Hulu vs Max: which is better?

When it comes to originals, Hulu and Max are battling on equal ground, more or less. Hulu's FX chapter has produced groundbreaking shows like Atlanta, Shogun, The Bear, and The Great. Meanwhile, HBO practically invented "prestige TV" with shows like The Sopranos and, more recently, Succession, White Lotus, The Leftovers, Barry, and Game of Thrones. But who's better? Max may be more expensive by $2, but we think it gives you more bang for your buck. Not only does it offer the entire HBO catalog, it also has titles from the wider Warner Bros. franchise. That includes CNN, Discovery, TCM, TLC, DC Comics, and Harry Potter. Then again, Hulu has many add-ons to choose from, plus it has a generous 30-day free trial (Max has never offered a trial). If you wanted to, you could just bundle the two together for a reasonable price, but if it's just one or the other, then you better read our detailed breakdown of Hulu vs Max below.

Summary

Comparaison	Hulu	Max
Price	$9.99/month	$9.99/month
Trial	30 days	No
Our rating	9/10	7/10
Number of channels		1
Parental controls	Yes	Yes
4K	Yes	Yes

Popularity: Max is more popular than Hulu

Max has 73,000,000 subscribers whereas Hulu has 43,000,000 subscribers. This means that Max has 30,000,000 more subscribers than Hulu. That's a pretty big difference.

Price: Max and Hulu cost the same

Max's costs $10 and Hulu also costs $10 (for base backages without any add-ons.)

Why get Hulu?

If you're a fan of TV shows, then Hulu has a lot to offer, with a pretty comprehensive list of popular shows from major networks, including classic sitcoms, as well as children's programs like Sesame Street. Hulu is also acclaimed for its ace original programming, with hit shows from comedies like The Mindy Project to dystopian dramas like Handmaid's Tale.

Go to Hulu

Why get Max?

Programming: The breadth of shows and movies justifies the higher price of Max. As of the pandemic, the platform has also begun to release new movies originally intended for the big screen. It even includes podcasts.

Go to Max

Devices: Hulu is more widely available than Max

Hulu is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Samsung TV or Xbox.

Whereas Max is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV or Xbox. That's 4 less devices than Hulu.

Trial: Hulu offers a trial

Hulu has a trial. The trial duration is 30 days.

Find out more on Hulu

Trial: Max does not offer a trial

Max does not offer a free trial.

Find out more on Max

Hulu's specialty

The specialties of Hulu are: Action, Anime, Family, Horror, Movies, Old TV shows, Original series, Spanish-language content, True Crime, TV shows.

Max's specialty

The specialties of Max are: Action, Anime, classics, Family, Horror, Movies, Old TV shows, Original series, True Crime, TV shows.

Hulu's accepted payment methods

Hulu accepts: Apple App Store, credit card, debit card, Google Play Store, Paypal, prepaid card, Retailer gift card, Walmart gift card.

Max's accepted payment methods

The payment methods that Max accepts are: Amazon Appstore, Apple App Store, credit card, debit card, Google Play Store, Paypal, prepaid card, Roku Channel Store, Samsung Smart Hub.

If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.