Hulu + Live TV vs. YouTube TV Review

Hulu + Live TV is $82–$96 per month and YouTube TV is $83. 

YouTube TV gives you 15 more channels (including NBA TV and PBS Kids), and Hulu Live TV has a vast on-demand library and comes with ESPN+ and Disney+. Honestly, it’s the perfect entertainment bundle for the family.

They both have a fair price for what they offer, and for different reasons. So, would the family rather have more channels or more on-demand content?

If you want to watch Hulu’s on-demand library without interruptions, you will have to get that $88 per month plan (or else you might see two ads in a TV show and six in a movie).

YouTube TV is our second favorite live TV streaming service behind fuboTV and one of the industry's best-valued live TV streaming services.

This streaming service makes it simple with just one plan without needing to upgrade for no ads.

Neither service has required fees.

But there is one Hulu Live fee you can opt into if you'd like more than two simultaneous streams. For $10 per month, you can get unlimited simultaneous streams for the family so no one has to boot anyone out of their streaming marathon.

YouTube TV has 15 more channels than Hulu Live, but Hulu Live does have some channels YouTube TV does not.

Besides the sports (more on that later), the biggest differences between the channel lineups are:

• Hulu + Live TV has Lifetime for the based-on-a-true-story fans and the HISTORY channel for the Alone fans.
• YouTube TV has PBS Kids and Nicktoons for the kiddos, while both services have Disney Jr., Disney XD, and Nick Jr.
• Hulu + Live TV has ESPN College Extra for college sports fans, but you can stream ACCN, BTN, SEC Network, and ESPNU with either service.
• For diehard NBA fans, just stop reading now—you'll want YouTube TV.
• YouTube TV has PBS, BBC America, Game Show Network, Hallmark Drama, and channels for Spanish speakers.
• Hulu is also a great choice for people who want to live-stream music concerts, like Lollapalooza 2024.

If you want to know the full channel lineup that each service has, check out our Hulu + Live TV Review and YouTube TV Review. 

The local channels Hulu Live and YouTube TV offer you will be based on your area. We listed out all local channels both live TV streaming services have, but just know it could be different when you type in your ZIP code.

Check out Hulu + Live TV’s channel lineup and YouTube TV’s, so you don’t get any surprises.

Both Hulu Live and YouTube TV include the following local channels:

• ABC
• CBS
• FOX
• NBC

YouTube TV has all of the premium channels, but Hulu Live is missing MGM+ and CINEMAX.

The premium channel pricing for both services is a bit different, but if you like Warrior or Banshee, you’ll want to get YouTube TV.

Unlike Hulu's premium channels that you can add to your plan a la carte, YouTube TV offers its Entertainment Plus bundle, which includes Max, STARZ, and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME for $29.99 a month. This bundle will save you about $5 a month compared to Hulu Live.

YouTube TV has 13 sports channels while Hulu Live has nine, which is why YouTube TV is ranked high in the best live TV streaming service for sports.

YouTube TV is the only live TV streaming service that includes NFL Network and NBA TV for $83 per month. 

But if you love college sports, Hulu Live has ESPN College Extra in its channel lineup.

YouTube TV is also the only live TV streaming service currently offering NFL Sunday Ticket, which gives access to all out-of-market games.

You can choose to bundle NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL Redzone and your YouTube TV subscription, or you can choose to pay for just NFL Sunday Ticket plus NFL RedZone. 

If you're looking for a cable alternative, you'll be happy to know YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have the best DVR storage space in the industry.

No other services offer unlimited storage space and save your recordings for nine months.

Think of all the possibilities! You can record 100 episodes of Family Feud, all episodes of The King of Queens, 100 movies, and every NBA game of the season.

Both Hulu Live and YouTube TV have content you can stream anywhere at any time. 

If you're not in the mood for live television, you can stream network TV shows, action movies, and popular Originals with Hulu. 

You can find the following Hulu content with Hulu + Live TV:

YouTube TV has about half the library than Hulu does, but it might suffice. You'll find some popular TV shows and movies, but you'll likely want another on-demand streaming service to fill in the holes.

Hulu Live and YouTube TV are compatible with pretty much every device.

But only two can stream Hulu Live at once unless you pay an additional $9.99 per month for unlimited simultaneous streams. Three can stream on YouTube TV, which is perfect when you don’t want to watch your spouse’s HGTV show or your son’s Disney Channel movie.

You can stream Hulu Live on the train with one of these streaming devices:

• iPhones and iPads
• Android smartphones and tables
• Apple TV (fourth generation and up)
• Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Amazon Fire tablets
• Xbox One and Xbox 360
• Roku and Roku Stick
• Google Chromecast and Google Chromecast Ultra
• Safari and Chrome web browsers
• Samsung and LG Smart TVs
• Nintendo Switch

You, your spouse, and your son can simultaneously stream YouTube TV on these streaming devices:

• iPhone, iPad
• Android smartphone, Android tablet
• Apple TV
• Android TV
• Roku TVs, Roku smart soundbar
• Roku Ultra, Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Express, Roku Premiere
• Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cubes
• Vizio SmartCast TVs
• Samsung & LG smart TVs
• Hisense TVs
• Chrome, Safari

YouTube TV has 15 more channels than Hulu + Live TV, and we recommend YouTube TV over its competitor if you can't live without NBA TV, PBS, T2, BBC America, or NFL Sunday Ticket.

But Hulu Live beats YouTube TV by a long shot when it comes to its on-demand library. You'll get access to excellent Originals, TV network shows, and movies. And Hulu Live also includes the best entertainment bundle with ESPN+ and Disney.

• Pricing: YouTube TV is $83 per month, and Hulu + Live TV is $82–$96 (the latter eliminates all ads while watching the on-demand content).  YouTube TV is a tad cheaper, offering 100+ channels, while Hulu Live gives you a big on-demand library to sift through.
• Channels: This part might depend on the type of entertainment you like. Hulu Live has the Lifetime Channel, ESPN College Extra, and History Channel. YouTube TV has 15 more channels, including four more sports channels, two extra kids channels, and an offering of NFL Sunday Ticket.
• DVR: Both of these cable alternatives have a DVR that gives you unlimited space for your recordings. Recording possibilities are endless!
• On-demand content: Hulu offers double the on-demand content than YouTube TV does. Hulu is known for its Originals and TV network series. YouTube TV has some on-demand content, but it's not its strong suit. 

Check out our full review on Hulu Live and YouTube TV if you’re still on the fence. You’ll find more details on add-ons, channels, and user interface.