YouTube TV vs Hulu: which should you pick?

By Sam Barth · Prices checked November 9, 2026

For live TV, YouTube TV ($82.99) and Hulu + Live TV ($99.99 with Disney+ and ESPN Select) both carry local networks and ESPN. YouTube TV is cheaper and has unlimited DVR; Hulu + Live TV includes the Disney streaming bundle.

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How do YouTube TV and Hulu compare?

	YouTube TV	Hulu
Cheapest plan	$64.99/mo	$12.49/mo
Ad-free from	n/a	$21.49/mo
4K	With the 4K Plus add-on	Limited 4K titles
Live sports	Broadcast networks plus ESPN, FS1 and other sports channels; NFL Sunday Ticket add-on.	Only through Hulu + Live TV, which includes ESPN channels and local networks where available.
Kids and family	Kids channels included in the base plan.	Kids profiles; most family content sits in Disney+, which is why the bundle is popular.
Local channels	ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC in most markets.	Next-day episodes of many network shows on demand. Live locals only with Hulu + Live TV.
Free trial	The welcome page showed a 21-day trial on November 9, 2026; offers change.	Varies by offer; check the sign-up page.

Prices last checked November 9, 2026 on YouTube TV welcome page. Taxes and promotional offers not included.

Prices last checked November 9, 2026 on Hulu Help Center: Hulu plans and prices. Taxes and promotional offers not included.

What are the key differences?

YouTube TV sells cheaper genre plans from $64.99.
Hulu + Live TV includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra cost.
NFL Sunday Ticket is an add-on only for YouTube TV.

Which one should you choose?

Choose YouTube TV if you want

A full cable replacement with local channels
Unlimited DVR

Visit YouTube TV

Choose Hulu if you want

Next-day TV episodes and FX series
People who also want Disney+ (the bundle costs 50 cents more than Hulu alone)

Visit Hulu

Can you have both?

Together they cost $77.48 a month on the cheapest plans. Try the cord-cutting calculator to see how that compares to a cable bill.

How was this researched?

This page is research-based, not a hands-on test. Prices and plan details come from each provider's own pricing or help pages, checked on the date shown. Feature and sports details come from provider pages and published news reports, which are linked. We do not assign star ratings. Read how we research.