Hulu + Live TV recently came out swinging with an aggressive cable-replacement offer that shaves $25 off the usual monthly price tag of the service, at least for your first three months. Your bill will instead run you $64.99 a month before taxes.
This is one of the best short-term values out there for anyone considering cutting traditional pay TV, or bouncing between live TV streamers to secure the best pricing.
The regular price for Hulu + Live TV is $89.99 a month, so the promo represents a total of $75 in savings over the introductory period. There’s no contract, so eligible new and returning subscribers can sign up, stream instantly, and cancel with a few clicks if it isn’t right for them.
What You Get for the Hulu Live TV Promotional Price
Priced at $64.99 a month, the bundle features live and on-demand viewing from over 95 channels, local broadcasts in most markets, and access to Hulu and Disney+ (with ads included). Sports coverage includes major broadcasters ESPN and FS1 as well as key college conference/league networks where available.
It comes with unlimited cloud DVR so you can record, rewind, and fast-forward through most shows (including commercials), and there are no storage space limits.
The gimmick of being all-in is the takeaway. With many live TV competitors, you have to cobble together separate subscriptions for on-demand shows and movies. Instead, the bundled libraries offer thousands of series, originals, and films as well as live news, sports, and events; that means fewer transactions on multiple apps and logins.
How It Compares to YouTube TV and Fubo Pricing
Its only close price competitor is YouTube TV, which costs $72.99 a month and also offers a similar lineup of unlimited DVR and national channels.
Fubo’s entry-level plan is normally more expensive, and it might pile on a regional sports fee in many markets — an expense that can catch first-time cord-cutters seeking local team coverage off guard. The current $64.99 price for Hulu + Live TV undercuts both while adding in the libraries of Hulu and Disney+ — value that would otherwise cost you separately.
If you live for sports, reference league- and conference-specific rights to your favorite games. For instance, NFL coverage often is closely tied to broadcast affiliates in your area, and college football and basketball can depend on access to conference networks. Hulu + Live TV offers most of the major broadcast networks in most geographic regions, as well as many national sports channels, though channel lineups can vary by ZIP code, so check using the service’s channel search tool before signing up.
One logistical note: Hulu + Live TV offers two simultaneous streams on its base plan, and you can pay extra for more devices. YouTube TV allows more concurrent streams with its household rules, which might be important if you live in a large home. Factor in these policies on total cost if you need to ramp up beyond the default limits.
Why Deals Like This Matter for TV Streamers Now
Streaming is now America’s dominant way of watching TV. Nielsen’s ongoing analysis “The Gauge” shows streaming rising to become the single biggest slice of the TV-usage pie, and Leichtman Research Group has documented continuous declines in traditional pay-TV subscribers over a series of years. Meanwhile, research companies such as Antenna have chronicled the spread of what it calls “promotional surfing,” with households jumping around services to obtain limited-time discounts before re-evaluating when rates return to normal.
Hulu + Live TV’s pitch is essentially aimed at that trend. For three months you get a full-on live TV lineup, unlimited DVR, and two substantial on-demand libraries for a price that beats almost all vMVPD competitors. Families who are already paying for Hulu or Disney+ separately can save some money and potentially simplify account management by consolidating into a single bill.
Fine Print and Tips for Making the Most of This Offer
Promotional price is for the first 3 months, then the current monthly rate applies after the promotional period unless you cancel your subscription. Taxes are extra, and premium channels or add-ons — like 4K streaming, unlimited screens, or specialty sports packages — also cost more. There are no rental fees, nor long-term contracts.
To get the most bang for your buck, schedule a reminder about a week before you hit the third billing cycle so that you can re-evaluate what channels you actually watch, if you need DVR services, and how frequently each TV in your home is used.
If you’ve been taking full advantage of the included on-demand libraries, assess what it would cost to retain those services à la carte versus retaining the full live TV bundle at the regular price.
Bottom Line: Is Hulu + Live TV Worth It Right Now?
Hulu is one of the best short-term deals for a cable replacement because it offers its Live TV plan at a discount, $64.99 per month for the first three months. It combines a robust mix of deep live channels and a sizable on-demand library together with an innovative DVR and two of the industry’s heftiest high-fidelity streaming libraries, all for less than many key competitors. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to sample a live TV streamer — or if you’ve been looking to trim down your streaming budget of late — this promotion is a low-risk way to test-drive an actual, full-on cable replacement.
