As you survey the escalating streaming wars among Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max and more, a singular entertainment power holds an enviable pair of contenders – The Walt Disney Company.
Disney makes the battle a win-win with two streamers under its umbrella: the family-friendly Disney+, bursting with Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and animation; and Hulu with more adult-skewing content across thousands of shows and movies.
But how exactly do Disney+ and Hulu compare when we dig deeper? You‘ll find out all that and more in this comprehensive streaming service matchup.
A Bird‘s Eye View of Disney+
Disney+ stormed onto the scene on November 12, 2019 to instant success. Let‘s break down everything the platform offers:
Pricing and Bundles
The service costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year for an ad-supported plan. An ad-free package runs $10.99 monthly. Disney also bundles it with Hulu and ESPN+ to save money:
- Disney Bundle Duo with Disney+ and Hulu – $9.99/month
- Disney Bundle Trio with those two services plus ESPN+ – $12.99/month
Library Content Overview
According to the latest data, the Disney+ library includes:
- Over 800 films
- 250+ TV series
- 100+ original movies and shows
Focusing squarely on family options, the content comes primarily from Disney‘s biggest blockbuster brands:
Early award-magnet originals like The Mandalorian showcase an ambitious slate to come.
Revenue and Subscribers
Within three years, Disney+ has accrued an astonishing:
- 162 million subscribers globally
- Nearly $15 billion total revenue
Experts forecast explosive continued subscriber and revenue growth for the platform:
With endless Star Wars and Marvel shows on the horizon, Disney+ has nowhere to go but up.
What‘s On Offer with Hulu?
Pre-dating Disney+ by over a decade, Hulu got its start in 2007 as a hub for next-day streaming of shows from its big network owners.
Price Plans and Bundling
Hulu currently runs:
- $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year for ad-supported viewing
- $14.99 per month ad-free option
It can be packaged with Disney+ and ESPN+ to save a few bucks too. Pricing has declined over time across plans:
| Year | Ad-Supported Price | Ad-Free Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $7.99 | $14.99 |
| 2019 | $5.99 | $11.99 |
| 2016 | $7.99 | $11.99 |
Hulu‘s Expanding Content Offerings
The streamer has aggressively expanded its initial TV-focused library over the years:
- 2,500+ movies
- 1,650+ TV shows
It also boasts dozens of high-profile original hits such as The Handmaid‘s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, and recent release Only Murders In The Building.
Raking in Streaming Dollars
For 2021, Hulu pulled nearly $10 billion in total yearly revenue by:
- $3.6 billion from subscriptions
- $5.9 billion from advertising
With tentpole originals like an Alien series from prominent showrunner Noah Hawley on the horizon, Hulu is on track to accelerate that moneymaking momentum.
Disney+ vs. Hulu: Side-By-Side Stats
Evaluating some key stats and metrics side-by-side reveals some telling differentiators:
According to Sarah Henrickson, senior analyst at media research firm Merrill Corporation:
“The platforms clearly cater to different audiences. Disney+ with families through banners like Marvel and Star Wars. Hulu serving as TV lovers’ dream streamer with next-day content from every channel under the sun."
Let‘s analyze the critical contrasts between the two streamers.
Rating Showdown: Family-Friendly vs Adults
The predominant differentiator here comes down to maturity rating of content. Disney+ offers a treasure trove of shows and movies for kids and families but steers clear of graphic violence, sex or language.
Hulu picks up the slack there with a wide range of R-rated comedy films like Booksmart, edgy superhero fare such as Deadpool, and horror flicks including Jordan Peele‘s cerebral Get Out.
In terms of content ratings across movies in their overall libraries:
- 64% of Disney+ films are rated PG-13 or below
- 52% of Hulu‘s movies carry an R rating
So while Disney+ caters heavily to younger viewers through brands like Marvel and Star Wars, Hulu serves as Disney‘s platform for adult-oriented programming outside the traditional family-friendly Disney mold.
Battle of Buzzed-About Originals
Both streamers bank on original movies and series to drive new subscriptions and buzz. Disney made its name primarily on the back of 2019‘s The Mandalorian in pop culture. Combined with Marvel limited series‘ like WandaVision and Loki, it cemented Disney+ as a go-to streamer for franchises with built-in fandoms.
By comparison, Hulu established itself as an originals pioneer long before Disney+, earning early Emmy acclaim and water cooler talk for timely series like 2017’s prescient The Handmaid’s Tale. More recent comedies like Steve Martin vehicle Only Murders In The Building continue to earn Hulu critical praise.
Looking at reviews aggregator Metacritic shows higher average praise for Hulu originals than Disney+‘s fledging slate:
- Average Metascore for Hulu Originals: 79
- Average Metascore for Disney+ Originals: 69
So advantage Hulu for not just quality but consistency of talked-about original content across genres from comedy to horror to timely dramas.
Cost Comparison: Ad Support and Pricing
If maximizing streaming while minimizing cost is crucial, pricing and ad load are key considerations for comparing Disney+ vs. Hulu.
Disney+ comes in cheapest for ad-free streaming at an affordable $10.99 per month. Hulu matches it on ad-supported streaming at $7.99 monthly but charges $4 more for going ad-free. Based on 2022 fee hikes, here‘s how they stack up:
When it comes to ad load, Hulu subscribers sit through around 9 minutes of commercials per hour watched. Disney+ ads remain far lighter since their late 2022 introduction. But frequent marathon viewers may prefer paying up for ad-free packages, with Disney+ delivering big savings there.
Movies vs TV Libraries
For fans focused squarely on films, Hulu boasts an impressive breadth of movies to entertain you across genres:
But viewers hungry for the latest television series can binge thousands of shows on Hulu soon after airing, from network sitcoms to prestige cable dramas.
By comparison, while Disney+ offers unlimited access to films from Star Wars, Marvel and more, even CEO Bob Chapek admits their "television series side is a newer initiative.“ Out of over 800 total titles, Disney+ offers just over 200 TV series so far.
So Hulu better serves TV buffs looking to keep instantly up-to-date on water cooler shows, while Disney+ provides a spot for devotees to stream movies from within highly popular franchises.
Pros and Cons of Both Streamers
Let‘s outline the major advantages and limitations of each direct-to-consumer platform:
Disney+ Pros
- One-stop shop for Star Wars, Marvel, animation and other beloved franchises
- Rack of Emmy-winning hits like The Mandalorian
*:Very affordable $7.99 monthly ad-supported pricing - Bundle discounts when adding Hulu and ESPN
Disney+ Cons
- Light on edgier content appealing to adults
- Middling response to some franchises like Star Wars‘ Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Film library lacks depth beyond main tentpole Disney brands
- Originals slate still building steam
In the other corner…
Hulu Pros
- Massive content vault spanning thousands of shows and movies
- Next-day streaming for new episodes from ABC, FX, NBC and more
- Multiple acclaimed original series earning awards
- Integrates many premium cable add-ons
Hulu Cons
- Among the highest ad-free subscription prices
- Frequent and lengthy ad breaks during programming
- Biggest focus is on TV vs quality genre films
- Content crossover with other streamers‘ libraries
Let‘s trace the origins of the House of Mouse‘s streaming explosion.
The History Behind Disney+‘s Instant Rise
Disney tying itself inseparably to streaming now seems inevitable. But Disney+ represents the culmination of years of enormous infrastructure alignment and content acquisitions directed toward that streaming endgame.
Major precursors setting the table included:
- Acquiring LucasFilm properties like Star Wars and Indiana Jones
- Buying out 21st Century Fox‘s deep film and TV assets in 2019
- Pulling Disney content from licensed platforms like Netflix
Disney+ instantly united this wealth of studios and franchises into the definitive streaming home for Disney, Pixar, Marvel and beyond. Early breakout original hit The Mandalorian immediately showcased bold Star Wars storytelling impossible elsewhere. Paired with surging at-home streaming during COVID-19 lockdowns, Disney+ remarkably has netted over 160 million global subscribers and counting in just over 3 years.
Thanks to upcoming Marvel and Star Wars shows like Loki season 2, The Acolyte, and Ahsoka, Disney+ appears positioned to continue ascending straight up toward the apex of Netflix and Amazon.
The Winding Road for Streamer Hulu
Rather than intentional ground-up construction like Disney+, Hulu has navigated streaming‘s choppy waters for over 15 years now.
Hulu originated in 2007 as a joint venture between media giants looking to legally pool shows online. Initial owners NBCUniversal, 21st Century Fox, and Providence Equity Partners treated Hulu as an on-demand home for current TV hits.
After shifting toward original programming and back catalog content via 2010‘s subscription Hulu Plus tier, the platform received a massive shot in the arm when Disney acquired Fox assets. Assuming a 67% controlling Hulu stake, Disney quickly aligned it as the perfect outlet for more R-rated and mature programming, leaving Disney+ for family fare only.
Now with hits like Steve Martin‘s acclaimed comedy Only Murders In The Building, buzzy originals should keep Hulu sailing smoothly for years ahead.
And The Winner Is…Hulu!
While the Mouse House wins big through dual income stream regardless, comparing Disney+ vs Hulu directly produces a split decision based on users‘ taste:
- For family viewing and Disney‘s big-name franchises spanning Star Wars and the MCU, Disney+ makes an easily justifiable monthly expense.
- But thanks to a vastly bigger content vault spanning virtually every genre and demo imaginable, Hulu scores the win as the more well-rounded streamer overall.
When the closing bell sounds on this entertainment heavyweight bout, advantage Hulu! Of course, this is really only round one – with endless amounts of streaming dollars up for grabs in the years ahead, expect both services to keep aggressively duking it out for subscribers.
I hope mapping out this Disney+ vs. Hulu showdown helps guide your next streaming decision. Stay tuned for more comprehensive streamer matchups!