So you have finally decided to give Hulu a chance and add it to your suite of on-demand streaming services. But you still have some questions before you choose your subscription plan.
Many Hulu users wonder, how many people can watch Hulu at once? You can install the Hulu app and activate your account on multiple devices, but only two of them can be streaming simultaneously. If you try streaming Hulu on more than two devices at once, you will get an error message on your screen.
How many people can watch Hulu at once – explained
Users can watch Hulu at once (with and without ads) on only two devices at once on any network in North America.
The only exception to the rule is Hulu + Live TV, with an unlimited screen add-on that allows users to stream from many devices at once on the home network. However, even the unlimited plan has a limit of up to five screens when streaming Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, and Starz premium channels on Hulu. To understand this better, let’s walk you through different subscription plans on Hulu.
Hulu Subscription Plans
Hulu has four different subscription tiers. The basic plan starts at $5.99 per month with ads, while the most expensive Hulu subscription costs $70.99 per month. Select plans also allow users to include add-on features. We have covered all the information below.
Hulu (with ads)
This basic plan by Hulu costs $5.99, but you can also opt for an annual plan at $59.99. You save approximately $12 over paying monthly. It offers access to the entire Hulu streaming library but restricts access to live channels. Under this plan, you get access to all Hulu Originals, as well as on-demand TV series from cable and network television. Streaming Hulu on-demand is ad-supported, so you’ll have to sit through ads.
Hulu (without ads)
This plan costs $11.99 monthly and has no option for annual billing. With this subscription, you’ll get access to all of Hulu’s streaming library’s movies and TV series without any ads. However, due to network restrictions, you will have to sit through ads for select shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel Agents of SHIELD, and How To Get Away With Murder. This plan is for Hulu on-demand and does not offer access to any live TV channels.
Please note: Hulu has implemented a $1 per month price increase for Hulu (with ads) and Hulu (without ads) effective 10/8/21.
Hulu + Live TV (with ads)
This plan costs $64.99 per month and offers complete access to Hulu Streaming Library (with ads) alongside live TV service for more than 65 channels from cable and network television. This plan lets users watch Hulu on two devices at once, up to 50 hours of DVR storage, and more.
Hulu + Live TV (without ads)
This plan costs $70.99 per month, and it includes seamless access to Hulu Live TV, just like the previous plan. The only difference is that you don’t get ads in this plan. However, please note that it will still show ads on Live TV. The “no-ads” policy applies to Hulu’s on-demand streaming library.
Hulu Live TV add-on Features
If you sign up for one of the Hulu + Live TV subscriptions, you can also include the following add-ons to get extra channels:
Premium add-on: This add-on allows you to add premium channels like HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, or Starz on Hulu. Each channel costs a different price under this add-on:
- HBO at $14.99/month
- Showtime at $10.99/month
- Cinemax at $9.99/month
- Starz at $8.99/month
Unlimited Screens: For an extra $9.99 per month, you can watch Hulu on an unlimited number of devices at once. However, you get capped at five screens for channels like Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, and Starz premium.
Enhanced DVR: For an extra $9.99 a month, you can extend your DVR storage from 50 to 200 hours and fast-forward through ads on live-TV DVR recordings.
Unlimited Screens + Enhanced DVR: You can pay $14.99 per month for this add-on feature and have access to both unlimited screen and Enhanced DVR.
What Devices Can You Use to Watch Hulu
Here is a list of devices that support the latest version of the Hulu app. These devices give access to all the features and content under your subscription tier, including live TV and Add-ons.
- Android phones and tablets
- Android TV (select models)
- Apple TV (4th generation or later)
- Chromecast
- Echo Show
- Fire Tablets
- Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- iPhones and iPads
- LG TV (select models)
- Nintendo Switch
- Mac and PC browsers/apps
- PlayStation
- Roku (select models)
- Samsung TV (select models)
- VIZIO SmartCast TVs
- Xbox
- Xfinity Flex Streaming TV Box
- Xfinity X1 TV Boxes
Note: PlayStation 3 and Xfinity X1 do not support Hulu’s live TV feature.
Here’s a list of devices that support the classic Hulu app, which means that they do not support some of Hulu’s latest features like add-ons, live TV, and more. Also, not all models of these devices support the classic app.
- Apple TV (3rd gen)
- LG TVs and Blu-ray players
- Roku and Roku Stick
- Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players
- Sony TVs and Blu-ray players
- TiVo
- VIZIO TVs
What is Too Many Screens Error on Hulu
If you are a Hulu user getting “too many screens” errors on the app, there could be many probable reasons behind it. Here are the reasons why Hulu displays “too many screens” error for you:
- You’re subscribed to the basic plan and are trying to view Hulu on more than two screens at once.
- You have Hulu Live and the Unlimited Screens add-on, but you’re trying to stream content on over three devices that aren’t connected to your local home network.
- You have a subscription to Hulu Live with Unlimited Screens add-on and one or more premium channels. Still, you’re attempting to watch premium content on more than five screens simultaneously and outside your home network.
How to Fix the “Too Many Screens” Error on Hulu
There are many methods that you can apply to fix the too many screens or too many videos errors on Hulu. After checking the reasons above, if none of the situations apply to you, you can usually fix the error by following the two most effective methods explained below.
Manage Activated Devices
You can try this method which allows you to manage the activated devices linked to your Hulu account. This method lets you remove select devices from your list and reduce connected screens to your Hulu account.
- Log in to your Hulu account.
- Choose My Account and then click on Manage Devices.
- In the next window, check all the registered devices connected to your account. You can delete the old devices or the ones that you no longer need.
- Select the device and click Remove.
Log Out Of All Devices On Hulu
After completing the above method, your Hulu account should stream content without any break or error. However, if you are still having issues, you should check to see if you have too many browsers opened on your device with your Hulu account logged in.
Multiple open browsers running Hulu can give out a false error. You can log out of these browsers by following these steps:
- Log in to your Hulu account
- Click Your Account and then choose Privacy and Settings and then Protect Your Account.
- Wait for a window to open
- When the window opens, select Log out of all computers.
This should sign out your account from multiple browsers and let you stream content seamlessly. If it does not restore the playback on your account, you should contact Hulu support.
How Many Profiles Can You Create on Hulu
Every Hulu account allows up to six people to create user profiles. You have the option of labeling each account “general” or “child.” All content is accessible to general profiles. Children’s profiles are restricted to content suitable for children to view.
You can share your Hulu account with friends or family. Accordingly, you could share your login credentials with them and ask them to create their own profiles or user accounts so that you can maintain your content privacy and ensure that your choices do not override each other. Each Hulu account allows users to create up to 6 user profiles.
FAQs
Let us answer some of the most asked questions about Hulu streaming services.
How many users can Hulu have?
For a basic plan, Hulu allows two screens or users to stream content at once. In comparison, the Hulu + Live TV plan with unlimited add-on enables unlimited devices to access content with certain restrictions for premium channels like HBO, Starz, and more.
Can I watch Hulu at two different houses?
While you can watch Hulu’s on-demand services at different houses, the Live TV plans on Hulu are limited to single-home use. So if you want to use live TV in two homes, you may need to sign-up for a different account and subscribe to live TV in that account for the second home network.
Can I share my Hulu account with family?
Yes, you can share your Hulu account with your family. You can share your account by sharing your login credentials and creating different user profiles for them to ensure content privacy. Remember, you can create up to 6 user profiles for every Hulu account. Also, you will be limited to 2 screens streaming content at once for plans without add-ons.
Can you share a Hulu account?
Yes, you can share a Hulu account. However, your usage will be capped to 2 screens for basic plans without an add-on for unlimited screens.
Conclusion
To cumulatively answer how many people can watch Hulu at once – only two screens can stream Hulu at once unless the user opts for the Hulu Live TV subscription with an unlimited screens add-on. Although the Live TV subscription with an add-on can cost a lot, one can stream content on unlimited devices.
We think that this option is best suited for a big family or several friends who decide to share the plan’s cost and enjoy seamless streaming of Hulu’s content.
We hope this guide helps answer how many people can watch Hulu at once for you. Let us know in the comments.
