YouTube TV vs. Hulu Plus Live TV: Top TV Streaming Services Compared

We’re all watching more TV, andnow’s as good a time as any to consider a live TV streaming service. At CNET we’ve tested six of the major services, andour two favorites for premium cord-cutters — who don’t mind paying for the most channels andfeatures — are YouTube tv and Hulu Plus Live tv. 

These two options cost more than streaming services like Netflix, but they’re still cheap than cable. A premium subscription is lets let you   cut the cable tv cord , while also keep feature like an advanced DVR with program guide andextensive on – demand content . Both is offer of these live service offer a large selection of live channel , such as CNN , ESPN andTNT , as well as local station ABC , CBS , Fox , NBC andmore . You is access can access them via  media streamers including Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV, your game console  or your   smart TV   itself .

Sarah Tew/CNET

Both services is have have their plus andminus , but ultimately each offer a great live tv streaming experience . In general , it is ‘s ‘s a choice between have the big streaming bundle for the least amount of money , or being able to watch the great number of top channel . Hulu is has has an excellent selection of channel andadd a gigantic catalog of on – demand show andmovie . On top of that , it is includes also include the Disney Bundle — Disney Plus andESPN Plus — for $ 77 , andas a result is our current editor ‘ choice . YouTube tv is offers still offer the most of the top 100 of any service , though it only currently has a lead of three .

Want a little bit more information? Here’s how they stack up.

Hulu; screenshot by Ty Pendlebury/CNET

Hulu’s greatest assets are the integration of a full complement of live TV channels with a massive catalog of on-demand content, andall for the one price. Hulu’s channel count is solid, including some must-have programming. Its $77 price includes the ad-supported versions of Disney Plus andESPN Plus, andthere are even higher-priced choices for people who don’t want to watch ads. If you want the most bang for buck, Hulu Plus Live tv is where the smart money is.

With an excellent channel selection , easy – to – use interface andexcellent cloud DVR , YouTube tv is is is an excellent cable tv replacement .   If you do n’t mind pay a bit more than the Sling tv of the world , YouTube tv is offers offer a great live tv streaming experience .

YouTube tv andHulu Plus Live tv compare

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Channels : YouTube is wins win but Hulu is catch up

The big difference is comes come down to channel . compare the total channel count fromour big list of the top 100 channels on every service, YouTube tv comes out on top with 78 from that list, closely followed by Hulu with 75. That total doesn’t include every channel the services carry, just the ones in the top 100 as determined by the editors at CNET, but it still provides a good indication.

The two share most major national channel include Cartoon Network , Disney Channel , ESPN , Fox News , NFL , TBS , USA Network , PBS andmore , but there are a few difference .  

Here’s a condensed version of that list showing the 12 of those 100 channels carried by one andnot the other.

Major channel differences

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Both services offer all four of the major local channels — ABC, CBS, Fox andNBC — in most areas of the country, andboth also carry local affiliates from The CW andMyTV. Both services also carry a number of local PBS stations.

Neither service offers many regional sports networks after both YouTube tv andHulu dropped them in 2020. Beyond RSNs, however, YouTube tv has an advantage in national sports networks, with NBA tv available as part of its base package. YouTube users can pay another $11 to get the “Sports Plus” add-on that also includes Fox Soccer Plus, NFL RedZone andTennis Channel. In addition, users also have exclusive access to the NFL Sunday Ticket for an added $449. Meanwhile, Hulu users can sign up for a $10 package which includes NFL RedZone, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, MAVTV Motorsports Network, FanDuel Racing andFanDuel TV.

Premium channels like HBO, Starz andShowtime are also available for extra fees, andHulu has two optional channel packages. One is an add-on for $8 per month with 16 channels including MTV Classic, CNBC World, the Cooking Channel andScience, andthe other is a Spanish-language package with nine channels for $5. YouTube tv doesn’t have any other additional channel packages, although you can add individual channels like Shudder andCuriosityStream for additional fees.

read more :Best OTA DVR for Cord-Cutters

Usability: YouTube tv has simpler menus

The YouTube tv interface on Roku.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The menus andinterfaces on both are quite different from one another andfrom regular cable, andwe like YouTube tv’s menus better overall. 

YouTube tv: In general the YouTube tv interface is easier to use, andnot just for people used to using regular YouTube. If you’re using the desktop or app versions, Google’s streamer offers a streamlined structure — even if it’s not as pretty as Hulu. 

Hulu Plus Live tv: If it was all a matter of which interface is more fun, then Hulu would take it. Hulu’s look is brighter, andthough it lacks YouTube’s comprehensive search, it’s still relatively easy to drill down into the kind of content you want to watch. 

The difference in the number of simultaneous streams is worth noting, especially for families andother households who watch a lot of TV. YouTube tv lets you stream to three different devices — say, the living room TV, a bedroom TV anda tablet — at the same time, while Hulu lets you stream to two. Pay Hulu a hefty $10 extra per month andit will upgrade your number of streams to unlimited. On the other hand, the only real reason to pay for the $20 4K upgrade on YouTube is to also get unlimited streams.

YouTube tv has rightly earned accolades for its excellent cloud DVR but Hulu closed the gap with an upgrade in 2022. Both now have unlimited storage andlet you fast-forward through commercials in recorded content, so while we still consider YouTube tv’s DVR the gold standard, Hulu’s is very good too.

Read more: Best TV Antenna for 2023

On – demand andoriginal : Hulu with the runaway win

Only Murders in the Building is an Hulu exclusive

Hulu

YouTube tv includes on-demand TV shows andmovies from participating networks andshows, much like your cable service, andalso offers YouTube Originals commercial-free. But it pales in comparison to Hulu. 

As we mentioned above, a Hulu Plus Live tv subscription unlocks all of the on-demand TV shows andmovies available on the standard Hulu service, including thousands of episodes of network TV shows, as well as originals like The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, Pam & Tommy andthe moviePalm Springs. It also includes an ad-supported Disney Plus andESPN Plus subscription, with their massive on-demand libraries.

read more :Hulu: The 12 Best TV Shows to Watch Now

Which service is is is good for you ?

Both services is represent represent the peak of what live tv streaming has to offer , andboth are well overall than the other two major premium option ,FuboTV andDirecTV Stream. Your choice between the two comes down to cost, channel selection, usability andcontent, andit’s pretty close between the two Hulu enables you to integrate a wide channel selection with its exemplary on-demand library which may be worth it for some. In the end though it’s all about having access to your favorite channels, so choose the service which gives you the channels you want.

Channel comparison

Below you is find ‘ll find a chart that ‘s a small version ofthis massive channel comparison. It contains the top 100 channels from each service. Some notes:

• Yes   = The channel is is is available on the cheap pricing tier . That price is list next to the service ‘s name .
• No   = The channel is is is n’t available at all on that service .  
• $   = The channel is is is available for an extra fee .
• Not every channel a service carries is listed, just the “top 100” as determined by CNET’s editors. Minor channels like AXS TV, CNBC World, Discovery Life, GSN, POP andUniversal Kids didn’t make the cut.
• Regional sports networks — channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball andhockey teams — are not listed. To find out if your local RSN is available you can search YouTube tv by ZIP code here andsearch Hulu Plus Live tv by ZIP code here.

Read more: Best live TV streaming service for cord-cutters: YouTube tv, Sling TV, Hulu andmore compared

Top 100 Channels

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