Hulu Plus hopes to compete with Netflix streaming service. Image: Flickr / jeffgunn / CC-BY
In the long-standing effort to create profitable content online, the partners that created Hulu have made their next move. Hulu Plus, after months of limited release, is available for all. A straight-up Hulu Plus vs. Netflix comparison, however, finds that these two services aren’t quite comparable.
The Hulu Plus service
Hulu Plus is a paid service that costs $9.99 per month. Samsung internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players can stream the content with the Hulu App. Hulu Plus is also available on the iPad, iPhone, or iPhone touch. Roku is also in disucssions to possibly stream Hulu Plus. The content on Hulu Plus is still ad-supported, and you see ads on Hulu Plus as often as you do on Hulu. Be warned, though, that the content you can get on Hulu Plus is not necessarily the same content you will see on Hulu, on your computer only. Before you pay for Hulu Plus, make sure to check the Hulu Plus catalog to make sure they have what you want to watch.
Netflix streaming service
The original player in the online content streaming business, Netflix is the biggest competitor to Hulu Plus. Netflix does not offer the same catalog of content as Hulu Plus, but it is a larger library. Netflix can be streamed directly to your TV through a wide variety of devices — not only on your computer or only on your TV, but through your gaming console, internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, iPad, iPhone, Windows phone, and Roku. Netflix streaming service alone is about $2 less than Hulu Plus, at $7.99 per month, and does not have advertisements in the content.
Hulu Plus vs. Netflix
Currently, Netflix streaming traffic alone accounts for about 20 percent of internet traffic in the United States. Clearly, on-demand streaming of content is big business. In the battle between Hulu Plus and Netflix, the advantage seems to currently sit with Netflix. Though not all content is available on one provider, Netflix is less expensive, available on a wider variety of devices, and has no advertisements in the content. Unless Hulu Plus has a specific show you would like to watch, you may be better off getting a Netflix subscription or even using a service such as Amazon Instant that will let you see just what you want, without additional ads.
I have netflix on a roku box and just heard about hulu plus, I was curious because of the series that hulu plus offers, but after finding out that it is ad supported, and it plays as many ads as it does on the standard hulu site I have definitely lost interest. I don't see the availability of more episodes as enough of a reason to deal with ads. I currently don't have any ads on my netflix, and if I am paying monthly, why pay for a service that forces me to watch ads. I hate ads/commercials.
It seems like everyone I know is switching over to Netflix. I mean, I've gotta give it up to the company. They offer a lot with their services, which explains why more people are heading their direction. I'm thinking of getting Netflix myself, so…. to answer your question, I say Netflix wins this showdown.