If you like your Hulu good and free, this news is not going to make you very happy. The streaming service has announced that it will be ending its free, ad-supported service and become totally subscription-based in the near future.
Going forward, Hulu will offer a $7.99 monthly streaming option with “limited” commercials and an ad-free option for $4 more.
Hulu SVP Ben Smith said the following about the shift:
“For the past couple years, we’ve been focused on building a subscription service that provides the deepest, most personalized content experience possible to our viewers . . . As we have continued to enhance that offering with new originals, exclusive acquisitions and movies, the free service became very limited and no longer aligned with the Hulu experience or content strategy.”
In other words, Hulu hopes that its original content and other exclusives will entice you to pay a subscription fee, just like millions do for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Now. Is this move a smart one for Hulu, Insiders?
[via Home Media Magazine]
First I even heard of that option
same here…
7.99 for ads? ya, ok.. bye bye Hulu
There is an important part that is missing in the post. The ‘free’ content is moving to Yahoo’s video service. So its still there, just on a different site.
Hulu can be good….And at $11.99 its not all that bad…..
And NO ^%$#@( ads….
This is what TV will be all about in the next, 5,10 years….
TV as we know it now will be long gone…. Even over the air will be about zip zero..
NetFlix, Amazon, HULU, it’s about all you need… Right now…..
And really who want to watch the trash on TV now. ?
Too spendy. Once you add in all the costs of Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, etc, you are paying $40+ a month. Might as well stick with cable at that price.
I used free hulu last night and was shocked at how many ads were in the 60 minute show. I definitely wouldn’t pay $8 a month for that ad version, and I think an additional $4 a month for ad-free is silly.
I could not touch Cable TV for under 50 +.. ….
30 + bucks just for 2-13…..Then the B.S box.. & tax and all..
I will keep my NetFlix, HULU and Amazon..
best to be old fashioned; an antenna on the roof!
Very true right now…. But give it 5-10 years.. You will get zero from it.. But for new.. yes!
I can’t even log into my free acct anymore. They’ve blocked it and I’m only given the option to upgrade.
I can…. Still works as free. but not for long I bet…
i didnt even know they had the free option..EVER!!??–im normally on the ball…lol– the 8$ with ads is fine.. with me.. and works on every device have heard of folks having issues with only one device at a time??