Peacock vs Hulu: Breaking Down the Real Monthly Cost
Head-to-head cost and content comparison between Peacock and Hulu. Real pricing, discounts, live sports comparison, and when each service is the better pick for your situation.
- Peacock is cheaper upfront: $7.99/month (with ads) vs Hulu's $11.99/month for the comparable tier.
- Hulu's content library is substantially larger — roughly 95,000+ titles vs Peacock's ~80,000. But Peacock wins on live sports (Premier League, NFL, WWE).
- Hulu students can get the service for $1.99/month; Peacock has no student discount.
- Xfinity internet subscribers get Peacock Premium free, the most significant price advantage Peacock has over Hulu.
- For group plan savings on either service, GamsGo (code WK2NU) offers shared subscription slots that can cut costs below what either platform charges directly.
Peacock and Hulu are both major on-demand streaming services with some live content overlap, but they sit at different price points and serve genuinely different content niches. Choosing between them is not only a matter of picking the cheaper price tag. It depends on what you actually watch.
This breakdown runs through every plan tier, the content you get at each price point, and the scenarios where each service makes more sense than the other.
Plan Prices Side by Side
Here is the current pricing for both services as of early 2026 in the US:
| Service & Plan | Monthly | Annual Option | Ads | Streams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peacock Premium (ads) | $7.99 | $79.99/yr (~$6.67) | Yes | 3 |
| Peacock Premium Plus (no ads) | $13.99 | $139.99/yr (~$11.67) | None* | 3 |
| Hulu (with ads) | $11.99 | $119.99/yr (~$10.00) | Yes | 2 |
| Hulu (no ads) | $18.99 | N/A | None* | 2 |
*Both "no ads" plans still show brief ads on a small number of licensed titles where the service does not control advertising rights.
On raw price, Peacock is cheaper at every comparable tier. Peacock Premium with ads costs $4/month less than Hulu with ads. Peacock also allows annual billing for both plans. A discount Hulu only offers on its ads plan. Peacock Premium on annual billing drops to $6.67/month effective, which is $3.33/month less than Hulu's annual rate of $10/month. A $40/year difference.
Content Libraries: What You Actually Get
Price does not mean much without considering what you are actually getting access to.
| Category | Peacock | Hulu |
|---|---|---|
| Total titles (approx.) | ~80,000 | ~95,000 |
| Original programming | Moderate (The Traitors US, Mrs. Davis) | Strong (The Bear, Handmaid's Tale, Only Murders) |
| Network TV (next-day episodes) | NBC, Bravo, USA (select) | ABC, NBC (select), Freeform, FX |
| Live sports | Strong (Premier League, NFL, WWE, golf) | Limited (ESPN+ add-on required for most sports) |
| Classic TV catalog | Extensive (The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec, Downton) | Strong (Grey's Anatomy, HIMYM, It's Always Sunny) |
| Movies | Universal Pictures library, DreamWorks | Broad catalog, fewer exclusives |
| Live news | MSNBC, CNBC (select) | Limited (Live TV add-on only) |
Hulu generally wins on original content quality. Shows like The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, and The Handmaid's Tale are the kind of critically acclaimed originals that justify a subscription. Peacock's originals are more uneven, The Traitors US became a breakout hit, but the overall slate is thinner.
Peacock wins clearly on classic NBC TV depth. If you want The Office, 30 Rock, or Parks and Recreation, Peacock has them all. NBCUniversal controls those rights. This was a significant blow to Netflix, which lost The Office to Peacock in 2021.
Live Sports: Where Peacock Wins
If live sports are part of why you want a streaming subscription, this section changes the calculus significantly. Peacock holds rights to:
- Premier League soccer, exclusive US streaming home of the EPL, covering 175+ matches per season
- NFL exclusive games. Peacock has aired exclusive NFL playoff games, including a wild card game that drew ~23 million viewers
- WWE select events, PPV and select programming through NBC Sports partnership
- PGA Tour / golf. Select coverage through NBC Sports
- Big Ten college sports. Through NBC Sports partnership
Hulu has essentially no meaningful live sports at the on-demand tier. To get sports on Hulu, you need the Hulu + Live TV add-on, which costs $89.99/month. Far beyond a typical streaming budget. At the base $11.99/month plan, Hulu is effectively sports-free.
For anyone who follows Premier League or wants NFL streaming access, Peacock's $7.99/month is not only cheaper than Hulu, it is a completely different product. You cannot replicate that sports access on Hulu without paying 7–8x the price.
Discounts and Free Access
| Discount Type | Peacock | Hulu |
|---|---|---|
| Student discount | None | $1.99/month |
| Annual billing discount | ~17% (both plans) | ~17% (ads plan only) |
| Carrier/ISP free access | Xfinity internet ($0) | T-Mobile, Verizon (qualifying plans) |
| Military discount | None | ~25% via Disney |
Peacock's biggest discount advantage is for Xfinity customers. Comcast/Xfinity internet subscribers get Peacock Premium included at no additional cost. If you pay for Xfinity internet, Peacock is effectively free. That is a $95.88/year savings compared to subscribing directly.
Hulu's student discount ($1.99/month) is the most aggressive student offer in streaming. If you are enrolled at a qualifying US college and need to choose between the two, Hulu at $1.99/month is far cheaper than Peacock's $7.99/month standard price.
GamsGo offers shared subscription slots for streaming services, bringing costs below what Peacock or Hulu charge directly. Use promo code WK2NU at checkout.
See current group plan prices →
Bundle Options
Hulu has a major advantage in the bundle department. Through the Disney Bundle, Hulu can be paired with Disney+ and ESPN+ at significant savings:
- Duo Basic (Disney+ + Hulu with ads): $9.99/month — nearly the same cost as Hulu alone at a higher individual price
- Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ with ads): $16.99/month. Three services for less than Hulu No Ads alone
Peacock does not have an equivalent bundle ecosystem. It is a standalone service. You can add Peacock on top of other subscriptions, but there are no multi-service bundle discounts comparable to what Disney offers Hulu.
For viewers who want both Disney+ and a broad on-demand library, Hulu's bundle options often make it the better deal even accounting for Peacock's lower base price.
When to Pick Each
| Your Situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Premier League or NFL fan | Peacock | Exclusive live sports rights; Hulu cannot match this at any on-demand price |
| College student | Hulu | $1.99/month student plan, 75% cheaper than Peacock's lowest price |
| Xfinity internet subscriber | Peacock | Included free with your existing internet plan |
| Want Disney+ + streaming bundle | Hulu | Disney Bundle Duo/Trio offers major savings vs subscribing separately |
| Classic NBC shows (The Office, 30 Rock) | Peacock | NBCUniversal owns these rights; only available on Peacock |
| Quality original series (The Bear, FX shows) | Hulu | Stronger original programming slate and FX on Hulu partnership |
| Purely budget-driven choice | Peacock | $6.67/month on annual billing vs Hulu's $10/month. $40/year cheaper |
Reducing Cost Further
If you want to go below what either service charges at retail, shared subscription platforms are the most direct route. GamsGo pools subscribers to offer streaming access at reduced per-user rates. Typically a fraction of the monthly retail price.
Use promo code WK2NU at checkout for an additional discount on your first billing period. This approach is best suited for individual viewers who do not need their own primary account with full profile management or download access.
GamsGo verified group plans can bring streaming costs significantly below retail pricing. Use promo code WK2NU for an additional discount.
Check current rates →
FAQ
Is Peacock cheaper than Hulu?
Yes, at comparable tiers. Peacock Premium (with ads) costs $7.99/month vs Hulu's $11.99/month. On annual billing, Peacock drops to $6.67/month effective vs Hulu's $10/month. However, Hulu's student discount ($1.99/month) makes Hulu significantly cheaper for enrolled college students. Peacock has no equivalent offer.
Can I get Peacock or Hulu for free?
Peacock Premium is included free with Xfinity internet subscriptions. Hulu (with ads) is free with qualifying T-Mobile plans (Go5G Next/Plus). Verizon Unlimited Ultimate/Plus plans include the Disney Bundle, which includes Hulu. If you are on any of these services, check your account perks before subscribing directly to either platform.
Do Peacock and Hulu have the same content?
There is minimal overlap in their libraries. Peacock is the streaming home of NBCUniversal content, The Office, 30 Rock, Universal Pictures films, and Premier League soccer. Hulu focuses on FX shows, ABC content, and its own originals like The Bear and Only Murders in the Building. They are genuinely complementary services with little duplication.
Which has better live sports. Peacock or Hulu?
Peacock is considerably stronger for live sports at its base price. It includes Premier League soccer, exclusive NFL games, Big Ten sports, and select golf coverage. Hulu at the standard $11.99 plan has virtually no live sports. To get live sports on Hulu, you need the Hulu + Live TV add-on at $89.99/month, which is an entirely different product at a completely different price point.
Should I get both Peacock and Hulu?
The case for having both is strongest if you follow Premier League or NFL (Peacock) and also want quality original series or FX shows (Hulu). At roughly $20/month combined for the ad-supported plans, that is less than Hulu + Live TV alone. The more frugal approach is to subscribe to one at a time based on what is currently releasing, then switch.
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