If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to Hulu Live TV, there are plenty of options available. Before considering a cheaper alternative, it is worth keeping in mind that consumers won’t be getting a like-for-like replacement. In fact, depending on the streaming services that a home wants access to throughout the year, it may actually be cheaper to stick with Hulu Live TV.
Not only does a $69.99 per month Hulu Live TV subscription unlock access to a variety of live TV channels, but it also includes access to basic Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. These three services as a standalone bundle cost a minimum of $12.99 per month, and that’s an additional charge homes would have to pay on top of the cost of a different live TV service.
In this sense, the actual cost a home is paying for Hulu’s live TV service is only around $57 each month. Of course, if those additional subscriptions are not wanted, consumers may find they get a better price, or a more suitable selection of channels, with a different live TV provider.
The five streaming services listed below all provide access to live TV channels, and all of them are cheaper each month than Hulu Live TV.
| Service | Cost p/m |
|---|---|
| YouTube TV | $64.99 |
| Vidgo | $55.95+ |
| Sling TV | $40+ |
| Philo | $25 |
| Frndly TV | $6.99+ |
YouTube TV is $5 cheaper
YouTube TV is one of the best live TV streaming services around and its base subscription costs $5 less than Hulu Live TV. The price of the base plan is $64.99 per month and subscribers get access to more than 100 channels. This not only means that YouTube TV is cheaper than Hulu Live TV, but it also comes with more channels as well. Another notable YouTube TV feature is the unlimited cloud DVR. While Hulu Live TV also offers an unlimited DVR, YouTube TV offers a more personalized experience as each subaccount gets access to its own DVR.
While not technically a downside, it is worth keeping in mind that YouTube TV has not encountered a price increase since mid-2020. Like many other services, YouTube TV has been the subject of multiple price increases over the years, and seeing as it hasn’t encountered one in more than two years, it might only be a matter of time before the next one arrives. If and when it does, and depending on how much it increases by, YouTube TV could become more expensive than Hulu Live TV.
Vidgo is $10 cheaper
Vidgo is another live TV service that’s cheaper than Hulu live TV. While Vidgo actually offers more than one plan to choose from, the Plus plan is the only one that’s currently cheaper than Hulu, offering a saving of around $10 each month. Vidgo’s Plus plan unlocks access to more than 100 channels for just $59.95 per month, and the lineup might prove particularly appealing to homes looking for a service that provides access to live sports.
One of the major limitations of Vidgo, is the DVR. At present, a DVR is only included for free with the Plus plan for the first three months, and is limited to just 20 hours. If the option to record movies, shows, and live sports is important, Vidgo might not be the best alternative to Hulu Live TV.
Sling TV is $25 cheaper
Sling TV has made its name as an affordable service, and with plans starting at just $40 per month, it is around $25 cheaper than Hulu Live TV. Sling actually offers two different live TV plans, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, and both are priced at $40 per month each. In fact, Sling also offers a combined Sling Orange & Blue plan. Priced at $55 per month, the combined plan unlocks the best of both Sling TV packages, and at $15 cheaper than Hulu Live TV.
One of the downsides with Sling TV is that the channel lineup is a little more limited than with more expensive services. Even if opting for the combined Sling Orange & Blue plan, subscribers still get fewer channels than they would with a Hulu Live TV subscription. Sling does also offer a number of add-ons to further improve the channel selection, but these cost extra each month, further closing any price advantage Sling has over Hulu.
Philo is $45 cheaper
Philo is currently one of the cheapest live TV services around, making it a good option for homes looking for affordable access to live TV. Philo only offers one plan, priced at $25 per month, with access to more than 60 live TV channels including A&E, Hallmark, and Lifetime. Further adding to the value, the $25 price of Philo also includes access to an unlimited cloud DVR.
In spite of the cheap price, Philo might not be the best option for all homes. For starters, Philo is missing some channels that many households may find to be too important to lose. For sports fans especially, Philo isn’t going to be the best option, considering it doesn’t provide access to any dedicated sports channels or any locals.
Frndly TV is $63 cheaper
When it comes to the price, homes will be hard-pressed to find a cheaper live TV service than Frndly TV. With plans starting at just $6.99 per month, Frndly TV offers incredibly good value. In total, subscribers get access to more than 40 channels, including A&E, Hallmark, and Lifetime, making it a good option for those looking for an affordable live TV streaming service.
As to be expected, the channel lineup is one of the areas most impacted by the low price. Due to this, some homes may find that the channel lineup is not quite varied enough for their needs. In addition, the $6.99 per month plan doesn’t include access to a DVR. However, the most expensive Frndly TV plan still only costs $9.99 per month and does open up access to an unlimited DVR.
Hulu Live TV cheaper alternatives: summary
In general, Hulu Live TV is a very good live TV streaming service and with basic Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus included in the price, Hulu offers good value overall at $69.99 per month. However, the value is naturally going to be less for homes that don’t want or need access to these additional subscriptions. For those households, there are cheaper options available.
If wanting a similar experience and channel selection to Hulu Live TV, then YouTube TV and Vidgo are both worth checking out. If looking for access to many, but not all, of the same channels, Sling TV is also a good option to consider. For those simply looking to save as much as possible on live TV each month, Philo and Frndly TV might be worth considering first.
