YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: Which Should You Choose?
Two of the biggest live TV streaming services are YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV. They’re the same price, so how do you know which is right for you? Follow this guide and we’ll compare these streaming giants on every point.
Streaming Smarter says: Hulu + Live TV is the better value. The channel lineups are nearly identical, but Hulu + Live TV gives you free Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on-demand.
Winner on Price: Draw
The regular prices of both services are $82.99/month.
Both services allow you to add channels or services for additional fees.
Winner on Overall Channels: YouTube TV
This battle is incredibly close. YouTube TV has 78 out of the 100 most-watched TV channels. Hulu has 74.
Other than those exceptions, both services have identical lineups among the top 100 TV channels.
See our Hulu + Live TV vs. YouTube TV full channel comparison if you’d like to see all the differences.
Winner on Local Channels: Draw
Both services offer ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, the CW, and PBS.
Winner on Sports Channels: Hulu + Live TV
| Channel | Hulu + Live TV | YouTube TV |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN2 | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNEWS | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNU | Yes | Yes |
| FS1 | Yes | Yes |
| FS2 | Yes | Yes |
| CBS Sports Network | Yes | Yes |
| NBA TV | No | Yes |
| NFL Network | Yes | Yes |
| NFL RedZone | Yes* | Yes* |
| MLB Network | Yes | No |
| MLB Strike Zone | Yes* | No |
| NHL Network | No | No |
| Tennis Channel | Yes* | Yes* |
| Golf Channel | Yes | Yes |
| ACC Network | Yes | Yes |
| Big Ten Network | Yes | Yes |
| SEC Network | Yes | Yes |
* Requires an additional fee
Winner on Regional Sports Channels: Draw
Both services offer 5 regional sports networks. If you live in a different city, DIRECTV or Fubo may be a better choice for regional sports. Neither YouTube TV nor Hulu + Live TV carries the FanDuel Sports Network channels.
| Channel | Hulu + Live TV | YouTube TV |
|---|---|---|
| NBC Sports Bay Area | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Sports Boston | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Sports California | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Sports Philadelphia | Yes | Yes |
| Monumental Sports Network | No | Yes |
| SNY | Yes | No |
Major Differences
YouTube TV: NFL Sunday Ticket Discount
NFL Sunday Ticket is the league’s solution for out-of-market games. When you sign up, you’ll have access to every out-of-market game that airs on Sunday afternoons. It is incredibly expensive, but YouTube TV subscribers get it at a slight discount.
YouTube TV subscribers can get NFL Sunday Ticket for $378 (or 12 payments of $31.50).
If you don’t have YouTube TV, NFL Sunday Ticket is $480 (or 12 payments of $40).
Hulu + Live TV: Free Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu On-Demand
The main reason I recommend Hulu + Live TV is that subscribers get Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on-demand for free. That bundle normally costs $16.99/month. It’s a great lineup.
Disney+ is home to Pixar, The Muppets, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and Disney animated classics. It’s great for families with kids.
Adults may enjoy the musical entertainment like “Hamilton,” the Beatles docuseries “Get Back,” “Queen Rock Montreal,” “Carrie Underwood: Reflection,” “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” and “BTS: Permission to Dance.”
ESPN+ is a strong option for sports fans, especially if you like hockey. Here’s what you’ll get when you sign up:
- 25,000+ hours of women’s sports
- UFC Fight Nights
- Exclusive UFC Pay-Per-View events
- 50+ exclusive and 1,000 out-of-market NHL games per season
- College football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, softball, wrestling, gymnastics, and more from 20 conferences across the country
- LaLiga
- Bundesliga
- EFL Championship
- FA Cup
- Copa Del Rey
- Carabao Cup
- 4,300+ live, exclusive hours of golf coverage across 35 tournaments on PGA TOUR LIVE
- Masters and PGA Championship coverage
- Top Rank Boxing
- Grand Slam tennis
- Major League Baseball
- International cricket
Hulu on-demand has a lot of original hits like “Paradise,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” and “Good American Family.”
You’ll also get great FX shows like “The Bear,” “Shogun,” “Dying for Sex,” “Fargo,” “Welcome to Wrexham,” “Alien: Earth,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
Current TV hits available on Hulu include “Abbott Elementary,” “The Rookie,” “High Potential,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Family Guy,” “9-1-1,” “Survivor,” and “The Amazing Race.”
Hulu is also a great service for classic shows like “CSI,” “House,” “Modern Family,” “Cheers,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “30 Rock,” “M*A*S*H,” “24,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Glee,” and “This is Us.”
Comparing Features
DVR
Both services offer an unlimited cloud DVR that can store your recordings up to 9 months.
4K
Hulu + Live TV does not offer 4K. YouTube TV offers some 4K broadcasts, but you have to pay $9.99/month after a discounted trial.
Multiview
YouTube TV allows users to watch up to 4 channels at once, though the channels are decided by YouTube TV. This feature will receive upgrades later this year.
Hulu + Live TV does not offer multiview.
Simultaneous Streams
YouTube TV allows 3 simultaneous streams. If you add the 4K Plus add-on ($9.99), you’ll get unlimited streams on your home network.
Hulu + Live TV allows 2 simultaneous streams. If you pay $9.99/month, you can add the Unlimited Screens plan. The devices must be connected to your home network. This add-on allows you to stream up to 3 different mobile devices at once.
Compatible Devices
Both services are widely available on most major streaming devices. Between the two, only Hulu + Live TV works with Nintendo Switch. Only YouTube TV is available on Peloton.
Conclusion: Why Hulu + Live TV Should Be Your Choice
There’s nothing really wrong with YouTube TV. It’s a nice service and I used it for several years. But over time, YouTube TV’s price continued to rise and it failed to add value.
Hulu + Live TV offers virtually the same experience as YouTube TV, but you get $17 worth of free streaming services packed with great movies, TV shows, and sports. YouTube TV can’t compete with that.
When it comes to live TV streaming services, DIRECTV is still my top choice in 2025, balancing value, channel availability, and price. But if you’re debating between these two giants, Hulu + Live TV offers a better value for your dollar.
