First and foremost, declaring a winner in the Hulu vs. Netflix rivalry is unlikely. Despite the fact that the two subscription services have the same basic concept, they are vastly different in several respects. Which one is best for a viewer depends on a variety of factors, including budget and the types of shows a person enjoys watching.

Netflix is available in over 190 countries, and can be subscribed to from anywhere in the world. Hulu, on the other hand, is accessible only in the United States (and US military bases). It doesn’t seem to be making its way to other markets anytime soon.

“I personally prefer Netflix because it has many more options than Hulu does, but Hulu does include some movies that Netflix either got rid of or doesn’t have anymore, which is nice,” said Layla Blust, sophomore. 

The most important factor in deciding whether to subscribe to Hulu or Netflix is the content. Both deliver a large selection of movies and television shows, but each has a distinct emphasis. Netflix is most well-known for its original content. 

Hit shows like Stranger Stuff, Narcos, Outerbanks, Master of None, and a slew of others fall into this category. Netflix spent well over $17 billion on original programming in 2020.

“Outer Banks is one of my favorite shows on Netflix, and it is a Netflix original so Hulu doesn’t offer it,” described Trevor Wiseman, sophomore.

Netflix and Hulu are also available on Android and iOS devices, as well as game consoles, video streamers such as Roku and Fire TV, laptops, and certain smart TVs. Netflix is not available on the Nintendo Switch, but Hulu is.

In network television, Hulu has an advantage over Netflix. The streaming service has the right to watch new shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox the next day. As a result, it has access to a large number of famous television shows.

Basic, Standard, and Premium are the three subscription plans offered by Netflix. The first one costs $9 a month and allows viewers to watch as many shows and movies as they want. Viewers can only watch them in SD quality and on one screen at a time, though.

For most people, the Standard package, which costs $14 a month, is a much better choice. The resolution is increased to HD, and viewers can stream simultaneously on two devices. People tend to choose the Premium package if they want to stream content in 4K from up to four devices at once. It will set a person back $18 a month. Netflix’s long-running 30-day free trial for new subscribers was recently discontinued.

Hulu already has three plans to choose from, but they are very different from Netflix’s. The cheapest plan is just $6 a month and includes full access to Hulu’s content library. It is, however, ad-supported, which means advertisements can interrupt shows. The ad-free plan is a great but more costly choice if viewers can’t bear those annoying advertisements. This plan is $12. 

The third package is the most expensive and, in addition to Hulu’s (ad-supported) content collection, provides access to over 60 live TV channels, which Netflix does not have. It will cost $55 a month to subscribe to the plan.

Both services have advantages and disadvantages, but the best thing to do is check them both out. Both give free trials, allowing potential clients to try out the content and video quality, as well as other features, without having to pay anything. After a person has completed the trial process, they’ll have a better understanding of which service provides the most value.