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As of right now, it is safe to assume that Netflix has a firm grip on the top spot for most used video streaming service. That might change though as of recent news when Netflix decided to raise the prices of their streaming services from 8 dollars to 9 dollars for the basic plan and their standard package from 11 dollars to 14 dollars. Along with that, Hulu has found massive success with their new originals and have an ever-growing, extensive catalog! With all these options available, it can be hard which one to pick, so today I am here to break down each streaming service’s pros and cons and help you decide which one is right for you!
Pros of Netflix– Netflix reigns supreme over the landscape of streaming right now. It has an almost ionic name and is now a household product. I think the biggest draw to Netflix is the Netflix created TV shows and movies it has to offer. One of the exciting things to watch over time was the way that Netflix began to dump money into their originals and see them take off. I think at this point and time, the main reason you get Netflix is to enjoy all the excellent original content on there. From super popular shows like Stranger Things, Narcos and Orange is the New Black; to lesser known shows like On My Block and Peaky Blinders, Netflix has an extensive catalog. There are so many amazing Netflix originals that the steep price for the family plan (16 dollars after taxes) is almost justified.
The other major pro about Netflix is the “staying power.” What I mean by this, is it is not a new service, and it is very well established. So, when you purchase a Netflix subscription, you know exactly what you are going to get! On the movie side of things, you do get a lot of Marvel movies and other Disney owned properties, but this will change come November when Disney opens their streaming service.
On the proper tv end, Netflix has classics like The Office and Parks and Rec, to name a few. For any anime fans, their catalog is not the biggest, but they do have a couple of seasons of some classics like Bleach and Hunter X Hunter along with Netflix original smash hit Seven deadly sins. The best part about all of these is that Netflix counties to add every day. The pure amount of content is astonishing at times, and there is something for everyone on the service!
Cons of Netflix– I would have to say that the biggest disadvantage of Netflix is the price. The current price is not too bad (9 dollars for primary, 13 dollars for standard, and 16 dollars for the premium). The thing that worries me is the perspective of raising it even higher, as it seems that people are complacent with the current prices. Once you read about the other streaming services, you could see why Netflix, in the long run, could be a bad play.
The other thing is Netflix does not simulcast with popular TV shows. This means that if you want to watch the newest episode of The Flash you have to either go somewhere else (like the CW app) or you have to wait until the whole season is done to watch it. It is a small feature, but for some popular shows, it goes a long way. For now, though, they are the top stop.
Pros of Hulu– The once viewed little brother of Netflix has now come for the throne that Netflix sits on. Hulu has a couple of advantages, and the biggest one being selection. Instead of Hulu originals (Although they have those, too), Hulu does a way better job of getting current popular TV shows such as Rick & Morty, Brooklyn Nine Nine and America’s Got Talent, to name a few.Along with that, for any anime fans out there, the selection on Hulu is much more extensive than it is on Netflix!
Also, Hulu is starting to develop new originals, while backing some of the already super popular shows they have such as The Handmaid’s Tale and Marvel’s Runaways! I think the other big brother is that a lot of shows sim-cast on Hulu. This means that the day the show releases a new episode, it will appear on Hulu. Also, if you are very curious or maybe you are a cord-cutter looking for a new cable provider, Hulu offers TV service for just 50 dollars a month! Hulu is also cheaper than Netflix with an 8 dollar option with ads and a 12 dollar option that is ad-free. So all in all, you save about a dollar, which is nice! Hulu’s main draw is that the actual TV is better, meaning that they get new episodes of trendy TV shows way sooner than Netflix does and they even simulcast a lot of TV shows and anime!
Cons of Hulu– The main drawback I find with Hulu is the programming and the interface! On the show end, Hulu has to pull it together. The sheer amount of content that Netflix puts out is now the standard for streaming, and I find that Hulu is not chasing that at all. While Hulu has the actually TV side well covered, it could focus on developing more in-house originals to give the platform a little more content.
The other thing is that the Hulu user interface lacks a couple of small features that go a long way. For example, when you start binging a show, it does not automatically cut the intro and go straight to the show, which makes users have to fast forward through it manually. Also, the interface is kind of hard to navigate, so small tweaks to the UI, in general, would be significant!
All in All– At the end of the day I think the question of “Hulu or Netflix?” really comes down to preference. If you are someone who uses there streaming source as a way to check out new content, Netflix is the way to go. If you are someone who uses their streaming service as a way to catch up on current TV shows and needs something a little cheaper, I recommend Hulu! Let us know what you think, and for all things Cinema, you are in the right place!
-@Indianparker
