Everybody may have heard about Netflix which is the most popular and is one of the first media streaming platforms. But the streaming giant turned to online movie streaming in just 2007 and a year later in 2008, we saw the launch of Hulu. It is one of the most popular media streaming services on the market and to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime they keep adding options to improve access to the top content.
Hulu is owned by Disney and it has plans to suit everyone’s budget which will explore a little bit later in the article. For many traditional cable subscribers, Hulu is also an excellent option that can replace your cable. Not only does it come with around a library of 2,500 movies and more than 40,000 TV episodes but it also has a plan to stream live TV channels through Hulu + Live TV program.
One of the negative aspects that separate Hulu from the rest of its rivals is the use of ads. Even with the cheapest plans, there are ads featured in the content similar to what you see on the network television. For many of the subscribers paying for a service and still seeing the ads might be a little disappointing but it surely helps the company to keep the cost low.
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How does it work?
Using Hulu is a bit more different and complicated than other streaming services especially if you are subscribed to Hulu + Live TV plan. No matter which plans you choose, the platform asks you a couple of questions before you can start streaming for the first time. This is done to see what kind of content you will be interested in your recommendations and if you want to start your streaming even sooner you can skip the questionnaire entirely.
If you are a Hulu + Live TV subscriber it requires you to set up a home network to access all your local TV channels. You can only have one home network but Hulu allows you to change it up to four times a year for free. It is essential to keep in mind that you will not be able to stream TV stations on non-mobile devices while you are away from your home network. India live TV option you also gain access to over 75 Live television channels with the package.
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What devices support Hulu?
With the latest versions of Hulu and Hulu + Live TV, they are available on most devices but there are still a handful of products that feature the classic Hulu app which means that you won’t be able to access live TV, select premium addons, or new features.
The list of devices that do not support the latest Hulu app includes 3rd generation Apple TV, and select models of LG TV and Blu-ray players, Samsung TV, Sony TVs, Roku, Vizio TV, and Roku stick.
For streaming services to work smoothly Hulu has also so some solid internet connection requirements: 3 Mbps for Standard streaming service, 8.0 Mbps for Live TV and 16 Mbps for 4K streaming.
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Where is Hulu available?
Currently, Hulu offers plans in the United States only; it is believed that the Disney streaming platform has plans to expand internationally soon in the future. Specifically, Hulu’s on-demand media library is available in all United States and territories as well as US military bases around the world but Hulu + Live TV is only available in 50 States. Apart from this, Hulu also offers Hulu Japan but the content is limited to users within Japan.
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Is Hulu worth it?
Whether or not Hulu is worth it mostly depends on the type of plan you are choosing. At just $5.99 a month the ad-supported plan is one of the plans that provide the best value for money you can get in the streaming world. On the other hand, the ad-free version is more difficult to justify as it costs double for the same content. This option is only worth it if you can’t stand advertisements in any shape or form or you want to take advantage of the watch offline option and download your favorite shows.
Another plan is Hulu + Live TV which is a bit more complicated to recommend. This can be a great option for many traditional cable subscribers as it can easily bridge the gap between cable TV and streaming services. But for everyone else, this plan is pretty expensive for two simultaneous streams of shows and movies.
How much does Hulu cost?
Initially, Hulu used to offer a free version of its library of content but that is no longer the case. The platform moved to provide an entirely subscription-based service model in 2016 eliminating the free ad-supported model.
The streaming service offers various types of substitution at a variety of price points. There is also a Hulu free trial available which is a great way to evaluate the service for a full month without having to pay anything. If you are interested in live channels you will have to purchase Hulu + Live TV but for on-demand content, you can get it at a more wallet-friendly price. Hulu is just the streaming service that you might be looking for. Here are some of the subscription options.
Hulu: $5.99/month. The basic package includes access to on-demand programming, ads included.
Hulu (No Ads): $11.99/month. This package includes access to Hulu’s entire on-demand library, without the ads.
Hulu + Live TV: $64.99/month. This package includes the on-demand library and lives on-air channels.
Hulu (No Ads)+ Live TV: $70.99/month. Hulu’s most premium package includes ad-free access to its on-demand content, as well as its full lineup of live channels.
Hulu also offers some add-ons that can provide you access to content from premium channels. You can choose the following channel’s plans as add-ons:
HBO – $14.99/month
SHOWTIME – $10.99/month
Cinemax – $9.99/month
STARZ – $8.99/month
ESPN+ – $6.99/month
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