Hulu Live TV review 2021

Hulu Live highlights

• Starting at $64.99 per month
• Hulu Live allows you to watch and record live TV. A Hulu Live TV streaming account allows you to stream Hulu’s entire library of content as well.
• Sign up for a free trial below:

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Hulu Live TV review

Since launching in 2007, Hulu has become a streaming giant. It was originally launched by NBC and News Corporation and in 2017, Disney took over 60 percent control of the company, putting it in control. The streaming service, as of February 2020, reached 30.4 million subscribers, 3.2 million of which subscribe to Hulu Live, an on-demand and live TV combo service that Hulu launched in late 2017. It was originally launched under the moniker Hulu plus Live TV.

Hulu has only grown in popularity since its launch, thanks to the reasonable price (as low as $5.99 per month for on-demand service), award-winning original content and offering of live TV, something a competitor like Netflix doesn’t have. Subscribing to Hulu Live gives viewers a variety of shows and movies to watch that they won’t get with any other streaming service and at a cost that rivals a standard cable package.

Why Hulu Live may be the right streaming service for you

Hulu Live has a huge selection of content and channels. It’s great for families because of the kid-friendly live channels and on-demand shows and movies it offers, but it also suits viewers who like a variety, because that’s exactly what you get. If you favor premium channels like HBO and STARZ, keep in mind that those will cost extra, so a different streaming service or cable package might be a better fit. But if you love original content, local news and TV channels you find with basic cable, Hulu Live might be for you. 

Compare Hulu Live packages and pricing

Hulu Live is available on its own, with on-demand service, or as a bundle package with other streaming services. You can opt for Hulu Live with or without ads, keeping the ads will cut you a deal. Hulu Live is one of only a few streaming services that includes live TV, and while it runs more expensive than providers like Sling and Philo, it has a wider variety of channels to choose from, making it worth the cost.

Compare in-depth Hulu Live packages and pricing to find your perfect package.

Hulu Live bundles, deals and free trials

Though Hulu does offer some deals and bundles, the selection is slim. Currently, you can bundle Hulu Live with ESPN+ and Disney+ for a discount, but there are no other bundles available. There are also currently no promotional offers, but they sometimes come and go (think: Black Friday deals). You can also try Hulu Live free for seven days to get a feel for the streaming service.

Bundle Hulu Live TV with ESPN+ and Disney+

Hulu Live TV is currently only bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for a comprehensive viewing experience. By signing up for all three services (available with or without ads), you can save money on what you would have paid for all three separately. Visit our guide to the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ bundle to read more.

Sign up for a bundle deal on Hulu Live.

Hulu Live sometimes offers other deals and promotions.

Hulu has offered deals and discounts during times like Black Friday and the holidays, but it currently doesn’t have any other deals running aside from the free trial and the bundle. Keep in mind if you sign up for a subscription and a better deal comes along, it will most likely be exclusive to new account holders, so if you’re locked into an annual subscription, you won’t be able to cancel and get the deal on a new account.

For more information on the deals Hulu has to offer, visit our Hulu deals guide.

Try Hulu Live free for seven days.

If you want to try before you buy, sign up for a free seven-day trial of Hulu Live. This way, you can check out what channels are available to watch and see all the on-demand content available on the streaming service. While Hulu Live’s free trial is shorter than a streamer like Netflix, it offers a wider variety of content.

Sign up for a free trial of Hulu Live here. 

Device compatibility

Hulu Live is widely available on many devices. You can stream from the Hulu app on Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, smart TVs and more. You can also stream on gaming devices like Xbox and PlayStation. 

Find out all the devices to stream Hulu.

Hulu Live TV features

Record your favorite content with 50 hours of cloud storage.

Fifty hours of storage space is included with a Hulu Live TV subscription, but you can upgrade that to 200 hours for an additional fee. Keep in mind that the 50 (or 200) hours available to record includes all profiles on the account, so it will be split between all users. You also cannot fast forward through ads on recordings unless you have the Enhanced Cloud DVR Add-on, which is also how you get 200 hours of storage.

Enhanced Cloud DVR Add-on costs an additional 9.99 per month, but you can bundle it with the Unlimited Screens Add-on and get both for $14.98 per month.

Learn more about how to download content on Hulu.

Watch 4K content for an enhanced viewing experience.

Hulu Live does offer a 4K viewing experience but only on certain devices and on certain content. Watch in 4K on Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, Apple TV (Fifth generation or newer), Chromecast Ultra, and some LG TVs. It also varies based on your internet speed.

Learn more about 4K viewing on Hulu Live.

Watch on two screens simultaneously.

With Hulu Live, you can watch on two different screens at the same time, which is great if you’re sharing an account with the household. If you want to use more than two screens, though, you’ll have to upgrade to the Unlimited Screens Add-on, which will cost an extra $9.99 per month. However, if you get the Unlimited Screens Add-on and the Enhanced Cloud DVR Add-on, together it will cost $14.98 per month.

Learn more about simultaneous screens on Hulu Live.

Add on premium channels.

Hulu Live, as well as regular Hulu, gives you the option to add on premium channels. HBO Max is $14.99 per month, Cinemax is $9.99 per month, Showtime is $10.99 per month and STARZ is $8.99 per month. You’ll not only have access to on-demand content from the premium channels but access to the live channels as well. 

Learn more about premium channel add-ons. 

What to watch on Hulu Live

With Hulu Live, you’ll get a large selection of TV, movies and live channels. TV selection includes primetime favorites (both new and old), as well as Hulu originals. Movies include blockbuster favorites and Hulu originals as well. Hulu Live has more than 60 live TV channels to choose from, including local channels, entertainment favorites like E! and Freeform and sports channels like ESPN and NBCSN.

Live TV channels 

Hulu Live offers a wide variety of TV channels. There are family favorites, like Disney and Cartoon Network, sports channels like ESPN and NBCSN and go-to news stations like CNN and MSNBC. Hulu Live is a great streaming service for those who like a little bit of everything because that’s exactly what it offers. While you won’t get premium channels unless you pay extra, you’re getting more than 60 live channels. 

Explore the Hulu channels list and Hulu sports channels list to see what you can watch live.

Shows and movies 

Shows

One of the greatest features Hulu offers that Netflix doesn’t is TV seasons as they’re airing on regular cable. You can watch shows like The Bachelor, The Bold Type and more a day after they’ve aired on TV, in case you missed the live version. There are also favorites like The Mindy Project and Letterkenny and even British TV shows like The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island. 

Explore what shows to watch on Hulu and start streaming today.

Movies

Hulu has a large library of movies and is constantly adding more. There are plenty of family-friendly options as well as steamy romances. Hulu also offers a collection of documentaries, as well as horror films that will keep you up at night.

Explore what movies to watch on Hulu and start streaming today.

Original content 

Hulu has award-winning original content, including, The Act and The Handmaid’s Tale. You can also watch original shows like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Little Fires Everywhere and documentaries including Fyre Fraud. Hulu hasn’t yet gotten into many original films and instead offers plenty of TV shows and documentaries.

Our hot take

Hulu Live has a little something for everyone. The on-demand collection has so many genres of TV and movies to choose from — whether it’s kid-friendly, teen romance or classics — and the variety of live channels rivals any standard cable package. At a price as low as $53.99 per month for just Hulu Live TV and only $1 more per month to add on-demand, it’s an incredible deal if you want to be able to watch live TV. 

If you don’t think you really need a live TV option, definitely consider a different streaming subscription that leaves that part out. Plenty of streamers — including standard Hulu — will cost much less and just offer on-demand services.

Compare in-depth Hulu Live packages and pricing to find your perfect package.

Sign up for Hulu

Start a 7-day free trial

Get 65+ channels along with a library of 80,000+ TV episodes and movies on-demand! Bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ for even more great content.

Start your free trial