Netflix and Hulu Plus are two of the most talked about instant streaming services today. But which is a better value? That depends on what you’re in to and how much you’re willing to pay. If you’re a movie buff then Netflix might be a better bet, but if all you care about are your TV shows then Hulu Plus might be the right choice for you.
Netflix
This company has been in the news a lot these days for their price raise from $8.99 a month to $15.98 a month, ($17 with tax), but it’s still a good value as far as I’m concerned. For about $17 a month, you get unlimited instant streaming movies and TV shows plus one DVD out at a time.
This is great, because, as a college student on a budget, Netflix offers instant streaming of thousands of movie titles and TV shows from a plethora of networks, including networks like Starz, HBO and ShowTime, that I couldn’t afford otherwise.
It is much cheaper to watch these shows on Netflix than to get a cable subscription. You don’t have to get both the unlimited streaming and the DVD service. You can have any other plan that you want. If you are currently a member of Netflix you can view the different plans going to the home page and clicking on the “Your Account” link and then click “Change Plans.” I have also listed the prices and plans below for your convenience.
Positives
Drawbacks
Hulu Plus
Most people are familiar with hulu.com and it’s free streaming services. But now Hulu Plus has been created, which is a paid $7.99 subscription.
Hulu is more for people who are TV show fanatics. Movies and TV shows from networks like ABC, Fox, NBS and more are available for instant streaming for free. Missed Grey’s Anatomy last night? No problem, Hulu will have the show up the next day for instant streaming on your computer. The most current season of shows and sometime previous seasons are available for free streaming as well. There are also exclusive interviews, new trailers, and behind the scenes footage available for streaming.
With a Hulu Plus subscription you have access to not only instant streaming on your computer but to other devices on Blu-ray players, smart phones, smart TV’s, TiVo, Roku, tablets,WD TV, and coming soon it will be available through Wii, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and Xbox 360. There are whole TV series available for streaming instead of just the most current season. Also shows from current seasons that have not yet been aired on TV are sometime available. It is $7.99 a month for a subscription, which is much cheaper compared to Netflix but some drawback are:
Okay, But Which One Do I Pick?
Well like I said that depends on what your situation is. I prefer Netflix and I know many people in college who also have Netflix. I just feel like it is a better value for my money. The $17 I pay is worth it. Plus if I decide that I want to pause my subscription on Netflix I can do so and I won’t get charged until I decide to start it up again. This option is not available for Hulu Plus.
Here’s what I suggest: Get Netflix, and ditch Hulu Plus in favor of just enjoying the free videos on hulu.com. I rely on Hulu to catch up on the TV shows that I love to watch like Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, The Biggest Loser, and much more. Most of the time I don’t have time to catch TV shows at the exact time that they come on and it completely solves the problem of two of my favorite shows coming on at the same time on the same day.
I love Hulu for providing TV shows the next day after they air (most of the time). With Netflix I can’t watch current seasons of shows until they have already come out on DVD. That excludes TV shows on Starz, which usually air either the same day or the day after they air on TV.
Both Netflix and Hulu have things to love and they are both great services that I couldn’t function without.
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