV shows (more on this further down).
The presence of advertisements is one contentious aspect that sets Hulu apart from its competitors. Ads are in the content of the cheapest plans (and bundles), much like they are on broadcast television. Some customers may be dissatisfied that they must pay for a service, but still, it exposes them to advertisements, which is necessary to maintain a reasonable price.
Those who opt out of commercials will have to pay twice as much. Several premium add-ons, including unlimited streams at once, TV channels, and more, can be purchased independently of the base service, setting it apart from many other streaming providers.
How does Hulu work?
Hulu's interface can be more convoluted for users with a Hulu Plus Live TV subscription than competing services. The same thing occurs; to store the data on a remote server. To begin streaming, you must first connect to this server on your streaming device (phone, tablet, computer, smart TV, etc.).
The first time you stream, they will ask you to fill out a short questionnaire regardless of which plan you select.
Filling out a questionnaire is primarily for recommendation purposes and can be skipped if you're eager to start streaming immediately.
Local channels require a Home network setup for Hulu Plus Live TV subscribers. You are limited to a single Home network but can switch providers four times yearly at no additional cost. While away from your Home network, you cannot watch live TV on non-mobile devices.
You'll also require a stable internet connection to get the most out of the streaming services. Hulu suggests the following connection velocities for optimal viewing:
- The minimum speed needed for reliable streaming is 3.0 Mbps.
- 8.0 Mbps is the recommended speed for streaming live TV.
- For UHD (4K) streaming, you should have a speed of at least 16.0 Mbps.
Is Hulu Worth it?
The value of Hulu depends on the subscription plan you choose. One of the best deals in the streaming industry, the ad-supported program costs just $7.99 per month. It works great as a substitute for and in addition to other streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
The ad-free version is trickier to defend, given that it costs nearly twice as much ($14.99) for the same content. You should only go this route if you have a sizable spare cash flow, absolutely despise commercials of any kind, and want the convenience of offline viewing via downloads.
However, recommending Hulu Plus with Live TV is trickier. It's an excellent option for people who want to transition from cable TV to cord-cutting with only streaming services. However, the service is prohibitively expensive for the general public.
You can watch all of your favorite shows, and even with the ad-supported plans, you can watch many new episodes the day after they first air. As a result of the limitations of a single Home network and two concurrent streams, Hulu Plus Live TV is also more challenging to share with family members.
The Disney bundle (including Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu) is available for $13.99 per month or $19.99 per month with the Hulu No Ads option, which completely changes the dynamics of the discussion. You can access a great content library for a marginally higher price than a standard Netflix plan. The bundle deal is the most cost-effective option available.
Where Can You Access Hulu?
Unlike its major competitors, Hulu is not available outside the United States. US possessions like Puerto Rico and military bases in Japan are suitable to access locations for the streaming service. Today, only a few US homes have access to Live TV. Neither virtual private networks (VPNs) nor anonymizing services are supported.
What Is The Price & Plans Of Hulu?
If you don't mind the occasional commercial, Hulu is an excellent value as one of the least expensive streaming services. Plans at a higher price point provide a different matter, but they could be appropriate for some customers.
Hulu offers various subscription packages, each with its features and benefits, a live TV component, and a slew of optional extras. The ad-supported option costs $6.99 per month. Depending on the context, these advertisements may be mildly irritating or downright annoying.
The next pricier plan, at $12.99 per month, takes those ads away and allows you to download shows and movies for offline viewing. Since both tiers of service libraries are identical, the price difference is not worth it unless you really can't stand the thought of seeing ads. The ad-free plan is still competitive with, and even slightly less expensive than, Netflix's regular pricing tier.
