Hulu + Live TV Guide to Packages, Channels & Add-Ons

I want to point out that live channels are only available with Hulu + Live TV plans. When choosing a subscription, I can select from four main plans, and my choice depends on whether I want to watch on-demand content with or without ads.

This page explains the key differences between these plans and I also dive into the list of channels offered on Hulu.

In a hurry? Try the Hulu Live free 3-day trial.

Find out what channels and categories you get with the live TV plans and which networks you need to pay an additional monthly fee for below.

Hulu Live and On-Demand Packages

If you include Hulu’s bundle packages and student discount plan, there are seven plans to choose from. Here’s a brief rundown of how much each of these plans cost per month.

None of them require a contract and can be canceled at any time.

Pricing ranges from as little as $1.99/month for the student rate for the base on-demand plan all the way up to over $100 for the live TV plan with every add-on (with 95+ channels including all the premium ones).

Note that Hulu does offer 1-year subscriptions for its Hulu On-Demand plan for $79.99/year. This is a discount of roughly 16%. You do, however, trade the discount for the freedom to cancel the service as you wish. And this discount does not apply to any other plans including those with Live TV.

If you were to buy a Disney+ monthly subscription separately, it would cost $7.99/month, while the ESPN+ monthly membership is priced at $10.99/month. With the Hulu bundles, they’re both significantly cheaper. And, of course, they come with Hulu + Live TV.

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Hulu On-Demand With or Without Ads

Hulu’s on-demand packages come in two basic forms: with or without ads. With ads, you pay $7.99/month and you’re only able to stream content while you’re connected to the internet.

Students can also get the basic ad-supported plan for $1.99 per month.

With the Hulu (No Ads) plan, you’re given access to offline streaming where you can download content from the online streaming library and watch it later. With the exception of a few titles like Grey’s Anatomy, there are no commercials with this plan.

Even the shows exempt from the ad-free plan are played without interruption, and the ads are placed either before or after the stream.

Both on-demand plans come with access to over 2,500 movies, TV shows, and documentaries, including Hulu Originals, FX on Hulu, and a variety of categorized titles. You can also create six user profiles, with which you can use the account on two simultaneous screens.

As I mentioned earlier, the on-demand subscription can also be bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+, with ads for $14.99/month or ad-free for $17.99/month. See the add-on section to find out what else you can buy with the on-demand plans.

Hulu + Live TV With or Without Ads

As with the on-demand plans, Hulu + Live TV plans come with or without ads. But this refers only to the on-demand content. By its nature, you cannot skip commercials on live TV. You can, however, record live TV on the included DVR and fast-forward through commercials.

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Alongside the streaming library, live TV subscribers get 95+ channels that include sports, movie, family, news, and other kinds of content. They also get local channels and regional sports networks.

Hulu + Live TV with ads costs $82.99/month and an extra $13 for ad-free on-demand content, setting you back $95.99 per month. If you’re an on-demand customer, you can upgrade with a few clicks in the “Account” menu.

The Hulu Live TV plans come with unlimited cloud DVR storage where you can record live TV programs and watch them later. They are stored for a maximum of 9 months.

You are allowed to stream on up to two devices at the same time but you can upgrade this to unlimited for $9.99/month.

Hulu + Live TV Channels

The 95+ channels with Hulu + Live TV have a good range of categories. There are over a dozen sports channels and lots of family-friendly networks. There are many premium channels available as add-ons.

The 4 big network channels are available on Hulu: ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. PBS is available most places. And Telemundo and The CW are also widely available. Along with the regional sports networks, the availability of these channels depends on the location where you watch Hulu.

You can check what channels are available in your area on Hulu’s website.

Here’s the non-local channel lineup for the base Hulu + Live TV package:

Sports Channels on Hulu Live TV

The Hulu + Live TV plan gives sports fans access to a fair selection of sports channels you’d pay good money for via cable TV. There are 14 national sports channels in its base package.

Note that other channels like TBS, TNT, USA, and the networks also show a lot of sports.

Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)

These sports channels are only available in particular US regions, so use the ZIP Code checker to see if your area is covered.

• Monumental Sports Network
• NBC Sports Bay Area
• NBC Sports Boston
• NBC Sports California
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• SportsNet NY

Movie Networks on Hulu

Hulu + Live TV offers a number of channels that feature movies including Turner Classic Movies (TCM), FXM, LMN, and many others that show movies less consistently like Paramount Network.

Plus, you get access to plenty of titles in the on-demand library.

If movies are an important part of a good streaming plan for you, there are four premium movie add-ons available, which I discuss below.

Family-Friendly Channels On Hulu

There is no shortage of family-friendly channels on Hulu + Live TV. By family-friendly I mean everything from cartoons to travel and nature.

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Popular kids programs include Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, PBS Kids, and Universal Kids.

When you create a new profile under “Accounts” > “Profiles,” you can switch on the “kid-friendly” toggle and the profile will only have access to channels considered kid-friendly.

Nature channel lovers will find Animal Planet, National Geographic, and Nat Geo Wild on Hulu. Discovery Channel and Investigation Discovery (ID) are also partially nature-focused channels, though you may consider these as “Travel and Lifestyle.”

You also get access to the Food Network, History Channel, Vice, and Dabl for when the family feels like finding a common ground on the screen.

Fox Business and MotorTrend are likewise there for the economics and motor-inclined, though the former might not be so interesting for three-to-five-year-olds.

Add-On Networks and Channels

The premium movie network add-ons cover most of what movie fanatics might look for, but for an extra monthly price. These add-ons do not come with additional live TV channels, but a ton of on-demand content.

• Cinemax for $9.99/month
• Max for $15.99/month
• Paramount+ with Showtime for $12.99/month
• Starz for $8.99/month

As with the movie networks, the ESPN+ and Disney+ add-ons also don’t come with extra live channels, but on-demand content. See the list of bundles and plans below for their discounted prices.

Entertainment Add-On

There’s more. With the Entertainment add-on for $7.99 per month, there are 14 additional live channels.

These are American Heroes Channel (AHC), BET Her, Boomerang, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Hallmark Drama, Nicktoons, MTV2, MTV Classic, Science, and TeenNick.

Español Add-On

If you speak Spanish or want to learn Spanish from TV, you can get nine Spanish channels for an additional $4.99 per month. These are CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, History Channel en Español, Hogar de HGTV, NBC Universo, and The Weather Channel en Español.

Sports Add-On

The Sports add-on is $9.99/month and it exists mostly for NFL RedZone. But it comes with 7 other channels: FanDuel, FanDuel Racing, MAVTV, MLB Strike Zone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, and Tennis Channel.

Unlimited Screens

If you want to watch live TV from more than two devices at once, there’s the unlimited screens add-on for $9.99 per month. This is especially great for large and diverse households. It also allows you to stream on up to 3 devices away from home.

Hulu + Live TV Channel Comparison

In the following table, I compare the number of channels of the main Hulu + Live TV competitors. Although Hulu Live has relatively few channels, it is not filled with marginal, little-watched, or free channels.

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Our Choice

The question is, what do you need? If you’re in the market for live TV channels, then the Hulu + Live TV plan for $82.99/month is worth considering. In fact, for most people, I think Hulu + Live TV is the best service.

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If Hulu + Live TV isn’t quite right for you, check out our reviews of other streaming TV providers: FuboTV, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM, and YouTube TV. If your family can live without live sports, check out Philo — it’s only $28.00/month.

FAQs

Are Hulu channels in HD?

Not all Hulu channels are streamable in HD, because live channel quality also depends on the quality of the stream provided by the channel operator. That said, most live channels are available in high definition above 720p. Hulu’s on-demand content library is also available in 720p, 1080p, and 4k at 60 frames-per-second HD. See the internet speed recommendations listed in our review, too.

What live channels are on Hulu basic package?

The Hulu basic package has no live channels because it is an on-demand streaming service with a library of pre-uploaded content accessible online. To get live TV channels with Hulu, see this review of the Hulu + Live TV plan, or refer to the complete live TV channel list further up the page.

How do I get Hulu with no ads?

There are two main Hulu plans, the on-demand plan and the live TV plan — both offer an ad-free version for on-demand content. The Hulu on-demand plan without ads costs an additional $13/month. When you are ready to sign up to Hulu, be sure to select the plan with the “(No Ads)'” display on the website. If you are already a Hulu customer, look for the “Account” > “Manage Plan” menu and switch to a “No Ads” plan.

Is Hulu free for students?

Hulu is not free for students, but eligible students do get a discounted rate of $1.99 per month for Hulu on-demand with ads. The discount is valid for college students and the plan can still be canceled at any time. Eligible students need to be enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university and are verified via SheerID.

Is HBO free with Hulu?

You can get Max with Hulu + Live TV for $15.99 per month extra. This includes all the on-demand content as well as the 7 linear HBO channels: HBO, HBO 2, HBO Comedy, HBO Family, HBO Latino, HBO Signature (focused on female audience), and HBO Zone (focused on a younger audience).

How can I switch plans with Hulu?

If you’re already subscribed to Hulu and want to switch plans, go to “Account” > “Manage Plan.” When you enter this menu, you’ll see the option to switch to Hulu’s solo plans, bundle plans, and discounted 1-year plans. You can also purchase add-ons here. In this menu, you can switch plans with two clicks — or taps on responsive devices.

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Frank Moraes

I am a Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com, specializing in sports streaming and regional programming issues. With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and extensive experience in remote sensing technology, including early video streaming, I bring a unique technical perspective to the streaming industry.

My expertise in sports coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and regional sports networks, stems from years of hands-on experience as an early adopter of streaming services and my work addressing fans' viewing challenges. As a longtime cord-cutter and subscriber to multiple streaming platforms, I combine my technical knowledge with practical user experience, making me a leading expert in the field of sports streaming and entertainment technology.

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