Most people, when thinking of the oldest online streaming site, the name that comes to their mind is Netflix. But you know what Hulu launched in 2008, which is only a year later. Although it never expanded beyond the US, this does not change the fact that Hulu is one of the best online streaming services out there.
The existence of Hulu suffered a bit after the launch of Destiny Plus. The reason being a significant part of Hulu owned by Disney. It offered great content to its viewers, whether movies, shows, Live TV, and whatnot.
Hulu is not available outside the US territories yet, but who knows! It can probably change very soon. So, to learn more about Hulu and explore whether your subscription for Hulu is worth it or not, keep on reading this guide.
What is Hulu?
Hulu-an on-demand video website, enables its users to stream on their favorite shows, both in the US and Japan. The good news is, Hulu has planned an international expansion for 2021 so, stay tuned for that. The Walt Disney Company and Comcast co-own this service. If we talk about the prime focus of Hulu, it mainly focuses on the latest TV shows. You can also get original content, blockbuster and superhit films, and several documentaries on Hulu.
The thing that makes Hulu one of its kind and differentiates it from other online streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime is its ability to give early access to famous series. It covers multiple networks, including both traditional and untraditional networks. It lets you watch The superhit TV series in just a week and some cases, a single day once they have aired. What else can one ask for!
Like the traditional cable networks, Hulu does not charge any additional fee or installation appointments with a subscription. You can Binge-Watch on your favorite shows whenever and wherever you want through this fantastic website. You can watch it from the comfort of your home or on the go too.
In October 2019, Hulu updated its features and enabled its users to watch content while offline. That’s something most of the online streaming sites have been doing for several years at this point.
What is Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu TV or Hulu Plus Live TV is a subscription plan. This plan includes more than 60 Cable TV channels along with the standard streaming catalog. The Hulu Plus-Live TV plan is the best plan for reluctant cord-cutters. This plan enables its customers and viewers to watch numerous channels without going through the hassle of installation and yearlong commitment.
Talking about the price of $54.99 a month is the cheapest Hulu Plus Live TV plan. This price is expected to rise from December 18 end reach $64.99 a month. This plan usually includes the local TV channels, but if you want to add any other medium or customize your channels list, you have to pay an additional fee for that.
The best thing about Hulu Plus Live TV is the Cloud DVR. The Cloud DVR enables its users to save the live content and watch it later. Users can save up to 50 hours of live content, thanks to the Cloud DVR. If you want to increase the hours, all you need to do is pay extra 9.99 dollars a month, which will be increased up to 200 hours.
How does Hulu work?
When it comes to usage, Hulu is a bit complex to use than any other online streaming website. The complexity increases if you are a subscriber of the Hulu+ Live TV plan. Hulu’s basic working is the same as it works as a remote service that houses the content. The server’s connection is made through any device like TV, tablet, mobile phone, etc.
Regardless of the kind of plan that you go for, Hulu always asks its users a few questions that need to be answered before streaming on a show for the first time. These questions are mostly related to your interests to help the service with recommendations later. You can also skip the questions if you want to get started with the streaming a bit earlier.
In order to access the local TV channels for a Hulu + Live TV plus subscriber, a Home network set up is needed. Hulu allows only one Home network, but it can be changed up to four times over a year. This shift of the home network is completely free of cost. The TV channels cannot be streamed on these non-mobile devices present away from the Home network.
A robust internet connection is also needed for you to stream your favorite shows. To make this a bit easier for you, we have come up with some speed recommendations for you that will work best with the Hulu service. These are:
- 3.0 Mbps — For standard & basic streaming.
- 8.0 Mbps — For live TV streaming.
- 16.0 Mbps — For UHD (4K) streaming.
Where is Hulu available?
The only thing that inhibits the users from going for Hulu is the limited availability of this online streaming website. Unlike the major streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime, Hulu is available only in the United States. This streaming website can be accessed from the US territories, including Puerto Rico and Japan’s military bases. But the Live TV service is not present in these territories and can only be accessed in the United States. Moreover, Hulu doesn’t work with VPNs and anonymizers too.
Will Hulu expand internationally?
The expansion of Hulu in other regions like Canada, Japan, and the UK has remained an important topic. There have been several discussions on this topic, but it never succeeded. After the acquisition of Hulu by Disney back in 2018, this talk has gained immense importance. Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, at the beginning of 2020, confirmed its expansion. He made sure that it’s going to happen in 2021. So, stay tuned for that.
Which devices support Hulu?
Hulu’s website has clearly stated that Hulu and Hulu + Live Tv can be streamed on numerous devices. These include iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung smart TVs, Xbox One, Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast devices, select LG and Xbox 360, Android TV, Mac, and PC browsers, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch.
How much does Hulu cost?
Hulu used to offer free content, but this is not the case with it anymore. It became a subscription-based platform in 2016. As far as the subscription is concerned, you can get ad-based content for $6 a month and an ad-free one for $12 a month. The Hulu + Live TV is for $55 a month that is expected to become $65. Moreover, you can get Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ by paying just $13 a month, which is a great deal.
What’s on Hulu?
Although Hulu is not as comprehensive as other networks like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, you can get many famous shows to binge on this online streaming platform. Moreover, it keeps on updating now and then. In addition to this, you will be able to watch all the superhit series and shows the earliest on Hulu. So, what are you waiting for? Go for this incredible service right now, and enjoy your life to its best.
Hulu is High-Class!
Hulu may not be the only best online streaming site present, but many things make the users go for this beautiful site. If you are a fan of TV series and shows too, don’t waste a minute, and go for this gem!
