Rated 7+ IMDb · 70%+ RT Little-known finds Curated by humans
Rated 7+ IMDb · 70%+ RT Little-known finds Curated by humans
When it comes to live TV streaming, you can’t go wrong with either DirecTV Stream or Hulu with Live TV, two of the most popular services out there. But which is the better option? With nearly the same channel line-up and price range, it’s almost impossible to make the choice.
Still, there are a number of things that differentiate the two. Below, we discuss each service’s popularity, price, device availability, channel count and selection, specialties, and whether they offer a trial or not. By taking in these factors and considering their merits, you won’t need to worry much about choosing the best service for you and your needs.
| Feature | DIRECTVOur pick | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal for | image quality | on-demand content |
| Base price | $89.99/mo | $88.99/mo |
| Channels | 80+ | 97+ |
| Free trial | 5 days | 3 days |
| Subscribers | 0.8 million | 4.5 million |
| Try DIRECTV free for 5 days | Try Hulu with Live TV free for 3 days |
If you just want the lowest possible bill, here is exactly what each service’s cheapest plan gets you.
| Feature | DIRECTV MyEntertainment Pack | Hulu with Live TV Live TV Español Only |
|---|---|---|
| Price / month | $34.99 | $28.99 |
| New User Deal | 15% off 1st month | – |
| Streams at Home | Unlimited | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DVR Keeps For | 9 months | 9 months |
| Profiles | 5 | 7 |
| Multiview Screens | 4 | – |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 1080p/60fps |
| 4K Support | ✓ Yes | – |
| Audio | 5.1 audio | 5.1 surround sound |
| Dolby Digital | ✓ Yes | – |
| Dolby Atmos | ✓ Yes | – |
| Min. Speed | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get MyEntertainment Pack → | Get Live TV Español Only → |
| DIRECTV 1 plan | Hulu with Live TV 5 plans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest MyEntertainment Pack | Cheapest Live TV Español Only | Hulu with Live TV Español | Live TV Only | Live TV (Ads) | Live TV (No Ads) | |
| Price / month | $34.99 | $28.99 | $29.99 | $88.99 | $89.99 | $99.99 |
| New User Deal | 15% off 1st month | – | – | – | – | – |
| Streams at Home | Unlimited | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on | 2, but can add more with Unlimited Screens add-on |
| Streams Outside Home | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| DVR Keeps For | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months | 9 months |
| Profiles | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Multiview Screens | 4 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps |
| 4K Support | ✓ Yes | – | Available for on-demand streaming | – | Available for on-demand streaming | Available for on-demand streaming |
| Audio | 5.1 audio | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 surround sound |
| Dolby Digital | ✓ Yes | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dolby Atmos | ✓ Yes | – | – | – | – | – |
| Min. Speed | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
Add 3 on-demand subscriptions for more content
50 channels are available on both services. DIRECTV has 88 exclusive channels not on Hulu with Live TV. Hulu with Live TV has 56 exclusive channels not on DIRECTV.
| Channel | DIRECTV | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| A&E | – | ✓ |
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABC News Live | – | ✓ |
| ACC Digital Network | ✓ | – |
| ACC Network | – | ✓ |
| AMC | ✓ | – |
| AXS TV | ✓ | – |
| AccuWeather | ✓ | – |
| Adult Swim | – | ✓ |
| Alien Nation | ✓ | – |
| Anger Management | ✓ | – |
| Animal Planet | ✓ | ✓ |
| Are We There Yet? | ✓ | – |
| Ax Men | ✓ | – |
| BABY FIRST | ✓ | – |
| BBC America | ✓ | – |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ |
| BUZZR | ✓ | – |
| Big 12 | ✓ | – |
| Big Ten Network | – | ✓ |
| Bloomberg TV | ✓ | – |
| Bloomberg Television | – | ✓ |
| Bob Ross | ✓ | – |
| Boomerang | ✓ | – |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ |
| C-SPAN | ✓ | – |
| C-SPAN2 | ✓ | – |
| CBS | ✓ | ✓ |
| CBS News | – | ✓ |
| CBS Sports Network | – | ✓ |
| CBS local channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| CMT | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNBC | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNN | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNN International | ✓ | ✓ |
| CNN en Espanol | ✓ | – |
| CW | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cheddar News | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cleo TV | ✓ | – |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Dynamics | ✓ | – |
| Comedy TV | – | ✓ |
| Court TV | ✓ | – |
| Cozi TV | – | ✓ |
| Crime 360 | ✓ | – |
| Curiosity Now | ✓ | – |
| Dabl | – | ✓ |
| Daystar HD | ✓ | – |
| Declassified | ✓ | – |
| Discovery Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Disney Channel | – | ✓ |
| Disney Junior | – | ✓ |
| Disney XD | – | ✓ |
| Duck Dynasty | ✓ | – |
| E! | – | ✓ |
| E! Entertainment | ✓ | – |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESPN College Extra | – | ✓ |
| ESPN Deportes | ✓ | – |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESPNU | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESPNews | ✓ | ✓ |
| EarthxTV | ✓ | – |
| Ebony TV | ✓ | – |
| El Rey Rebel | ✓ | – |
| FMC | ✓ | – |
| FOX | ✓ | ✓ |
| FOX SOUL | ✓ | ✓ |
| FUEL TV | ✓ | – |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ |
| FXM | – | ✓ |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ |
| FYI | – | ✓ |
| Food Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Business | – | ✓ |
| Fox Business Network | ✓ | – |
| Fox News Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 1 (FS1) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fox Sports 2 (FS2) | – | ✓ |
| Fox Weather | ✓ | ✓ |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fuse Music | ✓ | – |
| Galavision | ✓ | – |
| Game Show Network | – | ✓ |
| Get TV | – | ✓ |
| Golf Channel | – | ✓ |
| HGTV | ✓ | ✓ |
| HLN | ✓ | ✓ |
| HSN | ✓ | – |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hallmark Mystery | ✓ | ✓ |
| HerSphere | ✓ | – |
| History | – | ✓ |
| Home Shopping Network | ✓ | – |
| ID | – | ✓ |
| IFC | ✓ | – |
| ION | ✓ | – |
| ION Television | ✓ | – |
| Investigation Discovery (ID) | ✓ | – |
| Jewelry Television | ✓ | – |
| Justice Central TV | – | ✓ |
| Lifetime | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lifetime Movies | – | ✓ |
| Lionsgate Collection | ✓ | – |
| LiveNOW | – | ✓ |
| Localish | – | ✓ |
| MSNBC | ✓ | ✓ |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ |
| MTV2 | ✓ | – |
| MeatEater TV | ✓ | – |
| Military History Chanel | – | ✓ |
| Motor Trend | – | ✓ |
| MotorTrend | ✓ | – |
| MovieSphere | ✓ | – |
| NBA TV | ✓ | – |
| NBC | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBC News Now | – | ✓ |
| NBC local channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBCLX | – | ✓ |
| NBCSN | – | ✓ |
| NFL Network | – | ✓ |
| Nat Geo Wild | – | ✓ |
| National Geographic | – | ✓ |
| News Nation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Newsmax | ✓ | – |
| Nick Jr. | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ |
| OWN | – | ✓ |
| One America News | ✓ | – |
| Ovation | ✓ | – |
| Oxygen | – | ✓ |
| Oxygen True Crime | ✓ | – |
| PBS | ✓ | – |
| PBS Kids | ✓ | – |
| PBS local channels | ✓ | – |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Poker GO | ✓ | – |
| Pop | – | ✓ |
| Pursuit Channel | ✓ | – |
| QVC | ✓ | ✓ |
| QVC2 | ✓ | – |
| QVC3 | ✓ | – |
| REELZ | ✓ | – |
| REVOLT | ✓ | – |
| RFD-TV | ✓ | – |
| RSNs | ✓ | – |
| Racing America | ✓ | – |
| SEC Network | – | ✓ |
| SYFY | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scientology Network | ✓ | – |
| Scripps News | ✓ | – |
| Shop LC | ✓ | – |
| Smithsonian Channel | – | ✓ |
| Somos Novelas | ✓ | – |
| SportsGrid | ✓ | – |
| Start TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| SundanceTV | ✓ | – |
| TBS | ✓ | ✓ |
| TCM | ✓ | – |
| TLC | ✓ | ✓ |
| TNA | ✓ | – |
| TNT | ✓ | ✓ |
| TV Land | ✓ | – |
| TV One | ✓ | – |
| TVLand | – | ✓ |
| Tastemade Home | ✓ | – |
| Tastemade Travel | ✓ | – |
| TeenNick | ✓ | – |
| Telemundo | – | ✓ |
| Telemundo local channels | ✓ | – |
| The First | ✓ | – |
| The Grio | – | ✓ |
| Travel Channel | – | ✓ |
| Turner Classic Movies | – | ✓ |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ |
| Universal Kids | – | ✓ |
| Univision | ✓ | – |
| Up TV | ✓ | – |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vevo 80s | – | ✓ |
| Vevo 90s | – | ✓ |
| Vevo Country | – | ✓ |
| Vevo Features | – | ✓ |
| Vevo Hip-Hop | – | ✓ |
| Vevo Pop | – | ✓ |
| Vice | – | ✓ |
| WE tv | ✓ | – |
| Waypoint TV | ✓ | – |
| Weather Channel | – | ✓ |
| Women’s Sports Network | ✓ | – |
| Yahoo! Finance | ✓ | – |
| theGrio | ✓ | – |
| truTV | ✓ | ✓ |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a breakdown based on the device apps each service lists.
| Device / Platform | DIRECTV | Hulu with Live TV |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | Not listed | ✓ |
| Google TV Streamer | Not listed | ✓ |
| LG TV | Not listed | ✓ |
| Nintendo Switch | Not listed | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Xbox | Not listed | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| iPhone | Not listed | ✓ |
“Not listed” means the service doesn’t list an app for that device; it may still work via casting or a browser.
Hulu with Live TV has 4.5 million subscribers compared to 0.8 million for DIRECTV. That makes Hulu with Live TV 471% more popular by subscriber count.
Hulu with Live TV starts at $88.99/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That’s $1.00 more per month for DIRECTV, or $12.00 more per year.
Before you pick either one, here is the drawback of each service, plainly stated.
DIRECTV is one of the priciest ways to stream live TV; you are paying for a cable-sized channel bundle even if you only watch a fraction of it.
Hulu + Live TV only comes as the full bundle, and live TV is tucked inside the regular Hulu app rather than a dedicated interface.
Is Hulu with Live TV cheaper than DIRECTV?
Yes. Hulu with Live TV starts at $88.99/month, while DIRECTV starts at $89.99/month. That's a difference of $1.00/month, or $12.00 per year.
Do DIRECTV or Hulu with Live TV offer a free trial?
DIRECTV offers a 5-day free trial. Hulu with Live TV offers a 3-day free trial.
Are DIRECTV and Hulu with Live TV the same company?
No. DIRECTV is owned by DirecTV, while Hulu with Live TV is owned by The Walt Disney Company. They are separate, competing subscriptions.
Is DIRECTV included with Hulu with Live TV?
No. Neither service includes the other: a Hulu with Live TV subscription does not give you DIRECTV content, and vice versa. You need a separate subscription for each.
Which has more channels, DIRECTV or Hulu with Live TV?
DIRECTV carries 138 channels, while Hulu with Live TV carries 106. 50 channels are available on both services.
What channels does DIRECTV have that Hulu with Live TV doesn't?
DIRECTV has 88 channels not available on Hulu with Live TV, including: ACC Digital Network, AccuWeather, Alien Nation, AMC, Anger Management, and more.
What channels does Hulu with Live TV have that DIRECTV doesn't?
Hulu with Live TV has 56 channels not available on DIRECTV, including: A&E, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Big Ten Network, and more.
Which has better DVR, DIRECTV or Hulu with Live TV?
DIRECTV's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage. Hulu with Live TV's base plan includes Unlimited of DVR storage.
Can I cancel DIRECTV or Hulu with Live TV anytime?
Yes. Both DIRECTV and Hulu with Live TV are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
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