Hulu’s premium streaming service has been delivering high-quality content to Americans since 2007. It’s not only the award-winning titles in its library that make Hulu a great choice, but the fact that it also offers a comprehensive cable TV replacement if you opt for the Hulu + Live TV plan. Add in some high-quality Hulu originals, and it’s one of the most versatile streaming platforms on the market.
Hulu was one of the first competitors to challenge Netflix in the currently very crowded US market, but the service didn’t quite beat its rival to most viewers around the world. However, Hulu likely offers a wider variety of new and classic shows than Netflix and Amazon, such as the Emmy-winning Handmaid’s Tale, and is also a new home to the Kardashians, not to mention the thousands of movies that make up its impressive library.
Find out everything you need to know about Hulu, one of the best streaming services available, below.
Hulu Explained – What is Hulu and Hulu + Live TV?
As our full Hulu review explains, a basic Hulu subscription gives you instant access to 2,500+ movies and 1,650 TV series. This includes original shows and movies from Hulu as well as from major networks. You can also customize the service to suit your needs by adding add-ons to your basic plan. For example, you can add premium channels like HBO Max or Showtime for an additional fee.
For those who lack traditional cable, a Hulu + Live TV subscription will get you over 75 channels without breaking the bank. You will also benefit from the Hulu Cloud Recorder which allows you to record up to 50 hours of live TV.
Additionally, you can purchase Enhanced Cloud DVR to increase your storage up to 200 hours, or strengthen your offering with the Entertainment Network and Español Network add-ons.
Do you know which plan you want to choose? You can sign up for Hulu now! (opens in a new tab)
Hulu shows and movies: what you can watch
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With an entry-level Hulu membership, you can watch entire seasons of blockbuster shows, watch new episodes the day after airing, enjoy children’s entertainment and Hulu Originals, and watch old and new TV series and movies from major studios.
- Palm Springs
- Love, Victor
- Little fires everywhere
- Rock Castle
- Stage
- The land of monsters
- Handheld Tale
- Future man
- FEATHER 15
- I woke up and Rama
- Patient
- Only murders in the building
- Victim
The platform also supports legacy programs from dozens of networks, including A&E, AMC, VH1, MTV, TNT, Disney Channel, and Discovery. So, you are just a click away from shows like Sons of Anarchy (FX), Modern Family (ABC), Broad City (Comedy Central), and animated classics like Bob’s Burgers and The Simpsons (Fox). Whatever you choose, you’ll have a great time watching it.
Of course, you can expand your content list with the famous Disney Plus package. It pairs a staggering number of popular Hulu TV shows and blockbuster Disney + movies with ESPN + live sports action – all at a very reasonable price.
With the Hulu Live TV plan, you can enjoy it all and over 75 live channels.
How much is Hulu?
Check out our guide to Hulu plans and pricing for a full list of subscription options and add-ons. Or, if you want to register, why not visit the Hulu website now? (opens in a new tab)
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Hulu: is there a free trial period?
Oh yes! And that’s a doozy. If you want to try Hulu basic or its Hulu counterpart (ad-free), you are entitled to a 30-day free trial of Hulu, which gives you one month to learn about the platform’s incredibly varied software.
How to register with Hulu
Registering with Hulu is very easy!
- Go to Hulu website (opens in a new tab)
- Click the “Start Free Trial” button
- Choose a plan
- Enter your email address, password and other details
- Click “Continue” and enter your billing information
- Submit your data and start broadcasting
Hulu app: what devices can you watch on?
The latest Hulu app and all its features, including live TV and premium add-ons, are supported on the following devices:
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV (selected models)
- Apple TV (4th generation or later)
- Chromecast
- Echo show
- Fire tablets
- Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- iPhones and iPads
- LG TV (selected models)
- Nintendo Switch
- Mac and PC browsers / applications
- PlayStation consoles
- Roku (selected models)
- Samsung TV (selected models)
- VIZIO SmartCast TVs
- Xbox consoles
- Xfinity Flex Streaming TV Box *
- Xfinity X1 TVs
click here (opens in a new tab) for a detailed list of Hulu compatible devices and models.
* Although the PlayStation 3 and Xfinity devices have the latest Hulu app, don’t supports live TV programming.
Hulu in 4K and HDR
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If you have the hardware to support 4K Ultra HD, you’re in luck as some of Hulu’s best programs can be streamed in this format. Considering Hulu is home to over 4,000 titles, this is quite a small selection. But it still provides around seventy that will get you sharper images, deeper colors, and 8 million pixels hitting your eyes.
Almost all Hulu Originals are ready to stream in 4K – including the supernatural thriller Helstrom, the science fiction comedy Future Man, all seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, and the Into the Dark horror anthology. There are also a few FX titles like Mayans MC, Black Narcissus, and a miniseries starring Mrs America. Any content available in this format will display a “4K” badge on the details page.
Currently, you can watch 4K UHD content on the following devices: Apple TV (5th generation and newer), Chromecast Ultra, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, LG TVs (2017 UHD models and newer), Roku, Vizio SmartCast TVs and Xbox One (models S and X).
However, HDR is not currently supported, so all 4K UHD content would be streamed in the standard dynamic range (SDR).
Hulu vs Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video vs HBO Max
The most ubiquitous VOD platform, Netflix boasts over 5,000 movies and TV series. It produces hundreds of Netflix Originals a year, including Oscar-nominated films and hugely popular shows like Stranger Things. But, at $ 8.99 / month for the basic plan, providing one SD quality stream, the Netflix subscription doesn’t offer the best value. Hulu may have less content, but for a few dollars less per month, you still get thousands of exciting titles, two simultaneous streams, and access to HD and UHD content.
Amazon Prime Video (opens in a new tab) it’s even more expensive than Netflix. But with around 18,000 titles, his content library is more extensive than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Granted, the overall quality is questionable, but Prime Video packs a lot of genius Amazon Originals like The Boys and big-caliber old and new movies.
Yes, that’s about twice as much as Hulu. But the subscription benefits like free shipping, best reading, and ad-free music streaming justify the inflated price. The downside is that it’s limited to three streams per account (you can buy “Unlimited Screens” with Hulu), and when it comes to playing cable TV, Hulu + Live TV is much more cost-effective than adding individual Amazon channels.
On the most expensive end of the VOD spectrum is HBO Max. It is the most expensive of the quartet, even with the recent introduction of the ad plan, which allows you to stream to three different devices simultaneously. If you’re a fan of HBO production – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – then registration is a no-brainer. However, in addition to groundbreaking dramas such as Six Feet Under, The Wire, and Game of Thrones, subscribers receive a wide variety of titles from Warner Brothers, their subsidiaries and third parties.
This means easy access to all Studio Ghibli animations, DC Comics movies, Lord of the Rings movies, and a curated selection of classic movies thanks to TCM. Or you can just add HBO Max to Hulu as a Premium add-on.