Hulu: Frequently Asked Questions

We put together this list of frequently asked questions about the Hulu subscription service. If you have a question that is not answered on this list, please feel free to contact our customer service team, who will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

1. What do I get with my Hulu subscription?

   The Hulu subscription service streams current episodes, full seasons and a deep library of back seasons of hit TV shows from major broadcast and cable networks. We also have a wide assortment of kids programming, movies, Latino programming and much more. With a subscription, you can stream on a variety of connected devices, like TVs, tablets and phones, from almost anywhere with an Internet connection.

   You can explore some complimentary programming on Hulu.com on the web, but for the full experience, including unlimited access to Hulu’s library of shows and access on all your devices, you will need a subscription.

   If you have not previously subscribed to Hulu, you can sign up for a free trial of a Hulu subscription at www.hulu.com/start.

2. What is the difference between a Hulu subscription and the free Hulu service?

   The free Hulu experience only has a limited number of episodes to watch, while a Hulu subscription offers unlimited access to our full library including current-season episodes from popular shows such as Scandal, Family Guy, Once Upon A Time, New Girl, Saturday Night Live, Modern Family and many more. You can also watch every episode from every season of shows like South Park, Empire, Sons of Anarchy, The Mindy Project, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Nashville, Law and Order: SVU and many more. We also offer a full range of Hulu Originals – unique series you can’t watch anywhere else.

   We’re adding new shows all the time – both popular hit shows and Hulu Originals, so you’ll never run out of things to watch on Hulu. With a subscription, you can watch Hulu on connected TVs, tablets, phones and PCs. To see a full list of everything you can watch with a Hulu subscription, please visit: www.hulu.com/start/content

3. Why are there are commercials on Hulu?

   Commercials are included on Hulu in order to reduce the monthly subscription price of the service. We try our best to tailor advertising to your interests so that the advertising you see on Hulu is relevant and useful to you.

4. What happened to "Hulu Plus"?

   We’ve streamlined everything to just call ourselves Hulu. Your Hulu subscription is exactly the same as what we used to call a Hulu Plus subscription. Same full access to our library. Same great experience. Same access across all your devices.

   When we first launched a subscription service, we called it Hulu Plus to differentiate it from the free Hulu service. But gradually we realized that everyone just called us "Hulu." It’s as simple as that. Although we offer different subscription plans and access points, you are always getting your content from Hulu, and we will always stand behind the quality of our service under one name - Hulu.

5. What devices can I use to watch Hulu?

   Hulu is available with a subscription on connected TVs, tablets, phones and PCs. You can use a variety of connected devices to watch including Roku, Apple TV, PlayStation® 3 and 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, Wii U and Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players from Sony, Samsung and Vizio.

   To see a list of currently supported devices, please visit our Device page

   We are constantly evaluating new platforms and technologies and will add more devices based on feedback from you - our viewers.

6. Does the same subscription work on every enabled device?

   Yes, your subscription follows you to any Hulu-enabled device. For example, you can start an episode on your phone and finish it on your internet-connected TV or tablet. You’ll also notice that Watchlist, our helpful tool that helps you track your favorites, can be used across your devices.

7. How many devices can I watch on at one time with my Hulu subscription?

   A Hulu subscription is intended as a personal account. While you can access Hulu through multiple devices with your account, only one stream is allowed at a time.

8. Why are there so many variations in show availability?

   We understand that content availability differences can be confusing, and at times frustrating for our viewers.

   We do our best to be as transparent as possible about what content is available to our subscribers and non-subscribers. Our subscribers receive access to our entire library. Our viewers who use the free Hulu service get access to only a portion of our content.

   For some shows, we have licensed the entire series and are able to allow subscribers access to every episode. For other shows, our license only covers the current season of the show. There are also some shows for which our license only covers the five most recent episodes at one time.

   There are also variations in our license agreements for connected devices (TVs, tablet and phones) as compared to our PC licensing agreements.

   We always do our best to communicate the most up-to-date, accurate and complete availability information to our viewers at all times.

9. What are the system requirements for Hulu?

   To find the system requirements for your PC or other devices, please visit our help article

10. Can I access Hulu outside of the US?

    Hulu is only accessible within the U.S. and on certain U.S. overseas military installations at this time, as we only have streaming rights for our content in these regions.