Key Takeaways
- Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer unlimited DVR space.
- While the price difference between the two is small, it’s important to consider the value of the Hulu bundle.
- While YouTube TV has an intuitive UI, Hulu + Live TV maintains the usual clunky Hulu interface, impacting the user experience.
As cable TV slowly declines and is replaced by streaming, the final blow to traditional cable TV is Live TV Services Live TV services are the best of cable with a streaming element: you get all the channels and available add-ons you’d expect from cable, with the added perks of wider viewing reach and often lower prices.
If you’re looking for a live TV service, there are two that stand out for their quick and easy brand recognition. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV Both companies are giants in the video streaming world, albeit in different aspects of the market.
Channel Lineup
Small Differences Have a Big Impact
One of the most important things to consider when shopping for a cable plan, traditional or not, is the channel list. Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have huge channel lists, but YouTube TV has a larger total number of channels. YouTube TV has around 125 channels, but may not be available in some areas. Hulu, on the other hand, has around 110 channels. While these numbers are roughly the same, there are some key channels missing from both setups that are worth considering.
The biggest thing YouTube TV lacks on Hulu + Live TV is channels like AMC and some sports channels. Additionally, YouTube TV also has a ton of extra companion channels that Hulu + Live TV doesn’t have. An easy example is channels like MTV and Nickelodeon. Hulu + Live TV only has regular MTV and Nickelodeon with Nick Jr., while YouTube TV has MTV, MTV2, and MTV Classic, as well as Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, and Teen Nick. These extra channels aren’t all that new, but they’re still something to keep in mind.
On the flip side, Hulu + Live TV does have a few channels that YouTube TV doesn’t have. The most obvious one that Hulu + Live TV has that YouTube TV doesn’t is The CW. For most, this isn’t the biggest loss, but it’s certainly something to consider for those who want to keep it.
If you want the widest range of streaming, you can’t go wrong with either service. Neither YouTube TV nor Hulu + Live TV has a shortage of channels. And at the end of the day, if the only thing you’re interested in is something like AMC, AMC Plus The subscription is better value than a YouTube TV subscription.
Overall User Experience
The Champion of Streaming UI vs. the Most Clumsy Streaming Service
The experience of using both services is very different. To understand why the user experiences of YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are so different, you first need to understand what made the original platform so popular.
There are plenty of other video sharing sites on the Internet, including Vimeo and Dailymotion. Where YouTube stands out above the rest has partly to do with its actual UI. YouTube’s video player is one of the best on the Internet. It’s simply a pleasure to use. It’s responsive, intuitive, and has remained largely unchanged for over a decade. This familiarity carries over to YouTube TV.
YouTube TV’s UI is like YouTube, but for cable TV. And that’s great. YouTube’s UI has slowly been tweaked to near perfection, and it’s great to have a cable TV experience through that interface. Perhaps the most appealing element of YouTube TV is how easy it is to use. YouTube TV is incredibly easy to use and understand, which makes any potential flaws feel less like a bad experience.
YouTube TV’s UI is similar to YouTube, but for cable TV, which is great.
Hulu rose to popularity in the late 2000s and early 2010s on the premise that TV shows could be watched for free on the web. Supported by ads, it let users churn through a variety of TV shows. Hulu’s main draw was its content. But that was its only draw, because Hulu’s UI sucked; its video player wasn’t as easy to use as YouTube’s, and streaming as a whole was still in its infancy.
Even after more than 10 years, Hulu’s UI hasn’t improved much. Compared to 2009, Hulu’s UI is much better. However, compared to streaming services, Hulu’s UI is one of the worst. YouTube TV’s UI is based on the standard YouTube UI, while Hulu + Live TV’s UI is exactly the same as the standard Hulu UI. So if you don’t like the Hulu user experience, you won’t like Hulu + Live TV either.
DVR and On-Demand Content
Unlimited DVR Space
Not so long ago, the issue of DVR space was a real headache for one person. YouTube TV always came with unlimited DVR space, with the only restriction being that you could only store your recordings for nine months. But last year, Hulu + Live TV also started offering unlimited DVR space. Hulu + Live TV’s DVR also has a nine-month limit. So if your main concern is how much you can record, there’s no wrong answer here. With both services, you can record as much as you want and store it for nearly a year.
But there’s more to this equation than just DVR capacity. You might not think about it at first, but have you ever wondered if setting up recordings could be easier? It can. YouTube TV makes it a dream setup. Both Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV let you set up your DVR to record shows and movies whenever they air. But YouTube TV also offers a ton of in-depth sports options. With YouTube TV, you can set up your DVR to record every game from a sports league, or you can just record your favorite team’s games. Sure, Hulu + Live TV lets you record your favorite team’s games, but YouTube TV has a bit more to offer for true sports fans. In addition to this, you can also hide the scores of recorded games to avoid spoilers, or watch only the key moments of the game when you’re in a hurry.
So if your main concern is how much you can record, there’s no wrong answer here: Both services let you record as much as you want and store it for nearly a year.
Beyond recorded content, both services offer libraries of on-demand content that you can instantly stream. In this area, Hulu + Live TV is the clear winner. YouTube TV offers a pretty decent selection of on-demand content, but Hulu + Live TV offers everything that Hulu has, and perhaps more. Disney+ and ESPN+ If you choose to pay for the bundle. YouTube TV’s regular selection of on-demand content is great and entertaining enough when nothing else is on, but it doesn’t come close to the libraries of actual dedicated streaming services.
Price and Value
Excellent cost performance
There’s a $3 price difference between the two services, with YouTube TV costing $72.99 per month and Hulu + Live TV costing $75.99 per month, but there’s a bit more to that $3 difference than you might first imagine.
First off, Hulu’s $75.99 price tag is for live TV only. For $75.99, you only get access to the live TV service, without Hulu’s streaming catalog. It might seem a little silly, but for just $1 more per month, $76.99, you get a bundle that includes the ad-supported plans for Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. The bundle without live TV costs $14.99 per month, so the $1 upgrade makes sense.
For $72.99 a month, all you get is YouTube TV, and while YouTube TV is a great platform, it’s hard not to see the value in paying an extra $4 a month for the Hulu bundle.
For $72.99 a month, all you get is YouTube TV. While YouTube TV is a great platform, it’s hard not to see the value in paying an extra $4 a month for the Hulu bundle, especially for people who already have the Disney Trio Bundle. There’s little reason to pay more than $87 a month for something you can get for $76.99 a month.
Both services offer a variety of add-ons, which include premium channels and extra services. Max Cinemax, Starz, and more. You can also add sports channels and 4K channels. And yes, here you will see that neither service includes 4K channels in their base package. Both services only offer up to 1080p streaming in their base package. So, if you plan on watching cable in 4K, be prepared to pay a little extra. Overall, neither service is particularly outstanding in terms of available add-ons, but it is worth noting that they both have a ton of extras to offer.
Compatibility and number of profiles
A level playing field
When thinking about cable TV plans, you might not think much about profiles at first. After all, traditional cable TV was not a service with resume viewing or DVR services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer. But both services offer profiles. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer a total of six and seven profiles, respectively. In addition to this, YouTube TV allows users to have three simultaneous streams, while Hulu + Live TV only allows two. For users with multiple people in the household who want to use cable TV at the same time, YouTube TV’s three simultaneous streams can make a big difference.
If you’re already a Hulu subscriber, you might notice that both stats are the same as regular Hulu, because Hulu + Live TV is built directly into the Hulu app, meaning you can access Hulu + Live TV anywhere you can access Hulu.
Meanwhile, YouTube TV’s reach is a little narrower — Hulu + Live TV is part of the Hulu app, while YouTube TV is an entirely separate app from the base YouTube app — but this isn’t really that big of an issue in the end, unless you’re planning on using your Nintendo Switch exclusively for cable TV replacements.
Which service should you choose?
A question of priorities
When it comes to making the decision, choosing between YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV will depend on your specific wants and priorities, but those are pretty evenly split.
If you prefer the best experience, YouTube TV is for you. It’s a very intuitive app with a lot of great features that make it more than just a cable imitation, but the next step up from cable TV. It’s also worth noting that YouTube TV is a particularly great app for sports fans, with a wide selection of sports channels and sports-specific DVR options. Plus, for the most avid fans, YouTube TV has Multiview, which allows you to watch up to four games at the same time.
On the other hand, if you already subscribe to Hulu and you’re really just looking for value, Hulu + Live TV is the best choice. For people who subscribe to Hulu and plan to continue, the extra $69/month for Live TV is a more attractive choice than paying $72/month for YouTube TV. For people who subscribe to the Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ bundle, adding Live TV is an even better deal at just an extra $62/month.
Ultimately, neither choice is bad. You can’t go wrong subscribing to either service. In fact, if you’re presented with these two options, you can’t go wrong with anything but a traditional cable plan.
