“Netflix vs Hulu”
8 June 2022
Whether you are fond of online streaming or not, you must have heard of Netflix in some capacity. If you are not a subscriber yourself, you might have glimpsed Facebook memes sporting ‘Netflix and chill’ or overheard your colleagues discussing shared Netflix accounts. So what is the fuss all about? Netflix was a breakthrough app in online streaming when it was launched. It is an American media service provider that caused many households to cut cords with their cable connection. With a wide array of television shows, documentaries and movies available, this streaming giant now operates in over more than 190 countries.
It is also very beneficial for it’s user because of it’s different subscription plans and various features which enhance the user experience. Viewers can avail a 30-day free trial on Netflix before they confirm their subscription. If you like what you see, they have 3 plans to choose from. Basic plan, With a subscription fee of $8.99, it offers standard definition viewing and only one screen can watch the streaming service at one time. Standard plan, In $13.99, you can watch High Definition viewing on two screens or devices at one time. Premium plan, The $17.99 plan offers 4K Ultra HD content and allows four screens to use the subscription at once (from 4 different devices).
Offline Playback Feature, Netflix allows users to cache content in standard and high quality. While there are limitations to the content you can download, Netflix is working to better that as well. With this feature, viewers can store videos and watch them later even without an internet connection. This works best for plane rides and localities with weak internet connections. High Quality Library, Netflix is the clear winner when it comes to the selection it has to offer. With over 100,000 options, Netflix outshines Hulu.
Although netflix comes with some cons that users hate like, Geolocking, The shows that you can watch on Netflix are contingent to the region where you live. In the US, you have access to a far greater selection of TV shows and movies that might not be available in another region. Delayed Updates, Another frequent complaint that Netflix users have is the infrequent updates. While the collection of TV shows on Netflix might be great, it is not the best option when you are following a season that is currently on air. Unlike Hulu that uploads shows by episodes, Netflix uploads by season, causing a delay in the latest episode to be available for streaming.
Content Uncertainty, Netflix tends to remove shows that were previously available. This can be quite testing especially when you want to do a re-run of your favorite show. Popular ones like Family Guy and Friends are off Netflix with no hope of coming back anytime soon. No Live Sports, OK we know that Netflix is focused on video streaming entertainment, so if you are someone that likes watching live sports events, then you are out of luck with Netflix. Although there are several sports documentaries and shows, Netflix has traditionally steered away from live sports events. Netflix Original TV Shows, Movies and Documentaries. One of the biggest pros of Netflix is its original content. In some cases, content labeled as a “Netflix Original” was specifically produced and created for Netflix so it still stands out.
However, there are always competitors in the fame game and that’s where “Hulu” comes in. It is a US-based premium streaming platform for live and on-demand TV shows and movies. Hulu is owned by The Walt Disney Company and Comcast and offers its services in the US and Japan only. This service was launched in 2008. Initially, Hulu used to offer a small selection of its content to users for free (just like other services), with the help of ads, but in 2016 the platform converted to an entirely subscription-based model.
Hulu differentiates itself from other streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime in a few different ways. Apart from original content, Hulu also offers the additional perk of live TV, unlike its competitors. You can watch live news, entertainment and sports from 21st Century Fox, NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Company, CBS Corporation, Turner Networks, The CW, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks.
Hulu also has it’s on specifications other than from Netflix that make users love it. Quick Updates on New Episodes, Hulu updates their platform with new episodes of TV shows as quickly as a day after they are aired. This is very quick compared to Netflix that updates TV shows once the season is completed.
Quality Original Programming, Hulu has a lot of original content that is known to be great. One of the most recognizable Hulu originals is The Handmaid’s Tale, but there is a lot more to choose from. Bundles and Add-ons, Hulu gives you the options of bundles and add-ons so you can stream from other channels and platforms without the need for multiple apps and programs. Plus, you save money by bundling!
Hulu also lack in various stages and can’t hold some issues so well for instance, Frequent Commercials, If you don’t opt for the “no ads” add-on, where you end up paying an extra $6/month (at the time of this writing), you are going to be shown clips of ads before and after each video. Small Selection Comparatively, Hulu has a much smaller collection of content compared to Netflix and other competing platforms. While Netflix has over 100,000 movies and TV shows, Hulu offers just above 5000.
Inconsistent Selections from Older TV Seasons, Though Hulu is current on its newer TV shows, that is not the case with older shows. There are often missing seasons for old shows on the platform. Limited Downloading Ability, Hulu only added the ability to watch offline in October 2019. It currently only lets you download on iOS and iPadOS. No simple pricing scheme, Although some customers prefer to have various payment options, many others find Hulu’s pricing plans a little complicated. Also, Hulu increased their prices recently and they are higher than other competing services (unless you subscribe to the basic plan).
Hulu and Netflix are both user friendly and provides various features, terms and policies with their best quality and always improving user experience. They both can be better in some places in accordance with user needs. But, with their over view and resultant pros and cons Netflix can outstand Hulu and turn out to be more user friendly and original with low subscription prices and divided plans. Although, its all in the hand of users, which they like better Netflix or Hulu that is full filling there needs in better way.
Written by: Mustafa Faisal