Hulu cuts the price of its basic service to $6 per month
Hulu is becoming more affordable… so long as you’re not a big fan of live TV. The service will cut the price of its basic tier from $8 to $6 per month as of February 26th for new subscribers, and with new billing cycles for existing customers after the 26th. If you’re fine with on-demand video and can live with ads, it’s that much more affordable to watch Handmaid’s Tale or catch up on shows from TV networks. It’s a not-so-subtle dig at Netflix’s recent price hikes. However, subscribers to pricier tiers aren’t getting this sweet deal.
For one, the ad-free tier will still cost $12 per month. And if you want the Hulu + Live TV bundle, you’ll be paying $5 more per month ($45) for the privilege of watching shows as they premiere. Hulu is betting that the live package is where the real money will be, and it might be raising the price to compensate for all the channel additions in recent months.
The timing might not be all that great for the Live TV rate hike. YouTube TV just launched nationwide coverage, and it starts at $40 per month, and competitors like DirecTV Now likewise start at $40. You’ll mainly want Hulu if you want its originals and exclusives on top of conventional programming. If you’re just interested in shows from more established networks, it’s a tougher sell.
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