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Software · head to head

Hulu vs Spotify

Hulu logo

Hulu

Software

Stream TV and movies live and online

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spotify logo

Spotify

Software

Music for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Spotify 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.; Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Spotify covers Music streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hulu and Spotify actually diverge.

Attributes where Hulu and Spotify differ
AttributeHuluSpotify
Starting price$7.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consolesWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers
Founded20072006

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
  • Mobile devices
  • Parental controls

Only in Spotify

  • Music streaming
  • Podcast streaming
  • Playlist creation
  • Music discovery
  • Social sharing
  • Offline downloads
  • Cross-device sync
  • Audio quality options

Both cover

  • Gaming consoles
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Hulu

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

Spotify

  • Music listeningnot Hulu
  • Podcast consumptionnot Hulu
  • Playlist sharingnot Hulu
  • Music discoverynot Hulu
  • Background musicnot 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.

Spotify

  • Ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
  • Lossless streaming tops out at 24-bit/44.1 kHz
  • The Duo plan at $18.99 a month covers two people and the Family plan at $21.99 covers a household, with no per-seat option between them

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

Spotify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad-supported music
    • Shuffle play
    • Limited skips
  • Premium$9.99/month
    • Ad-free music
    • Play any song
    • Unlimited skips
  • Family$15.99/month
    • 6 Premium accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

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 Spotify if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
  • You also want podcast streaming.
Spotify review

Questions people ask

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