Hulu + Live TV Review 2024: Cost, Plans, Channels, and More
With 85+ live channels and Hulu’s massive library of on-demand TV shows, movies, and originals, Hulu + Live TV is a great value.
Price: $76.99–$89.99/mo.
Channels: 95+
Cloud DVR storage: Unlimited (9 mos.)
Is Hulu + Live TV good?
Hulu + Live TV is exactly what the name implies: live tv streaming (like Sling TV or Philo) added to on-demand Hulu. Combined, Hulu + Live TV is an excellent value because you get access to the Hulu catalog of content and the most popular live TV streaming service in the country (we think YouTube TV does it better, but Hulu + Live TV is a close second).
Hulu + Live TV is one of the more expensive live TV streaming services, but it also features a husky count of popular channels (95+) and a wide range of available deals and discounts. Sweetening the deal, Hulu + Live TV also includes the so-hot-now Hulu bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+, as well as unlimited cloud DVR storage space for recorded shows.
Besides its higher price, the only other downsides to Hulu + Live TV are a handful of favorite channels missing from its live TV lineup (like AMC, BBC America, and IFC) and its simultaneous streams allowance (just two). Still, it’s one of the best live TV streaming services out there—let’s explore why.
Hulu + Live TV pros and cons
Pros
- Unlimited cloud DVR
- Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle included
Cons
- Missing some popular channels
- Only 2 simultaneous streams
Hulu + Live TV free trials and deals
There are no current Hulu + Live TV deals, but the service has a free 7-day trial.
For money-saving tips on Hulu On-Demand, see our Hulu Deals guide.
Hulu + Live TV plans and pricing
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
We prefer the No Ads plan with Hulu on-demand, and the same goes for Hulu + Live TV. But keep in mind that only the on-demand side of Hulu is commercial-free. You’ll still get ad breaks while watching live TV channels; they’re as unavoidable as taxes and Batman movies. If you can afford Hulu + Live TV (No Ads) at $89.99 a month, we say it’s worth it—life’s too short for excess commercials.
Hulu + Live TV vs. the competition
| Service | Price | Channels | Streams | Cloud DVR | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV | $76.99–$89.99/mo. | 95+ | 2 | Unlimited (9 mos.) | View plans |
| YouTube TV | $72.99/mo. | 100+ | 3 | Unlimited (9 mos.) | View plan |
| Philo | $25.00/mo. | 70+ | 3 | Unlimited (1 yr.) | View plan |
| fuboTV | $32.99–$99.99/mo. | 65–260+ | 3 | 1,000 hrs. | View plans |
| Sling TV | $40.00–$55.00/mo. | 30–45+ | 1–4 | 50 hrs. | View plans |
| DIRECTV STREAM | $69.99–$159.99/mo. | 75–150+ | 3 | 20 hrs. | View plans |
| Vidgo | $69.99–$99.99/mo. | 110–250+ | 3 | N/A | View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Hulu + Live TV is most comparable to YouTube TV and Fubo these days, offering a lot of channels and cloud DVR space at a higher monthly price than slimmer live TV streaming services like Sling TV and Philo. However, Hulu + Live TV still has the advantage of being paired up with Hulu’s on-demand library (and Disney+’s and ESPN+’s, technically).
Hulu + Live TV channels
Hulu + Live TV’s channel lineup is impressive, but not without a few holes. Popular channels AMC, BBC America, and IFC are missing from Hulu + Live TV’s 95+ channel collection, as are sports channels like NBA TV, MLB Network, and NHL Network.
For more on Hulu + Live TV’s channel lineup and available add-ons (including premium channels like Max and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME), read our Hulu Channels guide.
Hulu + Live TV specs and features
Like Hulu, Hulu + Live TV allows you to set up a profile in “Kids Mode” to keep younger eyeballs away from adult content, as well as closed captioning and subtitles—you can even adjust the fonts and colors. Hulu + Live TV also supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.
Cloud DVR
| Plan | Cloud DVR |
|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV, Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV | Unlimited (9 mos.) |
The big news here: Hulu + Live TV recently upped its cloud DVR storage space to unlimited (it’ll keep your recorded shows for nine months, as YouTube TV does).
That’s a nice improvement over the previously included 50 hours and extra-charge 200 hours, and you can now skip commercials on recorded live TV. Unlimited storage only seems unusable until you realize how quickly 12 seasons of Bob’s Burgers can pile up (that’s over 100 hours of hamburger puns, FYI).
Simultaneous streams
| Plan | Simultaneous streams | Upgrades |
|---|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV, Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV | 2 | Unlimited ($9.99/mo.) |
Hulu + Live TV allows only two simultaneous streams between TVs, tablets, phones, and computers. This is one of our few complaints about the service—a third stream seems so doable, so why not just do it already? All of the other live TV streaming services offer at least three.
For an additional monthly $9.99, you can upgrade to unlimited simultaneous Hulu + Live TV streams. That’ll get you watching on multiple TVs and up to three mobile screens—as long as they’re all on the same home Wi-Fi network.
Compatible devices
Hulu + Live TV is compatible with most streaming devices and smart TVs, including Roku, Apple TV, and Samsung TVs. Find out more in our Hulu Supported Devices guide.
Video and audio quality
While on-demand Hulu can stream at 1080p and 4K HD video quality, Hulu’s live channels stream at 720p, which is standard with live TV streaming. It’s still HD, and it looks as good as live cable TV.
Hulu + Live TV streams in standard 2.0 audio, also a live TV streaming commonality. On-demand Hulu supports Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound for comparison, audiophiles.
Final take: Is Hulu + Live TV worth it?
Our favorite live TV streaming service at CableTV.com is still YouTube TV, but Hulu + Live TV has plenty going for it—especially after the recent additions of the included Disney+/ESPN+ bundle and unlimited cloud DVR storage.
Hulu + Live TV is also unique in that it comes with an excellent built-in on-demand service (Hulu, of course). If YouTube TV suddenly disappeared (perish the thought), we’d jump to Hulu + Live TV in a second—even if we had to put up with just two streams and no AMC. The pluses far outweigh the minuses here.
Hulu + Live TV FAQ
What does Hulu + Live TV include?
Hulu + Live TV includes access to the entire Hulu on-demand library, as well as 95+ live TV channels. It also includes unlimited cloud DVR space (for nine months), two simultaneous in-network streams, and the option to add premium channels like Max (formerly HBO Max) and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
Does Hulu + Live TV have local channels?
Hulu + Live TV carries local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and Telemundo channels in most markets, but no PBS channels.
What channels does Hulu + Live TV not have?
Hulu + Live TV doesn’t carry popular channels like AMC, IFC, and BBC America, or several regional sports networks (RSNs) like FOX Sports RSNs, YES Network, and Marquee Sports Network. Also, MGM+™ isn’t available as a premium add-on for Hulu + Live TV.
Methodology
Our TV experts spent hundreds of hours testing and evaluating Hulu + Live TV, rating the service on value, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction. Then we matched Hulu + Live TV up against other premium streaming TV services head to head to give a clearer picture of its strengths and weaknesses. For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.
