Hulu: how to sign up, apps, devices, movies, shows, plans, and more explained

Here’s our guide to Hulu and what you need to know about the streamer

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Hulu is one of thebest streaming servicesright now. It has a huge library of movies and TV shows, which includes big blockbusters, exciting originals and classic favorites. It doesn’t dominate the headlines as much as Netflix or have the massive franchises of Disney Plus, but it’s well worth your time.

In the guide below, we’ve collected together everything we think you need to know about Hulu. We’ve included prices, details about free trials, how to watch in4Kand much more. We’ve also added details about Hulu and Disney Plus joining forces to create a “one-app experience”. Last but not least, we’ll also give you an essential rundown of all of the top Hulu TV shows and best Hulu movies to watch.

Hulu explained: what is Hulu and Hulu with Live TV?

As ourHulu reviewexplains, signing up to the streaming platform gets you access to more than 1,600 TV shows and over 2,500 films. That’s a lot of content for your eyeballs to feast on.

There are also a bunch of different bundles and add-ons you can bolt on to your Hulu subscription. Premium channels, such asMax, Showtime and ESPN can be included for an extra monthly fee, while unlimited screens, Entertainment Network and Español Network add-ons are also an option. You can cancel or switch up these perks when you want to.

Hulu was confirmed to be joining Disney Plus sometime in 2024. This was made official back in May 2024, whenHulu became part of Disney Plus. You can now get both streaming services as a bundle, starting at $9.99 a month for the standard subscription with ads. You can pay $19.99 a month for a premium plan with zero commercials.

Hulu andDisney Pluswill continue to be available as separate services in the US, but this new 2-in-1 option will surely make the new-look platform an even more viable contender to streaming behemoths likeNetflix, Max, andPrime Video. It will also bring the updated platform more in line with the UK and Australia, where Disney Plus subscribers can view a broader range of movies and TV shows via theDisney Plus Starservice.

So what’s the best bundle to purchase right now? Hulu newbies may also want to cast a glance over theHulu with Live TV subscription, which offers more than 75 TV channels for a reasonable price – it’s a viable alternative to cable that comes with Disney Plus andESPN Plusfor good measure. You’ll also have access to Cloud DVR (Digital Video Recorder), which allows you to to record unlimited hours of live television.

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You can also now sign-up for aDisney Plus, Hulu, and Max mega bundle. That’s one super comprehensive mix of streaming services and you have two subscription options to choose from. $16.99 per month with ads and $29.99 per month without ads. That’s roughly a 38% on the cost of buying each of those services separately. OurDisney Plus bundleguide provides plenty more details if we’ve just piqued your interest, too.

How to sign up to Hulu

Here’s how to sign up for a Hulu subscription:

How much does Hulu cost?

Before you get a subscription, you might want to know how much each one costs. You can check out ourHulu plans and prices guidefor a full breakdown of subscription options and add-ons. But, for a streamlined version of what’s on offer, keep reading.

Hulu’s Basic Plan (i.e. the ad-supported one) costs $7.99 a month / $79.99 a year. However, students can grab a Basic Plan for as little as $1.99 per month (check out theHulu Student planto see if you’re eligible).

If you want a Hulu plan without ads you’ll have to stump up $17.99 a month, but it will cost just $2.00 a month more to add Disney Plus (with ads) to your package – an attractive option if you want to watch both platforms. Hulu’s price tiers break down as follows:

There are also various bundle offerings, with Duo options adding Disney Plus to your Hulu package, and Trio options throwing ESPN Plus into the mix as well. The bundle options look like this:

Hulu + Live TV plans are also available as an alternative to cable, and give you access to live television channels as well as both Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

Another option allows you to grab a Hulu with Live TV-only subscription for $75.99 a month. However, considering you’ll forgo the Hulu library – as well as Disney Plus and ESPN Plus content – with the Live TV-only package, you might as well pay an extra dollar to get Hulu + Live TV, and gain access to all of the available streaming content. Hulu + Live TV plans are priced as follows:

But before you sign-up, you should know thatHulu is getting more expensive. From October 17, 2024,Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus will all get a price hike.For Hulu users this means the With Ads tier will now go up to $9.99 a month from $7.99. The Without Ads tier will increase from $17.99 to $18.99 a month.

Hulu free trial: is there one?

There is – and it’s a great deal, too! You can try Hulu’s standard package or its no ads equivalent for free for a whole month (read ourHulu free trialguide for more), which gives you 30 days to explore the platform’s eclectic line-up.

Signing up to this offer allows you to watch Hulu’s best TV shows and movies, work out if its library is worth the investment, and sign up for a subscription if you’re happy with what’s on offer. The opportunity to try before you buy has rarely been so enticing.

Hulu shows and movies: what’s available?

An entry-level Hulu membership grants you access to numerous hit shows and the chance to catch new episodes the day after broadcast. There’s also a plethora of kid-friendly options, not to mention Hulu Originals, plus TV series and films (old and new), from various major studios.

So read on and you’ll see we weren’t exaggerating when we said you’ll never be short of things to watch on Hulu…

As we mentioned earlier, Hulu also carries TV series from other networks, including A&E, AMC, VH1, MTV, TNT, Disney Channel, National Geographic, and Discovery. That means you’re only a click away fromSons of Anarchy(FX),Modern Family(ABC),Broad City(Comedy Central), and animated classics likeBob’s Burgers, King of the Hill, andFamily Guy(Fox).

Hulu app: what devices can you watch on?

The Hulu app and its many features are supported by lots of devices. If you own one or more of the below, accessing Hulu will be a breeze:

Clickherefor a more detailed list of Hulu-compatible devices and models.

• WhileContour devices, PlayStation 3, and Xfinity devices have the latest Hulu app, they don’t support live TV programming.

Is Hulu available in 4K and HDR?

Yes. Some of Hulu’s greatest shows are available with a sharper image, deeper color, and 8 million pixels (px) support. However, this feature isn’t supported across the board. Hulu is home to over 4,000 titles, but only a tiny fraction of that number come with 4K support.

Almost every Hulu Original is available to stream in the higher definition format, though, so fans ofThe Handmaid’s Taleneed not worry. Other titles you can watch in 4K Ultra HD includeMarvel-inspired supernatural thrillerHelstrom,whilesome FX titles, such asDevsandMrs America, are also available in 4K. Any content available in this format will display a 4K badge on their landing pages.

Lastly, you can watch 4K UHD content on the following:AppleTV (5th generation and above), Chromecast Ultra, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick,LGTVs (2017 UHD models and above),Roku,SamsungTVs (2019 UHD models or later),VizioSmartCast TVs, and Xbox One (S and X models).HDRisn’t supported right now, so all 4K UHD content will be streamed in Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

How does Hulu compare to its rivals?

Netflix, Hulu’s main rival, boasts over 5,000 films and TV series, and produces hundreds of TV shows and movies a year, includingStranger Things.

The cost of a Hulu subscription is slightly more expensive than the Netflix equivalent. At $6.99 a month, Netflix’s Standard (with ads) tier works out at $1 less than Hulu’s $7.99 ads plan, and if you want to go ad-free, Hulu’s $17.99 per month is pricier than Netflix’s Standard (no ads) $15.49 plan.

Now that Netflix has improved the offering on its Standard packages to make 1080p HD streaming and the option to watch on two devices simultaneously the default option, the two platforms' offerings are remarkably similar – especially as both streamers' ad-free options give you the option to download content to view offline.

The main point of difference comes when you factor in adding extra viewers to your package. If you want the option to watch Hulu on unlimited screens, it will cost you an extra $9.99 per month. Netflix, meanwhile, will charge $7.99 per month for each additional member (outside your household) you add to your account.

Netflix also offers a premium option for $22.99. This allows you to stream on four devices simultaneously, while offering Ultra HD streams, Netflix spatial audio, downloads on six supported devices, and the option to add up to two additional members from outside your household.

Prime Videoworks out slightly cheaper than Hulu for ad-free viewing, with a fullAmazonPrime membership costing $14.99 per month (or $139 annually) and the Prime Video-only option coming in at $8.99. With around 18,000 titles, Prime Video’s content library is massive, though the overall quality is open to debate. The service includes plenty of high-profile Amazon Originals such asThe Boys,The Rings of Power, andInvincible, as well as high-caliber movies old and new.

Prime membership also delivers other bonuses like free order delivery, Prime Reading, and ad-free music streaming, which justifies its comparatively expensive price point. On the downside, you’re limited to three streams per account and – when it comes to replicating the cable experience – Hulu + Live TV is a much more cost-effective option compared to adding individual Amazon Channels.

HBO Max, which had been one of Hulu’s biggest rivals in the US streaming market for several years, was replaced by the newMaxservice in May 2023. Max’s ad-supported tier (Max Ad-Lite) costs $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year), making it slightly more expensive than the $7.99 per month (or $79.99 per year) you’ll pay for the Hulu equivalent.

Things get more complicated when you enter ad-free territory, however. Max’s ad-free option (Max Ad-Free) costs $15.99 per month ($149.99 per year) – in other words, cheaper than the $17.99 per month you pay to go ad-free on Hulu, especially if you opt to pay annually (not an option on Hulu’s ad-free package). But if you want more than two concurrent streams and 4K UHD resolution on Max, you’ll have to stump up even more for the $19.99-a-month Max Ultimate Ad Free plan. (You also have the option to add Max as a bolt-on to your Hulu service for $15.99 a month.)

On paper, then, there’s not much to choose between Max and Hulu in terms of price, though it’s worth noting that the new Warner Bros Discovery-backed streamer arguably has the superior content library on its side. As well as ground-breaking HBO dramas likeThe Last of Us,The Wire, andGame of Thrones, subscribers get a wide range of titles from Warner Bros., their subsidiaries, and third-party companies. That means easy access to all Studio Ghibli animations,DCComics movies,The Lord of the Ringsfilms, and a selection of classic movies curated by TCM.

Of course, the balance of power shifted slightly after the combined Hulu-Disney Plus offer, and the triumvirate streaming package comprising Hulu, Disney Plus, and Max, launched earlier this year. Our guides to thebest Max showsandbest Max moviesare a good way to work out if a subscription to Max, or the aforementioned super streaming Max-based bundle, is worth the investment.

For more Hulu-based coverage, read our guides on thebest Hulu movies,best Hulu shows,new Hulu movies, andbest Hulu documentaries.

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.

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