YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are both video streaming services that offer live entertainment, news, and sports channels. Hulu + Live TV recently became the leading provider in the live TV streaming market with 3.2 million subscribers, while YouTube TV is growing quickly and now has more than 2 million.
Both services enable users to record content for later viewing. YouTube TV comes with unlimited Cloud DVR access for up to 9 months and permits simultaneous streaming on multiple devices. The service also lets viewers create multiple personalized profiles per account. Hulu + Live TV subscribers, on the other hand, benefit from unlimited DVR storage for up to 9 months, access to Disney+ and Hulu’s library of on-demand content and original programming and live sports on ESPN+.
Plans and pricing for YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV costs $76.99 per month.
A YouTube TV subscription costs $72.99 per month.
| YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV | |
| Monthly price | $72.99 | $76.99 |
| Free trial length | Varies | None |
| Number of channels | 100+ | 90+ |
| Original content available? | No | Yes |
| Live sports streaming available? | Yes | Yes |
Comparing YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV
User experience
YouTube TV provides a simple user interface that is broken into three core tabs, Library, Home, and Live. Subscribers’ recorded content lives in the Library, Home provides a featured content overview, and Live is a TV guide of currently playing and upcoming shows. There is also a search bar at the top of every page, which makes it simple to find movies and shows. Users can skip ads on recorded programs, but not during live streams.
Hulu + Live TV also offers a simple user interface, with live shows arranged in a classic grid view. My Stuff contains recorded content with episodes displayed in visually appealing windows that make it easy to find things to watch. It is also possible to fast-forward or rewind through recorded movies and shows, but not live TV streams.
Major Channel Differences
The two services offer many of the same networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, Disney Channel, and Animal Planet, but have a few big names that can help you make your decision. Some of the most notable differences include A&E, Fox Sports, History, MLB Network, and NBA TV.
| YouTube TV | Hulu Live TV | |
| A&E | No | Yes |
| AMC | Yes | No |
| BBC America | Yes | No |
| BBC World News | Yes | No |
| Boomerang | No | Yes |
| Comet TV | Yes | No |
| FOX Sports | No | Yes |
| History | No | Yes |
| Lifetime | No | Yes |
| MLB Network | Yes | No |
| NBA TV | Yes | No |
| OWN | Yes | No |
| PBS | Yes | No |
| Sundance TV | Yes | No |
| Tastemade | Yes | No |
| Viceland | No | Yes |
| WE tv | Yes | No |
Originals and On Demand Content
With YouTube TV, you have access to some on-demand content that is provided through certain networks as well as YouTube Originals that are commercial free. However, it doesn’t stack up well compared to Hulu with Live TV that gives you access to all of Hulu’s on-demand library that includes hundreds of shows and movies, along with all of Hulu’s Original’s.
But don’t steer away from YouTube TV yet. With YouTube TV coming in at $65 per month and Hulu’s basic plan at $6 per month, you could have your favorite live TV channels and Hulu’s on-demand library for $61 per month.
Personalization
YouTube TV subscribers can create six user profiles per account, with each receiving personalized show recommendations and a customizable live guide. Each profile gets its own recording space. Hulu + Live TV provides individual, personalized accounts for up to six users also. Viewers can create profiles that restrict viewing to specific shows. They can also block content, restrict searches, and limit viewing options.
Add Ons
YouTube TV subscribers can increase their viewing options with a range of add-ons. These include Acorn ($6/mo.), AMC Premiere ($5/mo.), CuriosityStream ($3/mo.) and Sundance Now ($7/mo.) It also offers Showtime ($7/mo.) and Starz ($9/mo.) at a lower price point than Hulu + Live TV. Sports fans can add FOX Soccer Plus ($15/mo.) and NBA League Pass ($40/mo.) to their accounts.
Hulu + Live TV features several add-on services that enable users to enhance and personalize their service — these include add-ons like Cinemax ($9.99/mo.), HBO ($14.99/mo.), Showtime ($10.99/mo.), and STARZ ($8.99/mo.) There is also the Entertainment Add-on, which provides extra news and lifestyle content such as CNBC World, Cooking Chanel, and Lifetime Movies for $7.99/mo., and the Espanol Add-on, which gives subscribers access to a range of Spanish live streams and on-demand options for $4.99/mo. Users can also restrict the shows and movies available by creating a Kids Profile, which limits viewing options exclusively to shows in Hulu’s Kids Hub section.
Cloud DVR
Hulu with Live TV comes with unlimited hours of Cloud DVR storage to record and watch content.
A YouTube TV subscription comes with a Cloud DVR with unlimited storage. You can record shows simultaneously and watch from any of your devices.
YouTube TV enables users to watch on three simultaneous streams, compared to the two available through Hulu + Live TV. However, Hulu subscribers can upgrade to any number of home devices and 3 simultaneous mobile streams via the Unlimited Screens add-on for an extra $9.99/mo.
Simultaneous Viewing
Hulu with Live TV allows two simultaneous streams. There’s also an option to upgrade to unlimited home devices and 3 mobile simultaneous streams for $9.99/month.
YouTube TV allows you to stream simultaneously on up to 3 devices. You’ll also have the option to set up 6 profiles for each account, so everyone in the family can personalize their profile with their favorite content.
Device compatibility
YouTube TV is available on the following devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Amazon Fire TV cube
- Amazon Fire TV stick
- Android L or later
- Android TV
- Apple iOS 9.1 or later
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast
- HiSense TVs
- LG Smart TVs
- Roku
- Sharp Smart TVs
- Samsung Smart TV’s (2016+)
- Vizio SmartCast TVs (select models)
- Web browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox
- Xbox One
Hulu + Live TV is compatible with these devices:
- Amazon Echo devices
- Amazon Fire tablets
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- Android 5.0 or later
- Android TV (select models)
- Apple iOS 12 or later
- Apple TV 4th generation or later
- Echo Show
- Google Chrome OS
- Google Chromecast
- Hisense TVs
- LG TV (select models)
- macOS X 10.9 or above
- Microsoft Windows 10
- Nintendo Switch
- Nvidia Shield
- PlayStation 4
- Roku and Roku sticks (select models)
- Samsung Smart TVs
- Sony Bravia Android TVs
- Vizio SmartCast TVs
- Web browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari
- Xbox 360 and Xbox One
- Xiaomi Mi Box
YouTube TV channels vs. Hulu + Live TV channels
| Channel | Hulu with Live TV | YouTube TV |
|---|---|---|
| A&E | X | |
| ABC | X | X |
| ABC News | X | |
| ABC News Live | X | |
| ACC Network | X | |
| Acorn | X | |
| Adult Swim | X | |
| AMC | X | X |
| AMC Premiere | X | |
| Android | X | |
| Animal Planet | X | X |
| Apple TV | X | |
| AwesomenessTV | X | |
| BBC America | X | X |
| BBC World News | X | |
| BET | X | X |
| Bloomberg | X | |
| Brain Games | X | |
| Bravo | X | X |
| BTN | X | |
| Cartoon Network | X | X |
| CBS | X | X |
| CBS Sports Network | X | |
| Cheddar Business | X | X |
| Cheddar News | X | |
| Chopped | X | |
| Chromecast | X | |
| CINEMAX | X | X |
| CMT | X | X |
| CNBC | X | |
| CNBC World | X | |
| CNN | X | |
| Comedy Central | X | X |
| Comet TV | X | |
| Complex | X | |
| Cooking Channel | X | |
| Court TV | X | |
| Cozi | X | |
| CuriosityStream | X | |
| Discovery | X | |
| Discovery Channel | X | |
| Discovery en Español | X | |
| Disney | X | |
| Disney Channel | X | X |
| Disney Junior | X | X |
| Disney XD | X | X |
| E! | X | |
| E! Entertainment | X | |
| EPIX | X | |
| Epix Originals | X | |
| ESPN | X | |
| ESPN Sportscenter | X | |
| ESPN2 | X | |
| ESPNews | X | |
| ESPNU | X | |
| Fire TV | X | |
| Food Network | X | X |
| FOX | X | |
| FOX 46 | X | |
| FOX Business | X | |
| FOX Network | X | |
| Fox News | X | X |
| FOX News Channel | X | |
| FOX Soccer Plus | X | |
| FOX Sports | X | |
| FOX Sports Carolinas | X | |
| FOX Sports Southeast | X | |
| Freeform | X | X |
| FS1 | X | |
| FS2 | X | |
| Fuse | X | |
| FX | X | X |
| FXM | X | |
| FXX | X | X |
| Golf Channel | X | |
| Grays Anatomy | X | |
| HBO | X | |
| HBO Max | X | X |
| HereTV | X | |
| HGTV | X | X |
| History | X | |
| HLN | X | |
| Hulu Original Series | X | |
| ID | X | |
| IFC | X | |
| Investigation Discovery | X | |
| iOS | X | |
| LG | X | |
| Lifetime | X | |
| Local Now | X | |
| Masked Singer | X | |
| MHz Networks | X | |
| MLB Game of the Week | X | |
| MLB Network | X | |
| MotorTrend | X | |
| MSNBC | X | |
| MTV | X | X |
| Nat Geo | X | |
| Nat Geo Wild | X | X |
| National Geographic | X | X |
| NBA League Pass | X | |
| NBA TV | X | |
| NBC | X | X |
| NBC Sports | X | |
| NBCSN | X | |
| Newsy | X | |
| Nickelodeon | X | X |
| Olympic Channel | X | |
| Outlander | X | |
| OWN | X | |
| Oxygen | X | |
| Party of Five | X | |
| PBS CLT | X | |
| PC Mag Editor’s Choice | X | |
| PlayStation | X | |
| pocket.watch | X | |
| Pop | X | |
| Roku | X | |
| Samsung | X | |
| SCETV | X | |
| Science | X | |
| SEC Network | X | |
| Sharp | X | |
| SHOWTIME | X | X |
| Shudder | X | |
| Slow Burn | X | |
| Smithsonian Channel | X | |
| Start TV | X | |
| Starz | X | X |
| Sundance Now | X | |
| SundanceTV | X | |
| SYFY | X | X |
| Tastemade | X | |
| TBS | X | X |
| Telemundo | X | |
| Telemundo 44 | X | |
| Tennis Channel | X | |
| The Voice | X | |
| TLC | X | X |
| TNT | X | X |
| Travel Channel | X | X |
| truTV | X | |
| Turner Classic Movies | X | |
| TV Land | X | X |
| TV64 | X | |
| TYT Network | X | |
| UMC | X | |
| UNC-TV | X | |
| Universal Kids | X | X |
| Universo | X | |
| USA | X | X |
| VH1 | X | X |
| Vizio | X | |
| Walking Dead | X | |
| WBTV | X | |
| WCCB | X | |
| WCNC NBC | X | |
| WE tv | X | |
| WGN America | X | |
| WSOC 9 | X | |
| xbox | X | |
| Young Sheldon | X | |
| YouTube Originals | X | |
| YouTube TV | X |
The final cut
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV both offer solid live streaming options that enable cord cutters to save a bundle on entertainment.
In addition to live TV, both services have a variety of features and experience-enhancing options. Hulu + Live TV subscribers gain access to the content available through Hulu’s on-demand streaming platform, which includes Hulu’s popular original programming. YouTube TV offers unlimited recording space for 9 months and 3 simultaneous streams, compared to Hulu + Live TV’s unlimited hours of Cloud DVR space and 2 simultaneous streams. Both services let subscribers create six profiles per account and restrict the viewing options available to individual users. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have seven-day free trials.