Are you struggling to decide between YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV? At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we provide a detailed comparison to help you make an informed decision. This comprehensive guide breaks down the key differences, from channel selection and pricing to sports options and user experience, ensuring you find the best fit for your viewing habits. Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of live TV streaming options, including channel lineups and streaming quality, so you can determine which platform meets your entertainment needs.
1. Understanding YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are leading cord-cutting options, offering alternatives to traditional cable TV. Both services provide live TV streaming with access to major broadcast networks, unlimited DVR storage, and simultaneous streams. However, they each have unique strengths that cater to different preferences.
- YouTube TV: Known for its superior sports streaming experience, offering features like Key Plays, Multiview, and NFL Sunday Ticket integration.
- Hulu + Live TV: Provides excellent value by bundling Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus, making it a great choice for those who enjoy a variety of streaming content.
2. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: Detailed Specs
Let’s compare the specifications of YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV to see how they stack up.
| Feature | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price (per month) | $82.99 | $82.99 |
| Channels (in entry-level package) | 100+ | 95+ channels, Disney Plus (w/ ads), ESPN Plus (w/ ads), Hulu (w/ ads) |
| DVR | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| On-Demand | Yes | Yes |
| Device Support | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, iOS, Android, Android TV, Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox, Smart TVs, PS4, PS5, TiVo Stream 4K, Xfinity Flex devices | Web browsers, iOS, Android, Android TV, Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and more |
| Simultaneous Streams | 3 (Unlimited for an additional fee) | 2 (Unlimited for an additional fee) |
2.1. Price Comparison
Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are priced at $82.99 per month. While YouTube TV occasionally offers promotions, the standard monthly cost is the same. Hulu + Live TV’s value comes from its bundled streaming services, which we will discuss in detail.
2.2. Channel Availability
YouTube TV boasts over 100 channels, while Hulu + Live TV offers more than 95 “top channels” along with the Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu bundle. While both share many common networks, there are notable differences in their channel lineups.
2.3. Channels Unique to YouTube TV
YouTube TV is missing channels like A&E, Lifetime, MLB Network, The History Channel, and Vice.
2.4. Channels Unique to Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV does not include Univision, AMC, BBC America, IFC, MTV Classic and MTV 2, NBA TV, NBC Sports, and Sundance TV.
2.5. Comprehensive Channel List
Here’s a detailed list of channels offered in the base plans of YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV. Note that channel availability may vary by region, so it’s always best to check before signing up.
| Channel | YouTube TV | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | Yes | Yes |
| Fox | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| ABC News | Yes | Yes |
| ACC ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| AMC | Yes | No |
| AMC Thrillers | Yes | No |
| All Reality We TV | Yes | No |
| Adult Swim | Yes | Yes |
| NBC American Crimes | Yes | Yes |
| Animal Planet | Yes | Yes |
| BBC America | Yes | No |
| BBC News | Yes | No |
| BET | Yes | Yes |
| BET Her | Yes | No |
| Big Ten Network | Yes | Yes |
| Bravo | Yes | Yes |
| Bounce | Yes | No |
| CBS Sports Network | Yes | Yes |
| CNBC | Yes | Yes |
| CNBC World | Yes | No |
| CNN | Yes | Yes |
| Cartoon Network | Yes | Yes |
| Charge! | Yes | Yes |
| Cheddar | Yes | Yes |
| Cheddar News | Yes | No |
| CMT | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy Central | Yes | Yes |
| Comedy.tv | Yes | Yes |
| Comet | Yes | Yes |
| Court TV | Yes | No |
| Cozi TV | Yes | Yes |
| Dabl | Yes | Yes |
| Discovery | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Disney Jr. | Yes | Yes |
| Disney XD | Yes | Yes |
| Docrama | Yes | No |
| Dove Channel | Yes | No |
| E! | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN 2 | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN U | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN News | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Business | Yes | Yes |
| Fox News | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Soul | Yes | Yes |
| Fox Weather | Yes | Yes |
| FS1 | Yes | Yes |
| FS2 | Yes | Yes |
| FX | Yes | Yes |
| FXM | Yes | Yes |
| FXX | Yes | Yes |
| Food Network | Yes | Yes |
| Freeform | Yes | Yes |
| Gala Vision | Yes | No |
| Get | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Golf | Yes | Yes |
| Game Show Network | Yes | Yes |
| Hallmark Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Hallmark Family | Yes | No |
| Hallmark Movies & Mystery | Yes | No |
| HGTV | Yes | Yes |
| HLN | Yes | Yes |
| HSN | Yes | No |
| IFC | Yes | No |
| ID | Yes | Yes |
| Ion | Yes | No |
| Justice Central TV | Yes | Yes |
| Law & Crime | Yes | No |
| Fox Live Now | Yes | Yes |
| Local Now | Yes | No |
| ABC Localish | Yes | Yes |
| Magnolia Network | Yes | Yes |
| MSNBC | Yes | Yes |
| MotorTrend | Yes | Yes |
| MTV | Yes | Yes |
| MTV 2 | Yes | No |
| MTV Classic | Yes | No |
| My Network TV | Yes | No |
| NBA TV | Yes | No |
| NBC News Now | Yes | Yes |
| NBC Universo | Yes | No |
| NBC Sports | Yes | No |
| New England Cable News | Yes | No |
| National Geographic Wild | Yes | Yes |
| National Geographic | Yes | Yes |
| News Max | Yes | No |
| News Nation | Yes | Yes |
| NFL Network | Yes | Yes |
| Nickelodeon | Yes | Yes |
| Nick Jr. | Yes | Yes |
| Nick @ Nite | Yes | No |
| Nicktoons | Yes | No |
| Orlando City TV | Yes | No |
| OWN | Yes | Yes |
| Oxygen | No | Yes |
| Oxygen True Crime | Yes | No |
| Paramount Network | Yes | Yes |
| PBS | Yes | Yes |
| PBS Kids | Yes | Yes |
| PCMag.com | Yes | No |
| Pop | Yes | Yes |
| Portlandia IFC | Yes | No |
| QVC | Yes | Yes |
| Recipe TV | Yes | No |
| Scripps News | Yes | No |
| SEC Network | Yes | Yes |
| Smithsonian Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Start TV | Yes | Yes |
| Stories by AMC | Yes | No |
| Sundance TV | Yes | No |
| SyFy | Yes | Yes |
| T2 Tennis | Yes | Yes |
| TBD. | Yes | No |
| TBS | Yes | Yes |
| Turner Classic Movies | Yes | Yes |
| TLC | Yes | Yes |
| TNT | Yes | Yes |
| TYT | Yes | No |
| Tastemade Food & More | Yes | No |
| Teen Nick | Yes | No |
| Tele Hit | Yes | No |
| Telemundo | Yes | Yes |
| The CW | Yes | Yes |
| The Great Courses Signature Collection | Yes | No |
| Travel Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Tru TV | Yes | Yes |
| TV Land | Yes | Yes |
| USA | Yes | Yes |
| Unimas | Yes | No |
| Univision | Yes | No |
| VH1 | Yes | Yes |
| The Walking Dead Universe | Yes | No |
| We TV | Yes | No |
| The Weather Channel | Yes | Yes |
| World at War | Yes | No |
| YouTube Originals | Yes | No |
| A&E | No | Yes |
| ABC News Live | No | Yes |
| Bloomberg Television | No | Yes |
| CBS News | No | Yes |
| CNN International | No | Yes |
| Fanduel TV | No | Yes |
| FYI | No | Yes |
| Great American Family | No | Yes |
| Hallmark Mystery | No | Yes |
| Lifetime | No | Yes |
| Lifetime Movies | No | Yes |
| MLB Network | No | Yes |
| The History Channel | No | Yes |
| The Grio | No | Yes |
| Vevo ’80s | No | Yes |
| Vevo ’90s | No | Yes |
| Vevo Country | No | Yes |
| Vevo Features | No | Yes |
| Vevo Hip-hop | No | Yes |
| Vevo Pop | No | Yes |
| Vice | No | Yes |
2.6. East and West Coast Feeds
Hulu + Live TV offers East and West Coast feeds for select channels like Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, TBS, TNT, Animal Planet, and Discovery, allowing viewers to watch along with different time zones.
Winner: Hulu + Live TV due to the inclusion of East and West Coast feeds.
3. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: Value Proposition
The value of each service extends beyond just live TV channels. Hulu + Live TV includes Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus, while YouTube TV offers unique features for sports enthusiasts.
3.1. Hulu + Live TV Bundled Services
Hulu + Live TV includes Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus, which typically cost $16.99 per month when bundled as the Disney Trio Basic.
- Hulu: Offers a wide range of shows and movies.
- Disney Plus: Provides access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.
- ESPN Plus: Streams live sports, original series, and exclusive content.
3.2. YouTube TV Unique Features
YouTube TV provides one additional simultaneous stream (three total) and offers significant discounts on NFL Sunday Ticket for football fans.
Winner: Hulu + Live TV for its bundled streaming services.
4. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: Picture Quality
Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV stream live TV at 720p to 1080p, similar to most cable channels.
4.1. 4K Streaming
Neither service includes 4K live streams in their base plans. YouTube TV offers some 4K content for an additional $9.99 per month. Fubo is the only service that includes 4K streams by default.
4.2. Mobile Streaming Quality
Some users have reported that Hulu + Live TV feeds can appear lower-resolution on mobile devices compared to YouTube TV.
Winner: Neither. Both services need to improve their streaming quality.
5. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: Sports
Both platforms allow users to follow favorite teams and record games, but their regional sports network coverage is limited.
5.1. Regional Sports Networks
For channels like YES, NESN, and Bally Sports, consider Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or DirecTV MySports.
5.2. YouTube TV Sports Advantages
YouTube TV includes NFL Network and NBA TV and offers NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone at discounted prices.
5.3. Hulu + Live TV Sports Limitations
Hulu + Live TV only offers NFL Network and lacks NBA TV and MLB Network.
5.4. Viewing Experience
YouTube TV provides a better viewing experience for sports fans with data-driven content, scores, and stats in its menus. The Key Plays feature allows users to catch up on big moments, and Multiview lets you watch up to four games simultaneously.
5.5. Sports Add-ons
- YouTube TV: $10.99 Sports Plus add-on includes 14 channels, such as NFL RedZone, beIN Sports, Billiard TV, Fox Soccer Plus, Fight Network, FanDuel TV, and Stadium.
- Hulu + Live TV: $9.99 Sports Add-on includes 6 channels: NFL RedZone, MAVTV, FanDuel TV, FanDuel Racing, Outdoor Channel, and Sportsman Channel.
Winner: YouTube TV for its comprehensive sports options and superior viewing experience.
6. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: DVR Capabilities
Both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer unlimited cloud-based DVR storage, with recordings expiring after nine months.
6.1. DVR Storage
Unlimited DVR storage is a significant advantage, matching DirecTV Stream. Sling TV limits you to 50 hours by default, and FuboTV’s Pro package includes 1,000 hours.
Winner: Tie due to identical DVR specs.
7. YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV: User Experience
User experience can significantly impact overall satisfaction. While both services are generally reliable, YouTube TV offers a more streamlined and intuitive interface.
7.1. Interface and Navigation
YouTube TV starts with a home screen of recommendations, while Hulu + Live TV requires navigating through the Hulu app to access live TV content.
7.2. Stability and Buffering
While both services are generally stable, some users have reported occasional buffering issues with Hulu + Live TV.
7.3. Fast-Forwarding and Rewinding
Fast-forwarding and rewinding are more seamless on YouTube TV compared to Hulu + Live TV.
Winner: YouTube TV for its superior user interface and smoother navigation.
8. Which Is Better: YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV?
Choosing between YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV depends on your priorities.
| Category | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Channels (25 points) | 21 | 22 |
| Price (25 points) | 22 | 22 |
| Value (15 points) | 10 | 14 |
| Sports (15 points) | 13 | 8 |
| User Experience (10 points) | 9 | 5 |
| Picture Quality (5 points) | 3 | 3 |
| DVR (5 points) | 5 | 5 |
| Total (100 points) | 83 | 79 |
- YouTube TV: Best for sports enthusiasts and those who prefer a seamless user experience.
- Hulu + Live TV: Ideal for those who want a bundled streaming package with a variety of on-demand content.
Overall Winner: YouTube TV due to its combination of a better viewing experience and superior sports features. However, Hulu + Live TV remains a strong contender for its value and bundled streaming services.
9. Addressing Common Questions: YouTube TV vs. Hulu + Live TV FAQs
9.1. What Channels Are Missing on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is missing channels like A&E, Lifetime, MLB Network, The History Channel, and Vice.
9.2. What Channels Are Missing on Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu + Live TV does not include Univision, AMC, BBC America, IFC, MTV Classic and MTV 2, NBA TV, NBC Sports, and Sundance TV.
9.3. Which Service Offers Better Value?
Hulu + Live TV offers better value due to the inclusion of Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus in its base plan.
9.4. Which Service Is Better for Sports?
YouTube TV is better for sports due to its NFL Network, NBA TV, NFL Sunday Ticket options, and superior viewing experience.
9.5. Do Both Services Offer Unlimited DVR?
Yes, both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer unlimited cloud-based DVR storage with recordings expiring after nine months.
9.6. Which Service Has a Better User Interface?
YouTube TV has a better user interface, offering a more streamlined and intuitive experience.
9.7. Can I Watch 4K Content on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV?
Neither service includes 4K live streams in their base plans. YouTube TV offers some 4K content for an additional fee.
9.8. How Many Simultaneous Streams Do Each Service Offer?
YouTube TV offers three simultaneous streams, while Hulu + Live TV offers two. Both services offer options to purchase additional streams.
9.9. Which Service Offers East and West Coast Feeds?
Hulu + Live TV offers East and West Coast feeds for select channels, allowing viewers to watch along with different time zones.
9.10. Are There Any Free Trials Available?
YouTube TV often offers free trials, while Hulu + Live TV may have promotional periods with trial options. Check their respective websites for current offers.
10. Making Your Decision: Key Considerations
- Content Preferences: Do you prioritize live sports or on-demand shows and movies?
- Budget: Consider the overall cost, including add-ons and potential discounts.
- User Experience: Evaluate the interface and navigation to ensure a smooth streaming experience.
- Device Compatibility: Check if your preferred devices are supported by the service.
- Channel Lineup: Compare the channel lists to ensure your favorite channels are included.
11. Stay Informed and Choose Wisely
Deciding between YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV requires careful consideration of your viewing habits and preferences. At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we aim to provide you with the most accurate and comprehensive comparisons to help you make an informed choice.
12. What Are the Search Intentions for “Compare YouTube TV and Hulu Live”?
- Feature Comparison: Users want a detailed breakdown of features offered by both services.
- Pricing Information: Users are looking for current pricing and available discounts.
- Channel Lineup: Users want to compare channel availability on both platforms.
- User Reviews: Users seek real-world experiences and opinions.
- Sports Content: Users want to know which service offers better sports coverage and features.
13. Understanding the Role of Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
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Expertise refers to the depth of knowledge and skill a content creator possesses in a specific area. At COMPARE.EDU.VN, our team consists of professionals with extensive experience in comparing and evaluating various products, services, and platforms.
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Authoritativeness reflects the reputation and influence of a content creator or website within their industry. Our commitment to providing well-researched and objective comparisons has established COMPARE.EDU.VN as a trusted resource for consumers seeking reliable information.
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Trustworthiness is the cornerstone of E-E-A-T, indicating the honesty, transparency, and accuracy of content. We adhere to strict editorial standards to ensure that our comparisons are unbiased, factual, and up-to-date, fostering trust with our audience.
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16. Ready to Make a Choice?
Choosing the right live TV streaming service can significantly enhance your viewing experience. Whether you lean towards YouTube TV for its sports focus or Hulu + Live TV for its bundled value, the decision is yours. Remember to consider your specific needs, preferences, and budget to make the best choice.
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