Hulu with Live TV Review: Does the Extra Content Justify the Extra Cost?
If you’re looking to cut the cord but still watch great content, you’ll definitely want to consider Hulu with Live TV. The company started about 10 years after Netflix, when the streaming craze was just starting to hit. Hulu has surfed the wave and now offers both on demand content and live shows.
This popular streaming service can help you lower your cable bill without losing the option of watching your favorite show. With original content and tons of cable channels, you can’t go wrong with Hulu’s newest plan.
Take a look at our Hulu with Live TV reviews below to learn more about this hot service and everything it can provide to you.
Hulu with Live TV Packages and Pricing
Hulu with Live TV offers two plans at very similar price points.
Hulu offers two live TV plans and price points. Having such a simple pricing structure is helpful for anyone who gets overwhelmed with a huge number of choices. You do also have the option of adding a variety of extra features, if desired, which we’ll discuss a little further down the page.
You can purchase Hulu with Live TV or the Live TV Only plan. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two.
Hulu with Live TV
It costs $39.99 per month. This package includes 60+ top live and on demand channels, including major networks and some local channels. You also get access to Hulu’s streaming library, which contains a variety of licensed TV shows and movies and Hulu’s on demand exclusives like the popular show The Handmaid’s Tale. With this plan, you get 50 hours of DVR storage to record your favorite shows. You can watch simultaneous streams on up to 2 devices. Hulu with Live TV offers your first week for free.Live TV Only
It costs $38.99 per month. This package includes the same 60+ channels as Hulu with Live TV. 50 hours of DVR storage. No access to the on demand library. No premium channel upgrades.With a difference of only a dollar per month, it’s worth it to go with the Hulu with Live TV plan every single time. The on-demand content alone is worth the extra dollar per month.
Hulu with Live TV Extras and Add Ons
Hulu offers a variety of add ons and premium features for an added price.
If the 60+ channels and exclusive Hulu content isn’t enough to wet your whistle, you always have the option of purchasing extras and add ons to your plan. This is an essential aspect of any on-demand service, and Hulu makes sure you have a bunch of different options from which to choose. While the add-on choices aren’t as customizable as other services, they still give you a good amount of flexibility.
If you want to stream on more than 2 devices, you can purchase the Unlimited Screens add-on for an additional $14.99 per month. This is worth it if you have a bunch of people wanting to watch at the same, especially considering the alternative option is paying another $40 a month for a separate plan.
You can also pay an additional $14.99 per month for the Enhanced Cloud DVR add-on. This gives you a total of 200 hours of DVR storage, which is awesome for keeping sports and movies recorded.
For $7.99 per month, you can get the Entertainment add-on, which gives you access to American Heroes Channel, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, DIY Network, FYI, LMN, and Science.
Hulu has also partnered with a variety of premium channels to bring you even more content, including:
HBO – $14.99 per month STARZ – $8.99 per month Showtime – $10.99 per month Cinemax – $9.99 per monthHulu with Live TV User Experience
Hulu’s interface is clean, modern and easy to use.
Hulu recently updated all of its apps and the results are impressive. The interface on both desktop and mobile apps is clean and looks modern.
Using the apps is intuitive, especially if you’ve used other streaming services in the past, and features things like watch lists, currently watching sections and easy-to-use controls.
Unfortunately, Hulu’s interface is simply packed with too much content. While this may seem like a good thing, it can make it difficult to navigate at times, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. This used to be even worse with the Live TV section, but that has since been improved by transitioning to a standard grid view that most cable users are familiar with.
You can access Hulu on a variety of different streaming devices, including iOS and Android mobile devices, Roku, Apple TV, gaming consoles, Fire TV and Fire Stick and a few different smart TVs.
How Does Hulu with Live TV Stack Up vs. Other Streaming Services?
Hulu with Live TV offers one of the best solutions for anyone looking to transition away from traditional cable TV. It still provides a wide variety of popular channels and a huge library of content you won’t be able to find on live TV.
This streaming service is definitely on the more expensive side of the equation, especially when compared to services like Sling TV and AT&T Watch TV, but it makes up for it in the sheer amount of content available for you to watch.
You don’t get as many choices for affordable add-ons with Hulu with Live TV and when you start adding on premium channels, you might find yourself getting dangerously close to your old cable bill.
Hulu’s additional features like DVR storage are comparable to other streaming services, so you won’t find much difference there.
Overall, Hulu with Live TV offers the most content you can get in the streaming and live TV world, but you’ll be paying more for it.
Is Hulu with Live TV for You?
Hulu offers plenty of pros and a few cons to consider as well.
So, is Hulu with Live TV for you?
If you’re ready to pay premium prices for both on-demand content and live TV, we think this streaming service is worth it. The type of content and channels available on this plan are popular and of good quality. The interface is easy to use and navigate. You have plenty of add ons and extra features to purchase, if desired.
Of course, there are a few downsides to using Hulu’s service. Their exclusive content and streaming library are interspersed with ads that can be disabled for a price. Premium channels are expensive, and if you want all of them, you’ll be paying a pretty penny.
Overall, Hulu with Live TV is a high-quality plan that should be attractive to most, if not all, cord cutters. You might be paying more than you would with other streaming services, but the extra, high-quality content is definitely worth every cent.
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