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Media & Entertainment · head to head

Hulu vs Shudder

Hulu logo

Hulu

Media & Entertainment

Stream TV and movies live and online

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Shudder logo

Shudder

Media & Entertainment

Horror and thriller streaming

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-

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.; Shudder subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, per the App Store listing
  • They diverge on capability: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Shudder covers Horror content.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hulu and Shudder actually diverge.

Attributes where Hulu and Shudder differ
AttributeHuluShudder
Starting price$7.99/month$5.99/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consolesWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv
Founded20072015

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

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 Shudder

  • Horror content
  • Thrillers
  • Original series
  • Exclusive films
  • Watchlist
  • Streaming devices
  • Roku support
  • Fire-tv support

Both cover

  • Smart TVs
  • Parental controls
  • Account security
  • 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 Shudder
  • Live TVnot Shudder
  • Next-day episodesnot Shudder
  • Sportsnot Shudder

Shudder

  • Horror streamingnot Hulu
  • Thriller watchingnot 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.

Shudder

  • Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, per the App Store listing
  • Default subscription length is 1 month, billed and renewed on a rolling monthly basis, per the App Store listing

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

Shudder

$5.99/month
  • Basic$5.99/month
    • HD
    • 1 device
  • Premium$8.99/month
    • 4K
    • 4 devices

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 Shudder if

  • You need horror content.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want thrillers.

Questions people ask

Is Hulu or Shudder better?
Neither clearly leads. Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Shudder at $5.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hulu or Shudder?
Hulu starts at $7.99/month and Shudder at $5.99/month.
Does Hulu or Shudder run on more platforms?
Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Shudder runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
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 Shudder is typically brought in for.
What can Hulu do that Shudder cannot?
Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Shudder covers Horror content, Thrillers, Original series, Exclusive films. Both handle Smart TVs, Parental controls, Account security, Web support.

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