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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs Hulu

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

All the ways you love music. All in one place.

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hulu logo

Hulu

Media & Entertainment

Stream TV and movies live and online

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; Hulu the App Store listing states Hulu offers three plans, Hulu with Ads, Hulu No Ads, and Hulu plus Live TV, and caps simultaneous streaming at two screens at once while allowing up to six profiles per account, without stating any plan price in the visible description.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, Hulu covers On-demand streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Music and Hulu actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Music and Hulu differ
AttributeApple MusicHulu
Starting price$10.99/month$7.99/month
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles
CategoryEntertainmentMedia & Entertainment
Founded20152007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Music

  • Music streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Spatial Audio
  • Lossless audio
  • Curated playlists
  • Radio stations
  • Music discovery
  • Cross-device sync

Only in Hulu

  • On-demand streaming
  • Live TV
  • Cloud DVR
  • Downloads
  • Current episodes
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Mobile devices

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Music

  • Music listeningnot Hulu
  • Music discoverynot Hulu
  • Playlist creationnot Hulu
  • Offline listeningnot Hulu
  • Family entertainmentnot Hulu

Hulu

  • TV streamingnot Apple Music
  • Live TVnot Apple Music
  • Next-day episodesnot Apple Music
  • Sportsnot Apple Music

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Music

  • Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month

Hulu

  • The App Store listing states Hulu offers three plans, Hulu with Ads, Hulu No Ads, and Hulu plus Live TV, and caps simultaneous streaming at two screens at once while allowing up to six profiles per account, without stating any plan price in the visible description.
  • The App Store listing states premium network add-ons such as MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, CINEMAX, and STARZ are each available only for an additional monthly fee on top of a Hulu plan.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Music

$10.99/month
  • Individual$10.99/month
    • 100+ million songs
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Family$16.99/month
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

Hulu

$7.99/month
  • Hulu (With Ads)$7.99/month
    • Full library
    • Ad-supported
  • Hulu (No Ads)$17.99/month
    • Full library
    • Ad-free
    • Downloads
  • Hulu + Live TV$76.99/month
    • Live TV
    • On-demand
    • Cloud DVR

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Apple Music review

Choose Hulu if

  • You need on-demand streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
  • You also want live tv.
Hulu review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or Hulu better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and Hulu at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or Hulu?
Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and Hulu at $7.99/month.
Does Apple Music or Hulu run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
What is Apple Music best used for?
Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what Hulu is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that Hulu cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Both handle Ios support.
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