Hulu
- Hulu with ads: $6.99/month or $69.99/year
- Hulu with no ads: $12.99/month
Add-ons:
- ESPN+: additional $6.99/month
- Disney+: additional $2.99/month
Hulu has come a long way over the years. Hulu isn’t the best overall yet, but it is better than both Netflix and Prime Video in a number of ways.
Advantages of Hulu
The Best Option for Network TV
Thanks to Hulu’s Streaming Library, subscribers will be able to watch the latest episodes of TV shows airing on ABC, NBC, The CW, Fox, and CBS right away. Hulu airs episodes of new shows from these networks the day after they air. This is infinitely better than Netflix, which takes ages to get new shows, or Prime Video’s expensive pay-per-episode/season system.
In addition, if you’re looking for a live TV replacement option, Hulu is your best bet here, too. For $69.99/month ($75.99/month if you want no ads), you gain access to their Live TV service, which offers access to around 70 channels, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Hulu also offers partner, premium, and individual Live TV add-ons for varying additional monthly fees
Great Blend of Original Content and Licensed Content
Hulu doesn’t have as much original content as Netflix, nor as much licensed content as Prime Video, but it’s a healthy mixture of both.
Hulu offers up some pretty good original TV shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Nine Perfect Strangers, Only Murders in the Building, and The Girl from Plainsville. The streaming service has plenty of licensed goodies like How I Met Your Father, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Community.
Speaking from personal experience, I can also say that Hulu is the best streaming service on this list for all the Asian drama addicts out there. With classics like Boys over Flowers, Descendants of the Sun, Oh My Venus, Heartstrings, The Heirs, and more, you’ll be sure to get your Asian drama fix on Hulu.
And don’t worry, Hulu has a great selection of movies as well.
Hulu’s Accessibility and Convenience Is Almost as Good as Netflix
Just like Netflix, Hulu is available on pretty much every modern device you can think of: smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and current-gen gaming systems. Hulu’s UI isn’t as clean as Netflix’s, but it’s improving and is better than Prime Video’s UI.
Offers the Cheapest Single-Price Option of the Big Three
Hulu’s cheapest subscription option is $6.99 a month. It comes with ads, of course, but if you’re used to traditional TV, it might not bother you too much.
Disadvantages of Hulu
The Ads Are Absolutely Terrible
Yes, Hulu has the cheapest subscription option here, but it also has the worst ads.
I don’t think words can describe just how awful the ads are on Hulu. There’s nothing worse than when the action gets good in a TV show, and suddenly you get hit with a 90-second ad about BBQ grill lighter fluid or eye drops.
Making it worse is the fact that some shows have advertisers that are linked to their content, so you will have to see the same commercials over and over again. When you’re binge-watching, this can get really annoying, really quickly.
Six dollars a month might seem like a great deal, but in all honesty, I wouldn't recommend Hulu with ads to anyone.
Only Available in the United States and Japan
One of Hulu’s biggest flaws is its extremely limited reach. As of now, Hulu is only officially available in the United States and Japan.
There are workarounds using VPNs if you are in any other territory, but the hassle isn’t really worth it when there are other great streaming service options available.
