Hulu is a premium streaming service focused on licensed TV shows, movies, and original content with a subscription model, while YouTube is a free ad-supported video platform with user-generated and professional content. Hulu requires payment for ad-free viewing, whereas YouTube relies entirely on advertisements and premium memberships for monetization.
Hulu vs YouTube — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Subscription streaming service offering licensed TV shows, movies, and original series.
Free video-sharing platform with user-generated and professional content across diverse categories.
Content Model. Base Cost. Ad-Free Tier Price. Original Content Library. TV Show Episodes Available. Live TV Options. Global Availability
Choose Hulu if you want a curated library of professional TV shows, movies, and prestige originals with the option to add live television. Choose YouTube if you prefer free access to diverse, user-generated content, music videos, educational material, and don't mind advertisements—or if you value global accessibility and content creator independence.
Recommended Bundle Price (All Services, No Ads)
Hulu: $44.99 (with ESPN Unlimited) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 8 participants (Watch Party) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Available with bundles | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Limited (select events only) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Top 3 among streamers | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Disney+, ESPN+, FX content | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Tell Me Lies (7.2 rating) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: ESPN+ with premium sports | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Via ESPN+ partnership | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Standard mobile app | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Included (Hulu Watch Party) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Easier to browse and find content | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: $19.99/month (included) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Next-day episodes of current shows | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Standalone app ending, merging into Disney+ | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Yes (ABC, NBC, Fox, FX) | YouTube: No
Hulu: Same-day/next-day (typically 8-24 hours) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: $119.99 (with ads, includes Disney+ & ESPN+) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Yes (add-on: $14.99/mo) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 4 streams (standard) / 6 streams (premium) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Yes ($14.99/month with Disney+/ESPN+) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 30 days (varies by plan) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Next-day (24 hours) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Available (600+ shows) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Available ($76.99/month add-on) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 25+ diverse originals | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: ABC, Fox, NBC shows included | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: $14.99 (with Disney+, ESPN+) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Same-day or next-day | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: Limited (requires add-ons) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 65+ (Hulu+Live TV $76.99/mo) | YouTube: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)
Hulu: $7.99/month (with ads) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: ~15% of library in 4K | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: 90+ channels (Live TV add-on) | YouTube: N/A
Hulu: $14.99 | YouTube: $13.99 (YouTube Premium)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: AI-powered Recommendations
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: Stable parent (Alphabet)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 4,000 hours (last 12 months)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 30-180 days (evergreen potential)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 10 minutes - unlimited
Algorithm Accessibility for New Creators
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: Yes—shows overlay recommendations
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: Basic comments & community features
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: Strict (bans misinformation, hate speech, controversial politics)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 31 countries (as of March 2026)
Minimum Subscriber Requirement for Monetization
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 93% (recommendation engine)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: No (external links only)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: 4.8% (educational content)
Hulu: N/A | YouTube: $31.5B (YouTube advertising revenue)
Hulu vs YouTube — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Hulu vs YouTube. Contains 188 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Hulu vs YouTube — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Hulu vs YouTube.
Is Hulu or YouTube better for watching TV shows?
Hulu is significantly better for traditional TV shows, with 10,000+ licensed episodes from major networks like ABC, NBC, and Fox, including same-day releases for many shows. YouTube has minimal TV show content and focuses primarily on user-generated videos, though it hosts some professional content creators' shows. If you want structured TV series, Hulu is the clear winner.
Can I watch YouTube and Hulu completely free?
YouTube is completely free with ads; you watch unlimited content without paying anything. Hulu's free tier doesn't exist—the cheapest option is $7.99/month with ads. However, YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) removes ads, making it slightly cheaper than Hulu's ad-free tier ($14.99/month).
Hulu has more original series (450+ vs YouTube's 200+) with higher production budgets and award-winning quality (The Bear, Only Murders in the Building). YouTube excels at creator-driven content and niche originals but doesn't compete with Hulu's premium scripted series library.
What's available outside the United States?
YouTube is available in 190+ countries globally with full functionality. Hulu is primarily US-focused with limited availability in select international markets. If you're outside the US, YouTube is the only realistic choice between these two.
Both services offer offline downloads: Hulu allows downloads on all tiers (with limitations on ad-free), and YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) includes offline viewing. Free YouTube users cannot download content. Hulu's offline feature is more widely available across its library.
Content Model: Hulu has Licensed TV shows, movies, originals, while YouTube has User-generated + professional content.
Base Cost: Hulu has $7.99/month (with ads), while YouTube has Free.
Ad-Free Tier Price: Hulu has $14.99/month, while YouTube has $13.99/month (YouTube Premium).
Original Content Library: Hulu has 450+ originals, while YouTube has 200+ originals (YouTube Originals/Premium).
TV Show Episodes Available: Hulu has 10,000+ episodes, while YouTube has Limited TV content.
Live TV Options: Hulu has Hulu + Live TV: $82.99/month, while YouTube has No live TV (YouTube TV separate at $72.99/month).
Global Availability: Hulu has US-focused (some international markets), while YouTube has 190+ countries.