Hulu announces ad-free service tier
Cable-cutters who absolutely can’t stand advertisements got good news from Hulu, as the company is now offering an advertisement-free version of its service for $11.99 a month. This is somewhat of a response to competitors Netflix and Amazon Prime, whom have offered advertisement-free streaming services for as long as they’ve been around. Hulu separates itself from Netflix and Amazon Prime by offering more currently airing television content, but critics often have complained about the ads in the service, along with a lack of blockbuster movie titles. By offering an advertisement-free tier and signing a deal with Epix, Hulu has attempted to addressed both of these issues.
Users previously paid $7.99 to get a version of Hulu with less ads than the free version, but there are still ads nonetheless. The reduced ad tier will still continue to exist at its $7.99 price point. The new ad-free tier creates an interesting situation and will likely help Hulu gauge and see just how much people are willing to pay to NOT see advertising. Has advertising become so intrusive and annoying that we’re willing to pay a few more dollars a month to go from minimal advertising to none at all? This is exactly the question Hulu is trying to answer by introducing this new tier.
Hulu currently has about a quarter of the users Netflix does, with about nine million subscribers to Netflix’ 40 million. Competition is only good for us as consumers and being a cord-cutter has never been easier or more viable. With Hulu also making a deal with Epix to air their content since Epix’ deal with Netflix is ending, those interested in Hulu have even more reason to try it out. Epix currently has rights to Hollywood blockbusters like Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Hunger Games Series and more. With Hulu bolstering its online movie catalog in addition to offering no ads, they are definitely making themselves a competitive and compelling option for cord-cutters.
Hulu is backed by NBC, FOX and ABC, some of the biggest names in broadcast television. As these companies realize consumers are no longer watching television as they once were, they have invested in Hulu and the future of streaming media. Between Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime and SlingTV, cutting the cord has never been easier or more convenient. I personally have a Sling, Netflix and Amazon Prime account and haven’t missed having cable over the past three years.