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Hulu vs YouTube 2026: Pricing, Features, Content

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

Hulu

Subscription video-on-demand streaming service with licensed TV shows, films, and original programming.

Cord-cutting households wanting current TV episodes, movie lovers seeking curated professional content, and those needing live TV with streaming.

Score71%
VS
YouTube

YouTube

Free video-sharing platform with 800+ million hours of user-generated, professional, and premium content.

Budget-conscious viewers, music listeners, educational content seekers, creators, and users valuing variety over curated professional content.

Score71%

Quick Answer

AI Summary

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.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

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.

Community feedback

Was this verdict helpful?

Hulu
5.7/10
YouTube
9.3/10
Hulu

Choose Hulu if

Cord-cutting households wanting current TV episodes, movie lovers seeking curated professional content, and those needing live TV with streaming.

YouTube

Choose YouTube if

Best pick

Budget-conscious viewers, music listeners, educational content seekers, creators, and users valuing variety over curated professional content.

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Primary Business Model:YouTube wins(Free with ads (Premium paid option) vs Subscription-based (freemium Premium tier))
  • Original Content Library:3,000+ licensed TV shows and 2,000+ films vs 40,000+ YouTube Originals and Premium exclusives
  • Monthly Ad-Free Cost:Hulu wins($7.99 (with ads) to $15.99 (ad-free) vs $13.99 (YouTube Premium))
See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

165 numeric metrics compared

MetricHuluYouTubeRatio
Subscribers50M+
Content Budget(USD/year)$2.5 Billion
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)$17.99
Recommended Bundle Price (All Services, No Ads)(USD per month)$44.99 (with ESPN Unlimited)
Simultaneous Stream Devices(devices)2-4 devices
Watch Party Maximum Participants(people)8 participants (Watch Party)
App Merger Timeline(year)Early 2026
Base Subscription Price (Ad-Supported)(USD per month)$7.99
Premium Subscription Price (No Ads)(USD per month)$14.99
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)$14.99
Original Series Count(active)60+
Free Trial Period(days)7 days
Total Content Library Size(titles)20,000+
Simultaneous Streams(count)4 simultaneous
Theatrical Release Window(months)120 days standard
Base Subscription Price (Ad-Supported)(USD/month)$7.99
Premium Subscription Price (Ad-Free)(USD/month)$14.99
Live TV Channels Included(channels)75+
2026 Emmy-Contending Series(count)Tell Me Lies (7.2 rating)
Content Library Size (Estimated)(titles)15,000+
Global Subscribers(millions)50+ million
Content Library Size(titles)4,000+ titles
Basic Plan Price(USD/month)$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Plan(USD/month)$14.99
Original Content Awards(Emmy nominations)120+ nominations
Simultaneous Streams (Standard)(screens)2 screens
User Satisfaction Score(%)76%
Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)$5.99
Monthly Price (Premium/Ad-Free)(USD)$11.99
Paying Subscribers (2026)(millions)55+ million
Live TV Channels(channels)75+ channels
Standalone Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)$11.99/month
Standalone Monthly Price (Ad-Free)(USD)$19.99/month
Bundle Price (Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+)(USD)$19.99/month (included)
Monthly Cost (Base Tier)(USD)$7.99Free
Monthly Cost (Premium/Ad-Free Tier)(USD)$14.99$13.99
Live TV Base Plan Cost(USD/month)$46-$65$83
Live TV Channels (Standard Plan)(channels)75+100+
On-Demand Content Library Size(titles)10,000+800+ million
User Profiles Per Account(profiles)6Unlimited
Premium Tier Monthly Price(USD)$14.99
Maximum User Profiles(profiles)6
TV Episode Next-Day Availability(hours after air)Same-day/next-day (typically 8-24 hours)
Hulu + Live TV / All-In Bundle Cost(USD/month)$119.99 (with ads, includes Disney+ & ESPN+)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Ad-Free)(USD)$14.99
Total Content Library Size(titles)9,000+
Annual Content Budget(USD billions)$2.7B
2024 Emmy Nominations(nominations)32 nominations
Live TV Channels (with Live Bundle)(channels)90+
Same-Day TV Episode Coverage(percent of shows)95%
Maximum Simultaneous Streams(streams)2 (ad-free plan)Unlimited
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)$7.99
Live TV Channels (with Live TV Plan)(count)90+ channels
Original Series (2024-2025)(series)38+
4K HDR Content Available(titles)72% of library
Free Trial Period(days)30 days (varies by plan)
Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)$7.99
Monthly Price (Ad-Free)(USD)$14.99
Original Series Library(series)450+
Simultaneous Streams (Premium)(screens)2
Average Monthly Ad Load (Ad-Supported)(minutes per hour)4-6 minutes
Current-Season TV Episodes Access(days after air date)Next-day (24 hours)
Ad-Supported Monthly Price(USD)$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)$14.99
Total Content Library(titles)8,500+
Original Series Released Annually(series/year)40-50
Global Subscriber Base(millions)57 million
Simultaneous Streams (Standard Tier)(streams)2
Ad-Supported Base Price(USD/month)$7.99
Ad-Free Premium Price(USD/month)$24.99
Live TV Channels(channels)500+ (Live TV tier)
Total Title Library(titles)~2,500 titles
Original Series Per Year(series)25+ diverse originals
Monthly Price (Base Plan with Ads)(USD)$7.99
On-Demand Content Library(titles)10,000+
Cloud DVR Storage Capacity(hours)50 hours
Free Trial Length(days)7 days
Premium Plan Price (Ad-Free)(USD)$14.99
Total Content Titles(titles)10,000+
Movie Library Size(films)4,000
Disney Bundle Cost(USD/month)$14.99 (with Disney+, ESPN+)
TV Episode Release Schedule(days)Same-day or next-day
2024 Emmy Awards Won(awards)16
Ad-Supported Monthly Cost(USD)$7.99
On-Demand Title Library(titles)10,000+
Original Series Count(series)80+ originals200+
Simultaneous Streams (Premium Tier)(streams)2
Live TV Channels (with add-on/included)(channels)65+ (Hulu+Live TV $76.99/mo)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)(EUR)$7.99/month (with ads)
Total Available Titles(titles)~10,000+
Original Emmy Nominations (All-Time)(nominations)120+ total
Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)$7.99Free
Ad-Free Premium Tier Cost(USD/month)$14.99$13.99 (YouTube Premium)
TV Show Episodes Available(episodes)10,000+500+
Monthly Cost (Ad-Supported Tier)(USD)$7.99
Monthly Cost (Ad-Free Tier)(USD)$14.99
TV Series Available(titles)8,000+
Simultaneous Device Streams(devices)2
Base Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)$7.99
Movie Library(titles)1,800+ films
Simultaneous Streams (Ad-Free Tier)(devices)4 devices
NFL Game Availability(games/season)0 games (requires ESPN+ add-on)
Same-Day TV Episodes(shows)200+ shows
Original Series (2025)(series)120+
Ad-Supported Plan Price(USD/month)$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Plan Price(USD/month)$14.99
Ad-Free Monthly Cost(USD)$14.99
Original Series Produced Annually(series)42 originals
4K/Ultra HD Available Titles(titles)200+ titles
Live TV Channels Included(channels)50+ channels
Same/Next-Day Network TV Episodes(shows)500+ shows
Warner Bros Theatrical Films/Year(films)0-5 films
Max Simultaneous Streams(screens)2 screens
Bundle Price (All Streaming Services)(USD/month)$14.99 (Disney+/ESPN+ bundle)
Entry Cost (Monthly)(USD)$7.99Free
Ad-Free Plan Cost (Monthly)(USD)$15.99$13.99
Content Library Size(hours)5,000+ hours800+ million hours
Original Content Investment (Annual)(USD millions)$2,500$3,000
User Base Size(millions)51.6 (Q4 2024)2,500+ (monthly active users)
Annual Revenue (2025)(billion USD)$60 billion$60 billion
Premium Subscribers (Jan 2026)(millions)125 million125 million
Minimum Monthly Cost(USD)$0 (free tier)$0 (free tier)
Daily Video Consumption(billion hours)1 billion hours1 billion hours
Watch Time Requirement(hours)4,000 hours (last 12 months)4,000 hours (last 12 months)
Monetization Eligibility (Followers)(users)1,000 subscribers1,000 subscribers
Monthly Active Users(millions)YouTubeYouTube
Daily Active Users(millions)YouTubeYouTube
Premium/Paid Subscribers(millions)YouTubeYouTube
Average CPM Rate(USD)YouTubeYouTube
Google Search Video Carousel Presence(%)26%26%
Entry-Level Plan Cost (Annual Billing)(USD/month)$0 (free with ads)$0 (free with ads)
Maximum Video Resolution Support(pixels)4K (3840x2160)4K (3840x2160)
AI-Powered Subtitle Languages(languages)99+ languages99+ languages
Minimum Subscribers for Monetization(subscribers)1,000 subscribers1,000 subscribers
Required Watch Hours for Monetization(hours)4,0004,000
Annual Creator Growth Rate(%)~9%~9%
Video Library Size(millions of videos)800+800+
Direct Messaging Availability(countries)31 countries (as of March 2026)31 countries (as of March 2026)
Average Daily Session Duration(minutes)4242
Creator Average Monthly Revenue(USD)$1,000-$5,000$1,000-$5,000
Minimum Subscriber Requirement for Monetization(subscribers)1,000 subscribers1,000 subscribers
Views from Recommendations(%)93% (recommendation engine)93% (recommendation engine)
Average Engagement Rate(%)4.8% (educational content)4.8% (educational content)
Parent Company Annual Revenue(billions USD)$31.5B (YouTube advertising revenue)$31.5B (YouTube advertising revenue)
Video Upload Rate(hours per minute)500+ hours/minute500+ hours/minute
Average CPM (Cost Per Mille)(USD)$2–$10$2–$10
Content Moderation Response Time(hours)24–48 hours24–48 hours
Founded Year20052005
Creator Revenue Share (Ad Revenue)(%)55%55%
Creator Revenue Share (Subscriptions)(%)55%55%
Minimum Followers to Monetize(followers)1,0001,000
Watch Hours Required to Monetize(hours (last 12 months))4,0004,000
Gaming Content Share of Platform(%)28%28%
Average Daily Active Users(millions)500500
Year-over-Year User Growth (2024-2025)(%)+8.2%+8.2%
Annual Ad Revenue(USD billions)$31.5B$31.5B
Creator Revenue Share(%)45%45%
Monetization Eligibility (Followers Required)(followers)1,000 subscribers1,000 subscribers
Creator Earnings Per 1K Views(USD)$4-8$4-8
Percentage of Users Who Create Content(percent)12%12%
Time to Viral (Average)(days to 1M views)2121
Average CPM Rate(USD per 1,000 views)$2-$10$2-$10
Total Videos Available(millions)800+ million800+ million
Platform Launch Year(year)20052005
Estimated Creator Annual Earnings (1M subscribers)(USD)$120,000-$600,000$120,000-$600,000

Sourced from publicly available data ·

Key Differences

7 attributes compared head-to-head

Hulu
3Hulu
Hulu leads2 ties
YouTube
2YouTube
  • Primary Business Model

    Hulu

    Subscription-based (freemium Premium tier)

    YouTube

    Free with ads (Premium paid option)(winner)

  • Original Content Library

    Hulu

    3,000+ licensed TV shows and 2,000+ films

    YouTube

    40,000+ YouTube Originals and Premium exclusives

  • Monthly Ad-Free Cost

    Hulu

    $7.99 (with ads) to $15.99 (ad-free)(winner)

    YouTube

    $13.99 (YouTube Premium)

  • Content Type Focus

    Hulu

    Professional TV episodes, movies, documentaries

    YouTube

    User-generated videos, tutorials, music, shorts, professional content

  • Simultaneous Streams

    Hulu

    2 simultaneous streams (ad-free plan)

    YouTube

    Unlimited simultaneous streams (Premium)(winner)

  • Live TV Option

    Hulu

    Hulu + Live TV bundle available ($76.99/month)(winner)

    YouTube

    No live TV offering

  • Mobile Offline Viewing

    Hulu

    Supported on all tiers(winner)

    YouTube

    YouTube Premium only ($13.99/month)

Full Comparison

Hulu
YouTube
Subscribers
50M+
Monthly Active Users(millions)
2,700 million
Content Budget(USD/year)
$2.5 Billion
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)
$17.99
Bundle Inclusions
Disney+, ESPN+, FX content
Bundle Monthly Savings(USD)
None
Recommended Bundle Price (All Services, No Ads)(USD per month)
$44.99 (with ESPN Unlimited)
Base Subscription Price (Ad-Supported)(USD per month)
$7.99
Premium Subscription Price (No Ads)(USD per month)
$14.99
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)
$14.99
Base Subscription Price (Ad-Supported)(USD/month)
$7.99
Show 40 more attributes
Premium Subscription Price (Ad-Free)(USD/month)
$14.99
Basic Plan Price(USD/month)
$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Plan(USD/month)
$14.99
Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)
$5.99
Monthly Price (Premium/Ad-Free)(USD)
$11.99
Standalone Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)
$11.99/month
Standalone Monthly Price (Ad-Free)(USD)
$19.99/month
Bundle Price (Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+)(USD)
$19.99/month (included)
Monthly Cost (Base Tier)(USD)
$7.99
Free
Monthly Cost (Premium/Ad-Free Tier)(USD)
$14.99
$13.99
Live TV Base Plan Cost(USD/month)
$46-$65
$83
Premium Tier Monthly Price(USD)
$14.99
Hulu + Live TV / All-In Bundle Cost(USD/month)
$119.99 (with ads, includes Disney+ & ESPN+)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Ad-Free)(USD)
$14.99
Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)
$7.99
Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)
$7.99
Monthly Price (Ad-Free)(USD)
$14.99
Ad-Supported Monthly Price(USD)
$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Monthly Price(USD)
$14.99
Ad-Supported Base Price(USD/month)
$7.99
Ad-Free Premium Price(USD/month)
$24.99
Monthly Price (Base Plan with Ads)(USD)
$7.99
Premium Plan Price (Ad-Free)(USD)
$14.99
Disney Bundle Cost(USD/month)
$14.99 (with Disney+, ESPN+)
Ad-Supported Monthly Cost(USD)
$7.99
Free Tier Availability
No free tier
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)(EUR)
$7.99/month (with ads)
Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)
$7.99
Free
Ad-Free Premium Tier Cost(USD/month)
$14.99
$13.99 (YouTube Premium)
Monthly Cost (Ad-Supported Tier)(USD)
$7.99
Monthly Cost (Ad-Free Tier)(USD)
$14.99
Base Monthly Price (Ad-Supported)(USD)
$7.99
Ad-Supported Plan Price(USD/month)
$7.99
Premium Ad-Free Plan Price(USD/month)
$14.99
Ad-Free Monthly Cost(USD)
$14.99
Bundle Price (All Streaming Services)(USD/month)
$14.99 (Disney+/ESPN+ bundle)
Entry Cost (Monthly)(USD)
$7.99
Free
Ad-Free Plan Cost (Monthly)(USD)
$15.99
$13.99
Minimum Monthly Cost(USD)
$0 (free tier)
Entry-Level Plan Cost (Annual Billing)(USD/month)
$0 (free with ads)
Simultaneous Stream Devices(devices)
2-4 devices
Live TV Access(availability)
Available with bundles
Free Trial Period(days)
7 days
Live TV Option(available)
Yes (Hulu+Live TV)
Simultaneous Streams(count)
4 simultaneous
Show 29 more attributes
Mobile Download Feature(yes/no)
Yes
Simultaneous Streams (Standard)(screens)
2 screens
Live TV Channels(channels)
75+ channels
Bundle Options
Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu
Watch Party Co-Viewing Feature
Included (Hulu Watch Party)
Maximum User Profiles(profiles)
6
Live TV Option Available(yes/no)
Yes (add-on: $14.99/mo)
Live TV Channels (with Live Bundle)(channels)
90+
Offline Download Support
Premium tier only
Maximum Simultaneous Streams(streams)
2 (ad-free plan)
Unlimited
Live TV Channels (with Live TV Plan)(count)
90+ channels
Disney Bundle Compatibility
Yes ($14.99/month with Disney+/ESPN+)
Simultaneous Streams (Premium)(screens)
2
Current-Season TV Episodes Access(days after air date)
Next-day (24 hours)
Live TV Option
Available ($76.99/month add-on)
Simultaneous Streams (Standard Tier)(streams)
2
Next-Day Network TV Episodes(null)
ABC, Fox, NBC shows included
Cloud DVR Storage Capacity(hours)
50 hours
Simultaneous Streams (Premium Tier)(streams)
2
Live TV Channels (with add-on/included)(channels)
65+ (Hulu+Live TV $76.99/mo)
Live TV Availability(channels)
90+ channels (Live TV add-on)
Simultaneous Device Streams(devices)
2
Simultaneous Streams (Ad-Free Tier)(devices)
4 devices
Live TV Bundle Available(yes/no)
Yes (75+ channels)
Live TV Channels Included(channels)
50+ channels
Max Simultaneous Streams(screens)
2 screens
Offline Download Capability
All tiers
Premium only
Direct Messaging Availability(countries)
31 countries (as of March 2026)
Native E-Commerce Checkout(availability)
No (external links only)
4K Content Availability(percent)
Limited, mostly HD
4K Content Available(yes/no)
Yes (premium tier)
Dolby Atmos Support(yes/no)
Yes
2024 Emmy Nominations(nominations)
32 nominations
4K/Ultra HD Available Titles(titles)
200+ titles
Watch Party Maximum Participants(people)
8 participants (Watch Party)
App Merger Timeline(year)
Early 2026
Sports Content Coverage(categories)
Limited (select events only)
Original Series Count(active)
60+
Total Content Library Size(titles)
20,000+
Theatrical Release Window(months)
120 days standard
Live TV Channels Included(channels)
75+
Show 26 more attributes
Sports Content Availability
ESPN+ with premium sports
Content Library Size(titles)
4,000+ titles
Exclusive Sports Rights
Via ESPN+ partnership
Current TV Episode Availability
Next-day episodes of current shows
On-Demand Content Library Size(titles)
10,000+
800+ million
Total Content Library Size(titles)
9,000+
Annual Content Budget(USD billions)
$2.7B
Same-Day TV Episode Coverage(percent of shows)
95%
Original Series (2024-2025)(series)
38+
Original Series Library(series)
450+
Total Content Library(titles)
8,500+
Original Series Released Annually(series/year)
40-50
Next-Day TV Episode Access
Yes (all tiers)
Not available
Live TV Channels(channels)
500+ (Live TV tier)
On-Demand Content Library(titles)
10,000+
On-Demand Title Library(titles)
10,000+
Live Sports Access
Limited (requires add-ons)
Movie Library(titles)
1,800+ films
Same-Day TV Episodes(shows)
200+ shows
Original Series (2025)(series)
120+
Next-Day TV Show Access(availability)
Full (most networks)
Original Series Produced Annually(series)
42 originals
Same/Next-Day Network TV Episodes(shows)
500+ shows
Warner Bros Theatrical Films/Year(films)
0-5 films
Content Library Size(hours)
5,000+ hours
800+ million hours
Original Content Investment (Annual)(USD millions)
$2,500
$3,000
Nielsen Rankings (Jan 2026)(position)
Top 3 among streamers
User Base Size(millions)
51.6 (Q4 2024)
2,500+ (monthly active users)
2026 Emmy-Contending Series(count)
Tell Me Lies (7.2 rating)
Original Content Awards(Emmy nominations)
120+ nominations
4K HDR Content Available(titles)
72% of library
Original Emmy Nominations (All-Time)(nominations)
120+ total
Same-Day Theatrical Releases
Limited
Content Library Size (Estimated)(titles)
15,000+
Global Subscribers(millions)
50+ million
User Satisfaction Score(%)
76%
Content Discovery Usability
Easier to browse and find content
Paying Subscribers (2026)(millions)
55+ million
Premium Subscribers (Jan 2026)(millions)
125 million
Daily Active Users(millions)
YouTube
Content Engagement vs Traditional(%)
Industry standard
Daily Video Consumption(billion hours)
1 billion hours
Average Engagement Rate(percent)
YouTube
Mobile-First Features
Standard mobile app
Content Curation Method
AI-powered Recommendations
Merger/Platform Status (2026)
Standalone app ending, merging into Disney+
Live TV Channels (Standard Plan)(channels)
75+
100+
Cloud DVR Storage (Live TV)(storage)
Unlimited
Unlimited
User Profiles Per Account(profiles)
6
Unlimited
Same-Day TV Episode Releases(availability)
Yes (ABC, NBC, Fox, FX)
No
TV Episode Next-Day Availability(hours after air)
Same-day/next-day (typically 8-24 hours)
Current-Season TV Episode Access(hours after air)
~24 hours (next day)
Integrated Non-Streaming Benefits
None
Video Quality Support(max resolution)
4K HDR, Dolby Atmos
4K Streaming Support(supported)
No
Next-Day TV Show Episodes(available)
Yes (most series)
Free Trial Period(days)
30 days (varies by plan)
4K/HDR Support
Yes, on Premium
4K Streaming Included(null)
Premium plan only
4K Content Titles(% of library)
~15% of library in 4K
Maximum Video Resolution (Ad-Supported)(pixels)
1080p Full HD
Maximum Video Resolution(pixels)
1080p Full HD (Premium)
8K (7680×4320)
Show 1 more attribute
Maximum Video Resolution Support(pixels)
4K (3840x2160)
Average Monthly Ad Load (Ad-Supported)(minutes per hour)
4-6 minutes
Global Subscriber Base(millions)
57 million
Total Title Library(titles)
~2,500 titles
Movie Library Size(films)
4,000
Original Series Count(series)
80+ originals
200+
Total Available Titles(titles)
~10,000+
TV Show Episodes Available(episodes)
10,000+
500+
Show 3 more attributes
TV Series Available(titles)
8,000+
Video Library Size(millions of videos)
800+
Total Videos Available(millions)
800+ million
Original Series Per Year(series)
25+ diverse originals
Free Trial Length(days)
7 days
Total Content Titles(titles)
10,000+
TV Episode Release Schedule(days)
Same-day or next-day
2024 Emmy Awards Won(awards)
16
Free Shipping Benefit
No
NFL Game Availability(games/season)
0 games (requires ESPN+ add-on)
Annual Revenue (2025)(billion USD)
$60 billion
5-Year Stock Performance(percent gain)
Stable parent (Alphabet)
Watch Time Requirement(hours)
4,000 hours (last 12 months)
Monetization Eligibility (Followers)(users)
1,000 subscribers
Minimum Subscriber Requirement for Monetization(subscribers)
1,000 subscribers
Typical Content Lifespan(days)
30-180 days (evergreen potential)
Average Engagement Rate(%)
4.8% (educational content)
Cost Per Mille (CPM)(USD)
$0.25-$4.00
Earnings Per 1M Views(USD)
$1,000-$4,000
Premium/Paid Subscribers(millions)
YouTube
Average CPM Rate(USD)
YouTube
Minimum Subscribers for Monetization(subscribers)
1,000 subscribers
Show 10 more attributes
Creator Average Monthly Revenue(USD)
$1,000-$5,000
Average CPM (Cost Per Mille)(USD)
$2–$10
Creator Revenue Share (Ad Revenue)(%)
55%
Creator Revenue Share (Subscriptions)(%)
55%
Annual Ad Revenue(USD billions)
$31.5B
Creator Revenue Share(%)
45%
Creator Earnings Per 1K Views(USD)
$4-8
Average CPM Rate(USD per 1,000 views)
$2-$10
Monetization Eligibility Requirements(subscribers/hours)
1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours
Estimated Creator Annual Earnings (1M subscribers)(USD)
$120,000-$600,000
Content Duration Range(minutes)
10 minutes - unlimited
Typical Video Length(minutes)
YouTube
Monthly Active Users(millions)
YouTube
Creator Tool Sophistication
YouTube
Algorithm Accessibility for New Creators(relative)
YouTube
Google Search Video Carousel Presence(%)
26%
Website Embed Recommended Videos
Yes—shows overlay recommendations
AI-Powered Subtitle Languages(languages)
99+ languages
Creator Monetization Requirements(thresholds)
1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours
Team Collaboration Tools
Basic comments & community features
Required Watch Hours for Monetization(hours)
4,000
Minimum Followers to Monetize(followers)
1,000
Watch Hours Required to Monetize(hours (last 12 months))
4,000
Annual Creator Growth Rate(%)
~9%
Content Moderation Restrictiveness
Strict (bans misinformation, hate speech, controversial politics)
Average Daily Session Duration(minutes)
42
Views from Recommendations(%)
93% (recommendation engine)
Parent Company Annual Revenue(billions USD)
$31.5B (YouTube advertising revenue)
Video Upload Rate(hours per minute)
500+ hours/minute
Content Moderation Response Time(hours)
24–48 hours
Founded Year
2005
Gaming Content Share of Platform(%)
28%
Average Daily Active Users(millions)
500
Year-over-Year User Growth (2024-2025)(%)
+8.2%
Monetization Eligibility (Followers Required)(followers)
1,000 subscribers
Percentage of Users Who Create Content(percent)
12%
Time to Viral (Average)(days to 1M views)
21
Platform Launch Year(year)
2005
Content Moderation Strictness(level)
Strict with demonetization enforcement

Pros & Cons

10 pros·4 cons across both

Hulu
YouTube
Hulu

Hulu

+5-2

Pros

  • Next-day access to current TV episodes from major networks (ABC, NBC, Fox, Disney)
  • Hulu + Live TV bundle provides 90+ live TV channels for $76.99/month
  • Offline downloads available on all subscription tiers
  • Next-day episodes for active primetime shows without Premium tier
  • 4K Ultra HD streaming on select content

Cons

  • Requires paid subscription ($7.99+ per month) for any ad-free viewing
  • Limited to 2 simultaneous streams on ad-free plan (restrictive for families)
YouTube

YouTube

+5-2

Pros

  • Completely free access to 800+ million hours of content without subscription
  • YouTube Shorts offers short-form video content competing with TikTok
  • Unlimited simultaneous streams across devices (Premium and free tiers)
  • Integrated music streaming with access to 100+ million songs
  • Background playback on YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) allows audio-only listening

Cons

  • Free tier includes frequent, unavoidable ads (pre-roll and mid-roll interruptions)
  • No traditional TV episodes from networks unless uploaded by creators (unreliable scheduling)

Frequently Asked Questions

5 questions

  1. 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.

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