If you are new to streaming, you’ll likely find Hulu Live TV to be an easy to use live TV service that’s full of content. Likewise, if you’re an experienced streamer that’s balancing multiple subscriptions at the same time, you’re likely to appreciate the overall value and streamlined management on offer with Hulu Live TV.
Before getting in to the five Reasons why Hulu Live TV is worth your money, it should be pointed out that this is not the best service overall. At least not in our opinion as we feel YouTube TV is the best option. Still, YouTube TV is not without its problems and plenty of homes will likely find Hulu Live TV to be a better match for their live TV streaming needs.
Whether you are are looking for an alternative to YouTube TV or looking to sign up to a live TV streaming service for the first time, Hulu Live TV offers a number of selling points which might make it worth your time and money. For us, however, there are some reasons that are specifically worth knowing about.
5 reasons why Hulu Live TV is worth it:
- Content
- Channels
- App experience
- DVR
- Value
Reason 1 – Content, content, content
When it comes to live TV streaming services, Hulu Live TV really does double-down on content. Not only do subscribers get a decent selection of live TV channels, but they also get access to the basic Hulu catalog as well. This combination of live and on-demand Hulu content results in a robust streaming service with plenty to watch at any time.
On top of all of that Hulu content, a live TV subscription also unlocks access to all of Disney Plus and ESPN Plus as well. Whether more interested in the latest shows, the MCU, or live sports, Hulu Live TV has plenty to offer, making it a good option for the entire family.
With Disney Plus and ESPN Plus bundled in with the price, Hulu Live TV subscribers can download the apps for either of these additional services and log in with their live TV account details to access even more content. In fact, Hulu’s TV Everywhere support makes it possible for base plan subscribers to log in to more than 50 different apps with their live TV account, further expanding the amount of live and on-demand content they have access to.
When it comes to the sheer volume of content on offer, homes will probably find it hard to sign up to a single live TV subscription with access to more than a Hulu Live TV subscription.
Reason 2 – a good selection of channels
While Hulu doesn’t offer the best selection of live TV channels, its lineup is likely to be good enough for most homes. For those wanting a greater variety, YouTube TV, fuboTV and DirecTV Stream all offer more channels with their base plans. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Hulu’s offering isn’t bad.
Local channels are a continuous issue in streaming and Hulu Live TV is one of the few options that offers access to ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. The channel lineup is missing PBS and Univision, but compared to other live TV services, it is one of the better options for locals. Sports is another constant problem for those looking for a live TV service that won’t break the bank, and while this is a slightly weaker area of Hulu’s lineup, it may still prove good enough for many homes.
Hulu live tv subscribers not only get access to ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and NFL Network, but also ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports, ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN College Extra, Golf Network, and SEC Network. For those in need of more sports, there is always the option to add the Sports Add-on which unlocks NFL RedZone as well as a number of other additional sports channels for an additional $9.99 per month.
All in all, a Hulu Live TV subscription unlocks more than 85 live TV channels, and provides a good overall balance of news, sports, and entertainment.
Reason 3 – familiar app experience
The Hulu Live TV app is not the best or the most intuitive, but it is likely to be extremely familiar to many homes. While Hulu is currently delivering live TV to more than 4 million homes, more than 40 million are signed up to the basic Hulu service. For those users, upgrading from basic to live TV is incredibly easy.
One of the key benefits of Hulu’s approach to live TV is that there is no additional app to download. Unlike YouTube which has separate apps for its YouTube and YouTube TV users, the Hulu Live TV experience is integrated directly within the main Hulu app.
For those homes already paying for basic Hulu, there’s also unlikely to be any major issues when it comes to device support. Most devices that support the basic Hulu experience will also support live TV as well. Likewise, there’s also no separate subscription to manage or setup. Existing basic Hulu customers can just upgrade and immediately start watching live TV.
Reason 4 – plenty of DVR
Previously, DVR was one of Hulu Live TV’s weaker selling points. With only 50 hours of recording space available, it was limited in comparison to the likes of YouTube TV. Even if a subscriber was willing to pay more for a better DVR experience, they were still only able to upgrade to 200 hours.
While it still isn’t quite to the level of YouTube TV’s recording experience, the gap has lessened significantly. These days, all Hulu Live TV subscribers get access to an unlimited DVR making it possible to record as many shows, movies, and live events as they want. In addition, subscribers could previously only fast-forward through ads on recordings if they were paying extra each month for the DVR upgrade. Nowadays, all Hulu Live TV subscribers can now skip through the ads at no additional cost.
One limitation of Hulu’s DVR that remains in place is that recordings are only stored for a maximum of 9 months. However, this is somewhat common now with live TV services, so while a limitation, consumers will find a similar restrictions in place with YouTube TV and other services.
Reason 5 – good value, overall
At $69.99 per month, Hulu is far from being the cheapest, or even a cheap live TV streaming service. However, it does offer plenty of value for the asking price. And for some homes, it may even work out to be a cheap option, thanks to Hulu’s approach to bundling services together.
As explained with reason 1, Hulu Live TV includes Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and basic Hulu subscriptions in the price. All three of these services can be subscribed to separately or as a package through the Disney Bundle. Even though the Disney Bundle is the cheapest way to get access to all three services, it is still an additional $12.99 per month that homes would have to pay on top of the cost of a live TV plan, if opting for an alternative live TV provider.
While not every home will want access to these additional subscriptions, even if only signing up to one on the side, the cost could be an additional $9.99 per month. For homes that do want access to at least two of these services, Hulu Live TV offers very good value overall.
Why Hulu is worth it: summary
Hulu won’t be the best option for every home, but it will certainly be the right option for many. On paper, it is easy to say that Hulu Live TV is an expensive service, and it is, but the value on offer is greater than with most other services. Put simply, subscribers get a lot for their money and that’s not something you can say about every service and subscription.
In addition to the content and value, Hulu makes live TV streaming incredibly easy. Those already signed up to either Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, basic Hulu, or all three, will appreciate the combined billing. Similarly, the lack of a need to download an additional app on devices is a big positive.
Overall, Hulu Live TV had some major problems in the past, and while some of them are still present, they are no longer as major as they once was. Yes, the price is a little high, and likely to get higher in the future, but the ever-increasing cost of live TV is something we can’t seem to escape with any steaming service, live TV or otherwise.
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