As a digital technology expert who has extensively tested all the major streaming services, I know first-hand how overwhelming it can be to choose the right live TV streaming service to replace cable. With so many options on the market, each with their own unique channel lineups, features and pricing models, it‘s harder than ever for consumers to figure out which service will give them the best value and viewing experience.
Two of the top contenders for best all-around cable replacement are FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV. Both are excellent choices with a lot to offer, but they take very different approaches in their packaging and priorities. In this in-depth comparison, I‘ll be putting FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV head-to-head to help you decide which one is the smarter choice for cutting the cord.
Tale of the Tape: Key Specs and Stats
Let‘s start with a quick rundown of how FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV compare on the key specs that most cord-cutters care about:
| Specification | FuboTV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Base Price | $74.99/mo | $69.99/mo |
| Max Price | $94.99/mo | $82.99/mo |
| Channels | 150-215+ | 75+ |
| Simultaneous Streams | 10 | 2 (Unlimited for $9.99 extra) |
| Cloud DVR | 1000 hours | Unlimited (9 month expiration) |
| On-Demand Library | 15,000+ titles | 80,000+ titles |
| Premium Add-Ons | Showtime, Starz, AMC Premiere, NBA League Pass, etc. | HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz |
| Bundled Services | None | Disney+ and ESPN+ included with all plans |
| Supported Devices | Google Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox, web browsers, iOS and Android mobile devices | Roku, Apple TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, PlayStation, web browsers, iOS and Android mobile devices |
| 4K Content | Select live events | Select live events and on-demand content |
As you can see, while both services offer robust live TV streaming packages, they differ quite a bit in their approaches.
FuboTV is clearly putting an emphasis on sheer volume of channels and simultaneous streams. It offers up to 215+ channels compared to just 75+ on Hulu, and its base plan includes a very generous 10 streams at home (Hulu charges an extra $9.99/month on top of the base price to get unlimited screens).
Hulu + Live TV, on the other hand, is focused more on providing the most value and premium content in a single package. Despite a lower channel count, the inclusion of Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra charge adds a ton of high-quality content that would cost $20+/month separately. And Hulu absolutely dominates FuboTV when it comes to on-demand movies and shows thanks to its massive streaming library.
Pricing Comparison
FuboTV technically starts at a lower price point with its Latino plan at $32.99/month, but it‘s extremely limited with only 45+ channels. To get the full FuboTV experience, you‘ll need either the Pro plan for $74.99/month or the Premier plan for $94.99/month. At those price points, FuboTV is one of the most expensive services on the market, exceeded only by DirecTV Stream.
However, FuboTV is giving you a lot for your money, with the Pro plan including 150+ channels and the Premier plan offering over 215. You‘d be hard-pressed to find that many channels from any other service. Still, it‘s a significant investment, especially compared to budget-minded options like Sling TV and Philo.
Hulu + Live TV keeps things simpler with only two plans: $69.99/month for ad-supported on-demand content and $82.99/month for ad-free (except on live TV). Paying for the ad-free plan doesn‘t net you any additional channels or features beyond commercial-free viewing of Hulu Originals and library content.
While Hulu is $5 cheaper than Fubo at the base level, it‘s important to remember that Hulu only includes 2 simultaneous streams compared to Fubo‘s 10. To get unlimited screens on Hulu, you‘ll need to pay an extra $9.99/month, bringing the real starting price to $79.98/month for most households.
Of course, Hulu + Live TV packs in a ton of extra value by including Disney+ and ESPN+ (a $13.99/month value) at no additional charge. For families or fans of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and more, it‘s hard to overstate just how much additional value that adds. Even if we ignore the bundled services, Hulu‘s on-demand library with 80,000+ titles offers significantly more viewing options beyond just live TV compared to FuboTV.
Channel Lineups
FuboTV is the clear champion in terms of the sheer number of channels offered. Its base Pro plan includes 150+ channels, and the top-tier Premier plan gives you a staggering 215+ networks to surf through. That‘s far more than any other competing live TV service.
Where FuboTV really shines is with sports content. You get all the essentials like ESPN, FS1, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, and NBC Sports Network. But you also get an unparalleled selection of sport-specific and specialty channels like NFL RedZone, NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, Golf Channel, and a litany of regional sports networks. FuboTV even includes hard-to-find channels like Pac-12 Network, Tennis Channel, and BeIN Sports that you won‘t find on any other service. The only notable sports channels missing are TNT and TBS.
Hulu‘s lineup is more well-rounded but not nearly as extensive, with just over 75 channels included (though the exact number will vary by location). You still get most of the core sports, news, and entertainment channels, but you‘ll miss out on many of the niche specialty networks that FuboTV offers. Hulu includes the core ESPN networks plus some regional sports coverage, but lacks NFL RedZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, MLB Network, and golf and tennis channels.
For general entertainment, Hulu covers most of the essentials like the big 4 broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC), FX, CNN, TBS, TNT, and popular channels like Food Network, HGTV, and Discovery. But it lacks some high-demand channels like AMC and Hallmark that FuboTV offers. Still, Hulu makes up for any gaps with its massive on-demand library that includes thousands of popular shows and movies not available anywhere else.
Features and User Experience
Both FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV are full-featured streaming services with intuitive apps, solid performance, and all the bells and whistles most users want. This includes cloud DVR recording, on-demand content, personalized recommendations, and the ability to create individual user profiles.
In my extensive hands-on testing, I‘ve found that both services deliver reliable, high-quality streams with minimal buffering or lag on all major devices. Hulu has a slight edge in terms of video quality, as almost all its on-demand content is available in 1080p and select titles support 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision. FuboTV tops out at 720p for the majority of its live channels with some on-demand and DVR content available in 1080p.
For DVR, FuboTV offers a huge 1000 hours of cloud storage included, while Hulu includes unlimited DVR storage but recordings expire after 9 months. Hulu‘s shorter storage window seems like a reasonable trade off though, especially since its vast on-demand library means you won‘t need to record as much content to begin with.
One area where FuboTV has a clear lead is device support, with dedicated apps for Xbox gaming consoles that Hulu lacks. But Hulu has its own advantage with support for PlayStation consoles. Both services support 4K streaming on select devices for certain live sporting events and on-demand content.
Add-Ons and Extras
A major deciding factor for many cord-cutters will be the availability of specific channels or content via add-ons and bundle deals. Both FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV offer a good selection of premium add-ons, but they differ quite a bit in their offerings.
FuboTV offers over a dozen add-on packages ranging from $7.99/month to $10.99/month each, allowing you to tack on premium channels like Showtime, Starz, and AMC Premiere. Sports fans can get even more with expensive league packages for NFL RedZone, NBA League Pass, and international sports bundles. While it‘s great to have options, costs can quickly add up, with some bundles potentially doubling your monthly price.
Hulu keeps things simpler with just 5 main premium add-ons: HBO Max ($14.99), Cinemax ($9.99), Showtime ($10.99), Starz ($8.99), and Entertainment Plus ($7.99). But again, the real value comes from the included Disney+ and ESPN+ subscriptions that would cost nearly $15/month if purchased separately. Even if you only care about core Hulu content, there‘s a ton of additional high-quality programming from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic included at no extra charge.
Which Service is Right For You?
As with any streaming service, the "best" option is highly personal and will depend on your specific budget, viewing habits, and content preferences. But in general, my expert opinion is that Hulu + Live TV offers better overall value and a more complete streaming package for most people.
While FuboTV certainly has the edge in total channel count, Hulu‘s live TV offering covers all the bases most viewers care about while packing in a vast library of premium shows and movies, plus Disney+ and ESPN+ at no extra cost. For households with diverse tastes looking for a true all-in-one streaming solution to replace cable, Hulu + Live TV is the clear winner.
However, FuboTV is still the top choice for sports fanatics who want the most possible games and leagues to watch. With its extensive sports channel lineup and unmatched selection of RSNs, FuboTV is as close as you can get to traditional cable sports packages for fans who can‘t bear to miss a single game. Just be prepared to pay a premium for it.
The good news is that you really can‘t go wrong with either of these top-tier services. Both FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV deliver reliable, high-quality streaming experiences that will satisfy the vast majority of cord-cutters. And with free trials available, you can easily test them out yourself risk-free to see which one better fits your needs.
