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Software · head to head

Hulu vs Pocketcasts

Hulu logo

Hulu

Software

Stream TV and movies live and online

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pocketcasts logo

Pocketcasts

Software

The powerful podcast player for serious listeners

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pocketcasts 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.; Pocketcasts two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content
  • They diverge on capability: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hulu and Pocketcasts actually diverge.

Attributes where Hulu and Pocketcasts differ
AttributeHuluPocketcasts
Starting price$7.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consolesIos, Android, Web, Windows, Macos
Founded20072010

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
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Mobile devices

Only in Pocketcasts

  • Podcast discovery
  • Variable speed playback
  • Silence trimming
  • Cross-device sync
  • Custom filters
  • Apple Watch
  • Wear OS
  • Sonos

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Hulu

  • TV streamingnot Pocketcasts
  • Live TVnot Pocketcasts
  • Next-day episodesnot Pocketcasts
  • Sportsnot Pocketcasts

Pocketcasts

  • Podcast listeningnot Hulu
  • Audio content consumptionnot Hulu
  • Learning on the gonot Hulu

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.

Pocketcasts

  • Two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content

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

Pocketcasts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • Cross-device sync
    • Playback effects
  • Plus$39.99/year
    • Desktop apps
    • Cloud storage 10GB
    • Extra themes

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.
Hulu review

Choose Pocketcasts if

  • You need podcast discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
  • You also want variable speed playback.
Pocketcasts review

Questions people ask

Is Hulu or Pocketcasts better?
Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Pocketcasts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hulu or Pocketcasts?
Pocketcasts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $7.99/month for Hulu and Free for Pocketcasts.
Does Hulu or Pocketcasts run on more platforms?
Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Pocketcasts runs on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
Can I use Pocketcasts for free?
Yes. Pocketcasts 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 live tv are not what Pocketcasts is typically brought in for.
What can Hulu do that Pocketcasts cannot?
Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Variable speed playback, Silence trimming, Cross-device sync. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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