Software · head to head
Pluto TV vs Hulu
The short version
- Only Pluto TV has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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); 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: Pluto TV covers Streaming, Hulu covers On-demand streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pluto TV and Hulu 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 Pluto TV
- Streaming
- Live TV channels
- Movies
- TV shows
- Recommendations
- Streaming devices
- Account management
- Roku support
Only in Hulu
- On-demand streaming
- Live TV
- Cloud DVR
- Downloads
- Current episodes
- Gaming consoles
- Mobile devices
- Profile PINs
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.
Pluto TV
- Free streamingnot Hulu
- Live TV
- On-demand contentnot Hulu
Hulu
- TV streamingnot Pluto TV
- Live TV
- Next-day episodesnot Pluto TV
- Sportsnot Pluto TV
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.
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)
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
Pluto TV
Free- FreeFree
- Full content
- Live channels
- Ad-supported
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 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.
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 Pluto TV or Hulu better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pluto TV 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, Pluto TV or Hulu?
- Pluto TV has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Pluto TV and $7.99/month for Hulu.
- Does Pluto TV or Hulu run on more platforms?
- Pluto TV runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. Hulu runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- 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 Pluto TV best used for?
- Pluto TV is most often used for free streaming, live tv, on-demand content. Of those, free streaming and on-demand content are not what Hulu is typically brought in for.
- What can Pluto TV do that Hulu cannot?
- Pluto TV covers Streaming, Live TV channels, Movies, TV shows. Hulu covers On-demand streaming, Live TV, Cloud DVR, Downloads. Both handle Smart TVs, Parental controls, Web support, Ios support.