Being one of the longest-standing and most popular streaming services on the market, Hulu offers its users a variety of plans tailored towards your streaming needs. Launched in 2007, the Disney and Comcast owned streamer now boasts more than 48 million paid subscribers in the U.S. Hulu is known for its diverse on-demand library of shows and films — both original and from other networks like NBC, FX, and ABC – Hulu has something for everyone.
With the cost of a Hulu subscription spanning from $8 to $89.99 a month, finding the right plan that will best suit you and those using the account is a must. Whether that's live TV, on-demand content with no ads, more sports with an add-on, we'll let you be the judge of that. Don't forget to select the package that includes Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for an even larger savings. Read on to find out which Hulu plan is right for you.
Plan |
Monthly Price |
Live Channels | Simultaneous Streams |
---|---|---|---|
Hulu |
$7.99 |
N/A |
2 |
Hulu (No Ads) |
$17.99 |
N/A |
2 |
Hulu + Live TV |
$76.99 |
95+ |
2 |
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV |
$89.99 |
95+ |
2 |
Hulu’s basic plan offers its full library of thousands of shows and movies with ads. You won’t get live TV, but you can stream shows like “Abbott Elementary” and “The Amazing Race” the day after they air. You’ll also find tons of original Hulu films and shows, from “Palm Springs” to “The Kardashians,” and you can stream on two screens at once. This plan is best for those who want to enjoy Hulu’s impressive library at a low price.
In Hulu’s ad-free plan, you’ll get everything in the basic plan — all without ads. There are a few exceptions, but this generally means you can binge shows like “New Girl” and films like “Dune” without any interruptions. Plus, you get the added perk of being able to download content to view offline. As with all Hulu plans, you can stream different programming on two screens simultaneously. This is a great option if you want to make the most of your binge time.
Stream local networks like ABC, NBC and Fox from anywhere, and enjoy popular cable channels like CNN, Comedy Central, the Disney Channel, ESPN and more. You’ll also get the Disney Bundle thrown in, which gives you access to the enormous Disney Plus library with ads and tons of live sports, sports shows and movies on ESPN Plus.
Hulu’s top-tier plan offers everything in the standard Hulu + Live TV plan, but you’ll get most on-demand content in the Hulu and Disney Plus libraries ad-free. Enjoy the same networks and programs, all with the added benefit of offline viewing for many shows and movies. As with all Hulu plans, you can stream on up to two screens at once.
Hulu’s 95+ live channel mix, only available on the Hulu + Live TV plans, falls somewhere in the middle of the pack for live TV streaming. You’ll get more channels than you find on streamers like Sling TV or Philo, but not as much as you’ll get with plans from YouTube TV or Fubo.
That said, Hulu’s lineup offers an excellent mix of live sports, news, entertainment and family programming, along with your top local TV channels. Popular networks include A&E, Cartoon Network, CMT, CNBC, the Discovery Channel, E!, ESPN, Fox News, FS1, FX, HGTV, MTV, NFL Network and more.
Viewers who want more will find several options with Hulu. The most popular among these Hulu bundles is the Disney Bundle. If you have one of the basic Hulu plans, you can add ESPN Plus, Disney Plus or both. Options range from $9.99 per month to $24.99 per month.
Hulu also offers premium entertainment add-ons for Cinemex, Max, Showtime and Starz. These range from $8.99 to $15.99 per month and can be added to any Hulu plan. Or you can opt for the Entertainment ($7.99 a month), Sports ($9.99 a month) or Español ($4.99 a month) add-ons to expand your Hulu + Live TV lineup with additional networks.
Finally, Hulu also offers an Unlimited Screens add-on for larger households that feel limited by the two-screen limit. For $9.99 per month, you can stream Hulu + Live TV programs from any number of supported devices connected to your home network.
If you’re still on the fence about Hulu, we’ve got good news. The service offers one of the best free trials of any streaming platform. New subscribers can try the Hulu or Hulu (No Ads) plans free for 30 days with no commitment. You get full access to the Hulu on-demand library for an entire month, which is plenty of time to decide if it’s right for you.
Hulu also added a three-day free trial for its Live TV plan. Like the trial for the basic Hulu plan, just go to the Hulu homepage, choose the plan you'd like to subscribe to, choose the free trial option and enter your payment information which won't be charged until the end of the trial period.
There are other ways to save on your Hulu cost, too. You can pay your bill annually instead of monthly, and this knocks off 16% of the cost of Hulu’s ad-supported plan. Students can also get Hulu with ads for $1.99 a month with verified enrollment at Title IV accredited universities.
As noted above, Hulu bundle deals with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus offer one of the best values in streaming. These Hulu bundles are a great way to get tons of top-tier programming at a reasonable cost.
Hulu has a special deal, just for college students. With the Hulu Student Deal, you can get the Hulu (With Ads) plan for 75% off the regular price, bringing the monthly price down to just $1.99 per month. (Only students enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university are eligible for our Hulu Student discount.)
To get the deal, click on “Sign Up Now” on the Hulu Student page and create an account. You’ll be redirected to Sheer ID to verify your student status. Then, you can start streaming Hulu content on a smart TV, computer, tablet, mobile device, or game console.
Hulu is one of the most well-rounded streaming services available today, and its 30-day free trial for the basic plan and 3-day trial for the Live TV plans makes it easy to see what it has to offer. The streamer offers a huge library of great content, great Hulu bundles, and solid options for live TV. With four Hulu plans and prices that compete with any other streaming platform, you really can’t go wrong.
Hulu only offers an annual payment option for its ad-supported, basic plan. For $79.99 a year, you’ll get the full on-demand library. That’s a 16% savings on what you’d pay over 12 months.
If you’re an eligible student, you can get Hulu for $1.99 a month, which is a fantastic deal. Some third parties, such as cell phone providers, also offer free Hulu or Disney Bundle options as a bonus for signing up. Otherwise, the best way to save is to pay for the basic plan annually or opt for a Hulu bundle to get Disney Plus and ESPN Plus at their best value.
Hulu offers a 30-day free trial for its ad-supported and No Ads plans. This is one of the best free trials still available in the streaming world. Hulu also now offers a 3-day free trial for its Live TV plan.