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Hulu + Live TV Review

Get to know Hulu + Live TV pros and cons to see if the live TV streaming service is right for you.
by Erin Gobler — 
Hulu + Live TV

Everything you need to know about Hulu + Live TV

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Hulu + Live TV is one of the plans offered by the popular streaming service Hulu. It combines the features of the traditional Hulu plan with a live TV component, which allows subscribers to ditch their traditional cable service altogether.

Thanks to the broad mix of titles Hulu's plans provide, this plan could be a great fit for anyone. However, it's especially well suited to those who want to continue to enjoy live TV — whether it be local news or network shows — with an extensive library of on-demand shows and movies.

Hulu + Live TV

Pros Cons
  • More affordable than the average cable TV package
  • Includes access to Hulu's entire streaming library
  • Comes with unlimited Cloud DVR

  • Comes with ads, unless you pay extra for the Hulu + Live TV no-ad plan
  • Requires a paid add-on to use on more than two screens at once
  • Doesn't come with premium channels — you have to pay extra for them

Hulu + Live TV is one of the top services available for those who want to replace their traditional cable plan, but it's not the only one. YouTube TV, Sling TV, and fuboTV each offer a similar service. When choosing the best TV streaming service for you, there are many factors to consider, including the price, channels available, free trial options, DVR hours, and more.

Hulu + Live TV compared to other TV streaming services*


Hulu + Live TVYouTube TVSling TVfuboTV
Starting monthly price $70/mo.$65/mo.$35/mo.$70/mo.
Free trial length None14 daysNoneSeven days
Number of channels 85+ channels85+ channels32+ channels115+ channels
DVR storage hours unlimitedunlimited50 hours1,000 hours

Sign upSign upSign upSign up

*Streaming service package information accurate as of 07/06/2022.

Certain TV streaming services such as Sling TV and fuboTV offer more packages, meaning you can choose the number of channels, DVR hours, and other features you want. On the other hand, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV come more standardized. 

And while Hulu + Live TV doesn't offer the most channels, it comes with access to Hulu's entire streaming library — which starts at $7/mo. on its own — along with access to Disney+ and ESPN+. As a result, Hulu + Live TV may actually save you money in the long run because you may not have to pay for other streaming services.

How much does Hulu + Live TV cost?

Wondering how much Hulu + Live TV will cost you? Subscribers can choose between two different live TV plans when they sign up for Hulu, each of which has its own price tag

Hulu + Live TV
A subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $70/mo. and comes with access to Hulu's complete streaming library of TV shows and movies, up to six user profiles, the ability to watch on two screens at once, more than 85 top channels, Disney+ and ESPN+ subscriptions, a live TV guide to navigate channels, and unlimited Cloud DVR storage.

Hulu + Live TV (No Ads)
Hulu + Live TV without ads costs $76/mo. The plan comes with all of the same features and benefits as Hulu + Live TV, with the ability to enjoy ad-free streaming on most titles and download certain titles to watch offline.

Hulu + Live TV channels and add-ons

A Hulu + Live TV account comes with access to more than 85 broadcast and cable channels. You'll get local channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox affiliates; entertainment and lifestyle channels, such as Bravo, Discovery Channel, E!, Food Network, FX, HGTV, Lifetime, MTV, National Geographic, TLC, and USA Network.

You'll also get kids channels, such as Cartoon Network, the Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon; news channels, such as CNBC, CNN, and MSNBC; and sports channels, such as ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network.

Additionally, Hulu + Live TV subscribers have the option to add several premium add-ons that come with live and on-demand streaming. Those premium add-ons include:

Hulu + Live TV add-ons

Add-on Price

  • $15/mo.
  • $10/mo.
  • $11/mo.
  • $9/mo.

Hulu + Live TV top channels compared

One of the benefits of Hulu + Live TV is that you don't just get access to network cable channels. You'll also be able to stream the most popular local broadcast channels. Below, you'll find the local channels you can view on Hulu + Live TV compared to some other popular live TV streaming services.

Hulu + Live TV local channels


Hulu + Live TVYouTube TVSling TVfuboTV
ABC YesYesNoYes
CBS YesYesNoYes
Fox YesYesNoYes
NBC YesYesNoYes
PBS NoYesNoNo
The CW YesYesNoYes

Hulu + Live TV features

Hulu streaming library
Perhaps the most significant advantage of choosing Hulu + Live TV over its competitor TV streaming services is that it also gives you access to the entire Hulu streaming library. You'll have access to thousands of TV episodes and movies, as well as award-winning Hulu originals, Disney+, and ESPN+.

Cloud DVR storage
Hulu + Live TV comes with unlimited Cloud DVR storage. This means you can record your favorite live TV shows to watch later.

Additional upgrades
Hulu + Live TV comes with several upgrades above and beyond the premium channels. Subscribers can upgrade for unlimited screens, as well as Spanish entertainment and sports add-ons.

Hulu + Live TV supported devices

Hulu + Live TV allows subscribers to create up to six user profiles and stream from two different devices at one time (unless you purchase the unlimited screens add-on). Devices that currently support Hulu + Live TV are:

  • Android phones and tablets
  • Android TV (Google TV)
  • Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K
  • Contour 2 and Contour Stream Player
  • Google Chromecast
  • Echo Show
  • Fire Tablets
  • Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick
  • Apple iPhone and Apple iPad
  • LG TV (webOS)
  • Nintendo Switch
  • Mac and PC browsers (Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox)
  • Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5
  • Roku
  • Samsung TV (Tizen)
  • Vizio (SmartCast TV)
  • Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
  • Xfinity Flex and X1 Streaming TV boxes

Is Hulu + Live TV worth it?

Whether Hulu + Live TV is worth it for you really depends on what you're looking for in a TV streaming service. If you're only looking for a replacement for your cable channels, then other such services as YouTube TV may be more comprehensive than Hulu + Live TV.

However, Hulu's biggest advantage is that when you sign up for a live TV plan, you also get access to the entire streaming library, along with extensive live and on-demand titles on Disney+ and ESPN+. If you're someone who uses on-demand streaming as well as live television, then Hulu + Live TV is probably a great choice for you.