Hulu: Stream TV, Movies & more for Android

Hulu for Android enables you to watch your favorite Hulu originals, such as The Handmaid's Tale; classic and current shows from network and cable channels that can only be streamed through Hulu (not Netflix or Amazon), including Seinfeld, This is Us, South Park, and Fear the Walking Dead; an extensive library of old and recent movies; and popular sporting events on the go.

Pros

A lot to watch: Watch comedies, dramas, reality TV, kids shows, and movies. You can also watch Hulu originals, such as The Handmaid's Tale, The Mindy Project, The Path, Chance, Casual, and Harlots.

Multiple subscription options: Pay $7.99 per month for the Limited Commercials plan or $13.99 for the No Commercials plan. You can also subscribe to Hulu with Live TV, which provides access to everything Hulu as well as 50 top live and on-demand channels, such as FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, FX, NBCSN, FS1, History Channel, and TNT; professional, college, and regional sports; national and local news; kids shows; and more. You can also tack on HBO ($14.99), Showtime ($8.99), and Cinemax ($9.99) and record Live TV with your cloud DVR to save your programming for later and watch concurrent streams on multiple devices.

Recommendations tailored to your taste: The more you watch on Hulu, the better that Hulu's recommendations get.

Multiple ways to search for content: Tap the Lineup tab up top and swipe through a variety of shows till you find one that tickles your fancy. Or tap Keep Watching to return to programming that you've already sampled. Keep swiping to the right and you'll see more specific tab headings, such as TV, Movies, Kids, and so on. Swipe down within each category till you find something you like. On the bottom rail, you can also go to My Stuff to see all the TV Shows, Movies, and Networks you've added under those respective tabs. The Expiring Tab is particularly helpful to view content that won't be available for much longer. You can also tap the Browse tab to look for shows by genre or network, and the Search icon if you want to look up something specific or view Trending Searches.

Fliptray: You can tap Fliptray in the middle of a show or movie to browse for something to watch while you're still watching your current show or movie. (It would be nice, however, if the options for what to watch next didn't take over your screen, so you could still see what you're already watching while deciding on something new.)

Up to six profiles: With Hulu, you can start up to six personalized profiles for your biological or chosen family, so your content and recommendations aren't mixed up with everyone else's.

Casting: Tap the Casting button on the top right to broadcast your selection to a TV, using a compatible device such as Google Chromecast or Apple TV.

SEE: The Best Mobile Apps for Watching Video

Cons

Rewind, fast-forward, and pause placement: The rewind, fast-forward, and pause features only appear after you tap the screen, which makes the screen darken first. If you miss one of those buttons and tap elsewhere on the screen you'll be taken to a previous or future part of the show that you didn't intend to go to. This is particularly annoying when you're taken to commercials you've already seen.

Commercials: If you're only paying $7.99 per month, you'll see commercials. Even with the $13.99 No Commercials plan, you'll still see some commercials, because certain networks or production companies demand it.

No downloading for offline viewing: Unlike Netflix and Amazon Video, Hulu does not allow you to download videos for offline viewing. That means you'll need a reliable wireless connection to watch uninterrupted.

Bottom Line

Hulu for Android is great for streaming your favorite Hulu content on the go. There are a few annoyances, however, such as commercials, the inability to download content to watch offline, and the fact that you have to tap to make the Rewind, Fast-forward, and Pause buttons appear and take over your screen.