The competition between video streaming services is constantly intensifying, and somehow, Hulu has found its way and position in the grand scheme of things.
If you’re wondering what Hulu is, continue reading, and you’ll find out.
What is Hulu?
Hulu is currently one of the most popular on-demand video services. It allows users to stream trending TV shows in Canada, Europe, the United States, and Japan. Hulu is co-owned by Comcast and the Walt Disney Company.
Hulu focuses primarily on streaming the most recent TV shows and some of its original content rather than movies or documentaries.
They also offer a monthly subscription tier that allows you to customize your viewing experience.
Hulu differs from other popular video streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix because it allows users the earliest access to every trending series from several traditional networks.
This means that if you are a Hulu subscriber, you typically only have to wait one week, or in a few cases, one day, to watch Fresh episodes of popular broadcast TV series after they have been released.
Another advantage of using Hulu is that, unlike regular cable, you do not have to worry about hidden charges, installation appointments, or equipment rentals associated with your Hulu subscription.
If you would rather watch your Hulu on the go or at home, you can do so via any of your favorite streaming devices.
As mentioned earlier, like other streaming networks, Hulu has an amazing lineup of exclusive original videos.
What is Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu’s most recent feature is Hulu plus live TV. Following the most recent price increase in January 2019, the streaming service now charges $45 per month.
It allows subscribers to watch Demand TV programming live from as many as 60 channels, including sports and local news.
In addition to the ones mentioned above, there are so many other amazing features that you would enjoy when you subscribe to Hulu On-Demand.
Some of the most recent channel additions include Investigation Discovery, Motor Trend, TLC, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet.
Hulu + Live TV is a service similar to Direct TV Now, Sling TV, or PlayStation Vue. These services allow access to live programming without a satellite or cable subscription. Like the aforementioned services, Hulu + Live TV comes with its own Kinks.
As you can already guess, the streaming quality of live programs may be very poor and suffer whenever there are slower internet speeds or during high-traffic periods.
However, these downsides are not peculiar to Hulu+Live TV; other streaming services also have such problems.
If you would love to watch it on your computer, visit the Hulu+live TV website, new.hulu.com. There, you can see a wide range of options for on-demand content, just like you would with your traditional Hulu subscription.
However, you will also see a live TV button at the top of the screen. Please note that the integration between the new and classic Hulu formats isn’t perfect.
So, if you use Hulu only on devices that support the full experience, you will not encounter many problems.
However, if the devices you’re using are those where only the older Hulu is supported, there is no way you can escape running into trouble since there is no good integration between the new “my stuff” and the older style “watch list.”
However, there is hope that this aspect will continue to improve as Hulu rolls out fresh updates to its user experience.
Which Devices Can I Watch With?
If you have visited the Hulu website, you will notice a list of devices available for Hulu and Hulu+live TV.
These devices include mobile phones of both Android and iOS kinds, Apple TV, Roku Fire tablets, and Amazon Fire TV. You can also use your Hulu on Google Chromecast devices, LG and Samsung Smart TVs, Mac and PC browsers, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, One, and Xbox 360.
While PlayStation 3 and PS4 also support the regular Hulu, Hulu+live TV is not supported on this device because of its rivalry with PlayStation Vue, Sony’s live TV streaming service.
The Hulu classic app is also available on select Sony and Vizio TVs, TiVo, Android TV, Wii U, and some Blu-ray players from Samsung, LG, and Sony.
How Much Does Hulu Currently Cost?
Even though Hulu used to offer a free version of its content library, that option is no longer available.
Since 2016, the platform has switched to a completely subscription-based model, eliminating the free ad-supported Hulu service.
However, with their recent partnership with Yahoo, some of Hulu’s free content has been moved to Yahoo view.
The website will include all the recent episodes of a specific series, and some new episodes will also be included eight days after they air.
The traditional Hulu streaming service is now divided into an ad-supported subscription tier, which is currently priced at $6 a month but has recently dropped by $2 a month, and an ad-free tier, which is also considered very affordable, priced at $12 a month.
The Hulu+live TV package is $45 monthly. If you would prefer a live TV plan, Hulu has one that excludes all on-demand content and is $44 a month. However, a tiny $1 discount is not worth throwing away all the extras.
Quite interesting is the fact that even though Hulu decided to reduce the charges for its ad-based subscription in January 2019 by as much as $2, the company made up for that by not only increasing the price of its live TV option but also adding a $6 increase to the ad-free Hulu when you include it with the $45 a month live TV option.
Before now, you could access the Hulu Plus live TV subscription for $40 a month and get basic Hulu on demand.
This shows that you think the company may have lost, but it was just an opportunity to make an extra box somewhere else.
Add-ons
If you are willing to invest a lot of money in your viewing experience, then using Hulu can be very expensive.
For Hulu subscribers who are fans of Cinemax, HBO, or Showtime, you can access those on Hulu for a few extra bucks added to your Hulu subscription.
In addition to your subscription fee, you must pay $15 for HBO, $9 for Showtime, and $10 for Cinemax.
Hulu Live TV normally comes with 50 hours of online cloud storage. However, for an additional $15 monthly, you can get an extra 200 hours of online DVR storage space.
The service, however, has a 2-screen limit to watch your favorite shows on both screens simultaneously.
You can also upgrade that to unlimited screens at home or as many as three screens on the go for an additional $15.
The good news is that if you’re willing to subscribe to both upgrades, Hulu offers a 10% price slash, making both available for only $20 a month in addition to your subscription.
For individuals who do not have cable, any of the above subscriptions would be worth it.
These features offer limitless hours of amazing content, including some unique series you cannot find anywhere else.
While it is true that subscriptions can be a little expensive, having to deal with herbs and very few available screens can make anybody consider a similar pricing service is very affordable.
However, remember to factor in the cost of your internet connection.
Speed is Everything
Hulu Plus Live TV and Hulu can easily be streamed at various quality levels, which automatically adjust according to your internet speed.
If you want smooth, interruption-free playback, it is recommended that you get a minimum download speed of 8 Mbps for Hulu + live TV and 6 Mbps for Hulu in HD.
If you plan to stream to multiple devices simultaneously, you will require more bandwidth to enjoy a quality experience.
4K streaming has yet to be supported, and Hulu has not indicated when or if it will make provisions.
Below are the internet requirements speeds for Hulu:
- 1080p HD: 6Mbps
- 720p HD: 3Mbps
- Standard definition: 1.5Mbps
- Hulu+Live TV: 8Mbps
How Do You Get Hulu?
If you are ready to sign up for Hulu, it is easy to do. It takes just a few minutes to complete the form from your computer or smartphone.
The first step would be to visit hulu.com/welcome and move along with the on-screen instructions.
You can link your Hulu account with your Android or Apple account to simplify payment.
Unlike traditional television, Hulu does not require any long-term commitment or contracts.
You can decide to use the 7-day free trial service and cancel after the trial without paying any fees (but remember that you will need to fill in your credit card details during the sign-up).
If you opt out after the trial or the first subscription and cancel, you can easily do so online or through Hulu customer service.
Similarly, if you decide to return to the Hulu service, you can also do so, as your account information will remain accessible.
As you can already tell, Hulu offers an amazing viewing experience. So, if you would like to share or ask any questions, please do not hesitate to comment in the section below. We look forward to interacting with you.
