Software · head to head
Hulu vs Pluto TV
The short version
- Only Pluto TV has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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.; Pluto TV pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
- They diverge on capability: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Pluto TV covers Streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hulu and Pluto TV actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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
- Gaming consoles
- Mobile devices
- Profile PINs
Only in Pluto TV
- Streaming
- Live TV channels
- Movies
- TV shows
- Recommendations
- Streaming devices
- Account management
- Roku support
Both cover
- Smart TVs
- 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 streamingnot Pluto TV
- Live TV
- Next-day episodesnot Pluto TV
- Sportsnot Pluto TV
Pluto TV
- Free streamingnot Hulu
- Live TV
- On-demand contentnot Hulu
Both are used for live tv, 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.
Pluto TV
- Pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
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
Pluto TV
Free- FreeFree
- Full content
- Live channels
- Ad-supported
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 Pluto TV if
- You need streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- You also want live tv channels.
Questions people ask
- Is Hulu or Pluto TV better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Pluto TV at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hulu or Pluto TV?
- Pluto TV has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $7.99/month for Hulu and Free for Pluto TV.
- Does Hulu or Pluto TV run on more platforms?
- Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Pluto TV runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- Can I use Pluto TV for free?
- Yes. Pluto TV has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hulu starts at $7.99/month.
- What is Hulu best used for?
- Hulu is most often used for tv streaming, live tv, next-day episodes, sports. Of those, tv streaming and next-day episodes are not what Pluto TV is typically brought in for.
- What can Hulu do that Pluto TV cannot?
- Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Pluto TV covers Streaming, Live TV channels, Movies, TV shows. Both handle Smart TVs, Parental controls, Web support, Ios support.