Does Hulu’s Free Trial Give You Enough Time to Get Hooked? A Comprehensive Look

Hulu’s free trial offers new users a tempting taste of their streaming service. But with only one week to preview it, is that really long enough to get hooked? This in-depth review examines whether 7 days is sufficient to fully experience Hulu and decide if it’s worth subscribing.

Introduction

Streaming services like Hulu are taking over as the main way people watch TV shows and movies. With so much choice out there between Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and more, picking the right service for your needs can be tough.

That’s why free trials are so useful. They let you properly try out a streaming platform before paying. But different services offer different free trial lengths. For example, while Netflix gives you a whole month, Hulu’s is just one week.

So is a 7-day free trial enough time to evaluate Hulu and determine if you want to keep it? This comprehensive review will analyze every aspect of Hulu’s free trial to help you decide.

Hulu Free Trial Overview

Here are the key details on Hulu’s free trial:

• Length: 7 days
• Requirements: Valid credit/debit card or PayPal account
• Content included: Full access to Hulu’s streaming library and features
• Auto-renewal: Trial auto converts to paid plan after 7 days unless canceled

Hulu offers three main paid plans:

• Hulu Basic ($7.99/month)
• Hulu (No Ads) ($14.99/month)
• Hulu + Live TV (from $69.99/month)

You can try any plan you want during the trial. Just remember to cancel if you don’t want to be charged at the end.

What You Can Watch During Hulu’s 7-Day Free Trial

One of the biggest factors in evaluating a free trial is assessing what content you actually get access to. The good news is Hulu opens up their entire streaming catalog during the 7-day preview.

This means you can watch:

• Hulu Originals: The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, Ramy and more.
• Next-day TV: Latest episodes of current shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Bob’s Burgers, SNL, and more the day after they air.
• Classic hits: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, X-Files, ER, Lost, Seinfeld, The Golden Girls and other popular retro shows.
• Anime: Naruto Shippuden, My Hero Academia, Bleach, Attack on Titan and other top anime series.
• Movies: Hundreds of movies like Parasite, A Quiet Place, Booksmart, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and more.
• Hulu + Live TV: Access to over 65 live channels and Hulu’s on demand library.

In total, you get thousands of TV episodes, hundreds of movies and more to watch.

How Much of Hulu’s Library Can You Actually Watch in 7 Days?

• With over 85,000 TV episodes available on Hulu, watching them all in a week would be impossible.
• But you can realistically watch full seasons of several shows to get a good sampling.
• For example, you could binge multiple seasons of shorter 30-minute sitcoms like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bob’s Burgers, Golden Girls and others.
• Or get through full seasons of hour-long dramas like This Is Us, Handmaid’s Tale, Castle Rock or High Fidelity.
• Hulu’s full season batches make it easy to keep watching episode after episode.
• You can also sample a variety of Hulu’s original movies like Palm Springs, Run, Happiest Season and more.
• While you can’t watch Hulu’s entire library in 7 days, you can see enough to judge content quality.

So while you can’t fully experience the breadth and depth of Hulu’s catalog in just one week, you can watch enough sample content to accurately evaluate it.

Assessing Hulu’s Programming Quality

When considering signing up for Hulu, judging the quality of its TV shows and movies is key. Thankfully, a week is adequate time to assess factors like:

Show Selection

• Does Hulu have a solid mix of shows you want to watch – new and old, comedies, dramas, sci-fi, etc?

Video Quality

• How good does the programming look streaming on your devices? Picture, sound quality?

Ad Frequency

• If testing the basic plan, are ads excessive or reasonable?

Original Content

• Do Hulu Originals like The Handmaid’s Tale engross and entertain you?

Movie Library

• Is there a sufficient selection of films you want to see?

Live TV

• If sampling Live TV, do you like the channel lineup and features?

By streaming different types of shows and movies during the free trial, you can determine if Hulu’s programming quality meets your standards.

Taking Hulu’s Interface for a Test Run

In addition to content, Hulu’s free trial gives you ample time to evaluate its user interface and streaming capabilities across devices.

Navigation

• How easy is it to browse and search for content using Hulu’s web and app interfaces? Can you quickly find what you want?

Streaming

• How reliably and quickly do shows and movies load and play on your devices? Any buffering issues?

Profiles & Personalization

• Can you create customized profiles for different household members to track watch history and get better recommendations?

Features

• Do you like being able to pause, rewind, stream to TVs, download for offline and use other features?

Apps

• Do Hulu’s apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, gaming consoles and other devices work well?

Testing these aspects out within the week-long trial ensures Hulu provides a quality streaming experience that works for you.

Using the Free Trial to Experience Hulu + Live TV

One of Hulu’s standout offerings is Hulu + Live TV, which combines live TV streaming with their on demand library. The free trial is a great way to decide if it’s worth the higher monthly cost.

In 7 days you can:

• Browse the channel lineup of over 65+ live channels from news to sports to cable favorites.
• Stream live events and shows as they air. Catch up on primetime hits, local news, and breaking coverage.
• See how well the live streaming performs – channel changing speed, quality, reliability.
• Use the two-screen viewing option to watch different channels at once.
• Check streaming on multiple devices like mobile, web, TV platforms.
• Assess the unlimited DVR with ability to record Live TV and keep for up to 9 months.

While a longer trial would always be nice, 7 days is sufficient to determine if you like Hulu + Live TV and want to subscribe.

Using Every Free Trial Day to Evaluate Different Aspects

To make the most of Hulu’s one-week preview, here is an example breakdown of what you could focus on each day:

Day 1: Explore Hulu’s web and app interfaces. Browse the full content library and add shows/movies to your Watchlist queue.

Day 2: Stream a selection of Hulu Originals to sample their exclusive programming.

Day 3: Pick 2-3 popular ongoing TV shows on Hulu and binge episodes to test video quality and ads.

Day 4: Watch a range of movies from new releases to old classics and check their streaming quality.

Day 5: Try out Hulu + Live TV channels, DVR and features. See if local networks are available in your area.

Day 6: Use profiles to customize watch history and recommendations for different household members.

Day 7: Review billing and plan options if you decide to subscribe. Cancel trial if you don’t want auto-renewal.

This approach lets you experience all Hulu has to offer within the weeklong timeframe.

Pros of Hulu’s 7-Day Free Trial Length

While some may wish for a longer trial, there are advantages to the one week preview:

Quick Evaluation

• A week provides the essentials you need to judge Hulu’s service, content and features without dragging on.

Easy Cancellation

• With such a short trial, you’re more likely to remember when it ends and cancel on time if needed.

Motivates Quick Binging

• The ticking clock pressures you to binge more content faster, which can reveal if you really like Hulu or not.

No Wasted Days

• You’re motivated to use each free day productively testing different aspects rather than letting days go unused.

Long Enough for Hooked Binge-Watching

• 7 days is plenty of time to get sucked into a show and binge multiple episodes, getting you hooked.

Matches Other Streaming Free Trials

• Hulu’s trial length is on par with competitors like Amazon Prime Video’s 7-day trial.

So while 7 days may seem short, it does provide what’s needed to effectively demo Hulu while keeping you focused and engaged.

Cons of Hulu’s 7-Day Free Trial Length

That said, there are some drawbacks to getting only one week to preview Hulu:

Not Enough Time for Full Evaluation

• With Hulu’s vast content library, 7 days limits how much you can watch to fully assess the service.

Live TV Needs More Time

• Properly testing channels, DVR, features of Live TV is a stretch in just a week.

Can’t Sample All Devices/Apps

• Only 7 days may not be enough time to try Hulu across all the devices and apps you want to use it on.

Forgetful Cancellation

• A longer trial would make it easier to remember to cancel before getting billed.

Bad for Occasional Watchers

• Light users who don’t binge daily may need more time to make an informed choice on Hulu.

Potentially Insufficient for Getting Hooked

• Some users may need more than 7 days of trying Hulu to know if they want to subscribe long-term.

So if you want to be absolutely sure about Hulu before committing, a longer free trial would allow for a more thorough evaluation.

Tips to Make the Most of 7 Days

If you do decide to try out Hulu’s free trial, here are some tips to maximize your 7-day preview:

• Sign up on a Friday – Starting on a Friday gives you a full weekend to binge watch.
• Plan what to watch – Make a list of shows and movies you want to sample so you use the time efficiently.
• Use guest profiles – Creating profiles for family members allows broader testing.
• Simulate real viewing habits – Watch at times you typically do to gauge how Hulu fits your lifestyle.
• Compare features – Try features like offline viewing, Live TV, etc and compare to competitors.
• Check multiple devices – See how Hulu’s streaming experience holds up on different platforms.
• Note cancellation date – Mark your calendar when the free trial ends to avoid surprise charges.

Following these tips will help you maximize the 7-day window to accurately evaluate Hulu.

The Verdict: Is 7 Days Enough to Get Hooked on Hulu?

In the end, is a 7-day free trial sufficient to get hooked on Hulu and want to subscribe?

The short answer – maybe.

For some heavy streaming users who binge frequently, one week is plenty of time to plow through lots of Hulu’s content, assess the service, and get addicted to a new show they can’t stop watching. In these cases, a 7-day trial is more than enough to motivate subscribing.

But for more casual viewers who watch less frequently and like to sample services slowly, 7 days may simply be too short to fully experience all Hulu has to offer. These users might end up needing a longer trial period before feeling hooked and ready to commit.

In most cases though, Hulu’s free trial does offer adequate time to evaluate their core service, try out their apps, and determine if their programming fits your taste well enough to warrant subscribing. While a longer trial would always allow for a more comprehensive assessment, the 7-day preview does provide the essential experience needed by most people to decide if Hulu is worth paying for.

And if you do feel like you need more time after the first week, services like Hulu often run special promotions offering 1-month free trials, allowing for a much deeper evaluation.

So consider maximizing Hulu’s 7-day free preview using the tips in this guide. If you love everything about it, then welcome to being a Hulu subscriber. But if you need more time to make your decision, keep an eye out for those 1-month trial promotions to give Hulu an even more thorough test run when sampling their streaming service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hulu’s Free Trial

How do I sign up for Hulu’s free trial?

Signing up is easy. Just go to Hulu.com and click “Start Your Free Trial”. You’ll need to enter your email address and set up an account. To get the trial, you must provide a valid credit or debit card number or link a PayPal account, but you won’t be charged until after your 7-day preview ends.

What happens when my Hulu free trial ends?

At the end of the 7 days, your trial will automatically convert to a paid subscription of whichever Hulu plan you initially chose (Basic, No Ads, + Live TV) and you’ll be charged the regular monthly rate. If you don’t want this to happen, be sure to cancel your trial at least 24 hours before the 7 days are up.

Can I watch Hulu Originals during the free trial?

Yes! The full Hulu streaming library including all their exclusive original programming is available to watch during your 7-day preview. So feel free to binge The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, Pen15 and more.

What add-ons can I try with the free trial?

You can test add-ons like Enhanced Cloud DVR and Unlimited Screens with Hulu + Live TV, or plugins like HBO Max, Cinemax, and Showtime with a basic Hulu plan during your trial. Just remember add-ons will increase the price if you do subscribe.

What devices support Hulu’s free trial?

Hulu is available on many devices for trial including web browsers, iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android TV, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Chromecast, PlayStation, and more.

Can I use Hulu + Live TV free trial more than once?

Unfortunately, you can only use a free trial with Hulu + Live TV once per household. However, if you’ve already used the Live TV trial, you can start a new free trial of a basic Hulu plan and vice versa.