It’s great to have a large library of on-demand shows at your fingertips when you want to bingewatch shows like Family Guy or The Handmaid’s Tale. A regular Hulu subscription gives you just that. But what about live sports, news, and big events like award shows? In this Hulu + Live TV Review, I’ll highlight how you can get all that and more with 85+ live channels by adding Live TV to your Hulu subscription.
This review will cover the channel lineup, the Disney bundle, recording shows with the unlimited cloud DVR, as well as pricing for Hulu + Live TV. By the end of this review you should know if a subscription is right for you!
This review focuses on Hulu + Live TV specifically. You can read about a standalone Hulu subscription in the Shall I Stream It? Hulu review here, including info on Hulu Originals and other on-demand movies and shows included with every Hulu plan.
This article was last updated on December 23rd, 2022.
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Hulu + Live TV Review- Basics
A Hulu + Live TV subscription gives you access to all of the on-demand shows and movies you’d get with a standard Hulu membership. In addition, you'll get dozens of live streaming channels AND a Disney+ and ESPN+ subscription.
The live channels you get are the same you’d get with a cable subscription. Unlike cable, though, you won’t need any extra equipment- everything streams online. Plus you’re not locked into an expensive contract. Your membership renews on a month-to-month basis without any commitment so you can always pause your subscription until you’re ready to come back.
Hulu + Live TV is available on a wide range of devices ranging from smartphones and tablets, laptops and PCs, streaming players including Roku, Apple TV, Xfinity Flex, Chomecast, and Amazon Fire TV, game consoles by Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, and smart TVs by Android, LG, Samsung, and Vizio. The service bundles a wide range of both on-demand content and live streaming channels into one easy-to-use package on all your favorite devices.
Hulu + Live TV Channels
The channel lineup for Hulu + Live TV can vary by zip code, so make sure to check the channels available before signing up. In my region I get all four of the main broadcast networks (FOX, NBC, ABC, & CBS), plus ABC LOCALish, Telemundo, and the CW. Certain zip codes also get regional sports networks. You can check out your channel lineup here.
There’s a wide range of “cable” networks, too. Here's a list of the channels I'm able to get, by category:
Entertainment & Lifestyle channels:
A&E, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Bravo, CMT, Comedy Central, Comedy.TV, COZI TV, Dabl, Discovery, E!, Food Network, Freefrom, FX, FXX, FXM, FYI, TheGrio, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, ID, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, MTV, NASA, National Geographic, National Geographic WILD, Pop, QVC, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SyFy, TBS, TCM, History, Trvl, TLC, TNT, truTV, TV Land, USA, VH1, VICE, Vevo Pop, Vevo Hip-Hop, Vevo Country, Vevo '80s, Vevo '90s, and Vevo Holiday
Family & Kids Channels:
Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, and Universal Kids
News Channels:
ABC News Live, Bloomberg Television, CBS News, Cheddar News, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Fox Business, FOX News, HLN, JusticeCentral.TV, MSNBC, NewsNation, and The Weather Channel
Sports Channels:
ACCN, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN 2, ESPNEWS, ESPN U, FS1, FS2, Motortrend, NBC Golf, NFL Network, Olympic Channel, and ESPN SEC Network
Premium Add-on Channels:
Cinemax, HBO Max, Showtime, and STARZ
Sports Add-on channels:
MAV TV, NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, TVG, and TVG 2
Entertainment Add-on channels:
AHC, BET her, Crime+ Investigation, CNBC World, Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life Channel, Great American Country, Hallmark Drama, Magnolia Network, Military History, MTV Classic, MTV2, nicktoons, SCI, and teenick
Español Add-on channels include:
CNÑ, Discovery En Español, familia Discovery, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, NBC Universo, History en Español, and The Weather Channel en Español
Notable Omissions
Like the other live tv streaming services, some channels are included and some aren’t. Notable omissions with Hulu+ Live TV include AMC, BBC America, and the NBA Network.
On the flipside, Hulu + Live TV offers some channels that its competitors do not such as A&E, Boomerang, CNN, Lifetime, History, TNT, TBS, & VICE. You'll have to decide for yourself which channels are “dealbreakers” for you.
Hulu + Live TV DVR & Features
Unlimited Cloud DVR
With a Hulu + Live TV account, you can record live shows to watch later with a cloud DVR. There’s no device or equipment that you need for recordings since everything is online through the Hulu app.
A change from 2022 is that now all Hulu + Live TV subscribers get Unlimited DVR. This means that everyone is able to record an unlimited amount of shows and movies and store them for up to 9 months. No extra upgrade is needed!.
Other Features
As for other features of Hulu + Live TV you can create up to six profiles per account with parental controls. You can stream on up to two devices at a time or upgrade with the Unlimited Screens add-on. Certain Hulu Originals can stream in 4K Ultra HD and HDR at no extra cost. Members with a Hulu (No ads) + Live TV subscription can also download certain on-demand content for offline play.
The “Sports” tab in the Hulu app gives you easy access to upcoming schedules for games on various networks in one, simple place. The Live Guide lets you browse what’s airing for the next two weeks, record shows, and create favorite channels while you watch TV in the background.
Shows and live coverage from ESPN+ can be viewed directly in the Hulu app, as can shows from premium add-ons like HBO Max or STARZ.
Once you sign up for Hulu + Live TV, you’ll get full access to both Disney+ and ESPN+ as part of the “Disney Bundle.” Once activated you can watch all that these streaming services have to offer, from sports documentaries to The Mandalorian.
How Much is Hulu + Live TV?
There are two main options when it comes to a Hulu + Live TV subscription. The main difference is whether or not ads are displayed for the on-demand shows and movies in Hulu’s streaming library. Every plan is month-to-month with no long-term commitment.
- Hulu (w/ Ads) + Live TV & Disney+ (w/ Ads) & ESPN+ (w/ Ads) for $69.99/month. This includes full access to ESPN+, Disney+, 85+ live channels, and Hulu’s on-demand streaming library with ad breaks.
- Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV with Disney+ (No Ads) & ESPN+ (w/ Ads) for $82.99/month. Full access to ESPN+, Disney+, 75+ live channels, and Hulu’s streaming library with ads removed* from on-demand shows and movies. You can also download Hulu and Disney+ shows for offline play.
*Certain networks offer on-demand content that might have ads for select seasons or episodes.
Other Add-Ons Available
- Unlimited Screens: $9.99/month. Go from two screens at a time to unlimited screens at home and three separate mobile screens on the go.
- Entertainment Networks Add-on: $7.99/month
- Sports Networks Add-on: $9.99/month
- Español Networks Add-on: $4.99/month
Premium Networks:
- Showtime: $10.99/month
- HBO Max: $14.99/month
- Cinemax: $9.99/month
- STARZ: $8.99/month
Occasionally free trials and discounts are offered for the premium network add-ons. Check the Hulu website for up-to-date info.
Hulu + Live TV Review- Final Thoughts
As a cable alternative, Hulu + Live TV is an excellent choice for cord cutters. While the $69.99 is still an investment, it is a savings over a cable package. When comparing various live TV streaming services, Hulu + Live TV is a particularly good option for people who are interested in the Disney Bundle.
If you are already subscribed to Hulu, Disney+, or ESPN+ and want to add live TV, doing it through the existing Hulu app is convenient and efficient.
When it comes to their channel lineup, there is a good mixture of local channels, news, sports, and entertainment. While some viewers might miss a few channels like AMC with Hulu + Live TV, there are a myriad of ways to get their content elsewhere.
The unlimited cloud DVR makes Hulu+ Live TV a fierce competitor against the other live TV streaming services. And the best part of Hulu + Live TV? The sheer volume and variety of content you get. In an overcrowded streaming landscape, the Hulu + Live TV bundle has the potential to be the one (and only!) streaming service you subscribe to.
Very informative, thank you.