Are you ready to subscribe to a new streaming service? You may be wondering what the differences are between Funimation vs. Hulu. Which one is right for you? In this guide from Flixed, we’ll check out how these VOD services stack up, and help you pick the streaming service that’s right for you, what you like to watch, and your budget. Let’s get into it.
Quick Overview – Funimation Vs. Hulu
Funimation is an anime-focused streaming service that used to primarily specialize in dubbed anime. In recent years, though, it’s been adding more subbed content. It also merged with Crunchyroll, another popular anime streaming service, in 2021 – so it’s possible that these two services will be combined in the future.
You probably already know about Hulu. It started in the late 2000s, first functioning as a way to distribute recently-aired shows like The Office online. Since then, though, it’s expanded quite a bit, and includes a ton of movies, shows, and even original content. Along with other heavyweights like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+, it’s one of the most popular streaming services in the country, with more than 45 million subscribers. Take a look below to see how these services compare head-to-head.
| Funimation | Hulu | |
| Pricing | Premium: $5.99/month Premium Plus: $7.99/month Premium Plus Ultra: $99.99/year | With Ads: $6.99/month Ad-Free: $12.99/month |
| Free Trial Length | 14 Days | 30 days |
| Popular Content | Attack on TitanJujutsu Kaisen Fire Force Demon Slayer One Piece | Atlanta The Handmaid’s Tale The Dropout Nightmare Alley Watchmen |
| Original Content | None | The Girl From Plainville Deep Water How I Met Your Father |
| Home Theater Features | Up to 1080p Stereo Sound | Up to 4K and 60fps HDR10, HDR10+ Dolby Vision Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 |
| Offline Viewing | Yes | Yes |
| Device Support | Web browsers, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Xbox/PlayStation, select smart TVs | Web browsers, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, some smart TVs, Blu-Ray Players, and set-top boxes |
| Simultaneous Streams | 2-5 | 2 |
Best Pricing: Funimation Vs. Hulu
Funimation wins this category. It costs $5.99/month to subscribe to Funimation Premium, which gets you access to its entire anime library. Hulu costs $6.99/month for the cheapest membership. You still get ads with that membership, too – you’ll need to pay $12.99/month to get rid of ads on your shows. If your budget is a big concern, Funimation is the cheaper option, though there’s not a huge difference in price.
Best Free Trial: Funimation Vs. Hulu
Hulu wins this category. It’s got one of the best free trials on the market. You can sign up for either Hulu plan and get 30 days of free service to see if it’s right for you. In contrast, Funimation only gives you 14 days to try it out. Because its free trial is longer, Hulu is a better choice in this regard.
You should remember that both Funimation and Hulu will require you to enter your credit card details for your free trial. And if you don’t cancel before your trial is up, you’ll automatically be charged for a month of service. Keep this in mind when you sign up.
Best Content Library: Funimation Vs. Hulu
Hulu is the winner when it comes to the best overall content library. It has more content, more diverse content, and more originals than Funimation. Whether you love reality shows, dramas, blockbuster movies, sitcoms, or anything else, chances are you can find it on Hulu, thanks to its library of tens of thousands of episodes. It even has some anime like Demon Slayer, Sailor Moon, and My Hero Academia.
However, Funimation still is a good option if you’re really into anime. Anime is all you get, but you’ll get hundreds of shows, thousands of episodes, and a ton of anime movies, to boot.
What to Watch on Funimation
Funimation licenses anime from top studios throughout Japan. When it first started, it specialized in dubs, but it’s begun offering more subtitled anime over the last few years, and that trend is sure to continue thanks to its merger with Crunchyroll, the top subbed anime streaming service. It doesn’t have any original content, but it licenses tons of top anime shows from Japan, including:
- Golden Kamuy
- Demon Slayer
- Attack On Titan
- Dragon Ball Super
- One Piece
What to Watch on Hulu
Hulu has original shows, recent episodes of top network and cable shows, blockbuster movies, kid’s shows, and tons of other content. It’s really one of the best streaming services out there, and everyone can find something to watch on this service. Its originals are particularly noteworthy, with top titles like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Dropout. A few of its top titles include:
- American Crime Story
- Pen15
- Bob’s Burgers
- Fargo
- Little Fires Everywhere
Best Home Theater Features: Funimation Vs. Hulu
Hulu beats Funimation in this category, too. It’s got much better home theater features, though not all content supports them. This includes 4K and 60fps, HDR10 and HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound, to name just a few. If you’ve got the tech for it, Hulu can deliver a fantastic home theater experience.
Funimation is a lot more basic, supporting up to 1080p and stereo sound. However, given its focus on anime, this isn’t really a bad thing. Most anime is produced in stereo and at 720p or 1080p max, so you’ll still have a good overall viewing experience.
Best Offline Viewing: Funimation Vs. Hulu
For offline viewing, Hulu delivers a slightly better experience than Funimation. You can download most of their content library to an Android or iOS device and watch it without an internet connection. In total, you get 25 downloads across 5 devices. Unwatched shows will be deleted after 30 days. If you start watching a show or movie, it will expire after 48 hours.
Funimation lets you download only up to 13 episodes. And if you download both the dub and the sub, that counts as two separate episodes. However, one nice thing about Funimation is that you can keep your downloads as long as you want. There are no time limits or expiration dates.
Best Device Support: Funimation Vs. Hulu
Hulu wins this category. Both Funimation and Hulu support most top streaming devices that you may have, such as:
- iOS and Android
- Web browsers
- Amazon Fire
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- PlayStation/Xbox consoles
- Select smart TVs
However, Hulu does support more overall devices, including the Nintendo Switch, a larger variety of smart TVs, and some others. Still, you’re unlikely to have any issues watching either service on your preferred devices.
Best Simultaneous Streaming: Funimation Vs. Hulu
When it comes to default streams, this category is a tie. Funimation and Hulu both let you stream on up to 2 devices at once by default. That means you may have trouble streaming either service if you’ve got a large family and watch a lot of TV.
However, Funimation lets you upgrade and get 5 streams if you get the more expensive Premium Plus plan. Hulu doesn’t have this option. You’re stuck with only 2 streams. So if we take upgrades into account, Funimation is the winner in this category.
Which is Better: Funimation Vs. Hulu in 2022?
Hulu is the better overall streaming service, and it’s probably a better option for you and your family. It has better features, an amazing content library, and some Hulu Originals that you won’t find anywhere else. It also has the most recently aired episodes of lots of top shows, so it’s a great option as a cable replacement, too.
That’s not to say Funimation is bad, though. It’s just a more niche service. If anime is what you want, Funimation blows Hulu out of the water. But that’s pretty much all it has to offer, so it’s not the best choice for most cord-cutters who want more varied content.
