A new report claims that usage of Hulu’s Live TV service is double that of YouTube TV, and well ahead of other competing services.
Hulu + Live TV, as Hulu’s live streaming television service is awkwardly named, will soon surpass the 2 million subscriber milestone, making it roughly twice the size of YouTube TV, which has a bit over 1 million subscribers. That’s according to a new report in Bloomberg that cites people with knowledge of the matter.
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Perhaps more ominously, Hulu and YouTube’s live TV services are the only US-based cord-cutting solutions that are currently growing. Rival services like DirecTV Now, Sling TV, and Sony PlayStation Vue have apparently slowed dramatically, with some experiencing an actual subscriber based drop in response to higher prices.
I’m not surprised that Hulu and YouTube are among the top performers, given the quality of both services. But I’m a bit surprised that YouTube TV isn’t the top choice. Perhaps Hulu’s connected video streaming service plays a role there, as YouTube TV is literally only TV.
Certainly, pricing isn’t helping any of these services: After initially entering the market at lower price points, each cord-cutting service raised prices last year, with both Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV coming in at around $45 per month. That gives cable subscribers little financial incentive to switch, though of course online services like Hulu and YouTube TV offer many other advantages over traditional cable bundles.
Bats
<p>LOL…perfectly fine with me. I know why Hulu has more customers and it's because they offer more in channels and content than Youtube TV does. That's what I get from the thousands of people the "Cordcutter News" Facebook page…..and that's perfectly fine with me. As a subscriber to many of Google's (fantastic) services, to quote one of Trump's jokes, …. "I'm so sick and tired of winning!" (lol). </p><p><br></p><p>Like I said, Hulu, at $44.95, offers more popular cable channels than Youtube TV, such as History Channel, HGTV, and (I think) Discovery. Add to that Hulu original content, as well. Youtube TV does not offer those popular channels, but from what I understand, subscribers to the service complement it, by also subscribing to Philo TV for an additional $16. For me, who pays the grandfathered rate of $29.99, if I were to subscribe to Philo TV for the additional $16, then my total monthly would be $46 with unlimited DVR for both Youtube TV and Philo TV. </p><p><br></p><p>The way, this tv market is shaping…..if you want value, just stick to the cord. Cable/DirecTV, IMO, offer the best bang for your buck. However, if one doesn't watch 10% of the 250-500 channels that the "cord" offers, then he or she should just cut the cord. Afterall, why pay the extra $20-$150 when you could spend the money for something else. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
faustxd9
Premium Member<p>I just tried to get the old Verizon Fios now Frontier to lower my bill from $180 for a cable package and internet. They basically told me I had the best rate going and I have a Windows 8 Media Center DVR with 2 cable cards so no DVR from them. I was appalled and your article reached me at the same time. Needless to say I am planning to switch after I get back from my business trip. The lack of any concern about losing a customer was the last straw. The best I can determine is that I will be paying ~$50 for the internet TV service and ~$50 for the internet through Frontier. That saves ~$70 a month or ~$840 a year. That will be a huge saving for me and am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.</p><p><br></p><p>Thanks!</p>