What Hulu + Live TV does

Hulu + Live TV is a US-based direct-to-consumer live TV streaming service operating as a virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD), offering 100+ national and local channels with unlimited cloud DVR storage for up to nine months. The service is built on cloud-based live TV streaming infrastructure supporting multi-device delivery across web browsers, iOS/Android mobile apps, smart TVs (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung, LG), and gaming consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch). Following its October 2025 merger with FuboTV, the combined entity serves approximately 6.2 million North American subscribers and is approximately 70% owned by The Walt Disney Company, making it the second-largest vMVPD with 28% market share behind YouTube TV, and the sixth-largest pay TV provider in North America.

The product portfolio spans the core Hulu + Live TV plan ($89.99/month with ads or $99.99/month without ads) bundled with Disney+ and ESPN access via separate apps, alongside multiple bundle configurations (Disney+/Hulu at $12.99/month, Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited at $35.99/month, Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max at $19.99/month, and a $29.99/month Spanish-language bundle). Premium add-ons include HBO Max ($10.99/month), Cinemax ($9.99/month), Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($13.99/month), STARZ ($11.99/month), and Sports/Entertainment/Español network add-ons. Core product features include Unlimited DVR with fast-forward capability, personalized profiles and custom TV lineups, multi-device simultaneous streaming (2 screens base, unlimited via add-on), and a live channel guide.

The business model is subscription-recurring with advertising revenue from ad-supported tiers, distributed direct-to-consumer via self-service sign-up with a 3-day free trial. GTM relies on digital advertising, SEM, content marketing, and co-marketing with device manufacturers (Roku, Apple, Amazon, Samsung, LG). Target customer segments include sports enthusiasts, cord-cutters seeking live TV without cable, college sports fans, news consumers, event viewers, and Hispanic viewers. Fubo's management team (CEO David Gandler) operates the combined entity post-merger, with Disney providing content rights, ad platform technology, and a $145 million term loan commitment.

Name

Hulu + Live TV

Legal name

Hulu, LLC

Website

https://hulu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Hulu + Live TV is a US live TV streaming service offering 100+ channels with unlimited cloud DVR, bundled with Disney+ and ESPN. The October 2025 FuboTV merger created a combined 6.2M-subscriber entity approximately 70% owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live TV Streaming

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

Live TV Streaming (vMVPD/IPTV OTT) (MPACAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports OTT/FAST Channels & Virtual Sports Bundles (MPABAJAG), Live Streaming & Webcasting Platforms (BPAMAJAB), FAST Linear Streaming Channels (Ad-Supported) (MPABAHAD)

Keywords

• Live TV streaming
• Cloud DVR service
• Subscription video
• Sports streaming
• Cord-cutter entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Monthly subscription fees from live TV streaming plans. Base plan at $89.99/month with ads includes Hulu streaming library, Disney+, and ESPN access. Premium no-ads plan at $99.99/month. Additional revenue from add-ons (HBO Max, Cinemax, Paramount+, STARZ, Sports Add-on, Entertainment Add-on, Español Add-on).
2. Advertising Revenue: Ad-supported subscription tiers (with ads plans) generate advertising revenue. Disney ad platform integration post-merger enables targeted advertising capabilities across the combined Fubo/Hulu + Live TV platform.
3. Bundle Subscriptions: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle at $35.99/month (with ads) or $44.99/month (premium) drives bundled subscription revenue with cross-selling opportunities.
4. Spanish-Language Bundle: Spanish-language bundle at $29.99/month targeting Hispanic viewers with Hispanic-focused channels including ESPN Deportes, CNN en Español, and Universo.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hulu + Live TV is a cloud-based live TV streaming service offering 100+ national and local channels across sports, news, and entertainment, bundled with access to the Hulu on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN content via separate apps. The service includes unlimited cloud DVR storage for nine months, multi-device streaming, and is sold via monthly subscription with optional add-ons for premium networks and a dedicated Spanish-language bundle.

Product overview

Hulu + Live TV is a live TV streaming platform offering 100+ channels including sports, news and entertainment, bundled with the Hulu streaming library, Disney+ and ESPN content through their separate apps. The core product is Hulu + Live TV ($89.99/month with ads, $99.99/month ad-free), which includes unlimited cloud DVR storage for nine months and simultaneous streaming on 2 screens (upgradeable to unlimited via the Unlimited Screens add-on). The product portfolio includes: the core Hulu + Live TV streaming service; Disney+ and ESPN/ESPN Select as included companion services accessible via their separate apps; premium network add-ons (HBO Max at $10.99/month, Cinemax at $9.99/month, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME at $13.99/month, STARZ at $11.99/month); network add-ons (Entertainment Add-on $7.99/month, Español Add-on $4.99/month, Sports Add-on $9.99/month); the Unlimited Screens upgrade; multiple bundled packages combining Disney+, Hulu and ESPN with optional HBO Max or ESPN Select; and a dedicated Spanish-language bundle at $29.99/month. Following Fubo's merger with Hulu + Live TV completed in late 2025, the combined entity operates under Fubo management with Disney holding approximately 70% ownership, creating the sixth-largest U.S. pay TV provider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle: Bundled subscription combining Disney+ and Hulu streaming services
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle
• ESPN Unlimited
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle

Products and services

• Hulu + Live TV Cloud-based live TV streaming service offering 100+ national and local channels across sports, news, and entertainment, with unlimited cloud DVR storage for nine months and simultaneous streaming on up to two screens. Includes access to the Hulu streaming library, Disney+, and ESPN content through separate apps. Designed for U.S. consumers seeking a cable TV replacement.
• Disney+ (included with Hulu + Live TV) Streaming service bundled with Hulu + Live TV, providing access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content. Supports streaming on up to 4 devices simultaneously with offline download support.
• ESPN / ESPN Select (included via ESPN App) Live sports content service accessible via the ESPN App, covering college football, NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, soccer, and other major leagues. ESPN Select provides a subset of ESPN networks with 47,000+ live events per year.
• HBO Max (add-on) Premium network add-on at $10.99/month offering original series, hit movies, comedy specials, and additional HBO original programming.
• Cinemax (add-on) Premium network add-on at $9.99/month providing access to hundreds of hit movies and action-packed original series.
• Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (add-on) Premium network add-on at $13.99/month offering award-winning series, top movies, documentaries, comedy, and sports content.
• STARZ (add-on) Premium network add-on at $11.99/month featuring original series, hit movies, and docuseries with diverse perspectives.
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Bundle combining Disney+ and Hulu streaming services starting at $12.99/month (with ads), saving 45% compared to purchasing each service separately. Premium no-ads version available at $19.99/month.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited for $35.99/month (with ads) or $44.99/month (premium), providing access to Disney+ content, full Hulu streaming library, and over 47,000 live events per year via ESPN.
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle Bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for $19.99/month, saving 41% compared to purchasing each service separately.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select at a discounted price, providing access to Disney+ content, full Hulu streaming library, and select ESPN sports networks.
• Hulu + Live TV Spanish-Language Bundle Spanish-language live TV bundle priced at $29.99/month, offering Hispanic-focused channels and programming targeting Spanish-speaking subscribers. Includes CNN en Español, Discovery en Español, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, History Channel en Español, Hogar de HGTV, and Universo.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 live TV channels available
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FuboTVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2025Disney combined its Hulu + Live TV business with FuboTV in a definitive agreement. Disney holds approximately 70% ownership while Fubo's existing management team leads the combined entity. The deal settled all pending litigation related to Venu Sports, with Disney, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery paying Fubo $220 million in cash. The combined entity has 6.2 million North American subscribers.
• ESPN (Disney)coreTechnology or Integration · 6 January 2025Fubo gained a new carriage agreement allowing it to feature Disney's sports and broadcast networks including ESPN and ABC. Disney will provide a $145 million term loan to Fubo in 2026. ESPN partnership aims to lower customer acquisition costs through bundled sports offerings.
• WISH-TV (Circle City Broadcasting)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWISH-TV, a CW affiliate serving the Indianapolis metropolitan area, secured distribution agreements with Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV to carry local programming. Deals activate within 75 days, expanding station access to streaming platforms beyond traditional cable and over-the-air broadcasts.
• Disney Ad PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationFollowing the Fubo merger, the combined entity is integrating with Disney's ad platform and ad server technology. This enables improved advertising yields, targeted ad capabilities, and optimization across the expanded subscriber base.
• NBCUniversalminorOthersOngoing carriage dispute with NBCUniversal following the merger. Fubo faces loss of NBCUniversal content while Hulu + Live TV had pre-existing carriage agreement. NBCUniversal is demanding a multi-year commitment for its new Versant Media spinoff channels while Fubo offered only a one-year deal.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FuboTV: FuboTV merged with Hulu + Live TV in October 2025 and now operates under Fubo management. As a sports-focused vMVPD with overlapping offerings, Fubo serves similar sports-enthusiast and cord-cutter segments with comparable channel lineups and DVR features.
• Philo: Philo is a budget vMVPD offering 60+ live channels at a lower price point. While it doesn't carry sports networks, it competes in the same cord-cutter live TV streaming category with unlimited cloud DVR and multi-device streaming.
• Sling TV: Sling TV is a long-standing vMVPD competing directly with Hulu + Live TV in the live TV streaming space. It targets cost-conscious cord-cutters with lower-priced tiered plans (Sling Orange/Blue), though with fewer channels than Hulu + Live TV's 100+ lineup.
• DirecTV Stream: DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) is a vMVPD offering similar live TV channel packages with cloud DVR. It targets premium subscribers willing to pay more for comprehensive channel lineups, directly overlapping Hulu + Live TV's higher-end positioning.
• YouTube TV: YouTube TV is the leading US vMVPD with 46% market share — the most direct competitor to Hulu + Live TV. Both offer 100+ live channels, cloud DVR, and bundle streaming service access, but YouTube TV leverages Google's ecosystem for cross-promotion and ad-tech.

Broad incumbents

• ESPN (ESPN+ / ESPN Unlimited): ESPN's streaming services (ESPN+, ESPN Unlimited) are bundled with Hulu + Live TV but also sold standalone. They overlap on sports content rights and target the same sports-enthusiast segment, making ESPN both a content supplier and a sibling offering within Disney.
• Amazon Prime Video: Amazon Prime Video is a broad SVOD/AVOD service with growing live sports rights (NFL Thursday Night Football, NBA). It competes with Hulu + Live TV for entertainment wallet share and increasingly for live sports viewership among Prime subscribers.
• Disney+: Disney+ is the same parent's flagship SVOD service bundled with Hulu + Live TV. While positioned as on-demand entertainment rather than live TV, the two services share content, billing, and consumer wallet — making Disney+ a sister brand and partial substitute within the Disney ecosystem.
• Netflix: Netflix is the dominant SVOD service and indirect competitor to Hulu + Live TV's on-demand library. While not a vMVPD, it competes for the same streaming entertainment wallet, especially among consumers considering trade-down from live TV to on-demand-only streaming.

Others

• Verizon Fios TV: Verizon Fios TV is a traditional fiber-based pay-TV service that overlaps with Hulu + Live TV in delivering live channel lineups. While not a streaming vMVPD, it represents the incumbent cable/fiber pay-TV category that Hulu + Live TV is partly displacing through cord-cutting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hulu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE5mQnNl8Q4H2qcv4ikaXeA
• Facebookfacebook.com/hulu
• Instagraminstagram.com/hulu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hulu + Live TV