Hulu vs. YouTube TV: Comparing Cable Alternatives
Alike in the ability to stream live TV, Hulu TV and YouTube TV are fantastic streaming platforms for those looking to transition away from traditional cable television, but still want to watch their favorite shows on the major cable networks. While Hulu and YouTube a longstanding names in the entertainment industry, their presence as streaming platforms are less established than competitors in the field.
Let’s review the key features of these entertainment platforms so that you can be an informed consumer and find the perfect subscription for you.
Price
Hulu:
Hulu offers two plans to customers: one version that includes advertisements within the content, and one that’s ad-free. The ad-free version costs $11.99 per month, while Hulu with ads costs only $5.99 per month.
Hulu with ads comes at an exceptionally affordable monthly rate when compared to most streaming networks, not just YouTube TV. However, having to watch ads along with your desired content is an annoyance and an inconvenience that many viewers aren’t willing to put up with. Also, the inclusion of ads is somewhat of a foreign concept for paid streaming subscriptions – many viewers have cut the cord on cable because doing so would spare them from sitting through advertisements.
YouTube TV:
A YouTube TV subscription costs $49.99. This is a steep price, especially compared to other streaming platform. But, YouTube is unique in that it’s intended to be a complete replacement for cable TV. Also, the price includes 6 separate accounts for a single household and unlimited DVR storage space. DVR storage isn’t a common feature among streaming services, which viewers should consider when
Streaming on Multiple Devices
Hulu:
Hulu allows subscribers to stream from two different screens simultaneously, (though the Hulu app may be downloaded, with separate accounts, on any number of devices that you want).
Live TV Hulu subscribers may opt for the Unlimited Screens Add-on. This allows you to stream on any number of devices at the same time. In 2019, the price of this add-on was lowered from an extra $14.99 per month to an extra $9.99 per month.
YouTube TV:
Although the monthly price of YouTube TV includes 6 accounts per household, only 3 simultaneous streams are allowed. This is a reasonable limit, although viewers may expect the high monthly price to include a greater allowance for streaming on multiple devices at once.
Supported Devices
Hulu supports streaming from the following devices:
- Apple TV (4th generation or higher)
- Chromecast
- Android devices
- iPhones and iPads
- Mac and PC browsers
- Windows 10
- Echo Show
- Fire Tablets
- Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- Roku and Roku Stick (limited models)
- LG TV (limited models)
- Samsung TV (limited models)
- VIZIO SmartCast TVs
- Xbox 360
- Xbox One
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 3
- PlayStation 4
YouTube TV supports an extensive number of devices, including:
- AndroidTV (on certain Sony TVs, NVIDIA Shield, and more)
- Samsung Smart TVs (only models 2016 and later)
- LG Smart TVS (only models 2016 and later)
- Vizio (on certain Vizio SmartCast models)
- Hisense (on certain Hisense Smart TV models)
- Sharp (on certain Sharp Smart TV models)
- Google Chromecast (Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra)
- Roku Players and TV
- Apple TV (4th generation and 4K)
- Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X
- Android devices (Android 5.0 Lollipop and above)
- iOS (iOS 10 or later)
Add-On Channels
Both Hulu and YouTube TV offer subscribers to add on special channels for an extra fee.
On Hulu, the premium add on channels are HBO, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, and STARZ. These channels mainly appeals to movie fanatics, but each of them offer award-winning, top-quality content.
YouTube TV offers these networks for an added monthly fee: Curiosity Stream ($3 per month), EPIX ($6 per month), Fox Soccer Plus ($15 per month), NBA League Pass ($40 flat), SHOWTIME ($7 per month), Shudder ($6 per month), STARZ ($9 per month), and Sundance (($7 per month).
Special Features
Hulu:
Hulu adds the majority of their episodes just one day after they air on regular television. If you hate spoilers like we do, this is a fantastic feature. You won’t have to wait months for your favorite show to reach this streaming platform, and you can stay up-to-date without a cable subscription.
Just like YouTube TV, a Hulu subscription includes up to 6 user profiles. So, if you have a large family, everyone can keep their shows straight without any hassle. And, if two users are watching the same show, but aren’t in sync, they can keep their respective progress in a show or series individually.
Youtube TV:
The aspect of YouTube TV that truly makes it special is its ability to entirely replace your cable subscription, thanks to its inclusion of live streaming from cable TV channels. YouTube TV subscribers can even record live TV, just as you could with a traditional DVR setup. So, you can drop the cable company without ever feeling like you’re missing out on the live TV that you used to watch.
YouTube TV uses a Cloud DVR, which saves your TV recordings to a cloud that you can access from any device that’s connected to the Internet. In our device-centric world, that’s a major plus for YouTube TV.
Conclusion
Hulu and YouTube TV are streaming options for anyone who’s hesitant to let go of cable TV for good. With Hulu offering next-day episodes and YouTube TV allowing you to stream content from cable channels in real time, these platforms are viable options if you’re looking to ditch the clunky cable box. While YouTube TV provides more complete and extensive access to cable features, it’s also far pricier than Hulu. So, which option is right for you? When you compare Hulu and YouTube TV side by side, the answer to that question will come down to budget and your desired level of cable channel access.