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There’s a whole lot of content to stream out there, but one of the biggest players in the space is welcoming new members with significant savings. Through May 27, Hulu is offering its ad-supported plan for $2 monthly for the first free months for new subscribers. For an additional $2 monthly, you can also add Disney+’s ad-included service as well for the first three months. These services usually clock in at $7.99/month each.
There’s a lot to love about both Hulu and Disney+. Since its inception, Hulu has always been about great television, providing on demand reruns of several network shows. Granted, the addition of Peacock (NBC) and Paramount+ into the streaming fray has cut into its offerings. That said, “Disney’s role in Hulu and its vast library of former 21st Century Fox content that doesn’t fit Disney+’s more family-friendly profile will likely keep Hulu afloat,” reviewers at PC Magazine write. Personally, I’m a fan of several of Hulu’s in-house productions like The Great and Only Murders in the Building — which are exclusive to the platform — and Disney+’s Star Wars programming, including the Mandalorian and (the seemingly less popular, but deeply underrated) miniseries Andor.
If you’re a new subscriber, it’s hard to find a downside here. And frankly, if you’re a current subscriber, I wouldn’t blame you if you are in the process of digging up your old college email to take advantage of this deal.
That said, there are a couple of things for devil’s advocates to note here. First: you will be stuck with ads on both platforms. I have long since abandoned Hulu’s $7.99/month plan in favor of its $14.99/month ad-free plan (I personally don’t want to watch ads if I’m not watching live TV), but that’s a personal preference. Disney’s ad-free plan is available for $10.99/month.
Second, Hulu’s interface is not particularly user-friendly and, in my experience, I’ve had some difficulty with over-buffering and maintaining connectivity on both. In my opinion, Hulu’s interface is built in such a way that it can take multiple clicks to get to where you want to go and its carousels aren’t particularly intuitive. Disney+’s interface is far simpler and intuitive.
Still, this is an excellent deal that can help new users decide whether or not they want to take the plunge longer term (or ditch the ads) after three months.
Through May 27, Hulu is offering its ad-supported plan for $2 monthly for the first free months for new subscribers. For an additional $2 monthly, you can also add Disney+’s ad-included service as well for the first three months.
Have an issue with your financial adviser or looking for a new one? Email picks@marketwatch.com.
Madeleine “Maddy” Perkins is the deputy editor for MarketWatch Picks, focusing on helping our readers save money. Previously, Maddy was director of editorial operations at Arizent, the parent company of financial publications including American Banker and Financial Planning.
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