Hulu Raise Prices for Its Live TV Plan, and Users Are Livid

Starting next month, Hulu‘s two subscription plans with live TV included are going up in price. The streaming service is one of the most popular options for cord-cutters who want to continue watching cable and network shows as they air, but it does not come cheap. With the so-called “streaming wars” in full effect, this is probably not going to go over well.

Hulu offers four different plans for subscribers, depending on the level of access they want. The two most expensive are Hulu + Live TV, which currently costs $44.99 per month, and Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, which costs $50.99 per month.

On Friday, Hulu announce that that will soon change. Starting on Dec. 18, 2019, Hulu + Live TV will cost $54.99 per month, and Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV will jump to $60.99 per month.

This is a big leap, and subscribers are not happy about it. They are not keeping quiet either, as social media has filled with outcry against the rising cost since it was announced.

“A $10 increase for Hulu Live!” one subscriber tweeted. “Will this price increase include more channels, a better user interface or more streaming devices? The costs are starting to add up! At this point, I might as well go back to regular cable.”

“Dear Hulu, I came to you because I got tired of all the price increases and adding of more stuff that I don’t want, them telling me how magnificent the additions were,” added another. “Whatever you are adding is not worth $120 a year to me. Please allow me to keep what I have for $44.99!”

Hulu acknowledged that the price increase did not come with any additional content or features. A blog post by the company on Friday said that the rate was raised to “better reflects the substantial value of Hulu + Live TV and allows us to continue offering all of the popular live news, sports and entertainment programming included in the plan.”

The post pointed out that Hulu + Live TV is still “at a price that’s far lower than similar cable and satellite plans,” and that shows like “award-winning Hulu Originals and current and past hits like This is Us, The Good Doctor, Family Guy, ER and Lost” are hard to find elsewhere.

The good news is, Hulu acknowledged that customers might not want to pay for this service year-round, especially if they bought it to follow fall and spring TV seasons or specific sports coverage. For that, they are flexible.

“Price changes are never easy to stomach, and we know that many people don’t watch live television year-round, so we’ve made it easy for Hulu subscribers to switch back and forth between our plans to best suit their needs,” the post read. “If you love college football, choose Hulu + Live TV during the season, then switch to one of Hulu’s less expensive on-demand plans when it’s over. If you enjoy most of your TV on demand but really want to watch live election news, just switch to Hulu + Live TV for a few months.”

Hulu’s base plan is still available for $5.99 per month, and its ad-free plan is $11.99 per month. Many shows are available there within hours of airing on network TV.