Today, you have more options for cable alternatives than ever before. Vidgo and Hulu + Live TV are 2 of the top streaming services for live TV on the market. If you’re wondering which one is right for you, you’re in the right place. We’ll go over the basics of each service, compare Vidgo vs. Hulu With Live TV head-to-head, and help you figure out which service is right for your unique needs.
Quick overview of Vidgo vs. Hulu + Live TV
Vidgo is the “new kid on the block” when it comes to internet TV, since it came out in early 2020. It’s a good option for cord-cutters who are on a budget, since it’s cheaper than most other fully-featured internet TV services on the market. However, it does have some drawbacks, like its lack of a DVR.
Hulu + Live TV, on the other hand, launched way back in 2017, and has been a major player ever since. It combines a good channel lineup with simple pricing and good features, though it has had some price hikes over the last couple of years that make it a little less appealing. Check out the table below and see how these services stack up head-to-head.
| Vidgo | Hulu With Live TV |
|---|---|
| Plus: $69.99/month, Premium: $84.99/month, Spanish Mas: $39.99/month | Ad-supported: $76.99/month, Ad-free: $89.99 |
| 7 days | None |
| Plus: 110+ channels, Premium: 150+ channels, Spanish Mas: 45+ channels | 90+ channels |
| No DVR | 50 hours of space |
| iOS, Android, web browsers, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV | iOS, Android, web browsers, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One/Series X, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, select LG/VIZIO/Samsung smart TVs |
| 3 simultaneous streams | 2 simultaneous streams |
Vidgo has better pricing
Vidgo is the winner when it comes to price. Vidgo offers 110+ channels, too. Compared to Hulu With Live TV’s 90+ channels, this means you’ll pay way less on a per-channel basis. If you watch a lot of different channels and Vidgo carries them, it’s a great value.
Vidgo Mas
Only $10 for your first month
- 45+ live Spanish channels
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- Stream on three screens
$39.99/month
Vidgo Plus
Only $10 for your first month
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- 110+ channels
- Stream on three screens
$69.99/month
Vidgo Premium
Only $10 for your first month
- 150+ channels
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- Stream on three screens
$84.99/month
Vidgo Ultimate
- All English and Spanish channels
- The most live sports
- News and local shows
- Stream on three screens
$99.99/month
However, Hulu + Live TV does look a bit more attractive when you realize it includes an ad-supported Hulu on-demand, as well as ESPN+ and Disney+ membership. If you like having all of your live and on-demand TV in the same place, Hulu With Live TV may still be a good choice.
Hulu (with ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
$9.99/month
Hulu (no ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
- No ads
$18.99/month
Hulu Live TV only
- 90+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$81.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$82.99/month
Hulu Live TV (some ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$87.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$95.99/month
Only Vidgo offers a free trial
Vidgo wins here for a simple reason: Hulu + Live TV doesn’t offer a free trial. It stopped offering a free trial in late 2021. You can still try it risk-free, since you subscribe on a month-to-month basis. But you will have to pay to try it.
On the other hand, Vidgo has a week-long trial. You’ll need to enter your credit card details, but if you cancel before a week is up, you won’t pay a cent. This makes Vidgo the clear winner when it comes to a free trial.
Hulu + Live TV has more valuable channels and add-ons
Hulu + Live TV wins here, despite being more expensive and having fewer channels. Simply put, it has more of what you may want, including local FOX/CBS/NBC/ABC broadcast channels – Vidgo only has ABC and CBS.
Vidgo and Hulu With Live TV do share a lot of top channels, though, including ESPN, Fox Sports, HGTV, Food Network, and plenty of others. Of course, everyone is different. If Vidgo has the channels you want, it’s still a good choice.
The other reason we picked Hulu With Live TV is that it has more channel add-ons available. You can pay extra for some more sports content, entertainment channels, and premium channels like Showtime, and Vidgo simply lacks this option.
What to watch on Vidgo
As far as local channels go, you’ll get ABC and CBS with Vidgo. You’ll get top sports channels including ESPN, Fox Sports, PAC-12 Network, ACC Network, and more.
You’ll also get news channels like Fox News, and entertainment/lifestyle channels like TLC, MTV, Food Network, and HGTV, to name just a few. Vidgo doesn’t currently offer any add-on packages or premium channels. You can take a look at its full channel list here.
What to watch on Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV has ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC in most broadcast areas. It also has lots of news channels including CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. You’ll get sports coverage with ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Golf Channel, and quite a few others.
For entertainment and lifestyle channels, you’ll get HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, History Channel, FX, Disney Channel, and plenty of others. You also have the option to get additional sports, entertainment, and premium channels for an additional fee. Check out the full channel list here.
Only Hulu + Live TV offers DVR storage
Hulu + Live TV wins this category by default with 50 hours of DVR storage. This is because Vidgo doesn’t have a DVR. You can rewind live TV and watch most shows on-demand after they air, but you can’t record shows for later, which is a bit disappointing if you don’t watch much live TV.
On the other hand, Hulu With Live TV has 50 hours of DVR storage. You can also upgrade this to 200 hours with the “Enhanced DVR” upgrade if you want, which should give you plenty of space, even if you have a large household. You can learn more about the Hulu With Live TV DVR here.
Hulu has more device support
Hulu + Live TV wins when it comes to device support. Vidgo and Hulu With Live TV mostly support the same streaming devices, which includes:
- Web browsers
- iOS and Android
- Roku
- Amazon Fire
- Chromecast
- Apple TV
- Android TV
However, Hulu With Live TV outdoes Vidgo with its support. It supports gaming consoles like the PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, and even the Nintendo Switch. It also supports some smart TVs from manufacturers like Samsung, LG, and VIZIO.
Vidgo offers more simultaneous streams
Vidgo wins this category, since it offers 3 simultaneous streams by default. Hulu + Live TV, on the other hand, gives you only 2 simultaneous streams. There’s a catch, though. Hulu With Live TV lets you upgrade with an “Unlimited Screens” package. This can also be combined with the Enhanced DVR package.
If you get this package, you can watch on unlimited devices within your home WiFi network, and on 3 devices outside your home WiFi network. This is more expensive, of course. But if you and your household watch a lot of TV, Hulu may actually be the better choice.
Our takeaway: Hulu + Live TV is the better option
Overall, Hulu + Live TV is a better value than Vidgo. Not only do you get 90+ channels, but you also get the entire Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ on-demand libraries, as well as a DVR, which Vidgo doesn’t have at all. Sure, it’s more expensive, but you get more for your money with Hulu With Live TV.
On the other hand, Vidgo is more than enough if you have a smaller family, don’t care about a DVR, and don’t need a ton of on-demand content to watch. If it has all the channels you watch, it’s still a good value. Vidgo just doesn't quite have the same lineup of live and on-demand content that Hulu With Live TV has to offer.
Eric Liston • Author
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.
Kelsey Reynolds • Editor
Kelsey is a content strategist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota. Kelsey was drawn to working at Flixed because the team was so open, motivated, and curious. She most enjoys thinking about how to blend programmatic and editorial content to answer readers’ questions as completely and efficiently as possible. When she’s not at her computer, Kelsey can usually be found working in her garden or walking her two dogs in the park.
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