Author: Cameron Summerson / Source: howtogeek.com
Streaming cable replacements are becoming a much more appealing option for cable cutters across the board, with more choices available than ever before. Hulu’s Live TV option is a relative newcomer to the scene, but is it worth it?
What is Hulu with Live TV?
Essentially, this is Hulu’s way of competing with companies like Sling by tacking live TV on top of its existing service.
Hulu with Live TV bundles live TV service with its base streaming package. That means you get full access to Hulu’s streaming catalog (with “limited commercials”). That in itself may make it one of the more enticing options for people who already subscribe to Hulu’s service, as it saves the trouble of having to pay for multiple streaming plans.
The one thing to note here, however, is that Live TV isn’t yet available on all devices that have access to Hulu’s other streaming plans. For example, while there is a Hulu app for Android TV, it doesn’t yet support Live TV. Here’s a list of the devices that currently have access to Hulu with Live TV:
- Mac/PC
- iPhone/iPad
- Android Phones/Tablets
- Roku
- Fire TV/Stick
- Apple TV (4th Gen)
- Chromecast
- Xbox One/360
- Select Samsung TV models
That last one is a bit ambiguous, so you’ll have to do a bit more research for your specific TV model if you’re looking for Live TV support. Otherwise, Hulu says that “more devices [are] coming soon,” so if you don’t see your platform here, maybe one day it will be.
Unlike other streaming platforms, Hulu takes a one-and-done approach to packages: it offers a single package, and that’s what you get. It includes a variety of popular channels, though the lineup does vary from region to region. To get a list of all available channels for your area, head to Hulu’s Live TV page.
Since Hulu with Live TV only offers one package option, there’s only one price: $39.99/month. Considering it also includes Hulu’s “limited commercial” streaming package—which costs $7.99 on its own—that’s not a bad price. And by the way, you can get a Live TV Only plan without the streaming package, but it’s only a dollar less at $38.99.
There are also optional add-ons:
- No Commercial plan for streaming package only ($4/month)
- HBO ($4.99 for the first 6 months, 14.99/month after)
- Cinemax ($9.99/month)
- Showtime ($8.99/month)
- An Enhanced DVR Service that ups the storage from 50 hours to 200 hours ($14.99/month)
- Increase simultaneous streams from two to unlimited ($14.99/month). Keep in mind, however, that this one only applies to “home” screens—TVs and such—and limits mobile usage to three simultaneous streams.
How Hulu with Live TV Works
The pricing scheme seems pretty competitive for everything Hulu with Live TV offers, but that’s a moot point if the service isn’t very good.
And here’s the thing: Hulu with Live TV is just…not very good. But it’s not that the streaming quality is bad—it’s the interface. It is positively the worst streaming interface I’ve…
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