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Millions of people all over the planet love Netflix and Hulu. Both of these services let us enjoy the content for every taste while we relax at home or hang out with friends. Each platform provides quality content, including originally produced shows. Some of these shows have already gathered a huge fan base and become iconic.
After the quarantine measures were applied worldwide amid the coronavirus outbreak, movie streaming services have become even more popular. The number of Netflix and Hulu users grows continuously, and so does their profit. More entrepreneurs are eager to create a streaming service because this kind of business proved to be one of the most efficient, even during the crisis.
At the end of 2019, such leading corporations as The Walt Disney Company and Apple released Disney+ and Apple TV+. This fact made the competition between streaming services even fiercer. Still, Netflix and Hulu continue to be the world’s most popular entertainment platforms, and we are about to compare them in this article.
Netflix vs Hulu Comparison
We compare Netflix and Hulu by several criteria. The essential ones are content and originally-produced movies and TV series. The other two measures of comparison are the number of users on each platform nowadays and the price of services. Now, let the encounter happen.
Content
Content is the main criterion that urges us to prefer one platform over another. Still, both platforms can boast a decent collection of quality content, including the original one. Instead of watching the one intended episode and then getting back to our routines, we sometimes find ourselves binge-watching shows on Netflix and Hulu all day long.
These services focus on different content, though. Hulu focuses on TV shows, sitcoms, interviews, and live TV, while Netflix doesn’t offer live TV streaming but focuses on both movies and shows. The latest episodes of favorite shows appear on Hulu within two days after they were first aired. The intervals for running new episodes by Netflix may vary.
Recently, a part of Hulu has been acquired by Disney. According to the Disney policy, the Hulu platform doesn’t provide much content for kids. The corporation relies on Disney+ in terms of family-oriented movies, cartoons, and TV shows, while Hulu has R-rated content and focuses on general entertainment. Compared to its competitor, Netflix covers both kid and adult audiences.
Original TV Series
Both platforms also offer shows produced exclusively for this platform. Many of those shows have won over the hearts of millions of fans. Some of them have already become legendary and iconic. Everyone on Earth heard of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why, Sex Education, The Punisher, and others. These shows are long-awaited and loved by viewers from all over the world.
The Hulu original series aren’t that popular compared to Netflix shows, but they include some true hits such as Little Fires Everywhere, the Handmaid’s Tale, Battleground, Runaways, etc. After the Disney corporation got a 60% majority stake in Hulu, people expect more original content to come out soon.
Number of users
By the number of people subscribed to these two platforms, Netflix takes the lead. Netflix reported that it had more than 60 million US users and about 105 million international viewers at the end of 2019. As of spring 2020, over 182 million people are Netflix subscribers, with 69 million based in the USA. As of the second quarter of 2020, Hulu reported about 32.1 million viewers compared to 25.2 million users in the same period last year.
Pricing
Hulu has four main types of subscription plans and paid add-ons. The Basic and Premium packages differ by the presence of advertisements in whatever video you choose. The Premium subscription provides users with an ad-free experience and a full catalog of shows. If a viewer wants to access over 60 TV channels live, they must buy the Basic or Premium package with Live TV add-on for a higher cost. One can only stream videos using two devices or screens simultaneously.
Price per plan type:
- Hulu Base - $5.99
- No-Ads Hulu - $11.99
- Hulu + Live TV - $54.99
- No-Ads Hulu + Live TV - $60.99
Netflix offers three subscription plans, and each of them is free for the first month. With the Basic Plan, a user can only stream Netflix content on one device and watch videos in the standard quality. The Standard Plan lets viewers stream movies in HD on two devices at once, and the Premium Subscription allows them to watch HD and Ultra HD content and use up to four devices at the same time.
Price per plan type:
- Basic - $8.99
- Standard - $12.99
- Premium - $15.99
Conclusion
Whatever platform you choose, you will surely find what you want. Both platforms have an extensive content library for any viewer with great original TV shows out there. Still, if you’re going to watch live TV, Hulu is your choice since Netflix has no such content available. If you’re a fan of feature movies and mysterious shows, choose Netflix. For more TV series, sitcoms, and their latest episodes, visit Hulu. The last thing to mention is that Netflix is entirely ad-free compared to Hulu. Each platform offers convenient subscription plans that would fit any budget, so try what works best for you.
