Hulu Review: A Strong Streamer Packed With TV Favorites
Streaming Smarter says: If you love TV, Hulu gives you a great library of classics and modern hits. The movie library isn’t quite as strong as Hulu’s competitors, but you can solve that by bundling at a discount with Disney+ or Max. Hulu is the only on-demand streamer that can include a powerful lineup of live TV channels. It’s a great streamer that every cord-cutter should consider. Get started with a 30-day free trial!
$9.99/mo.
Hulu Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
What Does Hulu Cost?
You can subscribe to Hulu alone, but smart streamers will bundle it for greater savings. If you get Hulu + Live TV as your live TV provider, you’ll get Hulu on-demand, Disney+, and ESPN+ free!
Can You Watch Hulu for Free?
Yes! Hulu has an extremely generous 30-day free trial.
If you’d like to try Hulu + Live TV, you’ll get access to 24 of the 30 most-watched TV channels including sports, news, weather, and entertainment. That 3-day trial automatically includes free access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on-demand.
$82.99/mo.
Are There Any Deals or Discounts for Hulu?
Hulu has a history of offering its only discount of the year around Black Friday (late November). I recommend signing up today and letting your subscription end before Black Friday. When the annual deal rolls around, you can sign up with a new email address.
Hulu also has a great student discount. If you have a .edu email address, you can get Hulu with ads for just $1.99/month.
What Movies Does Hulu Have?
The Hulu movie library tends to change from month to month. As of this review, you’ll be able to watch hits like “Pulp Fiction,” “Good Will Hunting,” “The Princess Bride,” “The Truman Show,” “Parasite,” “Heat,” “Office Space,” “Alien,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “The Sixth Sense,” “The Social Network,” “Predator,” “Die Hard,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” and “L.A. Confidential.”
I love Hulu’s documentary collection. Check out “Free Solo,” “Summer of Soul,” “Fyre Fraud,” “Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of the Dana Carvey Show,” “Sugarcane,” “Batman & Bill,” and “WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn.”
Bundle Hulu with Disney+ and Max if you really want to improve your movie options.
What TV Shows Does Hulu Have?
This is Hulu’s strong suit. The dashboard has an interface to select titles from A&E, ABC, Adult Swim, AMC, CBS, Comedy Central, FOX, Freeform, FX, The History Channel, Lifetime, MTV, MyNetworkTV, National Geographic, SyFy, Telemundo and USA Network.
I recommend the great FX shows like “Shogun,” “Fargo,” “The Americans,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “What We Do In The Shadows,” and “The Bear.”
You’ll see a lot of ABC shows like “Abbott Elementary,” “The Rookie,” “High Potential,” “Will Trent,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
FOX supplies Hulu with shows like “Extracted,” “Doc,” “Family Guy,” “9-1-1,” and “Kitchen Nightmares.”
Hulu has CBS shows like “Tracker,” “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,”
It’s also a great service for classic shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “CSI,” “House,” “Modern Family,” “Cheers,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “30 Rock,” “M*A*S*H,” “24,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Glee,” “This is Us,” and “Atlanta.”
Remember, if you choose Hulu + Live TV, you can DVR anything you want.
Related: Hulu + Live TV Full Review ►
What Kids Content Does Hulu Have?
Hulu isn’t a great service for kids. Bundle it at a discount with Disney+ if you’re trying to entertain children.
Hulu does offer a selection of Pixar films like “WALL-E,” “Finding Nemo,” “Ratatouille,” and “The Incredibles.” You’ll also find select titles from Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD.
What Sports Does Hulu Have?
Hulu offers about 100 NHL games every year through a partnership with its sister streamer ESPN+. If you’d like hundreds more NHL games and a ton of college sports, just bundle Hulu with ESPN+ ($16.99 with ads or $26.99 without ads).
If you choose the Hulu + Live TV option, you’ll get maximum sports including the huge ESPN+ lineup, any sports on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, ESPN, FS1, and regional broadcasts in Philadelphia, Boston, New York (SNY), Northern California, and the Bay Area.
Does Hulu Have Originals?
Yes, Hulu has a long history of original hits. Sign up to see “Paradise,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “Tell Me Lies,” “The Kardashians,” “Vanderpump Villa,” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
Can You Download Hulu Content?
If you have a Hulu ad-free plan, you can download movies and TV shows.
What Devices Work with Hulu?
- Amazon Fire tablets
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV devices
- Apple iPhones and iPads
- Apple TV (4th generation and later)
- Chromecast
- Contour 2 and Stream Player Boxes
- Echo Show 15
- LG WebOS smart TVs
- Nintendo Switch (R1 and Lite)
- PlayStation 4 and 5
- Roku
- Samsung smart TVs
- Vizio SmartCast TVs
- Web browsers
- Xbox
- Xfinity Flex and X1 TV Boxes
- Xumo TV and XiOne Box
Can You Add Hulu as a Prime Video Channel?
No. Hulu is not a Prime Video Channel. It works best as a standalone experience.
What is the Extra Member Feature and How Much Does It Cost?
If you want a friend or family member outside your home to use your Hulu subscription, you can add an extra member as long as your Hulu account is part of a Disney bundle. The amount you pay depends on your Disney+ package.
Is Hulu Worth It?
As a standalone streaming service, Hulu is nice to have, but it falls short of the top tier. Its deep TV library is awesome and competes well with any other streamer. But the movie library is disappointing compared to stronger competitors.
Thankfully, Hulu’s many bundle options make it more affordable and versatile. If you choose Hulu + Live TV, you’ll get nearly every important live TV channel and an unlimited DVR to record your favorite shows, the Hulu on-demand library, plus the family-friendly favorites from Disney+, and exclusive sports on ESPN+. That’s a huge amount of entertainment for just one bill.
If you have a different live TV provider, the Disney Bundle is a great value. And the Disney-Hulu-Max combo is a near-unbeatable entertainment package.
If you’re not sure about Hulu, that 30-day free trial makes it easy to give it a whirl!
$9.99/mo.
