Is Hulu Free? Free Trial, Cheapest Plans, Bundles

Hulu has four core tiers plus bundles and special-eligibility plans. Here is every option, what it costs, and what it includes — including which ones still offer any form of trial or discount entry.

The questions people search most often about Hulu’s cost, free access, bundles, and alternatives — answered directly, without the outdated information that still fills most search results.

• 1
  Can I get Hulu without paying — is there any free version? No permanent free tier · Free trial ended June 2026 · T-Mobile qualifying plan holders may get Hulu With Ads free · Student plan: $1.99/month · Standard plans now charge immediately at sign-up

  Hulu has never had a permanently free, ad-supported tier — unlike Tubi, Peacock Free, or Pluto TV, which are genuinely free to anyone with no payment method required. The only way to access Hulu without a separate Hulu bill is through a T-Mobile wireless plan that includes it as a carrier perk. T-Mobile’s premium unlimited plans (Go5G Next and Experience Beyond) include Hulu With Ads bundled into the monthly wireless cost. If you have T-Mobile service, check your account at t-mobile.com/benefits — you may already have Hulu included and simply haven’t claimed it. Verizon subscribers on select unlimited plans get the Disney+ and Hulu bundle at a discount ($10/month versus the standard $14.99). If neither carrier applies to you, the $1.99/month student plan is the lowest-cost legitimate entry, and the annual Black Friday promotion historically offers the with-ads plan at $0.99–$1.99/month for the first year to new and returning subscribers.
• 2
  Did Hulu’s free trial really end — why do some sites still show it as available? Yes — the 30-day trial ended June 15, 2026 · Most sites have not updated their articles · Always verify at hulu.com directly — do not enter payment info based on a third-party website’s claim · The trial ran for 16 years before being discontinued

  The Hulu 30-day free trial ended on June 15, 2026. It ran from the launch of Hulu Plus on June 29, 2010 — a 16-year continuous run that made it one of the longest-lasting free trials in streaming history. The end of the trial was confirmed by The Streamable, which received direct confirmation from Hulu. The reason most websites still show it as available: search engines cache old articles, and many publications have not yet updated their Hulu guides. A site showing “30-day free trial available” in its headline or table is simply not current. The definitive way to check: start the sign-up flow at hulu.com without entering payment information. If no trial is shown at checkout, none exists. Do not enter a credit card based on any third-party claim — the trial is gone.
• 3
  What is the cheapest way to get Hulu right now? T-Mobile qualifying plan: free (check t-mobile.com/benefits) · Student verified: $1.99/month · Black Friday annual deal: $0.99–$1.99/month first year (late November) · Annual plan: $119.99/year (~$10/month) · Standard: $11.99/month

  The ranking from cheapest to standard: if you have T-Mobile on a qualifying unlimited plan, Hulu With Ads may cost you nothing extra — verify this first before paying separately. Students pay $1.99 per month through hulu.com/student after enrollment verification — no free trial, but $1.99 is the lowest listed price for any Hulu plan. The annual Black Friday sale has historically offered the with-ads plan to new and returning subscribers at $0.99 to $1.99 per month for the first year — an annual saving of over $100 compared to the standard monthly price. This sale runs every late November; if you can wait, it’s the best recurring deal on Hulu. Paying for the full year upfront ($119.99 annual plan) saves $23.89 compared to paying month-to-month. For subscribers who are confident they’ll stay, the annual plan is the most straightforward discount available without any eligibility requirement.
• 4
  Is Hulu or Netflix cheaper now? Netflix’s cheapest plan: $7.99/month (Standard with Ads) — lower than Hulu’s $11.99 entry · But Hulu carries current-season ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS episodes that Netflix does not offer at any price · Neither service offers a free trial right now · Annual plan ($119.99) brings Hulu to ~$10/month — competitive with Netflix

  With both services now charging at sign-up, the comparison comes down purely to content and price. Netflix’s Standard with Ads plan is $7.99/month — $4/month less than Hulu’s entry. Netflix’s ad-free Standard is $15.49/month, versus Hulu’s No Ads at $18.99/month. On price alone, Netflix is cheaper at every comparable tier. What Hulu offers that Netflix cannot match at any price: next-day episodes of current-season shows on ABC, NBC, Fox, and CBS. If you watch broadcast television regularly — any primetime drama or comedy that airs on a major network — Hulu has the exclusive streaming home for those episodes. Netflix does not carry current broadcast network shows at all. For subscribers who primarily want a general streaming library without live or current-season TV, Netflix’s lower price makes more sense. For subscribers who want to replace the experience of watching network TV, Hulu’s content advantages justify the higher price despite the trial being gone.
• 5
  Is Hulu free with Amazon Prime? No — Amazon Prime does not include Hulu · They are competing services with no shared subscription · Hulu is available through Amazon Channels at standard price · Your T-Mobile or Verizon wireless plan is the only place Hulu can be included for free

  This is one of the most persistent myths in streaming, kept alive by outdated articles referencing a partnership that ended years ago. Amazon Prime and Hulu are direct competitors — Prime Video and Hulu’s libraries are entirely separate, their subscriptions are independent, and there is no current deal between the companies that provides Hulu access to Prime members. You can subscribe to Hulu through Amazon Channels, which lets you manage billing through your Amazon account — but you still pay Hulu’s regular price. There is no discount and no free access from Prime membership alone. The only current sources of free or discounted Hulu without a direct Hulu subscription are T-Mobile wireless perks (free Hulu With Ads on qualifying plans) and Verizon plan discounts (Disney Bundle at $10/month versus standard $14.99). If you have either carrier, check your account benefits before paying for Hulu separately.
• 6
  Is the Disney+ and Hulu bundle worth it? Yes for most households watching both libraries · Disney+ + Hulu (With Ads): $10.99/month together vs. $19.98 separate · Three-service bundle (Disney+ + Hulu + Max): $16.99/month — saves up to $23/month vs. separate · No free trial on any bundle

  The bundle pricing is straightforward: the entry Disney+ and Hulu bundle costs $10.99/month for both services with ads — versus $7.99/month for Disney+ and $11.99/month for Hulu separately, totaling $19.98 if subscribed independently. The bundle saves $9 per month, or $108 per year. The three-service bundle — Disney+, Hulu, and Max (HBO) together — is $16.99/month with ads. Subscribing to all three separately costs $7.99 + $11.99 + $9.99 = $29.97/month. The bundle saves $13/month or $156/year. For households that watch content across all three libraries — Disney/Marvel/Star Wars, Hulu Originals and network TV, and HBO programming — the three-service bundle is one of the best per-dollar values in streaming right now. The main limitation: no bundle comes with any free trial. If you currently subscribe to Disney+ and want to add Hulu, upgrading through your Disney+ account settings is the simplest path — the difference is typically applied from your next billing cycle.
• 7
  Why is Hulu ending its standalone app — what happens to my account? Disney is merging Hulu into the Disney+ app by end of 2026 · Your subscription, watchlist, and viewing history carry over automatically · Content is not going away — just the container changes · Nintendo Switch Hulu app already shut down (February 5, 2026) · Other device apps will follow

  Disney, which owns Hulu outright, is consolidating all of its streaming under one app — Disney+. The plan is for Hulu’s entire library to live inside the Disney+ application rather than in a separate app. This means eventually opening Disney+ instead of Hulu to find the same shows. The Nintendo Switch app shutdown on February 5, 2026 was the first concrete step. Smart TV apps, Roku, Fire TV, and phone apps are expected to be phased out throughout 2026, though Disney has not announced specific dates for any platform. Your subscription and billing continue unchanged. Your watchlist, viewing history, and account settings carry over. Disney has confirmed that Hulu content will remain available as a standalone subscription option within Disney+ — so you won’t be forced to pay for Disney+ if you only want Hulu. You’ll just access it through the Disney+ app instead of the Hulu app. For existing subscribers, no action is required. When the Hulu app disappears from your device, download Disney+ and sign in with your existing credentials.
• 8
  What devices does Hulu work on — can I watch it on my TV? Yes — Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio smart TVs · Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast · iPhone, Android, iPad · PlayStation, Xbox · Computer browsers at hulu.com · Nintendo Switch: discontinued Feb 2026 · No special equipment needed if TV purchased in last several years

  Hulu works on virtually every streaming device currently available in the U.S. If your television is a smart TV made in the last several years — Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, or TCL — the Hulu app is likely already installed or available in the TV’s app store. If you have an older TV without built-in apps, a Roku stick ($29–$49) or Amazon Fire TV Stick ($39–$49) plugs into the HDMI port and adds Hulu and hundreds of other streaming services. Setup on any device follows the same process: open the Hulu app, choose “Sign In” if you have an account, or go to hulu.com to create one first. The app merger into Disney+ means the Hulu app will eventually be replaced on most devices — when that happens on your specific device, download the Disney+ app and sign in with your existing Hulu credentials. Your shows, watchlist, and subscription will all be there. The Nintendo Switch is the only platform where the app has already been removed (February 2026).

If you need help setting Hulu up on your TV, or want to check whether your T-Mobile plan includes Hulu for free, the buttons below find local stores near you.