Hulu + Live TV has been among the strongest live TV streaming options since it debuted in 2017. As Hulu + Live TV has grown and changed, we’ve updated our review with fresh testing and evolving impressions. Here’s what I found when I retested the service for this 2023 edition of our review.
Hulu + Live TV Pros and Cons
Pros
- Cost-effective compared to other streaming options
- Includes Hulu’s on-demand streaming service and original series shows
- Smooth and reliable live TV streaming
Cons
- Limited add-on options
- Less-than-intuitive live TV controls
- Unskippable DVR commercials unless you pay extra
How to Watch Hulu + Live TV: You can use Hulu + Live TV on most modern streaming devices — but which one works best? For ease of use and top-notch performance, our experts recommend Roku devices. Check out our ranking of top streaming devices for more details.
What You Can Watch on Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV includes two types of streaming content: live TV channels and on-demand programming. This selection is a big step forward compared to the early days, when Hulu only had a limited pool of movies and shows.
The big deal here is the option to stream live TV online, which Hulu doesn’t include in its cheaper subscription package. The “Live TV” part of Hulu + Live TV is a selection of 85+ live TV channels you might recognize from cable and satellite bundles. Channels range from entertainment networks (Cartoon Network and TBS) and cable news channels (CNN and Fox News) to sports networks (ESPN and FS1). Hulu + Live TV also carries some regional sports networks (RSNs), which are available in the markets they serve. The exceptions are the Bally Sports networks, which Hulu + Live TV doesn’t include.
Like other live TV streaming services, Hulu + Live TV seems to take programs from recent TV broadcasts and make them available on an on-demand basis — albeit still in their edited-for-TV versions. What sets Hulu + Live TV apart from other livestreaming services is that it includes a dedicated library of on-demand content in its full-feature form.
That extra content moves Hulu + Live TV to the top of the pack when it comes to streaming services. In addition to its live TV content, Hulu + Live TV offers all of Hulu’s great on-demand content — including Hulu original series like “Only Murders in the Building” and Hulu original films like “Prey” — giving Hulu + Live TV a big advantage over the competition. Hulu’s on-demand service is competitive with other platforms like Max and Netflix. Its on-demand library makes it shine in the live TV market, where on-demand content is an afterthought and original series are rare.
While you can get the entire on-demand library with Hulu’s regular, non-live TV subscription, Hulu + Live TV’s core offering — the live TV — is on point, too. While the channel list is robust and includes notable networks from almost every major media company, the channel count falls a little short of the high bar set by YouTube TV’s channel list. That said, it beats DIRECTV’s base plan (of course, that’s not DIRECTV’s only plan — for a full accounting of how the two services match up, be sure to check out our comparison piece on Hulu Plus Live TV vs. DIRECTV). Hulu + Live TV also measures up well against Sling TV and fuboTV.
How It Felt to Use Hulu + Live TV
Hulu’s app isn’t entirely intuitive, but it’s also not difficult to navigate. I found each menu pretty straightforward, though I had a few issues with how Hulu organized and connected them within the app. Hulu uses a format that reminds me of platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. As with those services, I could easily surf its menus and find something to watch, but I couldn’t always predict which options I’d find on the ever-shifting content discovery menus.
Unlike some competitors, Hulu + Live TV offers easy ways to access a variety of TV shows and movies sorted by genre. I didn’t have to wait for Hulu + Live TV to suggest a menu of horror movies; instead, I could navigate to the “Movies” tab and filter it down to a list of just horror movies. I appreciate the control this gave me, since I’m not a massive fan of the algorithmic approach that most streaming services utilize.
When watching live TV on the Hulu + Live TV Roku and Fire TV apps, I found the channel-changing process a bit more cumbersome compared to its competitors. You certainly won’t have any trouble finding something and tuning in, but aimless channel surfing won’t feel quite as natural as it does with some competitors.
On the web app, Hulu + Live TV had an interesting pop-up system for keeping my live feed going as I browsed channels. This feature made channel surfing easier, and I liked that Hulu + Live TV let me move the live TV window around freely, rather than restricting it to the sides or corners. I found it very easy to move the stream out of the way to uncover a button or a menu option.
On the web app, you can move the picture-in-picture live TV view wherever you want — even to the dead center of the screen, as in this ridiculous exampleOn Roku and Fire TV, Hulu + Live TV isn’t as good about keeping the live TV feed going. Changing the channel means backing out of your program and navigating the menus in silence. This criticism isn’t the end of the world, though — it’s a perfectly functional approach, and it never kept me from enjoying Hulu + Live TV.
Live TV Integration
Hulu + Live TV’s branding can be a little confusing. Its live TV multichannel service differs greatly from the on-demand service we’ve known for years. Should these services really have the same branding?
The Hulu + Live TV app thoroughly integrates on-demand and live TV options. While some menus focus on either on-demand or live TV, the default views mix and match these selections. In Hulu’s apps, I often found myself on screens that showed me both.
Sometimes, this combination works well. For example, if you’re a fan of “Futurama,” you can watch it with regular Hulu since it’s included in Hulu’s on-demand library. If you have Hulu + Live TV, the show has a similar-looking homepage, but you’ll also see options that help you catch the show on live TV or record new episodes to your cloud DVR. Everything related to the show, including past episodes and future airings, was in one spot.
This feature didn’t always work well, though. I sometimes felt that Hulu + Live TV was too willing to elevate content from its live TV side at the expense of its own on-demand library. When I was in the mood to watch a movie or show on demand, I generally wanted to head straight into Hulu’s on-demand catalog — not the edited-for-TV stuff they’d pulled from the live TV side.
Naturally, some shows on live TV don’t have robust on-demand options. That’s to be expected, but I wish it was easier to avoid these when browsing with on-demand viewing in mind.Sometimes, I’d unknowingly select a film or movie that was from the “live TV side” of the service. Looking for a TV episode to watch on my lunch break, I might find “The Simpsons” — only to realize that the show’s page existed because of the “+ Live TV” side, and didn’t include any old episodes (classic “Simpsons” episodes are on Disney Plus, not Hulu). Similarly, I might be looking for the right film for a home movie night and see the edited-for-TV versions of films from the TV side of Hulu + Live TV.
This integration took some getting used to, and at first, I found myself wishing Hulu separated the on-demand and live TV sections more clearly. Over time, though, I started to like how Hulu + Live TV integrated its on-demand content into its live options (and vice versa).
A Score for Sports Fans
Like a few of my other favorite live TV streaming services (including the particularly sports-centric fuboTV), Hulu + Live TV recognizes the role that sports play in keeping cord-cutters in the live TV market. I’m a sports fan myself, and I kept my cable cord for longer than I should have just to watch my beloved New York Mets. So I was thrilled to see that Hulu + Live TV not only carried lots of sports channels (including SNY, the home of my dear Metropolitans) but also boasted a ton of great quality-of-life features for sports fans.
Hulu + Live TV’s dedicated sports tab as seen in the web appLike Sling TV and fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV uses a dedicated tab on its main menu to cater to sports fans. The tab brings up live events and recommendations, making finding something to watch easy, even when the live-sports pickings are slim.
One feature I enjoyed immensely was Hulu + Live TV’s ability to take note of each user’s favorite sports teams. Whether you want to highlight your alma mater or follow your favorite NBA team, it’s easy with Hulu + Live TV.
I’m a bit of an omnivorous sports fan, so I keep track of a lot of teams and sports. I appreciated Hulu + Live TV’s help tracking down the games I might have missed. Some sports are easy — I know when the Mets play, and ESPN will tell me when the NBA games are on — but that still leaves a lot of gaps in my sports scheduling knowledge. This Hulu + Live TV feature helped me catch lower-profile events that I might have otherwise missed, like college hockey games.
Features Galore
My experience with Hulu + Live TV was packed with plenty of features and conveniences. On top of the really impressive sports-centric feature set, Hulu + Live TV included a cloud DVR feature. The DVR has improved since I last tested Hulu + Live TV; it now offers unlimited recording space.
Hulu + Live TV also allowed me to create multiple user profiles within my account. This feature is pretty basic, but it enhanced other Hulu + Live TV features, like the ability to set favorite sports teams — my girlfriend and I didn’t have to agree on our favorites because we could have separate accounts.
Though you can have plenty of accounts, Hulu + Live TV will only let you stream on two screens at once unless you pay for a special add-on that removes the cap.
Hulu + Live TV Streaming Quality
Including all of the on-demand content, Hulu + Live TV’s streaming quality runs the gamut from 720p all the way up to 4K Ultra HD. As you might expect, though, the live TV portion of Hulu + Live TV’s offerings stream in the lower resolution: 720p and an industry-standard 60 frames per second is the baseline, though some broadcasts can reach 1080p on devices that support it (namely Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and Samsung Smart TV, plus modern video game consoles). The 720p standard is typical among live TV streaming services, and the support for 1080p — though limited — puts Hulu + Live TV in the top live TV streaming quality tier alongside YouTube TV.
The on-demand content, naturally, can vary all the way up to 4K Ultra HD. For more on that, check out our review of Hulu’s on-demand subscription service.
In my trials, Hulu + Live TV streamed extremely well. The loading times were quick, the picture quality was consistently high, and the streams — both live TV and on-demand — were smooth and reliable. I tested Hulu + Live TV’s streaming quality on several devices using wired, Wi-Fi, and mobile data connections, and had no problems whatsoever with any combination.
Hulu + Live TV Platform Support
Hulu + Live TV has apps for every major streaming platform, including Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV. It worked well for me on iOS and Android mobile devices, and it also works on a desktop browser or laptop computer. You’ll need an up-to-date version of Hulu’s app to run the live TV features, but that’s almost definitely not going to be a problem. Hulu even works on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
I tested Hulu + Live TV on Firefox, Chrome, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, and Chromecast. I found the apps to be very consistent, and I think you’ll have a good experience no matter which platform you choose.
Hulu + Live TV Value
Not so long ago, Hulu was far and away the best deal in live TV streaming. Then, unfortunately, it became the latest victim of the live TV streaming price creep.
So how do things stand now? In my view, Hulu + Live TV is still doing pretty well. The latest price hike means that Hulu + Live TV isn’t quite head and shoulders above the rest of the live TV gang, but the current Hulu + Live TV pricing — $69.99 for more than 85 channels — is still a good contender for top value in live TV streaming.
There are cheaper deals (like Sling TV’s entry-level bundles), but most include fewer channels. And while there are competitors who offer a few more channels at the same price point (like YouTube TV), the marginal value of those relatively obscure channels doesn’t appeal to me as much as Hulu + Live TV’s inclusion of Hulu’s entire on-demand library, including all of the Hulu original series and movies.
Hulu + Live TV has only one base bundle, so there isn’t much you can do to customize your channel selection. There are a few premium add-ons, like Max, all of which are priced as you’d expect. You can also pay to ditch ads on the on-demand content (the live TV will still have commercial breaks). You can even pay to remove the limit on simultaneous streaming. The last of these might be a great deal for large households splitting the bill, but that’s the only area where Hulu + Live TV’s add-on prices jump out at me. For the most part, Hulu + Live TV’s add-ons seem pretty fairly priced: They’re not rip-offs, but not eye-popping deals, either.
Still, the core bundle is the main point here, and I think Hulu + Live TV is very competitively priced.
Hulu + Live TV Review Verdict
Hulu + Live TV is in the upper tier of live TV streaming services, and has shown so much growth in what it offers through its on-demand and live TV content.
It’s not perfect, of course: I sometimes felt that Hulu + Live TV tried too hard to integrate its live TV offerings with its on-demand library, making it harder to find the titles I was looking for. And, like its competitors, Hulu + Live TV has seen some price hikes that have chipped away at its once obvious advantage over legacy pay-TV options like cable.
At the end of the day, Hulu + Live TV is a fantastic service. Its collection of channels is comprehensive but not bloated. Its streaming quality is superb, it’s competitively priced, and it includes access to one of the best on-demand streaming services on the market at no extra charge.
