If you’re just looking to watch a show or two—maybe catch up on Only Murders in the Building or The Handmaid’s Tale—there’s no better way to do it than with a free trial. Hulu offers a 30-day free trial to new customers, giving you plenty of time for binge-watching.
But free trials can be tricky: You need to know what you’re signing up for so you can make smart choices. I’ve taken the liberty of researching Hulu’s free trial so you can get streaming without worrying about fine print.
Let’s jump into the details!
How do I get the Hulu free trial?
Hulu’s homepage tries to discourage you from signing up for standalone, ad-supported Hulu, which is the only way to get a 30-day free trial. However, you can still access the free trial if you’re determined.
Here’s how to access Hulu’s 30-day free trial as of April 2025:
- Head to Hulu’s homepage on your computer and scroll down to the green bar that says “Build the plan that’s right for you.” Click on “Start Building.”
- Click on the following options: “With ads,” “Just Hulu for now,” and “Keep my plan the way it is.” This is the only sequence of choices that leads to the 30-day free trial. If you’ve done everything right, the number in the bottom right should say “$9.99/mo.”
- Click “Choose this plan.”
- Create a new Disney/Hulu account or log in using existing credentials.
- Before entering your payment information, make sure the “Total due today” field says $0.00.
- Enter your payment information and enjoy your free month of Hulu!
- Set a reminder to cancel before the 30 days are up, or you’ll be charged $9.99.
- If you decide to continue with your subscription at the end of the month, we recommend upgrading to the Disney Bundle Duo Basic. It’s only a dollar more per month than standalone Hulu, and you’ll get access to Disney+ as well as Hulu.
Pro tip: If you go back and forth reloading the page too many times (to grab screenshots for your really good article), the website will decide you’re a bot and lock you out of signing up for a plan. Oopsies!
The standalone Hulu free trial includes access to Hulu’s entire library, but you won’t be able to get rid of ads or bundle with other services like Disney+ or ESPN+ unless you end your trial and become a paid subscriber.
If you want to try everything that Hulu has to offer, try the Hulu + Live TV free trial. It only lasts for three days, and isn’t always available, but it does include Disney+ and ESPN+.
Pro tip: Lots of Hulu shows air weekly, so try to sign up for your trial towards the end of a season so your trial doesn’t run out in the middle. You have a whole month to work with, so be smart about it!
How do I cancel my Hulu free trial?
58% of people* have forgotten to cancel a streaming service’s free trial at least once. Don’t be like them!
- Log in to Hulu on your computer and navigate to the account page. You can find it by hovering over your profile icon in the top right and then clicking “Account.”
- Once the Overview loads, scroll down to “Cancel Your Subscription” and click “Cancel.”
*according to a recent survey run by CableTV.com.
What other streaming services have free trials?
Hulu may have a remarkably long free trial, but it’s not the only game in town. Amazon Prime Video also offers a 30-day trial, and other streaming services have pretty decent one-week deals.
Let’s check out the competition.
More streaming free trials
| Provider | Trial length | Price after trial | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | 30 days | $8.99–$17.98/mo. |
View plans Read Prime Video review |
| AMC+ | 7 days | $6.99–$9.99/mo. |
View plans Read AMC+ review |
| Apple TV+ | 7 days (or 3 mos. with an Apple purchase) | $12.99/mo. |
View plans Read Apple TV+ review |
| Hulu | 30 days | $9.99–$18.99/mo. |
View plans Read Hulu review |
| MGM+ | 7 days | $6.99/mo. |
View plans Read MGM+ review |
| Paramount+ | 7 days | $7.99–$12.99/mo. |
View plans Read Paramount+ review |
Data effective as of post date.
Why you should trust us
At CableTV.com, we’re not satisfied with accepting the listed price. We’re always looking for the best deals and testing out the best ways to enjoy television. Our experts spend our days searching provider websites for the fine print they don’t want you to know about.
Want to know more about our process? Check out How We Rank.
