Hulu is a subscription-based streaming service focused on TV shows and movies with ad-supported and ad-free tiers starting at $7.99/month, while YouTube is a free ad-supported video platform with 800+ million hours of user-generated and professional content accessible without payment. Hulu requires a paid subscription for ad-free viewing, whereas YouTube's free tier includes ads but offers Premium ($13.99/month) for ad removal.
Hulu vs YouTube — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Hulu if you want curated, professional TV shows and movies with live TV options and prefer a traditional streaming experience with clear content hierarchies. Choose YouTube if you value free access to diverse content, enjoy user-generated videos, music, and shorts, and don't mind ads or prefer YouTube Premium's features like offline viewing and background playback.
Subscription video-on-demand streaming service with licensed TV shows, films, and original programming.
Free video-sharing platform with 800+ million hours of user-generated, professional, and premium content.
Structured comparison data for Hulu vs YouTube with 228 attributes.
Recommended Bundle Price (All Services, No Ads)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)
Algorithm Accessibility for New Creators
Minimum Subscriber Requirement for Monetization
Monetization Eligibility (Followers Required)
Estimated Creator Annual Earnings (1M subscribers)
Hulu vs YouTube — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Hulu vs YouTube.
Can I watch current TV shows on Hulu without paying?
Yes, Hulu's $7.99/month plan with ads includes next-day access to current TV episodes from ABC, NBC, Fox, and other networks. However, you must subscribe to access this content. The ad-free experience requires the $15.99/month plan. YouTube does not offer official next-day TV episodes unless creators upload them.
YouTube is completely free to use with ads. Hulu's lowest tier costs $7.99/month. YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) removes ads and adds features like offline downloads and background playback, matching Hulu's ad-free experience in price.
Can I share my account with family members?
Hulu's ad-free plan allows 2 simultaneous streams, limiting household sharing. Hulu + Live TV ($76.99/month) also supports 2 simultaneous streams. YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) offers unlimited simultaneous streams across devices, making it more family-friendly for sharing without restrictions.
Hulu has 2,000+ curated, licensed films from major studios including Disney, Marvel, and Pixar content (Disney owns both platforms). YouTube has millions of movies available but they're user-uploaded, professionally uploaded, or available for purchase/rental—not a cohesive licensed library. For exclusive theatrical releases, Hulu is superior.
Hulu supports offline downloads on all subscription tiers, including the $7.99/month plan. YouTube only offers offline downloads through YouTube Premium ($13.99/month). Hulu's advantage here is significant for travelers and those with limited internet connectivity across all price points.