YouTube TV provides access to more than 85 channels while Hulu Live TV comes with more than 75. If the quantity of channels matters, then this is an instant win for YouTube TV. However, things are never quite that simple when it comes to picking the best live TV plan.
YouTube TV and Hulu Live are two of the most popular live TV streaming services in the US making either a good option to subscribe to. When it comes to choosing between them, the monthly price can only help so much considering both services only offer one base subscription and both plans are priced at $64.99 per month.
Making the problem of choosing between YouTube TV and Hulu Live all the more harder is the major overlap on the number of channels and even the selection. Still, there are enough differences in the channel lineups that one service might prove to be more suitable for an individual subscriber or household, depending on their needs.
How the channels compare
YouTube TV comes with more channels than Hulu Live TV overall, with the websites listing 85+ compared to 75+. However, due to the inclusion of local channels and regional variances, the exact number may vary depending on the subscriber’s location and the channels they are eligible for.
YouTube & Hulu live TV channels compared:
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu Live |
|---|---|---|
| A&E | ✔ | |
| ABC | ✔ | ✔ |
| ABC News | ✔ | ✔ |
| ACCN | ✔ | ✔ |
| AMC | ✔ | |
| Adult Swim | ✔ | ✔ |
| Animal Planet | ✔ | ✔ |
| BBC | ✔ | |
| BBC World News | ✔ | |
| BET | ✔ | ✔ |
| BET Her | ✔ | |
| Boomerang | ✔ | |
| Bloomberg | ✔ | |
| BTN | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bravo | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cartoon Network | ✔ | ✔ |
| CBS | ✔ | ✔ |
| CBS News | ✔ | |
| CBS Sports | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cheddar | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cheddar News | ✔ | |
| CMT | ✔ | ✔ |
| CNBC | ✔ | ✔ |
| CNBC World | ✔ | |
| CNN | ✔ | ✔ |
| CNN International | ✔ | |
| Comedy Central | ✔ | ✔ |
| Comet TV | ✔ | |
| Court TV | ✔ | |
| Cozi TV | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dabl | ✔ | ✔ |
| Discovery | ✔ | ✔ |
| Disney | ✔ | ✔ |
| Disney Junior | ✔ | ✔ |
| Disney XD | ✔ | ✔ |
| E! | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPN 2 | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPN U | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPNEWS | ✔ | ✔ |
| ESPN College Extra | ✔ | |
| FOX | ✔ | ✔ |
| FOX Business | ✔ | ✔ |
| FOX News Channel | ✔ | ✔ |
| FS1 | ✔ | ✔ |
| FS2 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Food Network | ✔ | ✔ |
| Freeform | ✔ | ✔ |
| FX | ✔ | ✔ |
| FXM | ✔ | ✔ |
| FXX | ✔ | ✔ |
| FYI | ✔ | |
| Golf Channel | ✔ | ✔ |
| HGTV | ✔ | ✔ |
| History | ✔ | |
| HLN | ✔ | ✔ |
| IFC | ✔ | |
| Investigation Discovery | ✔ | ✔ |
| LAFC | ✔ | |
| Lifetime | ✔ | |
| LMN | ✔ | |
| Localish | ✔ | |
| MLB Game of the week | ✔ | |
| MLB Network | ✔ | |
| MSNBC | ✔ | ✔ |
| Motortrend | ✔ | ✔ |
| MTV | ✔ | ✔ |
| MTV2 | ✔ | |
| MTV Classic | ✔ | |
| MyNetworkTV | ✔ | |
| NASA | ✔ | |
| NBA TV | ✔ | |
| NBC | ✔ | ✔ |
| NBC News Now | ✔ | |
| NBC Sports | ✔ | |
| NBC Universo | ✔ | |
| NBCSN | ✔ | ✔ |
| NBCLX | ✔ | |
| NECN | ✔ | |
| NatGeo Wild | ✔ | ✔ |
| National Geographic | ✔ | ✔ |
| NewsNation | ✔ | ✔ |
| NFL Network | ✔ | |
| Nickelodeon | ✔ | ✔ |
| Nick Jr. | ✔ | ✔ |
| Nicktoons | ✔ | |
| Olympics Channel | ✔ | ✔ |
| OWN | ✔ | |
| Oxygen | ✔ | ✔ |
| Paramount Network | ✔ | ✔ |
| PBS | ✔ | |
| PBS Kids | ✔ | |
| POP | ✔ | ✔ |
| QVC | ✔ | ✔ |
| SEC Network | ✔ | ✔ |
| SNY | ✔ | |
| Smithsonian Channel | ✔ | ✔ |
| StartTV | ✔ | ✔ |
| SundanceTV | ✔ | |
| SyFy | ✔ | ✔ |
| TBS | ✔ | ✔ |
| TCM | ✔ | ✔ |
| TLC | ✔ | ✔ |
| TNT | ✔ | ✔ |
| TYT | ✔ | |
| Tastemade | ✔ | |
| TeenNick | ✔ | |
| Telemundo | ✔ | ✔ |
| The CW | ✔ | ✔ |
| Travel Channel | ✔ | ✔ |
| TruTV | ✔ | ✔ |
| TV Land | ✔ | ✔ |
| Universal Kids | ✔ | ✔ |
| USA | ✔ | ✔ |
| VH1 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vice | ✔ | |
| We TV | ✔ | |
| YouTube Originals | ✔ |
As shown in the list, YouTube TV comes with the greater selection of channels overall. However, it is missing some that Hulu Live has and they may prove to be important to some users. Most notably, YouTube TV is missing both A&E and Lifetime, while Hulu carries both channels in its base subscription. Of course, opting for the base Hulu Live plan will result in missing channels elsewhere, including AMC, BBC, MLB Network, among others.
As to be expected, both YouTube TV and Hulu Live also offer the option to add a number of premium channels to the base subscription, albeit at an additional cost per channel, per month.
YouTube & Hulu premium channels compared:
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu Live |
|---|---|---|
| Acorn | ✔ | |
| ALLBLK | ✔ | |
| AMC+ | ✔ | |
| Cinemax | ✔ | ✔ |
| Contv | ✔ | |
| CuriosityStream | ✔ | |
| Docurama | ✔ | |
| Dove | ✔ | |
| EPIX | ✔ | |
| Hallmark Movies Now | ✔ | |
| HBO | ✔ | |
| HBO Max | ✔ | ✔ |
| IFC Films Unlimited | ✔ | |
| Law & Crime | ✔ | |
| MLB.TV | ✔ | |
| NBA League Pass | ✔ | |
| Showtime | ✔ | ✔ |
| Shudder | ✔ | |
| Starz | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sundance Now | ✔ | |
| WE tv + | ✔ |
In addition, both YouTube TV and Hulu Live offer one channel pack add-on each. In Hulu’s case, it is the Entertainment add-on, while YouTube TV’s is Sports Plus. Both of these add-ons come with a different number of additional channels and both cost a different amount per month on top of the base subscription.
| YouTube TV Sports Plus | Hulu Live Entertainment |
|---|---|
| $10.99 p/m | $7.99 |
| Fox College Sports | AHC |
| Fox Soccer Plus | BET Her |
| GOL TV | CNBC World |
| MAVTV | Cooking Network |
| NFL RedZone | Crime + Investigation |
| Stadium | Destination America |
| TVG | Discovery Family |
| Discovery Life | |
| DIY Network | |
| Military History | |
| MTV2 | |
| MTV Classic | |
| Nicktoons | |
| Science | |
| TeenNick | |
| GAC |
YouTube TV vs Hulu Live channels summary
If the sheer number of channels matters to an individual or household, then YouTube TV is likely to be the better option overall. Not only does YouTube TV come with more channels in its base subscription, but it also offers more channels that can be added on top of the standard plan.
On the other hand, Hulu Live does come bundled with a basic Hulu subscription as well. If access to Hulu shows and movies are important, then it is a nice addition on top of the standard channel lineup. Especially considering the Hulu plus live TV plan costs the same as the base YouTube TV subscription.
One reply on “YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live TV Channels Comparison: Best Overall?”
The one thing that is overlooked in these comparisons and is often a factor is the ability to use the service in multiple locations. In my area, many people have vacation homes at the beach or boats in the marina or other weekend locations. Hulu does not let you log into their service from “outside your home location” without having to change your home location which is something that can only be done a limited number of times before not allowing and requiring a second subscription. YouTube TV allow access from multiple varied locations as long as you log into your “home location” at least once every three months.