Hulu vs. Netflix

Hulu and Netflix are among the top-tier streaming video-on-demand services today. The differences between them are minimal, and when looking at Hulu versus Netflix, choosing between the two will depend on a few factors. These factors include price, content, and compatible devices.

Hulu and Netflix offer TV shows, documentaries, and movies, and each streaming service can be accessed through computers, mobile apps, and video game consoles. Of the two, however, Netflix has the most extensive catalog of movies with plenty of classic TV shows. Hulu mostly stocks up on current TV shows to complement its smaller movie selection.

Right off the bat, Netflix has Hulu beat on several fronts. First, Netflix has a worldwide reach of over 190 countries, while Hulu is only available in the US. And second, Netflix operates without ads, while Hulu still depends on advertisements for revenue. You will have to top up the fees for a package with limited ads on Hulu and get the $11.99 package.

Price

Netflix offers three subscription packages for its viewing plan. The first one is the Basic package which offers content in standard definition (SD) resolution and only allows for one viewer at a time.

The next one is the Standard package which goes for $12.99 a month and allows two users to stream content in high definition (HD) simultaneously. Lastly, there’s the Premium package which costs $15.99 a month for HD and 4K content and allows up to four users to stream simultaneously.

On the other hand, Hulu offers 4K HDR resolution on its cheapest pricing plan, which goes for $5.99 per month. You’ll need to subscribe to the $11.99 per month package to watch with only a limited amount of ads. Both subscriptions (with ads and with limited ads) only allow one user to stream at a time.

Content

If we compare content between the two in terms of quantity, Netflix wins. This could be attributed to their yearly production budget of $13 billion and their long existence in the market. They produce some of the best content today with original shows like The Irishman, Orange Is the New Black, and Stranger Things. They also have the budget to buy complete seasons of past shows that are still popular, like Friends and Breaking Bad.

Hulu has the upper hand in uploading new content onto its platform. Because of their cordial relationships with most networks like ABC and FOX, Hulu puts out new shows the day after they go on air, unlike Netflix, which usually acquires the rights to a show approximately three to twelve months after airing. This is why Netflix invests so much in producing its original content, which can only be found on its platform – a move that has dramatically paid off.

Netflix has the luxury of being a company on its own. Hulu, however, is owned by Disney (67%) and NBC/Comcast (33%). Due to this conflict, Disney is in the process of pulling their content from Netflix (such as Jessica Jones) to transfer it to their streaming platform, the recently launched Disney Plus. The content that will not be suitable for Disney Plus subscribers will be uploaded to Hulu. Their association with Disney is, therefore, a big plus for Hulu.

Even with their crowd-pulling all-original content, this move could hurt Netflix. However, as a subscriber, be on the lookout for who will carry your favorite shows.

Compatible Devices:

To access both Netflix and Hulu, you can use any number of devices. Finding a device that won’t accept either of them is almost impossible. Below are some of the devices:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Roku
• Chromecast
• Android Smartphones
• Video game consoles like Xbox and PlayStation devices.
• iOS devices (iPhone, iPad)

Regarding what device to use to watch either of them, both Netflix and Hulu offer a handful of options. It’s important to note that Hulu’s website does not sync with Apple products, including iPads, since it uses Flash. To get past this problem, you’ll have to subscribe to the Hulu Plus Live TV package, which is compatible with many of Apple’s devices.

Finally, we have a feature to download content to be watched offline later. In this department, Hulu has limited the shows and movies that can be downloaded; they also have limited the users that can use this option depending on their subscription. For some reason, Hulu has been lax with this feature compared to its competitor Netflix.

With Netflix, however, regardless of which package you’re on, downloading is available for your convenience.