Hulu Plus Live TV vs. YouTube TV: how to pick the best live-streaming service

When it comes to picking from nan champion streaming services, audiences coming person plentifulness of options to take among. Whether you’re much willing successful nan VOD room for on-demand streams aliases you want a streaming work pinch unrecorded TV, you won’t request to compromise. Unlike nan earlier years of streaming, nan most celebrated streaming services present tons of awesome content, making it much difficult than ever to prime among them.

If you’ve managed to constrictive it down to choosing betwixt YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV, we’ve sewage you covered. Both of these services are celebrated and present comparatively akin plans, are comparable successful price, and activity successful overmuch nan aforesaid way.

So which 1 is correct for you? We tin help.

Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Plans and prices

Both YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV make things beautiful simple. Each has but a azygous plan, pinch a azygous price.

YouTube TV costs $73 a period (you whitethorn occasionally find deals, though). The slightest costly action for Hulu Plus Live TV presently costs $83 a period (or occasionally a small little if you’ve sewage a promotional price). And arsenic we’ll talk astir below, you’re really going to beryllium paying much for less channels if you spell pinch Hulu Plus Live TV.

Meanwhile, nan YouTube TV scheme gets you unlimited signaling and nan expertise to stock nan work pinch up to six different accounts successful your household. That’s useful to support recordings and recommendations a small cleaner, and it’ll beryllium tied to individual Google accounts.

But there’s 1 beautiful awesome point to statement here: When you subscribe to Hulu Plus Live TV, you’re really getting a batch much than that. First, there’s nan inclusion of nan full Hulu on-demand catalog. That intends movies and TV shows and exclusives. That connected its ain would costs $10 a period (and while you’re capable to subscribe to Hulu Plus Live TV without nan on-demand content, it’d only prevention you astir $1 a month. Don’t beryllium a cheapskate).

Even bigger, though, is that a Hulu Plus Live TV subscription besides gets you entree to Disney+ and ESPN+. That trifecta is known arsenic nan Disney Bundle, and it’s 1 heck of a woody astatine this price. The Disney Bundle Trio Basic connected its ain presently runs $17 per period if you don’t mind immoderate advertising, aliases $27 a period if you want to get free of ads. So including it pinch Hulu Plus Live TV really is icing connected nan cake.

YouTube TV has different action that’s a spot intriguing. There’s now a Spanish Plan (that’s what they telephone it) that serves up much than 2 twelve Spanish-language channels for $35 a period (you’ll presently get nan first six months for $25 a month, though). With it, you’ll still get unlimited signaling and nan expertise to person up to six folks stock a subscription.

One much awesome constituent for YouTube TV, nevertheless — it (and YouTube proper) is nan only spot you tin get NFL Sunday Ticket.

Winner: YouTube TV. More channels, much options, little expensive.

Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

The channels

When it comes to comparing nan channels disposable connected Hulu Live TV versus YouTube TV, you request to inquire yourself 1 elemental question: Which work has nan channels you want?

On paper, YouTube TV has nan evident limb up, pinch astir two-dozen much channels than Hulu Plus Live TV. And nan 2 services mostly person nan aforesaid awesome channels — things for illustration broadcast networks, sports, and nan awesome cablegram news and movie options. It’s astir nan edges wherever you’ll spot a small much differentiation.

YouTube TV gives you much channels for little money.

And that’s nan cardinal to nan full thing. You’ve sewage to do your homework and spot if 1 work has channels connected your must-have database that nan different doesn’t. Or, you person to beryllium consenting to springiness thing up. Your call.

On nan different hand, there’s that full Disney Bundle point that comes on pinch Hulu Plus Live TV. It’s not rather apples to apples, but contented is still content.

Both services should transportation your section broadcast networks, by nan way. There’s a flimsy chance that your locale doesn’t let for that — so you should cheque pinch each service, conscionable successful case.

As for which channels are connected YouTube TV and which are connected Hulu Live, skip connected down to nan bottommost of this piece for nan afloat breakdown.

Winner: YouTube TV. It’s sewage much successful nan guidelines plan, and much disposable add-ons.

Video quality

There are a batch of variables astatine play erstwhile it comes to streaming video quality. Your incoming net speed. The speed, latency, and stableness of your location network. The maximum solution of nan streaming work you’re using, and (separately) of nan contented really being streamed. And that’s earlier you commencement talking spot complaint and compression.

Oversimplifying things, YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV are beautiful moreover connected this front. Live, linear channels apical retired astatine 1080p and 60 frames per 2nd (fps), which is what you want to spot astatine this constituent successful time. As often arsenic not, you mightiness extremity up seeing things astatine 720p. It conscionable depends. Don’t thrust yourself nuts worrying astir that benignant of thing.

The bigger quality is YouTube TV’s 4K option. It’s now priced overmuch amended astatine $10 a month, and it’s not for illustration it abruptly gives you everything successful 4K resolution. Really, what you get is simply a very mini fistful of unrecorded sports successful (upscaled) 4K, arsenic good arsenic a decent magnitude of on-demand content. Is that worthy that other cash? That’s a telephone you’ll person to make connected your own. But if you’ve yet to acquisition unrecorded sports successful that accrued resolution, decidedly return it for a spin.

Hulu Live, connected nan different hand, doesn’t person a 4K option. Yes, Hulu serves up immoderate of its on-demand contented successful 4K, and that’s great. But there’s nary action (yet, astatine least) for improved solution successful nan unrecorded linear content.

Winner: Tie. YouTube TV astatine slightest has nan 4K option. And while that’s awesome for sports, existent 4K events are fewer and acold between.

Jen Karner / Digital Trends

Audio quality

Comparing YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV successful position of audio is different small absorbing point. YouTube TV has 5.1 situation sound support connected each 2021 and later TVs, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Google TV, and astir Fire TV devices. But it’s each limited connected nan root content. Not everything will beryllium served up pinch 5.1 audio.

Hulu, meanwhile, says it’s sewage 5.1 situation sound disposable connected immoderate of its on-demand and unrecorded content.

In different words, some services person nan aforesaid capability.

But whether you really get 5.1 situation sound audio will dangle connected what you’re watching. (And, of course, having audio hardware tin of situation sound successful nan first place.) This is 1 of those specs that look awesome successful headlines and connected paper. And to beryllium clear, it’s a awesome point to have, whenever possible. It’s conscionable that neither work really rises supra nan different successful position of audio.

Winner: Tie. There’s thing really breathtaking here.

YouTube TV has much optional add-ons than Hulu Plus Live TV. Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

Extras and add-ons

The guidelines plans for some Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV are important, for evident reasons. But some services person a decent number of further add-ons that you tin usage to grow your afloat streaming experience. Of course, each these add-ons will summation nan wide price. But they’re optional, and astir person free tests truthful you tin footwear nan tires earlier deciding to buy. And for illustration everything other here, you tin move them connected and disconnected astatine your leisure.

YouTube TV add-ons

Here are each nan optional add-ons disposable pinch YouTube TV:

• 4K Plus ($5 a period for nan first 12 months; $10 after): First made disposable successful June 2021, 4K Plus allows you to watch immoderate contented connected YouTube TV successful 4K resolution. Mostly that intends shows and bid successful on-demand shape — things for illustration What We Do In The Shadows, Struggle Meals, American Titans, Snowfall, and more. But wherever it really starts to radiance is pinch unrecorded sports from networks for illustration ESPN, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports. Also, 4K Plus adds offline viewing of recorded shows, positive nan expertise to watch connected arsenic galore devices arsenic you want astatine erstwhile connected your location network.
• Spanish Plus ($10 for first six months; $15 after): Additional Spanish-language channels, including Antena 3, Baby TV Español, Bandamax, beIN Sports Español, beIN XTRA en Español, Cine Latino, Cine Mexicano, CNNe, De Película, De Película Clásico, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, EstrellaTV, FOROtv, Fox Deportes, Nat Geo Mundo, NTN 24, Nuestra Tele, Pasiones, SonyCine, Tastemade en Español, Telehit, Telehit Música, Tlnovelas, TyC Sports, Universo, and WAPA.
• NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone ($105 a period aliases $419 a year): Watch each out-of-market Sunday day game, positive NFL RedZone.
• NFL Sunday Ticket ($95 a period aliases $379 a year): Watch each out-of-market Sunday day game. Yearly subscription comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• NFL Redzone pinch Sports Plus ($11 a month, aliases $80 annually): Includes NFL RedZone, BeIN Sports, Fox Soccer Plus, VSiN, Outside TV+, Overtime, PokerGO+, MAVTV, FanDuel TV, Stadium, Billiard TV, SportsGrid, PlayersTV, Fight Network, IMPACT Wrestling & Tennis channel. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Max ($17 a month): New Max Originals and included networks, positive each nan bequest HBO contented you cognize and love.
• WNBA League Pass ($13 a month, aliases $35 a year): Monthly rank comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• NBA League Pass ($17 a month, aliases $110 a year): Catch each out-of-market game.
• Entertainment Plus ($30 a month): Includes Max, Paramount+ pinch Showtime, and STARZ.
• Paramount+ pinch Showtime ($11 a month): Live sports, syndicated entertainment, and caller exclusive shows. Premium movies and bid from Showtime. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Starz ($11 a month): Premium movies and series. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Cinemax ($10 a month): Premium movies and series. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• MGM+ ($6 a month): All nan champion from nan legendary studio. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• STARZ + MGM+ ($12 a month): A bundle of nan 2 services.
• Filipino Plus ($19 a month): Tagalog-language channels.
• GMA Pinoy ($15 a month): Filipino intermezo and news programming.
• Hallmark Movies Now ($8 a month): All nan movies and bid you emotion from Hallmark. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Zee Family ($15 a month): Hindi-language content. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• CuriosityStream ($5 a month): Science-type shows. Comes pinch a 14-day free trial.
• ViX+ ($7 a month): Spanish-language contented from TelevisaUnivision. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Fox Nation ($6 a month): The streaming work from Fox News.
• ScreenPix ($3 a month): Classic movies from EPIX. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• AMC+ ($9 a month): Additional streaming-only contented from AMC.
• Shudder ($7 a month): New and classical horror. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Sundance Now ($7 a month): The streaming limb of Sundance Channel. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Here TV ($8 a month): LGBTQ movies and series. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Acorn TV ($8 a month): British hits. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• IFC Films Unlimited ($6 a month): The champion of indie films. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• ALLBLK ($6 a month): Inclusively but unapologetically Black content. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Docurama ($5 a month): All nan documentaries you could want. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• CONtv ($6 a month): Movies, shows, and Comic-Con panels. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Dove ($5 a month): Christian movies and shows. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Law & Crime ($2 a month): Live tests and different courtroom news. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• UP Faith & Family ($6 a month): TV shows and movies that are safe for your family and affirm your faith. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Fandor ($4 a month): The location for cinephiles. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Screambox ($7 a month): Pure horror. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Comedy Dynamics ($5 a month): Independent drama from nan Nacelle company. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• VSiN ($4 a month): Sports betting network. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Outside TV Features ($5 a month): Full-length escapade sports films. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• The Great Courses ($8 a month): Learn each nan things astir each nan things. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• MovieSphere ($5 a month): Lionsgate hits, cult classics and everything in-between. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• MyOutDoorTV ($10 a month): Exclusive series, unrecorded events, and much connected each things hunting and fishing. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Tastemade+ ($3 a month): Even much award-winning food, travel, location design, and more. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• PokerGO ($20 a month): Exclusive unrecorded poker tournaments. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Dekkoo ($10 a month): Gay movies and series. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Magnolia Selects ($5 a month): Films and bid from Magnolia Pictures. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• ATRESplayer ($6 a month): Spanish-language on-demand video from Atresmedia. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Gaia ($14 a month): Conscious media, streaming yoga videos, and more. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Classica ($7 a month): All things classical music, jazz, opera and ballet, from Stingray. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Quello Concerts ($8 a month): Live euphony and concerts. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Magellan TV ($6 a month): Thousands of documentaries from astir nan world. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Hopster Learning ($5 a month): Making screentime smart for preschoolers. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• Hi-YAH! ($4 a month): If you emotion martial arts, you’ll emotion this. Comes pinch a seven-day free trial.
• MHz Choice ($8 a month): The champion caller world mysteries, dramas, and comedies.
• Stringray D Jazz ($7 a month): All things Jazz, covering concerts, performances and documentaries.
• RCN Total ($5 a month): Premiere movies and more.

Hulu Plus Live TV add-ons

Hulu has less disposable add-ons than YouTube TV, but location decidedly is immoderate overlap. And nan first action you’ll want to sojourn is nan 1 that removes advertizing from astir Hulu on-demand content. That’ll return things up to $100 a year.

As for options for Hulu Plus Live TV, you’ve got:

• Unlimited Screens ($10 a month): Watch connected arsenic galore devices arsenic you want astatine home, and up to 3 distant from your location network. (Premium networks whitethorn limit things to 5 full devices.)
• Max ($17 a month).
• Paramount+ pinch Showtime ($13 a month).
• Cinemax ($10 a month).
• Starz ($10 a month).
• Sports Add-on ($10 a month): Includes FanDuel Racing, FanDuel TV, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, Strike Zone, Tennis Channel.
• Entertainment Add-on ($8 a month): Includes American Heroes Channel, BET Her, Boomerang Channel, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Crime & Investigation, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Hallmark Drama, Military History, MTV Classic, MTV2, NickToons, SCI, TeenNick
• Español Add-on ($5 a month): CNN Español, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, History en Español, Hogar de HGTV, NBC Universo, The Weather Channel en Español

Winner: YouTube TV. It has truthful galore much options.

The on-screen guideline connected Hulu Plus Live TV is nicely designed and easy to follow. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Head-to-head use

That’s each nan “on-paper” stuff. Beyond nan disposable channels, nan adjacent mobility you person to inquire is “OK, but what are they for illustration to use?”

YouTube TV astir apt is nan simpler of nan 2 services if only because it’s not tied into a larger on-demand library. It’s each astir unrecorded TV. There are 3 main sections: A room of your “recorded” content, a “Home” surface pinch recommendations, and a “Live” tab that recommends unrecorded shows and sports, and houses nan transmission grid.

The unrecorded guideline really is wherever YouTube TV has shined. It’s ne'er been fancy — and it’s worthy noting that location really are 2 versions of it floating astir retired there. One is simply a full-screen guideline pinch immense fonts, which is awesome for america older folks. It’s being replaced, however, but 1 pinch a smaller, tighter guideline that besides gives you a amended summary and preview of nan content.

Hulu Plus Live TV besides has a beautiful bully guide. While nan full Hulu acquisition is notably busier because there’s a batch much going on, nan guideline is nicely designed. It’s reasonably easy to get a summary of what you’re watching.

YouTube TV’s expertise to reorder channels — aliases hide them altogether — is simply a next-level feature.

But nan Hulu Live guideline besides isn’t anyplace adjacent arsenic elastic arsenic YouTube TV’s. Channels are sorted by what you’ve precocious watched, which tin beryllium useful enough, on pinch categories for sports, news, movies, and kids. There’s besides a “favorites” section, though for nan life of maine I haven’t been capable to fig retired really to adhd and region channels from my favorites. That’s a immense onslaught against it. And nan afloat “channels” conception gives you each nan channels successful alphabetical order, which is fine. Unless what you want to watch is each nan measurement astatine nan bottommost of nan list. (Though that’s wherever nan “recents” conception whitethorn good help.)

YouTube TV, connected nan different hand, has what I’d see a must-have characteristic for immoderate lives streaming service. You tin either usage YouTube TV’s bid for nan channels — aliases you tin person a civilization list. And it’s not conscionable astir putting channels successful immoderate bid you want (though you surely tin do that). You besides tin hide channels that you ne'er watch. Don’t want to taxable yourself to cablegram news? Turn ’em off. Don’t watch kids’ shows anymore? Turn disconnected those channels and make your database that overmuch much compact. It’s a superb feature, and 1 we’d for illustration to spot connected each service.

Otherwise, it’s a beautiful modular acquisition from some sides. And it’s a bully one.

YouTube TV has a fewer different nuggets that are fun. It’s sewage “Stats for nerds,” which fto you spot nan earthy stats of bandwidth and codecs and different things astir folks ne'er need. It’s straight tied into your Google account, making things that overmuch easier.

Winner: YouTube TV. Look, this one’s beautiful subjective. But nan expertise to hide and reorder channels is simply a awesome 1 to have.

Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends / Digital Trends

The wide winner: Don’t make america choose!

Here’s nan deal: When it comes to choosing betwixt YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV, you can’t spell incorrect pinch either one. Both are easy capable to use. They person comparable prices and specs. Each has immoderate things nan different doesn’t. And each is easy to commencement up aliases unopen down if you determine you for illustration 1 much than nan other. Seriously, effort them both. That’s not a cop-out — it’s nan smart point to do.

Really, nan determination should commencement pinch nan channels. If 1 work has a transmission nan different doesn’t that you conscionable person to have, past that’s nan 1 you should spell with.

Both services are great. But you can’t hit Hulu Live arsenic portion of nan Disney Bundle.

If that’s a wash, nan adjacent point you should move to is price. In this case, there’s only a mates dollars’ quality (for now, anyway) betwixt YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV. But you do request to see what other you get connected nan Hulu broadside of nan equation. First, there’s nan afloat Hulu on-demand catalog. That’s beautiful bully successful and of itself. But erstwhile you see that you besides get ESPN+ and Disney+, on pinch a subscription to Hulu Plus Live TV, it’s almost a no-brainer.

That’s fundamentally 1 unrecorded streaming work (Hulu Live) pinch 3 on-demand services (Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+) thrown successful for free. That’s a really difficult woody to walk up, moreover if you don’t deliberation you’ll beryllium watching thing connected them very often.

The 1 point I’d opportunity mightiness sway things backmost successful YouTube TV’s favour is nan expertise to customize nan transmission guide. Yes, that’s a very subjective feature. Yes, you’re good successful your authorities to opportunity that it’s not a large woody and that you’d alternatively person nan free on-demand services. And you wouldn’t beryllium incorrect to do so. That’s what’s truthful awesome astir each this — it’s each your choice, and it’s difficult to spell wrong.

Yes, Hulu Live has less channels. But you conscionable can’t hit that bundle.

The guidelines scheme channels

This floor plan shows nan guidelines channels included successful nan Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV plans arsenic of October 2024.