Does Hulu Have Ads? (Answered)

In 2021, why do streaming services still have ads? We live in the era of instant gratification, and we want our programs now. Of the top streaming services, why are ads still popping up and ruining the moment?

Some streaming services have found that having ad-supported plans helps cut down on their subscription fees. With Hulu, their ad-supported content has become a bargaining chip.

Does Hulu Have Ads in 2021?

Hulu does have ad-supported plans. However, not all of their plans have ads, which gives the customer the ability to choose what fits them best. Overall, Hulu has two ad-supported plans and two ad-free plans.

The difference in these plans is laid out on their website as well as their pricing. Hulu has more options than their competitors and therefore a wider range of pricing availability.

Thus, they stay highly competitive while still having ad support in half of their services.

Related: Why Am I Getting Ads on Hulu

Which Hulu Plans Have Ads?

Hulu currently has two plans with ad support: Hulu (regular), and Hulu (regular) + Live TV. All of these Hulu plans support 4k streaming.

Both plans have periodic ads throughout the program, either movie or show, and are two of the cheaper options based on what they offer. These plans also offer some of the newest content, some as early as the next day’s release.

Unlike Netflix and HBO Max, Hulu does have a free trial. If periodic ads are a game-changer for you, Hulu does offer two plans without ads at a higher price and without some select shows.

How Do I Stop Ads on Hulu?

There are Hulu plans without ads. You can sign up, or upgrade at any time, to Hulu (No Ads) or Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV.

However, both plans exclude a few shows which will have a short ad-break before and after each show. These ads are most likely written into the agreement between Hulu and the network for Hulu to stream the program.

Customers looking to sign up for a streaming service may be surprised that Hulu offers both ad-supported and ad-free options since their competitors don’t. They are also surprised that Hulu has so many options when it comes to streaming packages.

Why Does Hulu Have Ads but not Netflix?

Hulu is able to offer multiple plans at different prices due to ads. With competitors like Netflix, there is one flat rate, often more expensive than Hulu’s cheapest option with ads.

Also, Hulu’s partnership with major networks, to allow for next-day episodes, often requires advertising support for the content. Additionally, Hulu has lots of add-ons to standard packages to make your streaming tailor-made for you.

The most widely known package is the Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ bundle. With this bundle, customers can choose which of the four Hulu plans they would like to package with Disney+ and ESPN+ to get all three services at one low price.

With all the extra incentives Hulu offers its customers, the ad-supported plans should not be going anywhere as they offer even more flexibility in choosing how to watch programming.

Learn more about Netflix in our other articles:

Does Hulu Have a Plan to Stop Ads?

Hulu does not currently have any plans to stop its ad-supported packages. The agreement that Hulu has with major networks to get their next-day content often includes ads in some form.

Also, only half of Hulu’s plans have ad support. These two streaming plans help offset the loss felt by traditional cable due to more people cutting cords.

By having these plans, Hulu also caters to more budgets in their viewers. Customers might sign up for a streaming service for less than $8 even if there are ad breaks.

The other two Hulu plans are ad-free and subscribers can upgrade at any point of their streaming history.

What Other Streaming Services Have no Ads?

Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, two of Hulu’s biggest competitors, either have no ads or the ability to turn ads off.

Netflix has always prided itself on providing ad-free streaming of movies and TV shows. However, they often have to wait longer for new content that is currently on Hulu.

Amazon Prime Video has ads from their partner companies either in the program or as banners along the side of the computer. They also have a feature to turn these ads off.

Although Hulu has ad-supported services, it still remains one of the top contenders of streaming services.

Is Hulu Commercial-Free?

Hulu offers four different plans: two are ad-supported and two are ad-free. The abundance of plans affords Hulu to offer its customers both a variety of new content and a variety of pricing options.

Many customers enjoy having the option of choosing whether or not to have ads, as it also affects the cost of the subscription. Some are willing to have periodic breaks in programming in order to save a little money and stay within their personal budget.

Hulu’s decision to offer both ad-supported and ad-free streaming has more pros than cons.