Hulu & Hulu Live TV: Channels, Plans, and Pricing for 2020

For more than a decade, Hulu was known as an on-demand streaming service. Now, Hulu also offers a Live TV service supplying subscribers to live network and cable TV channels. This article covers everything you need to know about Hulu and why it’s at the top of our list of cable tv alternatives.

Hulu Plans and Prices

Hulu offers a few different subscription plans. The price of the Hulu ranges from 5.99 – $11.99 per month while Hulu + Live TV starts at $54.99 per. Subscribers also have the option of adding additional features, which will increase the monthly price. Let’s look at the plans available

Monthly Price Of Different Hulu Plans

We put together the table below to give you an easy way to see the various subscription and what they would cost.

Standard Hulu Plan

For only $5.99 per month, Hulu provides on-demand access to full seasons of select TV shows, hit movies, and Hulu originals. Hulu also includes FX on Hulu, showing exclusive shows, and TV shows airing on FX the very next day. Here is what to expect from this service:

• Hulu shows limited ads but offers an ad-free version for $11.99 per month*
• FX on Hulu – provides FX exclusive shows, past FX shows, and current series currently airing on FX just 1 day after an episode premiers.
• Watch Hulu Originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, Shrill, and The Act.
• Watch the current season of popular shows like This is Us, Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident, and more.
• Bundle Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. All three are only $12.99 per month! (Want to know what’s on Disney+?  check out our searchable data feed of all the shows on Disney+.)
• You can add premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax
• no contract obligation. Cancel any time at no additional cost
• The vast majority of on-demand is ad-free. Certain shows will have adds. Currently, those shows are  Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and How to Get Away with Murder. The ad-free plans also include the ability to download shows and movies from the Hulu.

Hulu Device Support: Live TV and On-Demand streaming are supported on Roku, Fire TV Devices, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, iOS, Android, and more. You’ll find a full list of supported devices later in this article.

Hulu + Live TV

Subscribing to Hulu + Live TV provides everything you get with Hulu in addition to the ability to stream live local networks and live TV on popular channels found on cable. This plan includes

• All the on-demand access you normally receive with Hulu
• live local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and more in most markets of the country
• Live access to popular channels found on cable, including HGTV, ESPN, Disney, A&E, Bravo and more
• 50 hours of cloud DVR storage. You can upgrade to 200 hours and fast-forward through recorded commercials for an additional $9.99 per month.
• Comes with 6 customizable profiles
• Watch Hulu on 2 screens at once. Watch on unlimited screens for an additional $9.99 per month
• no contract obligation. Cancel any time at no extra cost

We have a comprehensive list of Hulu Live TV Channels later in this article. You can also use this tool to see all the channels you can watch live on Hulu in your area: Hulu Live TV Channels by Zipcode.

The Price of Hulu Live TV is $54.99 per month. Hulu Live TV plan includes the Hulu on-demand with limited ads. Subscribers can have ad-free on-demand with Live TV for $60.99 per month.

Cost of Premium Channels on Hulu

The table below shows the monthly price of various premium channels you can add to any Hulu plan.

Hulu + Live TV Channels

Hulu live TV is available on Android, iOS, Xbox One, 4th Gen Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV and stick. Hulu provides access to Live TV without a contract

Hulu will offer the following live channels on its Hulu + Live TV service:

Hulu will offer live local CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX where they have deals with the local affiliate. They will also have On-Demand offerings. There is a section below showing all the local channels available on Hulu.

Premium Channels – Hulu also provides access to HBO for $14.99 per month, Showtime for $10.99 per month, Starz for $8.99 per month and Cinemax for $9.99 per month.

Hulu Live TV Entertainment Add-On – For an additional $7.99 per month, you receive the following additional channels:

Hulu Live TV Español Add-On – For an additional $4.99 per month you receive the following additional channels:

How to Watch Hulu On TV

Follow the following instructions to start watching Hulu

1. In your browser go here for Hulu or here for Hulu + Live TV and chose “Sign Up Now”
2. Once you chose your plan, enter email address, choose a password, and personal information.
3. Click Continue, then enter your payment information.
4. Now choose any premium add-ons like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax or STARZ.  If you chose Hulu + Live TV, you also can choose from the live add-on options.

Hulu is supported by the following popular streaming devices and smart TVs:

• Roku
• Amazon Fire TV
• Apple TV (4th generation or later)
• Google Chromecast
• iOS and Android Smartphones and Tablets
• Xbox 360 and Xbox One
• Echo Show
• Fire Tablets
• Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
• LG TV (select models)
• Nintendo Switch
• Mac and PC browsers
• Samsung TV (select models)
• VIZIO SmartCast TVs
• Windows 10

PlayStation 3 and 4 support Hulu’s on-demand streaming library, but not the Hulu Live TV service.

Here is a full listing of devices supported by Hulu. If you do not have one of these streaming devices, Hulu is supports most modern browsers. Therefore, you can simply hook your laptop or PC to your television and use your TV as a monitor. I explain how to do this in my guide on How to watch Netflix on your TV. Hulu is supported on the following browsers: Internet Explorer 10 or above, Firefox 15 or above, Safari 5 or above, Chrome, or Edge.

Shows On Hulu

Readers want to know what’s on Hulu. Of course, the Hulu Live TV service will offer all the shows on the networks the service carries. As for their streaming library, there are a ton. There are original shows like  “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Pen15,” “Shrill,”  and “Marvel Runaways.” Check out our ranking of the best Hulu Originals for more info on Hulu’s original programming.

There are network and cable TV hits like “This Is Us,” “Empire,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Law and Order SVU,” and more.

There are too many shows available to list here. If you want to know what to watch on Hulu, this website does a great job of keeping track of new movies available on Hulu.

In addition to the latest episodes of network TV, Hulu provides thousands of episodes of hit TV shows on cable. Granted, many are on a one-season delay. Meaning Hulu won’t air a season until it’s roughly a year old. However, there are a few exceptions. If this is a concern, you may want to look into the Hulu Live TV service, which includes a cloud DVR for recording shows.

Hulu also has an arsenal of original programming. Shows like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Harlots,”  are only available on Hulu, adding additional value to the service.

In addition to a vast library of TV shows, Hulu also offers a decent selection of movies. You can check here to see what is new every month on Hulu.

See All The New Shows On Hulu This Month

How Does Hulu Work

Depending on the device you are using, setting up Hulu may vary. However, in all cases, it’s very straightforward. Setup typically involves downloading an app to the device and simply logging in with the username and password you used when you signed up for Hulu.

The service itself is extremely stable. I’ve been a subscriber for over 4 years and have never had an issue. I can’t even remember ever having an instance when a show was dropped or buffered. Hulu is one of the most dependable streaming services I have ever used.

Content on Hulu can be viewed in 720p, 1080p, and 60fps/720p high definition (HD) video qualities.

In other words, if the show has availability in 1080p high definition, Hulu will offer it in that resolution. To stream Hulu in 1080p HD it’s recommended you have an internet connection speed of at least 3 Mbps. However, it may be possible to stream at 720p with just 1.5 Mbps without much buffering. It’s recommended to have 8 Mbps to stream Hulu Live TV.

I’m a Hulu Subscriber and find the service to be well worth the money. I currently have the $11.99 per month ad-free streaming subscription. With that said, the quality of service and content available make Hulu On-Demand a great value at either price. If Hulu has the content you want, it’s well worth the price. Hulu is easily a top-notch 5-star streaming service.

Overall, Hulu Live-TV offers all the bells and whistles you would get with a Multi-room HDDVR cable subscription. However, that price tag comes to around $75. I see this option as less for cord-cutters, and more for those looking to not have a year-long contract with a cable provider. I find it a much better deal than cable TV

Hulu Frequently Asked Questions

Being a popular service, I get a ton of questions about Hulu. You can find the answer to all of them below.

How Many People Can Watch Hulu at Once?

Subscribers to Hulu and Hulu+ Live TV can watch Hulu on two different devices at the same time. Hulu + Live TV subscribers can add the unlimited screens feature for an additional $9.99 per month watch Hulu on as many devices as they like at the same time.

How Does Hulu Compare Vs. Other Streaming Services

We rated Hulu as the best TV live streaming service on the market. We also rated Hulu as good or better in the following comparisons.

• Hulu Vs. Sling TV
• Hulu Vs. AT&T TV Now
• Hulu Vs. YouTube TV

What is Hulu Plus?

Hulu Plus or (Hulu+) no longer exists. When Hulu first started, they would offer a free version that you could watch online. The Hulu Plus version was a paid version of Hulu that opened up more content and provided customers with the ability to use mobile and streaming devices.

How Many Devices Can You Have On Hulu?

Hulu’s on-demand service only allows one stream at a time. However, that stream can be on any supported device you choose.

The Live TV service allows two simultaneous streams. The Live TV service also allows you to upgrade to unlimited screens for an extra $9.99 per month. 

What Local Channels are on Hulu?

While we do our best to keep the table of local affiliates available on Hulu, we recommend checking here to guarantee the availability of local channels in your area:

Why Does Hulu Have Commercials?

Hulu provides an ad-free option to On-Demand streaming. However, the live service will include ads. Even with the ad-free service, a few shows will have an ad at the beginning of the show. This is due to licensing agreements with the owner of the show.

How Do You Cancel Hulu?

It’s extremely easy to cancel Hulu. Simply follow these steps.

1. 1. Log in to your Hulu account.
   2. Click on your profile name in the top right-hand corner of the page.
   3. Under Your Subscription, click “Cancel Subscription.”
   4. Provide a reason for canceling
   5. Finalize your cancellation.

It will cancel at the end of this billing cycle. (Usually within 30 days at most.)

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