YouTube TV vs Hulu: YouTube TV and Hulu are two of the most popular Online TV streaming platforms providing 100s of online channels with unlimited recording features and many more. Hulu launched a paid subscription service called Hulu+, and in 2017, they took a major step with the debut of Hulu+Live TV, an internet-based streaming option that includes access to live broadcast channels. On the other hand, YouTube launched YouTube TV in 2017 and has expanded to cover a large portion of US households. Over time, it has added more networks and features.
Over the last several years, we have been using Hulu as well as YouTube TV, and by going through this detailed comparison between Hulu & YouTube TV, you can decide which platform is worth spending your money. Therefore, without wasting any time, let’s deep dive into the YouTube TV vs Hulu comparison.
YouTube TV vs Hulu
YouTube offers YouTube Premium, which includes an ad-free experience on YouTube, YouTube Music Premium, the ability to download videos for offline viewing, and background playback. It also allows for sharing the membership with up to 5 family members. Along with that, YouTube TV offers live TV services with 120+ channels. YouTube is a globally renowned name in online streaming, and ever since 2017, after the launch of YouTube TV, it has tried to capitalize on the online TV channel service market too.
Hulu offers multiple bundle options on its website, which can be categorised into 2 broad spectrums. First, there are bundles with streaming platforms like Disney+, Max, ESPN+, along with full access to Hulu’s streaming library. Second, together with access to its streaming library, Hulu also provides 100+ live TV channels along with Disney+ and ESPN+. This way, Hulu tries to cater to the conventional live TV audience as well as to the people who don’t watch much of the live TV channels and get their source of entertainment through streaming platforms.
Both Hulu and YouTube TV offer similar price points to people, but YouTube TV provides more live channels than Hulu + Live TV. Not only is there a difference in the number of channels, but there is also a difference in their catalogs of channels that both offer.
| Feature | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-Free Option | No Ad-Free Option (live TV has ads) | $95.99/Month (no ads for on-demand) |
| Concurrent Streaming | 3 – Unlimited Devices | 2 – Unlimited Devices |
| Offline DVR Download | Yes (for an extra $9.99/Month) | No |
| Free Trial | 7-14 Days* | 3-7 Days* |
| Student Discount | No | Yes |
( * The duration of the free trial keeps changing based on offers )
Plan & Price Comparison of TV Services
YouTube TV offers its services at a base price of $82.99/month and has over 120 channels in its catalog, YouTube TV allows 3 devices to run at the same time. If you plan to upgrade and use more features like unlimited screens, 4K content, and offline DVR download from YouTube TV you at an additional $9.99 per month can get it done. It is important to know that, unlike Hulu, having a YouTube TV plan does not automatically give you access to YouTube Premium, and that if you want have to buy it separately.
Hulu+Live TV’s pack that comes with Disney+ and ESPN+ at a base price of $82.99/month has a library of 100+ channels and allows its platform to run on two devices at the same time. They also offer a pack for $95.99/month through which allows people to stream Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ with no ads on its platform, but Live TV will still have ads, and also gives people access to unlimited simultaneous streaming, whereby multiple people can access their platform at the same time from the same id. $95.99/month pack also allows offline download of shows from Hulu and Disney+, but not from Live TV streaming. Hulu also offers a free 3-7 day trial for people to try their services without paying.
| Feature | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $82.99/Month | $82.99/Month |
| Channels Up To | 120+ Channels | 100+ Channels |
| 4K Content | Yes (For $9.99/Month) | No |
| Cloud DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Simultaneous Streaming | 3 – Unlimited Devices | 2 – Unlimited Devices |
| Free Trial | 7-14 Days* | 3-7 Days* |
| Offline Download | No | Yes (If Using $95.99/Month Pack) |
( * The duration of the free trial keeps changing based on offers )
YouTube Plans
YouTube, apart from YouTube TV, offers a paid subscription service called YouTube Premium, offering an ad-free experience across YouTube, background playback, offline downloads, and access to YouTube Music. Subscribers also get exclusive content from YouTube Originals. There are different plans like the Individual Plan, Family Plan, Student Plan, and Premium Lite Plan.
Individual Plan for $13.99 per month offers ad-free video on YouTube, YouTube Music Premium, allows running video in the background, and also offers offline downloads of YouTube Videos. Family Plan for $22.99 per month offers all the same features as the Individual Plan, in addition, it allows access to up to 5 family/friends of the account. Student Plan can only be availed by students after verification for $7.99 per month, which lets them access all the features of the Individual Plan too. Premium Lite Plan for $7.99 per month only helps the user to watch YouTube videos without ads, and no other benefits are offered.
| Plan | Individual Plan | Family Plan | Student Plan | Premium Lite Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | $13.99/Month | $22.99/Month | $7.99/Month | $7.99/Month |
| Features | Ad-free videos, background play, offline downloads, YouTube Music Premium | All features of the Individual plan + access to 5 family members in the same household | All features of the Individual plan for verified students only | Ad-free viewing for most YouTube videos |
Hulu Plans
Hulu, other than its Live TV plan that comes with Disney+ and ESPN+, provides packages in partnership with other streaming service providers and presents people with several bundles from which people can choose. Hulu with Disney+ provides a package starting at $10.99/month that allows people to access content from both streaming platforms. This pack does not allow offline download of content, and even shows ads on some content, but for $19.99/month, people get an ad-free experience and even download content offline.
Hulu has a package with Disney+ and ESPN+, which starts at $16.99/month with ads and no offline download feature, but for $26.99/month provides an ad-free experience and allows offline download of content.
Hulu also has a package with Disney+ and Max at a starting price of $16.99/month, having ads and no offline download feature, but for $29.99/month gives an ad-free experience and allows offline download of content.
| Feature | Hulu with Disney+ | Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+ | Hulu with Disney+ and Max | Hulu with Live TV, Disney+ and ESPN+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (with ads) | $10.99/Month | $16.99/Month | $16.99/Month | $82.99/Month |
| Price (without ads) | $19.99/Month | $26.99/Month | $29.99/Month | $95.99/Month |
| Cloud DVR Storage | No | No | No | Yes |
Student Discount
YouTube TV does not offer any student discount for its plan. There is a discount offer for students on YouTube Premium, which reduces the price of YouTube Premium from $13.99 per month to $7.99 per month.
Hulu provides students with unlimited access to the Hulu Streaming library at a subscription fee of $1.99/month, which is valid for the entire duration of their college time. This discount is valid for the Hulu streaming library only; if a student wants access to any other available bundle, they would have to pay the same price.
We know that the above details will not give you a complete picture of the Channels, therefore, we planned to divide the channels into Local, Sports & more.
YouTube TV vs Hulu Channel Comparison
Local TV Channels
Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV provide major broadcast networks, but the channels might change depending on where in the USA you are. But, if you look at the overall channels, then YouTube TV provides more channels as compared to Hulu + Live TV.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| The CW | Yes | Yes |
| PBS | Yes | Yes |
| MyNetworkTV | Yes | No |
| Dabl | Yes | Yes |
| Cozi TV | Yes | Yes |
| Court TV | Yes | No |
| GetTV | Yes | Yes |
| Bounce TV | Yes | No |
| Ion | Yes | No |
| Ion Mystery | Yes | No |
| Start TV | Yes | Yes |
| Local Now | Yes | No |
| Localish | No | Yes |
| Charge! | No | Yes |
Sports Channels
When it comes to sports channels on YouTube TV & Hulu + Live TV, it’s really hard to say which one is worth it. That’s because both streaming platforms have channels that depend on your choice. YouTube TV has a lead, even though the lead is very small.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| ACC Network | Yes | Yes |
| Big Ten Network (BTN) | Yes | Yes |
| CBS Sports Network | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN2 | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNews | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNU | Yes | Yes |
| FanDuel TV | No | Yes |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Sports 2 (FS2) | Yes | Yes |
| Golf Channel | Yes | Yes |
| MLB Network | Yes | Yes |
| MLB Game of the Week | Yes | No |
| Monumental Sports Network | No | Yes |
| NBC Sports | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Sports Washington | No | Yes |
| NFL Network | Yes | Yes |
| NBA TV | Yes | No |
| SEC Network | Yes | Yes |
| Tennis Channel | Yes | Yes |
| LAFC | Yes | No |
Entertainment & Lifestyle Channels
Again, YouTube TV has more variety in entertainment and lifestyle channels than Hulu + Live TV.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| AMC | Yes | No |
| A&E | No | Yes |
| Bravo | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy.tv | Yes | Yes |
| E! | Yes | Yes |
| FX | Yes | Yes |
| FXM | Yes | Yes |
| FXX | Yes | Yes |
| Game Show Network | Yes | Yes |
| Hallmark Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Hallmark Drama | Yes | No |
| Hallmark Movies & Mysteries | Yes | Yes |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | Yes | Yes |
| Lifetime | No | Yes |
| Lifetime Movies | No | Yes |
| Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) | Yes | Yes |
| Oxygen True Crime | Yes | Yes |
| Paramount Network | Yes | Yes |
| Pop | Yes | No |
| Pop TV | No | Yes |
| SundanceTV | Yes | No |
| Syfy | Yes | Yes |
| TBS | Yes | No |
| TCM (Turner Classic Movies) | Yes | Yes |
| TLC | Yes | No |
| TNT | Yes | No |
| Travel Channel | Yes | No |
| TruTV | Yes | No |
| TV Land | Yes | No |
| Universal Kids | Yes | No |
| USA Network | Yes | No |
| VH1 | Yes | No |
| WE tv | Yes | No |
| FYI | No | Yes |
| Great American Family | No | Yes |
| Magnolia Network | No | Yes |
| Recipe.TV | Yes | No |
| Docurama | Yes | No |
| Dove Channel | Yes | No |
News Channels
Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have a lot of big-name news channels in their catalog, and the number of news channels is quite similar on both platforms.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| ABC News | Yes | Yes |
| ABC News Live | No | Yes |
| BBC America | Yes | No |
| BBC World News | Yes | No |
| Bloomberg Television | No | Yes |
| Cheddar News | Yes | No |
| CBS News | No | Yes |
| CNN | Yes | Yes |
| CNN International | No | Yes |
| CNBC | Yes | Yes |
| CNBC World | Yes | No |
| Fox Business | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Weather | No | Yes |
| HLN | Yes | Yes |
| Law & Crime | Yes | No |
| LiveNOW from FOX | No | Yes |
| MSNBC | Yes | Yes |
| NewsNation | Yes | Yes |
| Scripps News | Yes | No |
| TYT (The Young Turks) | Yes | No |
| The Weather Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Justice Central | Yes | Yes |
Kids Channels
YouTube TV offers quite a few different kids’ channels in their plan, but Hulu + Live TV has only Disney-related kids’ channels in their plan.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Disney Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Junior | Yes | Yes |
| Disney XD | Yes | Yes |
| Nickelodeon | Yes | No |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | No |
| Nicktoons | Yes | No |
| PBS Kids | Yes | No |
| Universal Kids | Yes | No |
Based on these channel lists, you can choose which platform serves you best. If you want more total channels and a better variety, YouTube TV is the winner. But if you value on-demand content with Disney+ and ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV may be the better fit.
YouTube TV vs Hulu Add-On Packs
YouTube TV has 120+ Live TV channels in its base plan, but if people want more, then YouTube TV provides add-on packs with some of the biggest platforms like Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, AMC+, BET+, YouTube TV Sports Plus, and 40+ such partners for extra charges per month for their respective services. Also, there are linguistic packs like Spanish Plan, Spanish Plus Plan, and Filipino Plan for people to choose from.
Hulu + Live TV comes with ESPN+ and Disney+ and 100+ Live TV channels, but apart from that, big streaming platforms like Max, Cinemax, STARZ, and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME also provide an option to add their streaming services to your pack if you want to watch their content too, for there respectable add-on charges.
Cloud DVR & Recording Features
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV both provide unlimited cloud DVR storage for up to 9 months, allowing users to record content without worrying about the storage limit. Users can fast forward YouTube TV’s DVR, but Hulu’s default DVR does not allow fast-forwarding through ads. At an additional price, YouTube TV also allows offline download of DVR, which is not supported for Hulu + Live TV.
Simultaneous Streams & User Profiles
YouTube TV allows users to stream on 3 devices simultaneously, but if you want to stream on unlimited devices, then you can opt for an upgrade with an extra fee. Hulu + Live TV, by default, allows users only 2 devices for streaming simultaneously. Similar to YouTube TV, you can also upgrade to unlimited access at an additional cost. One thing common to both streaming services is that they provide support up to 6 user profiles, allowing family members to have personalized recommendations and watchlists.
Final Verdict: YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV
While both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer strong channel lineups, DVR features, and optional add-ons, YouTube TV edges out as the better choice for most users. It delivers a cleaner interface, superior unlimited DVR with easier playback, and broader sports coverage, making it ideal for live TV enthusiasts. Hulu + Live TV, however, is better suited for viewers who want bundled access to Hulu’s on-demand content, Disney+, and ESPN+.
Ultimately, YouTube TV is a better option for live TV and sports, and if you prefer on-demand content with Disney+ and ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV is the better option.
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