If you are someone who is into a lot of streaming content, Hulu is perhaps the best streaming service that you will ever come across. However, what if you're looking for a comprehensive Hulu review and want to know how to watch Hulu without ads?
This comprehensive Hulu review should provide you with complete information on the streaming service, including Hulu's customer service, subscription plans, and the functionality it offers.
Hulu Content Review
Content is what attracts a fan to a streaming service. So, we will begin our review with the content available on the streaming service and the types of services it offers.
Hulu Online VOD Service
Launched in 2008, Hulu is one of the most popular and one of the oldest streaming services currently available. Despite a huge number of streaming services launched ever since and the number of acquisitions in the streaming services arena, Hulu is still kicking today because of its varied service offerings.
Hulu offers a good range of the following content:
1. A diverse range of shows: You can explore a huge range of TV shows, classic series, and films, family programming, documentaries, and specials on Hulu. I can mention shows like Little Fires Everywhere and Only Murders in the Building. The streaming service is known for offering a wide range of shows that belong to the original genre.
2. Older and classic content: If you want to get nostalgic, Hulu offers those unique shows that have redefined the entertainment landscape. A few notable mentions include Seinfeld, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, and Boyz n the Hood.
One of the best features that I have always loved about Hulu is the way it streams popular shows from well-known broadcasters, the very next day they air.
Several content providers and TV networks are available on Hulu, some of them being ABC, NBC, and Fox. This is a useful feature for those who do not want to have a cable TV subscription but still want to access the available content.
The Hulu Originals have always been my favorite. I have always been in awe of shows like Prey, Only Murders in the Building, Monsterland, and American Horror Stories. Many Reddit users go gaga over shows like Good American Family, The Light Shop, and Death, and other details.
Hulu Live TV Review
Hulu is perhaps one of the rare breeds of streaming services that offers a Live TV service as well. A Hulu+Live TV subscription will provide you with access to the live TV coverage of popular channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, FX, CNN, and many others.
Many Reddit users find Hulu + Live TV to be a better option when compared to other similar services like Fubo TV. Of course, with Live TV, you have to watch the ads; there is no way you can skip them.
Based on most users' opinions, I summarize the pros and cons of Hulu Live TV below:
- Unified access to live + on-demand + bundle services.
- Robust Cloud DVR.
- Wide device compatibility.
- Local channels supported.
- The price is higher than basic streaming plans.
- Smaller channel lineup compared to competitors.
- Ad interruptions on on-demand content unless upgraded.
- Interface quirks—especially occasional buffering and navigation delays.
- Only 2 simultaneous streams may not suit a larger household
In essence, if you already have a Hulu subscription, it's really worthwhile to add the Live TV option as well.
Hulu Subscription: Plans & Discounts
Well, having checked the content library, we will now move to the costs and find how pocket-friendly the service is.
Subscription tiers
There are several subscription options that you can explore with Hulu. Let us explore the Hulu price plans in detail. Hulu offers the following plans:
The plan would cost you $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. It provides you with access to the complete ad-supported streaming library on Hulu.
The plan costs $18.99 per month. The shows offer you an ad-free environment to help you enjoy your shows.
You can also check out the Hulu student plan, which costs $1.99 per month. The plan comes with ads. You may check your eligibility for the Hulu student discount.
If you also want to enjoy content on Hulu Live TV, there are multiple Hulu + Live TV plans offered.
The plan costs $82.99 per month. The plan offers on-demand and ad-supported content and also offers live streams of your favorite sports.
You can avail yourself of this plan for $95.99 per month. You can watch all the content without ads.
This plan costs $87.99 per month.
If you're interested in live TV only and don't want a streaming library, this is the right choice for you. It costs $81.99 per month.
What's more, you can also customize your own bundled plans. You're allowed to bundle your entertainment with Hulu and Disney Plus, or Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Disney Plus. The pricing will depend on the bundle you choose. You can also choose a Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle:
- Max (With Ads) for $9.99/month
- Max (Ad-Free) for $16.99/month
- Cinemax for $9.99/month
- Paramount+ with SHOWTIME for $12.99/month
- STARZ for $10.99/month
- Español Add-on for $4.99/month
- Entertainment Add-on for $7.99/month
- Sports Add-on for $9.99/month
- Unlimited Screens Add-on for $9.99/month
In the future, more and more channels might be added to the Hulu Live TV plan.
- Hulu for $6.99/month
- Hulu (No Ads) for $9.99/month
- Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic for $7.99/month
- Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium for $10.99/month
- Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic for $11.99/month
- Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium for $14.99/month
Already confused by all of these Hulu plans? Don't worry, the table below should give you a brief idea of the pricing strategy of Hulu
| Plan Name | Ads | Live TV | Disney+/ESPN+ Included | Monthly Price | Best For |
| Hulu (With Ads) | Yes | No | No | $9.99 | Budget-friendly streaming |
| Hulu (No Ads) | No* | No | No | $18.99 | Ad-free binge-watching |
| Hulu Student Plan | Yes | No | No | $1.99 | Verified students |
| Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) Bundle | Yes | Yes | Yes (With Ads) | $82.99 | Cord-cutters who want it all |
| Hulu + Live TV (No Ads + Disney+ No Ads) | No | Yes | Yes (Mixed Ads) | $95.99 | Full family entertainment, no ads |
| Live TV Only | N/A | Yes | No | $81.99 | Just for live channels |
| Hulu + Disney+ + ESPN+ (Streaming Only) | Yes | No | Yes | $13.99 – $19.99 | Full streaming bundle, no live TV |
| Spotify + Hulu Student Bundle | Yes | No | No | $9.99 | Students who want music + shows |
| Hulu with Max (Add-On) | Depends | Optional | No | +$9.99 – $16.99 | Premium movie lovers |
| Hulu + Extra Member | Depends | Optional | Optional | +$6.99 – $14.99 | Large households with multiple users |
Hulu Special Plan and Discount
In addition to the above plans, Hulu also offers special plans and discount options for eligible users.
- Hulu Student Discount: Students receive Hulu at a reduced rate, over 80% off on the standard plan. You can sign up via the student portal. You can get a Hulu (with ads) plan for $1.99 per month.
- Spotify + Hulu Bundle: This is actually a plan offered by Spotify in partnership with Hulu. Music lovers can enjoy Hulu (with ads) bundled with Spotify Premium at a discounted combined rate. This bundle typically includes Hulu with ads and Spotify Premium for about $5.99/month. You need to subscribe to the Premium student plan on Spotify and then activate Hulu (with ads).
Hulu Customer Service Review
Hulu offers robust customer support, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That being said, you can be assured of multiple channels and options to contact customer support.
1. Submit a request and raise a ticket: You can visit the Hulu help section to submit a request and raise a ticket.
2. Call Hulu customer support: Hulu has multiple customer care numbers. You can contact them on Toll-Free number at (888)265-6650, dedicated Customer Service at (310)496-0582, and (888)907-0345. You can also contact them for DMCA-related queries at (818)560-1000
3. Social media: You can also leave a message on Hulu's social media profiles.
Having said that, Hulu customer support does seem to have a lower rating on Trustpilot and similar services. The streaming service has a mere 1.3 rating out of 5 on Trustpilot. Many users complain about the longer wait times and some responses that seem to be unhelpful.
One user says, " Spent 2 hours with no resolution and was told they have no customer support and or customer care to get back to customers with issues logging in, access, and or troubleshooting to resolve a problem.” Another user echoes the same thoughts, “The initial point of contact person will talk the conversation in circles and delay so as not to transfer you up the chain to the appropriate person to fix the issue.”.
That would mean even when the customer support is available round the clock, the quality of service may not be up to the mark.
How to Make Full Use of Your Hulu Plan and Enjoy Shows Anytime?
Well, Hulu is definitely a worthy investment for wholesome entertainment. However, there may be times when you may be looking forward to downloading a few of your favorite shows and watching them offline.
The best way to do it would be to use a reliable third-party downloader for downloading your shows. My experience with multiple third-party downloaders has made me vouch for KeepStreams for Hulu. It is a truly robust downloader for Hulu.
Some special features that I found impressive with the tool include:
1. Batch downloads: The downloader allows me to download multiple shows simultaneously. This helped me download all the episodes of a single series in one go.
2. MP4 and MKV file formats: I could download videos in MP4 and MKV file formats, which offer me universal compatibility.
3. High-quality video downloads: I could download my videos in resolutions as high as 1080p.
4. Removal of DRM restrictions: I could download my videos with no restrictions whatsoever and transfer or play the downloaded files on any of my devices.
5. Subtitle retention: The downloader provides an option to download subtitles as an SRT file or to embed them directly into the video.
6. Get rid of ads: The downloader helped me a lot in watching my favorite Hulu shows without ads.
The downloader should be an excellent option to bypass the download limitations on Hulu. Because of the built-in browser and easy-to-use UI, it's also pretty simple to download Hulu shows with KeepStreams:
Download KeepStreams from the official website and install it on our device. The tool is available for both Windows and Mac devices.
From among the multiple streaming services supported, choose Hulu. Sign in to your Hulu account or create a new account.
Use the search option to find the show you want to download. Configure the download parameters such as video resolution, audio tracks, and subtitles.
Click on Download Now to begin downloading the video. You can then transfer it to any device you wish to.
Conclusion
In summary, this Hulu review highlights a versatile platform that offers high-quality VOD, live TV, and flexible pricing. With standout features like next-day episodes, Hulu originals, and student discounts, Hulu provides excellent value, especially for Spotify Hulu student bundle users.
However, the Hulu customer service experience can be inconsistent. Fortunately, tools like KeepStreams Hulu Downloader add another layer of function and freedom. Whether it’s live TV, classic series, or offline convenience, Hulu has you covered every step of the way.