Tech Talk

All you need to know about Hulu and Hulu with Live TV.

Since launching back in 2007, Hulu has established itself as one of the most versatile and affordable streaming services. Now owned by Disney, the platform has expanded with a variety of subscription plans and offers plenty of live channels as part of its Hulu + Live TV cable replacement plan.

Whether you're looking to subscribe to Hulu for the first time, are considering upgrading your current plan, we've got all the details. Here's everything you need to know about Hulu and Hulu with Live TV.

Hulu and Hulu + Live TV

Stream on-demand and live

From $6/mo. at Hulu

All the shows, movies, and sports you want

Hulu and Hulu + Live TV give you access to the best movie and television content, both on-demand and live streaming. Pick a plan and add-on that works for your family.

Hulu and Hulu + Live TV

• What is Hulu?
• How much does Hulu cost?
• Where is Hulu available?
• What devices support Hulu?
• What's streaming on Hulu?
• Hulu on-demand
• Hulu + Live TV
• Hulu Premium Add-ons
• Account limits and profiles
• Try Hulu for free

What is Hulu?

Hulu is one of the leading streaming services on the market right now, offering access to thousands of hours of live and on-demand series and movies, with and without commercials. With a variety of subscription plans, add-ons, and bundles, as well as a Hulu with Live TV option featuring curated channels and live sports coverage, Hulu may be the platform for you.

How much does Hulu cost?

Hulu offers three different plans and a bundle option through Disney+ that also includes access to ESPN+. Hulu's cheapest and most popular plan is the ad-supported tier, which costs $6 per month. That plan allows streaming on two devices simultaneously and provides access to Hulu's entire on-demand catalog with limited ad interruption.

The next level Hulu (No Ads) tier costs $12 per month and gives access to Hulu's entire on-demand media library with "no ad interruptions." Finally, the platform's most expensive tier is Hulu with Live TV, which is available for $65 per month and includes 65-plus live channels in addition to the standard Hulu media library. You can also upgrade this plan to Hulu (No Ads) with Live TV for $71 a month.

Hulu's ad-supported plan is also offered as part of a bundle through Disney+. For just $13 per month, subscribers can stream endless movies, shows, and sports from Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. The Disney Bundle is also available with Hulu (No Ads) for $19 per month and Hulu with Live TV for $72 a month.

Which countries is Hulu available?

While Hulu currently offers plans in the United States only, it's believed that the Disney-owned streaming service plans to expand internationally in the future.

Specifically, Hulu's on-demand media library is currently available in all U.S. states and territories, as well as on U.S. military bases around the world. Hulu + Live TV is currently only available in the 50 United States.

Hulu also offers Hulu Japan, limiting its content library to users within Japan by checking the IP addresses of the devices visiting their website.

What devices support Hulu?

While the latest versions of Hulu and Hulu with Live TV are available on most devices, there are a handful of products that still feature the "classic" Hulu app, which means you won't have access to live TV, select Premium Add-ons, or new features.

These devices include the 3rd Generation Apple TV and select models of LG TVs and Blu-ray players, Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players, Sony TVs and Blu-ray players, VIZIO TVs, and TiVo, Roku, and Roku Stick. With that in mind, here's the full list of devices currently compatible with Hulu in some capacity.

It should be noted that while PlayStation 3 and Xfinity X1 TV Boxes support the Hulu app and include access to the Hulu streaming library, live programming is not currently available. Unlike the Xfinity devices, however, PlayStation 3 includes access to various add-ons.

Users can also access the Classic Hulu app — which doesn't support live TV and select Premium Add-ons and new features — on many devices. These include Apple TV (3rd generation), LG TVs and Blu-ray players (select models), Roku and Roku Stick (select models), Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players (select models), Sony TVs and Blu-ray players (select models), TiVo, and VIZIO TVs (select models).

What shows and movies are on Hulu?

Both the ad-supported and ad-free tiers of Hulu boast an impressive content library of fan-favorite films and television series, as well as Hulu Originals and new episodes of FX on Hulu series. Like YouTube TV and Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV also provides subscribers with a roster of live, region-specific programming spanning news, entertainment, and sports. With that in mind, here's the type of content you can expect on the platform.

Hulu on-demand

Hulu's on-demand media library boasts a rotating roster of shows and classic movies from networks such as CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, FX, ESPN, AMC, Crunchyroll, 20th Century, and Disney including the entire run of series like Modern Family and The Mindy Project.

The platform also boasts an award-winning lineup of Hulu Originals series and limited series. Current Hulu Originals include The Handmaid's Tale, The Great, Ramy, Pen15, Shrill, Nine Perfect Strangers, and Reservation Dogs. The trending limited series streaming now on Hulu are Normal People, Little Fires Everywhere, and The Act.

Hulu + Live TV

The Hulu with Live tier also offers a collection of live channels featuring sports coverage, breaking news, and current shows. While available channels vary slightly depending on where you live, channels available in most locations include ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC, SYFY, TCM, TNT, USA, Lifetime, and CNN.

• A&E
• ABC
• ABC News Live
• ACC Network
• ACC Network Extra
• Animal Planet
• Big Ten Network
• Boomerang
• Bravo
• Cartoon Network/Adult Swim
• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• Cheddar Business
• Chiller
• CNBC
• CNN
• CNN International
• CoziTV
• Discovery Channel
• Disney Channel
• Disney Junior
• DisneyXD
• E!
• ESPN
• ESPN 2
• ESPN Bases Loaded
• ESPN College Extra
• ESPN Goal Line
• ESPNews
• ESPNU
• Food Network
• FOX
• Fox Business
• Fox News
• FS1
• FS2
• Freeform
• FX
• FXM
• FXX
• Golf Channel
• HGTV
• History
• HLN
• Investigation Discovery
• Lifetime
• Marquee Sports Network
• MotorTrend
• MSNBC
• MyNetworkTV
• NASA TV
• National Geographic
• Nat Geo Wild
• NBC
• NBCSN
• Olympic Channel
• Oxygen
• Pop
• SEC Network
• Smithsonian Channel
• SYFY
• TBS
• TCM
• Telemundo
• The CW
• TLC
• TNT
• Travel Channel
• truTV
• Universal Kids
• USA Network
• Viceland
• YES Network

It's worth pointing out that the channels available on Hulu + Live TV vary depending on where you're located. So while the following list includes an overall roundup of the channels offered, you'll need to enter your zip code on the Hulu website to see exactly which channels are accessible in your region.

Hulu Premium Add-ons

You can also enhance your Hulu + Live TV membership by adding one of four premium networks (Showtime, HBO Max, Cinemax, STARZ), which vary in price from $9 to $15 depending on which premium channel you choose. Hulu also offers three separate channel bundles, which are catered to three different types of Hulu viewers.

For an extra $8 a month, the Entertainment bundle adds the American Heroes Channel, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, DIY Network, FYI, Great American Country, Lifetime Movies, and Science to your channel collection.

Meanwhile, the Español bundle costs $5 per month and adds CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, FOX Deportes, History en Español, and NBC Universo. The fees for each available premium network -- HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and STARZ -- vary from $9 to $15 depending on the network you choose.

The Sports Add-on costs $10 per month and provides live and on-demand content from NFL RedZone, TVG, TVG 2, MAVTV, Outdoor Channel, and Sportsman Channel. Hulu also offers an ESPN+ Add-on, enabling sports fans to enjoy live events, original programming, and content from the ESPN+ library directly on the Hulu app. That add-on costs an additional $7 per month.

Outside of the channel bundles, Hulu offers the Enhanced Cloud DVR and Unlimited Screens Add-ons, which increase the amount of DVR storage on your account and increases the number of devices you can stream on simultaneously, respectively. Each of those add-ons is available for an additional $10 a month.

Hulu account limits, profiles, and parental controls

All three tiers of Hulu permit streaming to two devices simultaneously and allow for up to six separate profiles per account. As mentioned above, the Unlimited Screens Add-on allows subscribers to stream on an unlimited number of devices at home, plus up to three on the go, for an extra fee.

Unfortunately, that add-on is only accessible to subscribers of the Hulu with Live TV or Hulu (No Ads) with Live TV plan and is restricted when watching content through one of the premium network add-ons. That means viewers sharing one account can only stream Premium Add-on content from a total of five screens at one time.

Regarding parental controls, Hulu gives subscribers the ability to create a Kids Profile, ensuring that viewers using that profile can only search and watch kid-friendly content available in the Kids hub. You can also contact Hulu to adjust the age setting for the entire account, which will block mature content across all profiles connected to the account.

Try Hulu for free!

Hulu encourages potential subscribers to try out its service for free for one month or one week, depending on which plan you select, by signing up for a Hulu free trial. If you choose to try the ad-supported tier or the Hulu tier without commercials through Hulu's free trial, you'll receive the service for free for one month. If you select the Hulu with Live TV option, your free trial will last one week.

Hulu and Hulu + Live TV

The content you need

From $6/mo. at Hulu

Watch it live and on the go

Hulu offers three tiers of plans offering access to the best movie and television content online right now. Watch it all right now, on-demand or streaming live.