Hulu vs Netflix: Which one is right for you?

First things first: It’s impossible to proclaim the ultimate winner in the Hulu vs Netflix battle. Although the basic premise of the two streaming services is the same, they are very different from one another in many ways. Which one is right for you comes down to a number of factors including how much you want to spend, what types of shows you like to watch, and how many simultaneous streams you need, among other things.

Read more: The best original streaming shows

This article covers all these things and more. We take a closer look at the similarities and differences between Hulu and Netflix to help you decide which one is more suitable for you. Let’s dive in. You can sign up for either or both services via the buttons below.

Hulu vs Netflix at a glance

Hulu vs Netflix: Availability 

Netflix is available in most parts of the world — you can subscribe to the service in more than 190 countries. Hulu, on the other hand, is only available in the US (and US military bases). By the looks of it, it won’t make its way to other markets anytime soon.

If you live in Canada, Europe, Australia, or any other country outside the US, Netflix is your best bet. Sure, there are ways to get access to Hulu in these markets, but it’s probably not worth the hassle for most people. That’s because you need a credit or debit card issued by a financial institution based in the US to sign up for the streaming service. If you can manage to get it somehow or bypass the restriction with something like a Hulu gift card, you still need a good VPN to make it look like you’re based in the US Even that doesn’t work all the time, as Hulu regularly blocks users who access their site via a VPN.

Having said that, a lot of Hulu originals are available outside the US. Initially, they were spread out among various services, but increasingly Disney, which owns Hulu, has started including Hulu content with Disney Plus subscriptions outside the US via the international Disney Plus Star brand.

Device support

Both Netflix and Hulu are available on Android, iOS, game consoles, media streamers like Roku and Fire TV, computers, and even certain smart TVs. Hulu is also available on the Nintendo Switch, while Netflix is not.

Hulu vs Netflix: Content

Content is the biggest factor that will determine whether you should subscribe to Hulu or Netflix. Both offer tons of movies and TV shows but have different areas of focus. Netflix is best known for its original programming. That includes hit shows like Squid Game, Stranger Things, Narcos, Ozark, Queer Eye, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Big Mouth, and plenty of others. The company spends well over $10 billion each year on original content. Although not every show the company makes is a hit, there are plenty of good ones available in different genres.

Original Netflix movies include plenty of critically-acclaimed and blockbuster hits like Roma, Red Notice, The Irishman, The Power of the Dog, The Gray Man, The Lost Daughter, Da 5 Bloods, and more.

Don’t miss: The best Netflix original series

Where Hulu has an edge over Netflix is in network TV. The streaming service has the right to next-day streaming of new shows from ABC, NBC, and FX. That gives it access to loads of popular TV shows. Hulu is home to old and new hit TV series like The X-Files, ER, Futurama, Firefly, and plenty of others. Netflix generally releases an entire season of a certain show at once, so you have to wait longer to start watching it.

Hulu has its own original shows including the popular Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Great. But, generally speaking, Netflix is better for originals while Hulu offers more when it comes to network TV programming. Hulu does have some original movies too, like Hellraiser, Deep Water, Prey, and Palm Springs.

You get a large selection of movies from different genres with both services, so there should be something in there for everyone.

Unlike Netflix, you can customize Hulu with add-ons including ESPN Plus, HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz, all of which are available for an additional monthly fee (see pricing section below). These add-ons give you access to additional content, including popular titles like Succession, Game of Thrones, Dexter, and more, as well as all the other content Hulu offers. That means you don’t have to constantly switch between apps.

In addition to add-ons, Hulu also offers a plan with Live TV channels, which is another thing you can’t get with Netflix. This option is pricey and gets you access to more than 60 TV channels including ABC, National Geographic, CNN, and more — see the full list here.

Read: The best funny movies on Netflix

Of course, you can always combine Netflix with something like YouTube TV. That will get you access to live TV channels, and you can sign up for services like HBO Max and Showtime independently, but you won’t have access to all of them in one service like with Hulu.

Important: Keep in mind that content on Netflix differs from country to country due to licensing rights. Netflix’s library of movies and TV shows is much, much smaller in a lot of countries in Europe and other regions compared to the US, which is a shame. Some try to get around this restriction with a VPN, but not all of them work since Netflix is working hard on blocking them.

Hulu vs Netflix: Plans and pricing

Netflix offers Four subscription plans: Basic with Ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium. The first one will set you back $6.99 per month and lets you watch as many shows and movies as you want. However, you can only stream them in SD quality and on one device at a time, and you’ll need to put up with ads. For an extra $3, you can bump that up to Basic. Everything stays the same, but you lose the ads. The Standard plan, which comes in at $15.49 per month, is a much better option for most people. The resolution gets bumped up to HD and you can stream on two devices at the same time. If you want to stream content in 4K and on as many as four devices at the same time, go with the Premium plan. It costs $19.99 per month. Note that Netflix recently stopped offering its long-time 30-day free trial for new subscribers.

Hulu has five stand-alone plans in its lineup (not counting bundle deals), but they are quite different from Netflix’s offering. The cheapest one is for college students only. It allows eligible college students to get Hulu for just $1.99 a month (with ads).

Then the most popular plan costs just $7.99 per month and gives you unlimited access to Hulu’s content library. However, it’s also ad-supported, which means your shows will be interrupted by commercials. If you can’t stand those pesky commercials, the ad-free plan is a better but more expensive option — it costs $14.99 per month. It also adds support for downloading TV shows and some movies for offline viewing. Hulu also recently added support for 4K resolution. However, it’s only available to a limited number of TV shows and movies.

The other two plans are the most expensive ones and, in addition to Hulu’s content library, also include access to more than 60 live TV channels, which is something Netflix does not offer. The plan will set you back $69.99 per month with ads on Hulu, or $82.99 a month without ads. These bundle options include a subscription to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for even more content.

The Hulu plans only allow one stream per account. The Hulu + Live TV plan bumps it up to two streams. You can opt into “Unlimited Screens” if that’s not enough. This lets you watch content simultaneously on any number of devices connected to your home network. It also supports streaming on up to three mobile devices while you’re on the go. All of these features are available for an extra $9.99 per month. You can also get enhanced cloud DVR as an add-on for an additional $9.99, or bundle it with the Unlimited Screens for $14.98.

You can further customize every Hulu plan with add-ons that give you access to additional, premium content. The options available include:

• ESPN Plus — $6.99 per month
• HBO Max — $14.99
• Cinemax — $9.99 per month
• Showtime — $10.99 per month
• Starz — $8.99 per month

The service offers free trials for its different streaming options. These vary from seven to 30 days depending on your plan, and free trials may vary depending on when you sign up.

Finally, you can get the ad-supported version of Hulu with a bundle that includes Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for $12.99 a month. You can also get the same bundle with the no-ads version of Hulu for $19.99 a month, or remove ESPN Plus and get Disney Plus and Hulu (with ads) for $9.99 per month.

So, which one is right for you?

Which of the two streaming services to subscribe to comes down to personal preference. Netflix has more (and arguably better) original content. It also offers more support for 4K resolution (high-end plan only). Finally, it is more generous in terms of how many devices you can watch content on at the same time. 

Hulu, on the other hand, is a better option if you’re looking for popular network TV shows, with some episodes being available 24 hours after airing on TV. It’s cheaper than Netflix, with the entry-level plan offering the most savings, but it’s ad-supported. Hulu also gives you the option of additional content through add-ons and access to live TV channels, all of which you can access under one roof. Finally, you can get it bundled with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for one low price.

Both services have their pros and cons, so the best thing to do is to try them both out. Hulu offers free trials, allowing you to check out the content on offer and test out the video quality along with other features without spending a dime. And Netflix allows you to cancel anytime if you don’t like what you see. After the testing period is complete, you’ll have a better idea of which service offers more value for you.

Also, keep in mind that you can cancel your Hulu or Netflix account any time with just a few clicks. So if you ever get tired of one service for whatever reason, you can switch over to the other one within minutes. Heck, you can go back and forth every month if that’s your thing. A lot of the shows on Netflix aren’t available on Hulu and vice versa. That means moving from one service to the other gives you the chance to discover new content.

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That’s our look at the services, comparing Hulu vs Netflix. We will update this post if any changes or new features are added to each service.