A standard Hulu subscription costs $9.99 a month but the exact cost can vary, depending on whether a subscriber wants to skip the ads or bundle with other premium services. For those new to Hulu, understanding the differences between the plans can help to save on the monthly cost.
Hulu tends to focus more on TV shows and this includes providing episodes that have only recently aired on live TV. For example, you are far more likely to find the latest episode of a newer TV show on Hulu than on Netflix, making it a good option for those looking to avoid paying for a live TV streaming service. Speaking of which, Hulu also offers a live TV package as well.
At $82.99 a month, the Hulu Live TV plan is far more expensive, but it does includes access to more than 95 live TV channels. Hulu Live TV subscribers also get access to Disney+ and the basic Hulu catalog at no additional cost.
For those not interested in the live TV package, there are two main Hulu plans to choose from – Standard and No Ads. While the Standard plan costs $9.99 a month, the No Ads plan costs $18.99 a month, making it almost twice as expensive.
As these plans don’t differ in terms of content, consumers don’t have to worry about missing out on any movies or shows by choosing one over the other. Instead, they will want to factor on the main differences outlined below.
| Hulu | Standard | No Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Price p/m | $10 | $19 |
| Ad-Free | X | ✔ |
| Streams | 2 | 2 |
| Premium Add-Ons | ✔ | ✔ |
| Downloads | X | ✔ |
The ‘Standard’ Hulu Plan Explained
The Standard plan is exactly that – the easiest and cheapest way to get involved with Hulu. Standard provides unlimited access to all of the content available through the service, including the service’s wide library of Hulu Originals. At $9.99 a month, Standard offers good value overall.
For those looking to save even more on the cost, a $99.99 annual plan is also available, reducing the cost to as low as $8.33 a month on average.
Considering the Standard plan is an ad-supported tier, subscribers can expect to encounter ad breaks before, during, and after each video. Ads are the primary factor to consider when deciding which Hulu plan is the best option, as it is the main difference between the two non-live TV tiers.
Outside of ad breaks, the rest of the Hulu experience is largely the same. For example, Standard subscribers can stream on the same devices, the same number of devices at the same time, and create up to six additional profiles (seven in total) to make it easier to personalize the experience.
What they won’t be able to do, however, is download videos on mobile devices to watch offline.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cheaper | Ads |
| Same Content | No Downloads |
| Same Devices | |
| Same Number Of Streams | |
| Same Add-Ons |
The Hulu (No Ads) Plan Explained
The No Ads plan is equally self-explanatory, as this is the Standard plan but without ads. However, the removal of commercials comes at a premium. With the No Ads tier costing $18.99 a month, it is almost twice as expensive as the Standard plan. Adding to the higher cost, Hulu also doesn’t offer an annual version of the No Ads tier, removing the option to save on the cost.
Consumers should also be aware that although this is advertised as a “no ads” service, there are still times when ads might be encountered. The primary reason for this is that Hulu is obligated to show ads with certain programs. When these situations do arise, Hulu explains the ads will only be shown before and after the episode or movie. In other words, there’s no ads during the actual video.
The use of ads in the ad-free plan is rare overall, with the sheer majority of shows and movies available to watch without ads.
Hulu’s No Ads tier also come with the added ability to download videos to watch offline. Even though there are some restrictions with this feature, Standard Hulu subscribers don’t have any option for offline playback.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No Ads (Mostly) | Expensive |
| Downloads | Might Encounter Ads |
| Best Plan Overall |
Bundling Hulu Helps To Save On The Cost
Regardless of whether considering signing up to the Standard or No Ads plan, it is possible to bundle Hulu with Disney+ (and bundle both services with either ESPN+ or Max), and this can further help to save on the cost.
The Standard plan can be bundled with the Disney+ Basic plan (Duo Basic) for $10.99 a month. Similar to the Standard plan, the Disney+ Basic plan is also an ad-supported plan. In this sense, this is a ‘with ads’ bundle.
If considering signing up to Hulu’s ‘No Ads’ tier, this plan can be bundled with the Disney+ Premium tier (Duo Premium) for $19.99 a month. Similar to the No Ads tier, the Disney+ Premium tier is also an ad-free plan, making this is a ‘no ads’ bundle.
Basically, bundling either Hulu plan with its corresponding Disney+ plan costs just $1 a month more than subscribing to Hulu alone. Considering these bundles unlock access to a completely different streaming service, they can massively help to lower the cost of both subscriptions.
As mentioned, Hulu can Disney+ can additionally be bundled with either ESPN+ or Max to further lower the cost of all three subscriptions.
Here’s a full overview of the different ways Hulu can be bundled with these other streaming services.
| Disney Bundles | Price p/m |
|---|---|
| Duo Basic (Disney+ and Hulu) | $10.99 |
| Duo Premium (Disney+ and Hulu) | $19.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic | $16.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium | $26.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (With Ads) | $16.99 |
| Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (No Ads) | $29.99 |
Choosing The Right Hulu Plan
The only real choice to make when picking a Hulu plan is whether you are willing to sit through ad breaks. In our experience, the ad load on Hulu is pretty heavy, so those willing to pay extra for an ad-free experience will benefit even more than with other streaming services that offer an ad-free upgrade.
However, if the use of ads isn’t an issue, or for those simply looking to save on the cost, the Standard plan makes the most sense. Hulu charges significantly more each month for an ad-free experience, so the savings on offer with the Standard plan are going to be significant over a full year, and even more so if opting for the annual plan.
Once a home has decided on the use of ads, the next main decision to make is whether it is worth bundling Hulu with Disney+ to save on the cost of both subscriptions. Once a Hulu tier has been decided on, the bundle decision is easy to make, as Hulu plans can only be bundled with their corresponding (ads or no ads) Disney+ plans.
There’s not much choice to make after these decisions, unless also willing to bundle both Hulu and Disney+ with either ESPN+ or Max to further save on the cost of all three streaming services.
Is there a Hulu free trial?
Yes. Like many other streaming services, Hulu does offer a free trial to all new subscribers. In fact, Hulu is pretty generous with its free trial, as new users can sign up to either the Standard or No Ads plan and watch for free for the first thirty days.
Streaming Better Tip: As Hulu offers the same free trial to both Standard and No Ads subscribers, consumers can sign up to the ad-free plan even if they have no intention of paying the higher monthly rate. Instead of canceling the subscription at the end of the free trial, they can simply switch their subscription to the cheaper, ad-supported Standard plan before the free trial ends.
As is typically the case with free trials, automatic billing is in effect, and subscribers will automatically be charged the full monthly amount as soon as the free trial end. This means $9.99 a month (or $99.99 a year) for Standard subscribers, and $18.99 a month for No Ads subscribers. Those not interested in continuing as a paid subscriber will need to make sure they manually cancel the subscription before the end of the free trial.
$10-$19/mo
- Originals
- Hit movies
- New episodes
- Kids shows
Deal: Bundle with Disney+ from $11/mo
