How does Hulu work? pricing, plans, channels, and how to get it

For many good reasons, Hulu is among the most widely used streaming services. There are many benefits, including a sizable library of TV series, films, and unique content. However, navigating the streaming service might be challenging for new users, so you’ve come to the perfect place if you have inquiries regarding price, subscribing, or using the website and app.

In this comprehensive guide to Hulu and Hulu With Live TV, we’ll go over everything for you, including the content, features, technical requirements, price, and more. If you decide to subscribe, get in, get comfortable, and grab some popcorn and a Snuggle because you won’t be able to resist a good binge session.

Additionally, bear in mind that there is such a thing as the Disney Bundle as you read this. With that combination, you can receive Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for just $15 per month, effectively getting all three services for the cost of just two.

What is Hulu?

Popular TV shows can be streamed using the on-demand video site Hulu, which is accessible in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Japan. Early in 2021, the service was made available to subscribers in Canada, Western Europe, Australia, the United Kingdom, and portions of Asia-Pacific through its parent company, The Walt Disney Company, which also launched an affiliate service, Star, through its Disney Plus platform. Blockbuster and indie movies, original programming, blockbuster TV shows from numerous well-liked network broadcasters, and documentaries are Hulu’s main areas of interest.

The service distinguishes itself from other popular streaming websites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by granting users early access to popular shows from numerous traditional networks. Popular broadcast TV shows’ episodes are generally available for viewing just a week or even a day after they have aired. A Hulu membership does not come with any additional costs, such as equipment rentals or installation appointments, unlike cable. Several of your favorite streaming gadgets let you access Hulu from your home or while you’re on the go.

Users of other streaming services have had the option to download and watch material offline for years, and Hulu added this feature in 2019. Viewers have up to 30 days to watch the downloaded content in their streaming library and a limit of 25 titles across five different devices. When you start a title, you have 48 hours to finish it before the download expires and you have to start over. The function is only available with Hulu’s ad-free services (more on these plans below).

As previously mentioned, Hulu also has an expanding selection of exclusive original programming, including the critically acclaimed drama series The Handmaid’s Tale, the hip-hop docuseries Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and others.

What is Hulu With Live TV?

Hulu’s $70 a month streaming service, Hulu With Live TV basic, entitles users to watch live TV (with commercials) as well as on-demand TV content from more than Sign Up Here, including local news and live sports, in addition to everything else included in the aforementioned on-demand tier. Disney+ and ESPN+ are also automatically included with Hulu With Live TV subscriptions, but starting on December 8 things will change. See the pricing section below for more information.

In addition to well-known entertainment channels like Bravo, MTV, TBS, TNT, and Comedy Central, Hulu With Live TV’s channel lineup also includes Discovery, History, ESPN, FS1, and other sports channels, as well as CNN, Fox News, and family-friendly channels like Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon. Additionally, for an additional $76 per month, you can have the identical Hulu With Live TV premium service with no advertising. Additionally, premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz can be purchased separately.

Hulu With Live TV is akin to other services that provide access to live programmed without a cable or satellite subscription, such as Sling TV or YouTube TV. Hulu With Live TV has certain issues same like those other providers. Although this can be true for practically any live TV streaming service, the streaming quality for live programmed is frequently worse than cable and may suffer from slower internet speeds or during times of high traffic.

Visit the Hulu With Live TV website at new.hulu.com to watch on a computer. In addition to your on-demand content options from this point, you’ll also notice a Live TV button at the top of the screen if you have a normal Hulu membership.

As Hulu transitioned from its “classic” experience to its new “full” experience, there was a little rift within the Hulu community. You shouldn’t experience any issues if you just use Hulu on equipment that can provide the full experience. If you use a device that only supports the previous Hulu app, you may experience issues because the new My Stuff and the outdated Watchlist don’t work well together. We anticipate that this area will continue to advance as Hulu keeps releasing changes to its entire experience.

As Hulu experiments with alterations to its user interface, those modifications come around pretty frequently. Recently, the business improved the readability of its menu options by removing a transparency effect that made the text harder to see. Additionally, it included “like” and “dislike” buttons, a useful feedback system that Hulu can use to better target your suggestions.

Which devices can I use?

As listed on Hulu’s website, Hulu and Hulu With Live TV are available on a wide range of popular streaming devices, including both Android and iOS devices, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire tablets, Google’s Chromecast devices, Android TV, Google TV, Mac and PC browsers, select LG and Samsung smart TV platforms, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and more. For gamers, Hulu With Live TV is available on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

How much does Hulu cost?

The standard Hulu streaming service offers an ad-supported Basic subscription tier for $8 monthly ($70 annually), as well as an ad-free Premium version for $15 monthly (which we think is well worth the money).

Ad-supported streaming, 50 hours of cloud DVR storage, and dual-screen capability are all features of Hulu With Live TV. However, there has recently been a change in prices. On December 8, the tried-and-true Hulu with Live TV tier, which originally cost $70 a month, will increase to $75 and be replaced by a new $70 option that switches the Disney+ no-ad version for the service’s new ad-supported plan. We realize that the new pricing is unclear, so here it is for next month:

• Hulu (with ads) + Live TV, ESPN+ (with ads), and Disney+ (no ads): goes up from $70 to $75 a month (note that this plan will no longer be available to purchase or switch to after December 8, but existing subscribers can keep it at the new $75 price)

• Hulu (with ads) + Live TV, ESPN+ (with ads), and Disney+ (with ads), : $70 a month — this is new
• Hulu With Live TV, Hulu on-demand (without ads), Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN+ (with ads): goes from $76 a month to $83 a month

Add-ons

Hulu offers more than enough content to lose yourself in, but you can add even more by purchasing premium channels as add-ons. If your decision to cut the cord is driven by finances, be forewarned: Things can get quite expensive if you go this route. Hulu viewers have the opportunity to upgrade their current Hulu membership to a monthly one that includes HBO Max ($15), Cinemax ($10), Starz ($9), or Showtime ($11).

Regarding Hulu With Live TV, the programmed offers limitless access to the internet’s cloud storage. For an additional $10, a normal Hulu account can be upgraded to include unlimited displays at home or three mobile devices to view the service simultaneously.

Any of these subscriptions would be a worthwhile addition for people without cable. They provide access to endless hours of content, including exclusive series that are unavailable elsewhere. While the cost of subscriptions can be a bit high, both services can be made quite reasonable by tolerating advertisements and having fewer screens available. But remember to take into account the price of your internet connection.

What about Disney+?

Any of these subscriptions would be a worthwhile addition for people without cable. While the cost of subscriptions can be a bit high, both services can be made quite reasonable by tolerating advertisements and having fewer screens available. But remember to take into account the price of your internet connection.

To be fair, a prospective union between the two isn’t completely out of the question, particularly given Hulu’s steady development under Disney’s management. Disney+ is currently totally self-contained within its own app, and if you want to use the Disney bundle as an existing Hulu subscriber, you’ll even have different bills to keep track of. Disney hasn’t disclosed any intentions to modify it in the near future, so for the time being, you may treat Disney+ as a completely different creature.

The need for speed?

Several different quality settings are available for Hulu and Hulu With Live TV streaming, and they adapt dynamically depending on the internet speed you are using. For Hulu in HD and Hulu With Live TV, Hulu recommends that you have a minimum download speed of 6 MPs and 8 MPs, respectively. If you want to properly stream to several devices or access Hulu’s limited 4K programming, you’ll need extra bandwidth.

Here are the internet connection speeds necessary for Hulu:

• Standard definition: 1.5Mbps
• 720p HD: 3Mbps
• 1080p HD: 6Mbps
• Hulu With Live TV: 8Mbps
• Ultra HD 4K: 16Mbps

How do you get it?

On a computer or a smartphone, registering for Hulu is simple. Visit hulu.com/welcome and follow the on-screen instructions. Connect your Apple or Android account to your Hulu account for simple payments. Hulu’s TV and mobile apps have simple sign-up procedures as well.

To utilize Hulu, you don’t have to enter into any long-term agreements or contracts as you would with traditional TV. Even while you still need to give your credit card information when you register, you can use Hulu’s seven-day free trial and then cancel the subscription for free. If you ever need to cancel your subscription, it’s simple to do so online or by contacting customer care; Hulu will also keep your account information in case you desire to join up for the service again in the future.