Netflix vs Hulu 2024: review, features, pros and cons

Netflix is the Kleenex of streaming video, with more than 200 million subscribers worldwide and a steady stream of new shows and movies every month. It’s also our favourite streaming service. But does that mean it’s always the best deal?

There are a lot of services that want to take Netflix’s place, and one of the most popular is Hulu. The streaming service owned by Disney has made some changes to be more like Netflix. The base price for Hulu is only $8 per month. The Disney bundle with ESPN Plus is a great deal, and the premium add-on channels are a nice bonus.

Inflation has made household budgets tighter, so you might want to reduce the number of subscriptions you pay for every month. Both Hulu and Netflix have more movies and TV shows than you’ll ever be able to watch. Prices are going up for a lot of services, and Hulu is no different. In 2022, the price for basic service with ads went up from $7 to $8.

The ad-free version, which was $13, went up to $15 a month, and the live TV option, which includes Disney Plus and ESPN Plus at no extra cost, went up by $5. By December 8, if you want to add the Disney bundle to a base plan that doesn’t include live TV, it will start at $10 a month with ads and $20 a month without ads. If you don’t have live TV, Hulu lets you stream on two screens at the same time.

Plans and pricing

Netflix has four different ways to get a subscription: Basic with ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium. The first one costs $6.99 per month and lets you watch as many shows and movies as you want. You can only stream them on one device at a time in SD quality, and you have to watch ads. You can upgrade that to Basic for an extra $3. You lose the ads, but everything else stays the same.

Most people would be better off with the Standard plan, which costs $15.49 per month. You can stream on two devices at once and the resolution goes up to HD. Choose the Premium plan if you want to stream content in 4K and on up to four devices at the same time. Each month, it costs $19.99. Note that Netflix has recently stopped giving new subscribers a 30-day free trial, which they used to do for a long time.

Hulu has five separate plans (not including bundles), but they are very different from what Netflix has to offer. The one that costs the least is only for college students. The most popular plan gives you unlimited access to all of Hulu’s content for just $7.99 per month. But it’s also supported by ads, which means that commercials will come on during your shows.

If you can’t stand those annoying ads, you should get the ad-free plan, which costs $14.99 per month but is better. It also lets you download TV shows and some movies to watch when you’re not online. Hulu recently added 4K resolution support as well. But you can only use it for a small number of TV shows and movies.

Netflix vs Hulu Comparison Table

NetflixHulu
Free trial lengthN/A30 days
Number of titles/channels15,000+N/A
Number of simultaneous streamsFourTwo
User ProfilesFiveSix
Offline viewingYesYes
Ad-free optionYesYes w/ Hulu (No Ads)

Netflix vs Hulu Streaming Service

Netflix vs Hulu

Netflix is best for both people who love movies and families. Some of the best movies ever made, such as Moonlight, Mank, Pan’s Labyrinth, Roma, and more, are on the streaming service. Plus, the service offers four streams at once, so the whole family can watch their favourite shows at the same time. But keep in mind that Hulu has HBO and other premium channels that Netflix doesn’t have.

Hulu is best for people who love watching TV. The service has episodes of original shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Great, Only Murders in the Building, Letterkenny, and more. It also has full seasons of syndicated shows like American Horror Story, Modern Family, Bob’s Burgers, This Is Us, and many others. Hulu is the cheapest option because you can get all of these titles and more for just $7/month or $13/month if you buy the plan with no ads. You’ll also be able to watch most new episodes the day after they air, which is great if you want to keep up with the most popular TV shows right now.

Netflix vs Hulu User Experience

Netflix vs Hulu

The interface for Hulu is simple and easy to use. When you first open the service, you’ll see a message that says something like “Just a moment while we find out what’s new.” Once the app has loaded, you’ll be taken to a screen with a carousel of the shows and movies you’re currently watching, as well as titles that have been recommended and content that has been sorted by genre.

Over the years, Netflix has made a few major changes to its interface, all of which have made it easier to use and more user-friendly. For one thing, the service has small hubs of content for people who want to watch a certain type of movie or show. Let’s say you wanted to watch a movie from outside the United States. All you’d have to do is click on “Categories,” scroll down until you see “International,” and then click on it.

We would also be wrong not to mention that the streamer’s focus on simplicity is also reflected in their playback screens. You won’t have to deal with blocky buttons, static ads, or anything else while you’re watching Netflix. You’ll be able to watch your favourite content without having to worry about anything getting in the way.

Netflix vs Hulu Video quality

Over the past ten years, the quality of videos has gotten much better. HD (high definition) has become the standard for new content, and some things are even available in 4K Ultra HD. All of that doesn’t matter, though, if your provider doesn’t give you a good stream.

For example, if you have the Basic Netflix plan, no matter how good your screens are, you will only get SD (standard definition) content, which tops out at 480p. You’ll need the Standard plan if you want HD, which means 720p or 1080p. And if you want 4K (2160p), you’ll need to pay $19.99 for the Premium plan.

On the other hand, Hulu doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality. You’re good to go even if you get the $6.99 Ads plan. Everything will be at least HD quality, and if it’s available, you’ll also get 4K quality.

Netflix vs Hulu Personalization

You can make up to five and six profiles on Netflix and Hulu, respectively, through your account. This lets you save and track the shows and movies you watch, while their algorithms figure out what you like so they can make better suggestions. When it comes to children, you can set restrictions through their profile so that inappropriate content doesn’t show up on their feed.

You can also change your parental controls and manage what you can watch by going to Netflix’s settings. You can switch between soft and hard settings for these settings. For example, setting a maturity level for a certain profile is an example of soft controls, while hard controls require users to enter a 4-digit pin to watch mature content.

When it comes to add-on features, Hulu is better than Netflix. For an extra monthly fee, you can add channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz to your account to make it more useful and fit your needs. Premium users of Hulu No-Ads and Hulu + Live TV can add more DVR storage or upgrade to unlimited screens for $9.99/month each, or add both for $14.98/month.

Netflix: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Strong recommendation engine
  • Easy to use across different devices
  • Extensive list of movies and shows
  • Massive selection of original programs

Cons

  • Cost for premium plans is on the higher end
  • Can’t watch shows as they air on other networks
  • Missing titles on ad-based plan

Hulu: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Excellent selection of TV series
  • Extensive live TV channel lineup
  • Robust cloud DVR option

Cons

  • Base on-demand plan includes ads
  • Offline downloads feature requires premium account
  • Fewer high-quality originals than competitors

Which one should you consider?

Even though Netflix and Hulu compete with each other, they both have their own ways of being interesting. Netflix has more and better movies and TV shows, as well as awards to back it up. Hulu has some of its own content, but its licenced content is where it really shines. With its Hulu + Live TV plan, Hulu can also be a great alternative to cable.

If you’re still not sure, you can easily try out each service to see if it’s right for you. Most Netflix and Hulu plans come with a 30-day free trial, but the Hulu + Live TV plans only come with a 7-day free trial. So, you’ll have time to try out each service, and, unlike with cable, you won’t have to worry about contracts.

FAQs

Is HBO better than Netflix and Hulu?

But there must be a winner, and HBO Max is it. We like a lot about Hulu, like how it lets you watch live TV, but we have to give it to HBO Max. It has better originals, a wider range of movies and TV shows, and better service all around.

Is HBO Max better than Netflix?

HBO Max’s ad-supported and ad-free packages both let you watch 3 streams at the same time. Netflix’s most expensive plan costs the same as HBO Max’s most expensive plan, but you can only stream on two devices at once. With Netflix’s Premium plan, you can pay a bit more and watch 4 streams at once.

James Hogan
James Hogan
James Hogan is a notable content writer recognized for his contributions to Bollyinside, where he excels in crafting informative comparison-based articles on topics like laptops, phones, and software. When he's not writing, James enjoys immersing himself in football matches and exploring the digital realm. His curiosity about the ever-evolving tech landscape drives his continuous quest for knowledge, ensuring his content remains fresh and relevant.

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