Hulu – 2024 TV Streaming Review

Hulu is a leading streaming platform that offers both on-demand and live TV services. Featuring an exceptional library of popular network TV series, movies, and original programs, Hulu delivers a steady supply of entertainment for a low monthly price.

Company Overview

Hulu was originally launched in October 2007 by NBCUniversal and News Corporation. In 2017, the streaming platform began offering live TV services in addition to its on-demand catalog. Today, Hulu has over 45 million subscribers.

Pros

• Outstanding selection of network TV shows and original series
• Affordable monthly price, especially for ad-supported plan
• New episodes available shortly after they air
• Has live TV channel package

Cons

• Fewer original programs than Netflix or Amazon Prime Video
• Ad-free plan isn't as good of a deal
• Only supports 2 simultaneous streams

Highlights

BBB rating: (Not Accredited)
Price: $7.99-$76.99/month
Year founded: 2007
Areas served: United States
Contract Required: No
Ad-Free: Optional

As part of its 21st Century Fox purchase in 2019, The Walt Disney Company became Hulu's biggest shareholder. Towards the end of 2023, Disney acquired full ownership of Hulu from Comcast; and, in March 2024, Disney integrated Hulu into its flagship streaming service, Disney Plus. Users can now see a Hulu tile on the Disney Plus interface if they upgrade to a Disney Bundle (which includes Disney+, Hulu, and/or ESPN+) to access it.

Currently, Hulu is still available to purchase as its own separate monthly subscription or as part of the new Disney Bundle. But, it is likely that Hulu will merge with Disney Plus as one entity in the near future.

Why We Like Hulu

Hulu has a solid selection of classic and new movies, including acclaimed films like Dune and Poor Things, but it's their collection of TV shows where they truly excel. You can stream current and past seasons of Fox, FX, and ABC network TV series, including “Grey's Anatomy,” “Saturday Night Live”, and “American Horror Story.”

Hulu also has classic sitcoms like “The Golden Girls,” “Cheers,” and “MASH” and popular adult animation series like “Rick and Morty,” “Family Guy,” and “Bob's Burgers.” New episodes of ongoing series are available on Hulu the day after they air.

Though it doesn't have as many exclusives as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, Hulu still has a strong line-up of original programs that are definitely worth watching. “The Handmaid's Tale,” “The Bear”, and “Only Murders in the Building” are some of the most popular Hulu Originals.

If you are fine with watching ads, Hulu's cheapest plan tier is extremely affordable. However, its ad-free plan is less of a good deal. That said, the new Disney Bundle is the best deal of all, giving you three streaming services (Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+) for just $2 more per month than the Hulu-only plan.

Hulu Streaming – How It Works

Hulu is a monthly subscription service that lets customers stream TV shows and movies over the internet. They offer on-demand entertainment and optional live TV streaming services. As part of Disney Plus, Hulu is also available as part of the new Disney Bundle, which can be purchased through Hulu or Disney Plus.

Just like Netflix and Disney Plus, Hulu recently banned account sharing. Customers are no longer allowed to share accounts with anyone outside of their primary household. The new account sharing ban went into effect for existing Hulu subscribers on March 14, 2024.

Plans/Packages

Hulu has a lot of plan options for customers to choose from. Since there are no contracts or hidden terms, customers are free to change or switch plans at any time.

Hulu Subscription Plans & Disney Bundle Options

There are two Hulu-only subscriptions, one with ads and one without ads:

Hulu – $7.99/month

The basic Hulu plan lets you watch full seasons of classic and new TV shows, movies, and Hulu originals with ad breaks. Most new episodes of currently-running TV series can be streamed the day after they air. This least expensive plan does not support offline downloads. There is a 30-day free trial for this plan.

Hulu (No Ads) – $17.99/month

Hulu customers can upgrade to Hulu's ad-free plan for $10 extra per month. In addition to letting you stream Hulu's full library of TV series, films, and Originals without ads, this plan also unlocks the ability to download content for watching later offline. This plan also has a 30-day free trial.

Hulu also offers two plans with live TV channels:

Hulu + Live TV – $76.99/month

The Hulu + Live TV package includes Hulu's entire on-demand catalog, Disney+, ESPN+, and over 95 live TV channels – all with ads. Hulu channels include live sports channels, such as the NCAA, NBA, NHL, NFL, and the English Premier League; 24/7 news channels like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC; and, entertainment channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.

You also get unlimited DVR storage for live TV recordings and a live TV guide for navigating channels. This plan does not support downloading on-demand content for offline viewing.

Hulu + Live TV (No Ads) – $89.99/month

This plan lets you stream Hulu and Disney+ without ads. ESPN+ and Hulu's live TV channels still have ads. You also get the ability to download Hulu and Disney+ content for watching offline.

Then, there is the Disney Bundle. Since the Disney+ merger, Hulu is now available to watch inside Disney Plus as a new tile, but customers must purchase or switch to one of the Disney Bundle packages to access it. There are 3 Disney Bundle options to choose from:

Disney Bundle Duo Basic – $9.99/month

Disney Bundle Duo Basic gives you access to Hulu and Disney+, both with ads. It includes Disney Plus' entire library of content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, plus Hulu's thousands of TV series and movies. Hulu can be accessed through the Disney Plus platform as a separate tile.

Disney Bundle Trio Basic – $14.99/month

Disney Bundle Trio Basic includes Hulu, Disney+, and live sports with ESPN+ – all with ads. ESPN+ gives you access to the full suite of ESPN channels. You can stream live sports events from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC, and many college sports.

Disney Bundle Trio Premium – $24.99/month

Disney Bundle Trio Premium is an upgrade to Trio Basic. It gives you Hulu and Disney+ without ads. ESPN+ still has ads.

Hulu Add-ons

After you sign up for Hulu, you can choose from the following optional add-ons:

Premium Channels

Hulu offers the following premium channels, which are available to add-on to for an extra monthly cost:

• Max – $15.99/month
• CINEMAX – $9.99/month
• Paramount+ with SHOWTIME – $11.99/month
• STARZ – $9.99/month

Unlimited Screens – $9.99/month

With a basic Hulu subscription, you can only stream on up to 2 screens at once. However, you can upgrade to unlimited screens for an extra monthly charge (at home only.) Keep in mind that, even with this add-on, you are still limited to up to 3 screens on the go.

Entertainment Add-on – $7.99/month

This channel add-on package gives you extra news, entertainment, and lifestyle programming. Some channels include the American Heroes Channel, BET Her, Boomerang, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Crime + Investigation, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Hallmark Family, Military History Channel, MTV2, MTV Classic, Nick Toons, Science, and Teen Nick.

Español Add-on – $4.99/month

Hulu's Español add-on package includes Spanish-language news and sports channels like CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, History en Español, Hogar de HGTV, Universo, and The Weather Channel en Español.

Sports Add-on – $9.99/month

The Sports add-on package includes NFL RedZone and additional live sports like motorsports from MAVTV Motorsports Network and horse racing from FanDuel TV/FanDuel Racing. You also get hunting and fishing from the Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel.

Channels/Categories

Hulu has a robust library with thousands of titles to keep you entertained. They also have over 95 live TV channels.

If mystery dramedies are more your thing, there's Emmy-nominated “Only Murders in the Building.” Or, if you are a fan of horror, check out American Horror Story's spinoff series “American Horror Stories.”

Originals

From military dramas like “Shogun” and “We Were the Lucky Ones” to reality TV series like “The Kardashian” and “Vanderpump Villa,” Hulu's strong selection of Originals has something for everyone. Award-winning Hulu Originals include dystopian drama “The Handmaid's Tale” and comedy drama “The Bear.”

For the kids, there are animated series like “Dragons: The Nine Realms” and “The Croods: Family Tree” as well as live action exclusive children's series like “The Hardy Boys” and “Utopia Falls.”

TV Shows

Hulu's giant library of TV shows features over 40 acclaimed series from FX, such as “American Horror Story,” “Fargo”, and “The X-Files.” Popular network TV shows like “Grey's Anatomy” and “House” are also included.

If you're craving a blast of nostalgia, classic TV series like “The Golden Girls,” “Ugly Betty,” “Frasier,” “Cheers,” and “MASH” are also available for streaming. If funny adult cartoons are more your thing, there's plenty to choose from – “Family Guy,” “Bob's Burgers”, “Rick and Morty,” and “King of the Hill,” to name a few.

Hulu also has popular reality TV shows like “So You Think You Can Dance”, “Impractical Jokers”, “Supernanny”, and “Duck Dynasty,” as well as cooking shows like Gordon Ramsey's “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Masterchef,” and “Cake Wars.”

Movies

Hulu's movie catalog features award-winning films like Dune, Poor Things, Tropic Thunder, Alien, and Little Miss Sunshine. There's also blockbuster hits like Pearl Harbor, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the original Ghostbusters, and Hulk.

If you want to binge-watch the entire Twilight saga, Hulu has you covered. Or, if you'd prefer a family-friendly movie to watch with the kids, Hulu has that, too. Parent-approved films on Hulu include Ice Age, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Robots.

Live TV Channels

Hulu Live TV has over 95 popular channels in a variety of categories, including sports and news.

You can watch live news 24/7 on networks like ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. Live sports games from pro and major college leagues – including the NCAA, NBA, NHL, and NFL – are available to stream through ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, and the NFL Network.

Hulu also gives you plenty of entertainment channels like Adult Swim, BET, MTV, TLC, Hallmark, Lifetime, and TruTV. You also get lifestyle channels such as Food Network, HGTV, History, and Travel Channel. For the kids, there's Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon.

In some areas, local channels are available. You can view the specific channel line-up for your residence by clicking on ‘View Channels in Your Area' and typing in your zip code from the Hulu website.

How To Watch / Hulu App

To watch Hulu, all you need is a high-speed internet connection and a streaming device. You can download the Hulu app for Google, Apple, Amazon, or Roku to watch on your mobile phone, tablet, or smart TV. Hulu also works with many streaming sticks and gaming consoles.

Here is a complete list of devices that are compatible with Hulu:

• Amazon Fire tablets
• Amazon Fire TV (Fire OS 5.0 and later)
• Android phones and tablets
• Android TV devices
• Apple iPhones and iPads
• Apple TV (4th generation and later)
• Chromecast
• Contour 2 and Stream Player Boxes
• Echo Show (8, 10, and 15)
• LG WebOS smart TVs
• Nintendo Switch (R1 and Lite)
• Playstation 4 and 5
• Roku
• Samsung smart TVs
• Vizio SmartCast TVs
• Xbox
• Xfinity Flex and X1 TV Boxes
• Xumo TV and XiOne Box

Alternatively, you can watch Hulu directly through your web browser by logging in to the website.

How To Sign Up

To sign up, visit Hulu.com and scroll down to the ‘Select Your Plan' section. After selecting a plan, you will be prompted to create a Hulu account by entering your email address, choosing a password, and inputting your personal information. Then, enter your payment method and choose any add-ons you wish to purchase.

Click ‘Submit' to complete the process. You can begin streaming right away.

How to Switch to a Disney Bundle

If you already have Hulu and your subscription is billed by Hulu directly, you may be eligible to switch to a Disney Bundle through Hulu.

To do this, log in to your Account page on the Hulu website. Underneath ‘Your Subscription,' choose ‘Manage Plan.' Then, click the Disney Bundle under the ‘Packages' tab, and select ‘Review Changes' to complete the order.

Or, if you already have Disney+ and want to switch to a Disney Bundle, then log in to your Disney+ account. Navigate to ‘Profile,' then ‘Account.' Underneath the ‘Subscription' tab, select the subscription you want to change and click ‘Change' next to your current subscription.

Pick the Disney Bundle, review terms, and click ‘Agree & Subscribe' to complete the process.

How To Cancel

You are free to cancel Hulu anytime, with no penalties or fees. To cancel, sign in to your Hulu account and navigate to ‘Account' by hovering over your profile icon. Scroll down the page and select ‘Cancel Your Subscription.' Then, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the cancellation process.

Customer Service Contact Info

Hulu has a useful Help Center full of answers to common questions and solutions to frequent issues.

You can also reach out to Customer Support through the Contact Us page. From this page, you need to select the issue you are having, and then you’ll see an option to connect with a live person.

The Hulu Support phone number is 877-824-4858 and estimated wait times are available from the Contact Us page.

Is Hulu Worth It?

Overall, Hulu is one of the best TV streaming services out there. For an affordable monthly price, you get thousands of TV shows and movies on demand. There is an option for live TV streaming, and the new Disney Bundle is a great value, especially if you don't already subscribe to many streaming services.

However, Hulu's 2-screen simultaneous streaming limit might be a dealbreaker for large households. And, its live TV streaming service is more expensive than competitors like Sling TV.

So, before you decide if Hulu is the best fit for your viewing habits and budget, be sure to check out the other in-depth reviews of TV streaming services on our website.