Editor’s note: Our reviews reflect our experiences and opinions with a product at the time of our testing. We don’t change the substance of our reviews unless we re-review the product in a new testing period. However, we do strive to note when specific elements of our reviews go out of date.
This post has been updated with new branding information, and other important changes are noted in the text.
Hulu + Live TV is a great service for cord-cutters because it can completely replace any cable TV package. Not only that, but the Hulu + Live TV system grants live TV users access to its on-demand content library. The on-demand service includes more than 10,000 videos.
Hulu + Live TV is the leading live TV streaming service in the USA. The live TV service competes with cable TV providers by offering similar channel lineups in its live channels. So, the Hulu Live TV service is an alternative to cable TV systems, such as Verizon Fios, Xfinity, and Cox Cable and also satellite TV services, such as DirecTV and Dish Networks.
Hulu + Live TV overview
After being traded between a string of major media corporations, Hulu is not a division of the Walt Disney Company. Disney also has its own on-demand service, called Disney+. The Disney stable of assets includes some impressive media brands, including ESPN. All of these brands help to support the Hulu + Live TV service while the video streaming industry is going through a lot of changes.
Competition is growing fierce in both the on-demand service and live TV channel sectors of the video streaming industry. Hulu occupies a prominent place in both camps, so it has to compete with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max in one market and with Sling TV, AT&T TV Now, and YouTube TV in the other.
Having a large subscriber base gives Hulu a strong enough financial position that it can implement expensive measures, such as producing original content. The determination of the business to keep ahead of the competition and its unique position in both on-demand and live TV channel streaming gives Hulu a competitive edge.
Hulu + Live TV channels
Hulu + Live TV is able to provide access to local channels and the regional sports network through its inclusion of the big four networks in its channel package. These are ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. The standard package of Hulu is very strong in some good brands, which other cable TV and live TV streaming services hive off into premium channel packages. These high-quality TV channels include ESPN and the Disney Channel. The following list relates some of the 65 channels in the base package of Hulu + Live TV and then the add-ons that it offers.
Hulu + Live TV entertainment channels
- ABC
- A&E
- Animal Planet
- Bravo
- CBS
- Discovery Channel
- Freeform
- Food Network
- Fox
- FX
- FXX
- HGTV
- History Channel
- Investigation Discovery
- Lifetime
- National Geographic
- Nat Geo Wild
- NBC
- Syfy
- Telemundo
- The CW
- TLC
- Travel Channel
- USA Network
Hulu + Live TV news channels
- Cheddar
- CNBC
- CNN
- Fox Business
- Fox News
- MSNBC
Hulu + Live TV sports channels
- Regional Sports Network
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 2
- Golf Channel
- NBC Sports Network (NBC SN)
- Olympic Channel
- SEC Network
- TBS
- TNT
Hulu + Live TV children’s TV channels
- Boomerang
- Cartoon Network
- Disney Channel
- Disney Junior
- Universal Kids
Hulu + Live TV add-on packages
- Cinemax
- HBO Max
- Showtime
- Starz
- Entertainment Add-on
- Cooking Channel
- Destination America
- Discovery Family
- Discovery Life
- DIY Network
- FYI
- Español Add-on
- CNN en Español
- Discovery en Español
- Discovery Familia
- ESPN Deportes
- History Channel en Español
- Universo
On-demand content
Hulu + Live TV includes access to the on-demand library of 10,000 videos. These include original content, which is branded as Hulu Originals.
Hulu + Live TV UX
Each account gets a Home screen. This displays videos as boxes, highlighting TV shows that the user frequently watches or videos similar to those. The same Home page grants access to the on-demand library and the live TV channels. The TV channel service can be accessed through a TV guide screen. This displays rows, which represent channels. The horizontal line of the screen shows a timeline with the TV show currently airing on the left.
Simultaneous streams
Each account gets the right to two simultaneous streams. An upgrade removes that limit, allowing the account holder unlimited screens at home but there is still a three simultaneous stream limit to mobile devices with that expanded streams allowance.
Profiles
Each account with Hulu + Live TV includes one profile. It is then possible to create five more profiles. Once a profile is active, the viewing history is tracked per profile not per account so the algorithm of Hulu that suggests related videos is tailored per profile. A setting in the creation screens for profiles includes the option to set a Kids Mode, which is the parental control system of Hulu.
Video downloads
The Hulu (No Ads) service allows TV shows and movies to be downloaded for offline viewing. Not all content can be downloaded. None of the live TV streams can be downloaded and neither can content from Premium Channel add-ons. The videos that can be downloaded are marked with a download icon.
It is also possible to search the library with the setting “Downloadable” so only those videos that can be downloaded will be shown the search results.
Downloads can only be saved to iOS and Android mobile devices and Kindle tablets. The Hulu system allows each account to download to five different devices. Each downloaded video will expire within 30 days if not watched. It will expire within 48 hours of the first moment it is viewed.
Hulu also includes a cloud DVR service. This comes with 50 hours of DVR storage. However, that DVR storage space can be expanded up to 200 hours for a monthly fee – that extra is called Enhanced DVR.
Hulu + Live TV quality
Hulu stream in HD quality which is a screen size of 1280 by 720 pixels and is often written as 720p. Some videos are available in 4K Ultra HD. However, when it detects slow delivery, the Hulu server will reduce the quality of the screen in order to achieve a high frame delivery rate, which aims for 60 frames per second (FPS”). The sound quality on all streaming video is standard stereo audio.
Hulu + Live TV platforms
Hulu is only streamed over the internet, so it is not possible to receive the service without an active internet plan. The streaming service will stream to mobile devices, so new householders who are waiting for the internet to be installed could get by receiving the service on a tablet or phone.
Here are Hulu’s recommendations on required internet connection speeds:
- 3.0 Mbps for Hulu’s Streaming Library
- 8.0 Mbps for live streams
- 16.0 Mbps for 4K content
Streams can be received on the following devices:
Smart TVs
- Samsung smart TVs
- LG smart TVs
- VIZIO smart TVs
Streaming devices
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Android TV box
- Amazon Fire TV Stick
- Amazon Fire TV Cube
Computers and mobile devices
- Web browser (to hulu.com)
- Google Chromecast
- Hulu TV app for iOS (iPhones and iPads)
- Hulu TV app for Android and Amazon Kindle
Hulu + Live TV prices
Hulu customers have three options: take just the on-demand service, the on-demand service with the live TV channels, or just the live TV channels. Here are the prices for these three options:
- Hulu: $5.99 per month
- Hulu + Live TV: $54.99 per month
- Live TV Only: $53.99 per month
All three plans can be upgraded to the No Ads version for $6 per month.
Other service modifications include:
- Enhanced DVR: $9.99 per month
- Unlimited screens: $9.99 per month
The price list for add-ons is:
- Entertainment Add-on: $7.99 per month
- Español Add-on: $4.99 per month
- Showtime: $10.99 per month
- Starz: $8.99 per month
- HBO Max: $14.99 per month
- Cinemax: $9.99 per month
Disney offers a bundle of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $12,99 per month. That works out $5 cheaper than taking out each of those three services separately. However, that offer doesn’t include the Hulu live TV service.
Hulu offers a 30-day free trial for its on-demand streaming service and a 7-day free trial for Hulu + Live TV.
Hulu + Live TV reviews from customers
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) measures the opinions of consumers in the United States about the goods and services that they receive. The annual ACSI survey of video streaming services is included in the ACSI Telecommunications Report. The latest available release of that report covers 2018 to 2019.
ACSI expresses customer satisfaction as a percentage, so it is rating out of 100. The service doesn’t distinguish between Hulu and Hulu + Live TV but reports on both services together.
In 2018, the average score for all video streaming services in the United States was 75. The highest score was 78, which was achieved jointly by Netflix and PlayStation Vue. In that year, Hulu’s rating was 75, so it was right on the average score.
In 2018, the average score was 76 and Netflix got the highest score, which was 79. Hulu hit the average yet again with a score of 76.
