what is hulu


Hulu vs Hulu Plus - Which One Best Fits Your Needs

It is indisputable that Streaming video services are so common nowadays as compared to the previous years. If you are like me and you love free streaming services, then you must be wondering between Hulu and Hulu Plus, which one is the best, no need to worry. However, everybody likes it when they are able to view free content from websites.



Hulu

Hulu offers a number of programming from television as well as cable networks such as Fox, NBC, A&E and Comedy Central; furthermore, it does not cost consumers anything to stream the programming from their website. There is nothing that you are required to have to download or access the content. All you need to have is a stable internet connection and a flash enabled computer. One of the amazing things about this website is that you can watch its content without worrying about violating any laws, since the company has taken care of the all the illegal issues concerning free video streaming. To ensure that you enjoy their content without worrying about being tackled by Federal Agents, Hulu gets the rights to the content beforehand.

Pros:

  • The service is extremely free to every individual, especially when you have stable and reliable internet connection.


Cons:

  • It comes with less programs as compared to other subscription services;
  • It is only limited to the personal computer environment.
  • It doesn't allow you to watch full episode for free on mobile devices.

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus is basically one of the biggest video streaming services whose focal point is more on television shows. Unlike Hulu, Hulu Plus is has a monthly subscription of $7.99. Hulu Plus is just like Hulu to a certain extent except for the fact that Hulu is a free service. Furthermore, it has a large collection of television shows, which you can watch instantly. Then again, it is worth mentioning that new episodes can be watched on Hulu Plus a day after they have been aired. What makes Hulu Plus stand out among the rest is its wide selection of television shows to watch. As it has roughly as twice as many television shows as Hulu does. When it comes to current season’s Hulu does not disappoint, which means they are far more up to date with their content.

Pros:

  • It comes with a free trial, which enables you to access its pro and cons before subscribing to the service;
  • Hulu Plus provides a host of appealing features such as unlimited streaming of the news, films current seasons, anime and other programs;
  • New episodes can be watched on Hulu Plus a day after they have been aired.



Cons:

  • Does not provide an optimal viewing experience as a result of adverts, which is a major drawback of subscription services though this advertisement never bothers some people;
  • Since it is a subscription based video streaming service, it is may be expensive to some people, thus a draw back in enjoying the host of appealing feature offered;
  • Sometimes users get confused with the Licensing agreements;
  • It is accessible through HD (720p) to internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, iPads, iPhones, and other numerous devices that are compatible.

Comparison of Hulu and Hulu Plus

A big difference between Hulu.com and Hulu Plus subscription service is based on the following comparison parameters such as Price, Video Quality, Device Access and Content.

Device Access

Access of the content is the most important thing any viewer would like to have, be it for free or for subscription. Hulu is a free option for users who want to watch TV shows on their computers, it supports almost all browsers and operating systems. This means that is only limited to the personal computer environment. On the other hand, Hulu Plus offers a number of options when it comes to access. You can access their content through HD (720p) to internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, iPads, iPhones, and other numerous devices that are compatible with the Hulu Plus file format.

hulu plus device

hulu content

Content

There is a big difference between the two services. The difference arises about the amount of content available to the viewer and how current the contents are. Normally, Hulu offers its viewers with the best five episodes that are aired on TV, while on the other hand, Hulu Plus offers its viewers with all the current-season episodes from popular TV shows, for instance, such episodes include Glee, House, and Modern Family, and full series runs which are from every season available. Hulu Plus is also rich in content to the essence that it is one of the exclusive sources for the most complete library of the Criterion Collection files with a good number of classic films.

Video Quality

Hulu Plus provides video quality in different options and they include 288p, 360p, 480p and sometimes 720p HD. On the other hand, Hulu.com streams in standard definition, while Hulu Plus streams in HD when available. Though they all try to ensure that they provide optimal video streaming experience to all their consumers, sometimes you can get poor video quality on both3G and 4G networks. Sometimes it is advisable to have a Wi-Fi or LTE network, if available, to get the best video quality possible.

hulu video quality

Learn More about Hulu Plus

General
Free Trial 1 week
Montly Price $7.99
Video Quality 480P, 720P
Enabled Devices Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, Gaming consoles, Set-top boxes, Mobile phones
Learn More >>
System Requirements
Supported OS Windows (7 or above), Mac OS X (10.6 or above), Linux
Compatible Browsers Internet Explorer 8.0 or above (Download Internet Explorer 11)
Firefox 2.0 or above (Download Firefox 27)
Safari 3.0 or above (Download Safari 7.0)
Chrome (Download Chrome 33)
Adobe Flash Player Adobe Flash Player 10.1 (.53.64) or above (Download Adobe Flash Player)
Java & Cookie Enabled
Learn How to Enbale Java and Cookie >>
Broadband Internet Connection SD video: at least 1.5 Mbps
HD video: at least 3 Mbps
iOS iOS 5.0 and above
Supported iOS Devices Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
Roku
Samsung Internet-Enabled TVs & Blu-ray Disc Players
Sony BRAVIA Internet-Enabled Devices
Sony PlayStation
VIZIO
Xbox
Learn More >>
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