Netflix vs Hulu - Streaming Titans Square Off



Netflix vs Hulu

Media Streaming Titans Battle for Your Dollars



Thinking about dropping your Cable or Satellite TV subscription, chances are you will be turning to Netflix or Hulu to fill the gap. In the streaming world Netflix and Hulu have risen to the forefront due to their endless volume of streaming content and low monthly fees. Without these two streaming media content providers, it would make cutting cable a much less pleasant experience.



 While there are quite a few more streaming services available, Netflix and Hulu have risen to to the forefront. Their sheer volume of content, along with original programming and daily updates plus low monthly fees make these media service providers a dream come true for many cable cutters. Here is a quick comparison of what they both offer in terms of service and value. 


Most Content - Winner Netflix

When it comes to content there is no denying that Netflix is king. They spend an estimated $2 billion dollars annually on content for their subscribers. Recently Netflix admitted to checking out which shows are popular on Pirate sites to determine which content they add to their service. Netflix makes it so easy to watch great content, pirated BitTorrent downloads in Canada have gone down 50% since Netflix entered their market.

 Even though Hulu recently signed a deal to add more than 2000 TV shows from BBC Worldwide North America mostly for their premium Hulu service. They still do not have the huge library of content that is available on Netflix.

No Commercials - Winner Netflix

If you enjoy watch your streaming content ad free, Hulu may be disappointing. Even though you pay the same monthly fee, Hulu makes you sit through commercials. You will not find a single commercial on Netflix. Thinking about using ad blockers on Hulu. They are wise to this and are now putting up a message telling you to turn off ad blocking when their commercials play. Hulu does offer a more expensive plan and they will turn off the commercials. This will cost you $12 a month


Most Current Content - Winner Hulu

If you enjoy watching current network shows, Hulu has more current shows available the next day after they air. While Netflix may have many more TV series, most aren't available until the following year. This makes Hulu a better choice for keeping up on current TV series.

HD Picture Quality - Winner Netflix

If you have the streaming bandwidth available from your Internet provider and your streaming device supports it, Netflix can deliver full 1080p HD video quality in surround sound. They also started offering 4K UHD for limited content. Although this will raise the price to $12 a month. Hulu does not yet offer the same high picture quality for their streaming content.

Price - Winner Draw

When it comes to monthly subscription costs, Netflix and Hulu are both very affordable. They both charge the same $7.99 monthly fee and are far less costly than the Cable TV or Satellite subscriptions that they often replace. Netflix requires you to have a valid sub to watch any of their content. They also offer a family plan allowing 4 family members to each have access to their own favorites and suggestions for $12 a month which also gives you 4K UHD.

 Hulu offers a free service with limited content which often entices users to upgrade to Hulu to have access to a much wider range of content.

Best for Kids - Winner Netflix

Netflix offers a nice parental interface which limits kids to certain sections of their site. They offer quite a bit of content that appeals especially to children and parents. Hulu does not provide this level of service on their site.
Features
 Netflix
Hulu
Original Content
Made for Netflix TV series
Yes
No made for Hulu TV series
No
Most Content
More movies and TV shows
Yes
Smaller content library
No
Current Content
More older seasons less new
No
Current TV shows available next day
Yes
Suggest Content
Offer watch similar suggestions
Yes
Shows what Facebook friends are watching
Yes
Available Devices
Wide range of devices
Yes
Wide range of devices
Yes
No Commercials
No ads –  Commercial free
Yes
TV Shows and Movies contain ads
No
Kids Content
Wide range of Kid safe content
Yes
Not as much geared specifically for kids
No
HD Quality
Best PQ 1080p surround sound
Yes
Picture quality not quite as good as Netflix
No
Free Content
Must pay to view any content
No
Offers Free limited Hulu content
Yes
Monthly Pricing
$7.99 1 Device SD, $10 2 Devices HD and $12 4 Devices 4KUHD.
Yes
$7.99 Unlimited access, or $12 No Commercials. Hulu requires Cable provider to watch some content
Yes
Use this chart for a quick summary of features between Netflix and Hulu.



Bottom Line - Try Both

Both of these streaming media companies offer features that are desirable and a few not so much. The bottom line is even if you subscribe to both, it still costs much less than a monthly Cable TV or Satellite subscription. Install a low cost HD antenna like the excellent Mohu Leaf for watching Free local over the air networks and you will still have endless entertainment at an excellent value.

If you prefer one over the other, cancel either Netflix or Hulu and use the money you save to rent an occasional newer movie from Amazon Video.


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