Media & Entertainment · head to head
Plex vs Hulu
Hulu
Media & Entertainment
Stream TV and movies live and online
- From
- $7.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Plex has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Plex plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned; 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.
- They diverge on capability: Plex covers Financial management, Hulu covers On-demand streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Plex and Hulu actually diverge.
| Attribute | Plex | Hulu |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $7.99/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles |
| Founded | 2009 | 2007 |
Identical on both: 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 Plex
- Financial management
- Manufacturing execution
- Supply chain
- Quality management
- Analytics
- IoT platforms
- REST APIs
- Webhooks
Only in Hulu
- On-demand streaming
- Live TV
- Cloud DVR
- Downloads
- Current episodes
- Smart TVs
- Gaming consoles
- Mobile devices
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Plex
- Industry 4.0not Hulu
- Real-time monitoringnot Hulu
- IoT integrationnot Hulu
- Smart manufacturingnot Hulu
Hulu
- TV streamingnot Plex
- Live TVnot Plex
- Next-day episodesnot Plex
- Sportsnot Plex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Plex
- Plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
- Remote streaming quality degrades significantly if Plex cannot establish direct connection and falls back to relay mode
- Upcoming sunsetting of plugins, Cloud Sync, and Watch Later features
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.
Pricing, plan by plan
Plex
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Plex review.
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
Which should you pick?
Choose Plex if
- You need financial management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want manufacturing execution.
Choose Hulu if
- You need on-demand streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want live tv.
Questions people ask
- Is Plex or Hulu better?
- Neither clearly leads. Plex starts at Free and Hulu at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Plex or Hulu?
- Plex has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Plex and $7.99/month for Hulu.
- Does Plex or Hulu run on more platforms?
- Plex runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- Can I use Plex for free?
- Yes. Plex has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hulu starts at $7.99/month.
- What is Plex best used for?
- Plex is most often used for industry 4.0, real-time monitoring, iot integration, smart manufacturing. Of those, industry 4.0 and real-time monitoring are not what Hulu is typically brought in for.
- What can Plex do that Hulu cannot?
- Plex covers Financial management, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain, Quality management. Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Plex: Is Plex Media Server free?
Yes. Plex Media Server and the ad-supported streaming catalog are free. Plex Pass is an optional subscription at 6.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year that adds features like hardware transcoding and offline sync.
SourcePlex: Can I access Plex content offline?
Yes, but downloads have limitations. Downloaded content may have an expiration period and is specific to the device where downloaded. Downloads are not available on shared libraries in some cases.
SourcePlex: What devices does Plex support?
Plex apps are available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, iOS, Android, and web browsers. Server software runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS devices, and Docker.
SourcePlex: What is included in the free Plex catalog?
Plex's free ad-supported streaming catalog includes 14,000+ movies and shows from Lionsgate, MGM, Warner Bros, and Crackle Originals.
Source