Software · head to head
Hulu vs Paramount+
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; Paramount+ the App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
- They diverge on capability: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Paramount+ covers Streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hulu and Paramount+ actually diverge.
| Attribute | Hulu | Paramount+ |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $7.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv |
| Founded | 2007 | 2021 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Hulu
- On-demand streaming
- Live TV
- Cloud DVR
- Downloads
- Current episodes
- Mobile devices
- Profile PINs
- Account security
Only in Paramount+
- Streaming
- Live sports
- CBS shows
- Nickelodeon
- Profile management
Both cover
- Smart TVs
- Gaming consoles
- Parental controls
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
- Smart-tv support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Hulu
- TV streaming
- Live TVnot Paramount+
- Next-day episodesnot Paramount+
- Sports
Paramount+
- TV streaming
- Sports
- Kids contentnot Hulu
Both are used for tv streaming, sports, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Paramount+
- The App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
- The App Store listing states the base Paramount+ plan carries ads and does not include ad-free viewing, offline downloads, or a local CBS station live stream, which are reserved for the Premium plan.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Paramount+
$5.99/month- Essential$5.99/month
- Limited ads
- Full library
- With Showtime$11.99/month
- Ad-free
- Showtime
- Downloads
Which should you pick?
Choose Hulu if
- You need on-demand streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want live tv.
Choose Paramount+ if
- You need streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
- You also want live sports.
Questions people ask
- Is Hulu or Paramount+ better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Paramount+ at $5.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hulu or Paramount+?
- Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Paramount+ at $5.99/month.
- Does Hulu or Paramount+ run on more platforms?
- Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Paramount+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
- What is Hulu best used for?
- Hulu is most often used for tv streaming, live tv, next-day episodes, sports. Of those, live tv and next-day episodes are not what Paramount+ is typically brought in for.
- What can Hulu do that Paramount+ cannot?
- Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Paramount+ covers Streaming, Live sports, CBS shows, Nickelodeon. Both handle Smart TVs, Gaming consoles, Parental controls, Web support.
Related pages
Keep looking
Other head to heads
- Hulu vs Overcast
- Hulu vs Castbox
- Hulu vs Castro
- Hulu vs Apple TV+
- Hulu vs Emby
- Hulu vs Jellyfin
- Hulu vs Kodi
- Hulu vs MUBI
- Hulu vs Audible
- Hulu vs BritBox
- Hulu vs Criterion Channel
- Hulu vs Crunchyroll
- Hulu vs Dailymotion
- Hulu vs Discovery+
- Hulu vs Disney+
- Hulu vs ESPN+
- Hulu vs HBO Max
- Hulu vs IMDb TV (Freevee)
- Paramount+ vs Overcast
- Paramount+ vs Castbox
- Paramount+ vs Castro
- Paramount+ vs Apple TV+
- Paramount+ vs Emby
- Paramount+ vs Jellyfin
- Paramount+ vs Kodi
- Paramount+ vs MUBI
- Paramount+ vs Audible
- Paramount+ vs BritBox
- Paramount+ vs Criterion Channel
- Paramount+ vs Crunchyroll
- Paramount+ vs Dailymotion
- Paramount+ vs Discovery+
- Paramount+ vs Disney+
- Paramount+ vs ESPN+
- Paramount+ vs HBO Max
- Paramount+ vs IMDb TV (Freevee)