Comparative Essay Sample: Netflix vs. Hulu

I have been using the two apps, Netflix and Hulu, to watch movies and shows for a couple of years now. I have been picking up some of the advantages and disadvantages of both platforms. As the two are being compared, there will be specific criteria that will be followed. One: the number of shows, movies, and genres featured, the higher the better. Two: user friendliness, the app with the simplest set up and effectiveness, the easier the better. Finally, three: how much does the subscription per month cost, the lower the better. The criteria were chosen to decide which of the two, Netflix or Hulu, is the best choice to continue using. The first criteria being the number of movies, shows, and genres the app offers. The platform with the more variations will give the users more choices to pick between; furthermore, if the user has more choices they will be less likely to get bored of the app which is why it is important. The second critique is user friendliness. User friendliness is important when using any app; it is best to understand quickly how to use it. Under user friendliness I will be looking for how easy it is to find the tabs, looking for any unnecessary additions, and how easy it is to use the “help” tab. Finally the third critique is how expensive the subscription for the app is, the lower the better. 

Beginning with the number of shows, movies, and genres each platform has. According to Just Watch, a streaming guide set to aid in finding the perfect streaming service for the consumer, Netflix has up to 3,600+ movies and 1,800+ shows on their platform (Justwatch para 1). Furthermore, Netflix shows 24 genres for its television shows and 23 for movies (Netflix para 1). According to the website Diffen, a site created to give the reader the ability to compare anything, Hulu has around 1, 650 shows and about 2,500 movies (Diffren para 5). Hulu itself shows they have 32 genres for television shows and 24 for movies (Hulu para 1). Netflix has 1,100 more movies and 150 more shows than its competitor. Hulu has 8 more television show genres and 1 more movie genre than Netflix. After doing some quick math Netflix has more movies and shows, but Hulu has more genres. Personally, having more shows and movies is better than having more genres because although the consumer is not given as much variety in types of shows and movies there are more shows and movies. Furthermore, the difference in ratio is only 8. Netflix wins this round.

Moving on to round two with Netflix in first place, we have user friendliness. How easy is it to find the tabs holding the genres, tv shows, movies. Opening Netflix you are taken to the top of the home screen, where the tabs will be found with additional tabs such as “New & Popular, My list, Watch again”(Netflix para 1). The tabs are very easy to find, but how easy are they to use? Clicking on Shows, Movies, and New & Popular It will take the user to a list of options correlating to the tab clicked, click shows and you're taken to a list of shows for example. The Watch Again tab will take the user to the shows and movies they have already watched. Finally, the My List tab will show the shows or movies the user has put into the tab. This tab is used to save the options that the user did not want to lose or maybe wanted to watch later. All pretty easy to find, now moving to the “Help” tab. This tab should be easy to find and be easy to use. At first glance, “Help” is not visible, but after doing little research it was found after clicking the avatar in the top right corner called, “ Help Center.” There the user will find a search bar, an area to enter an error code, and links for common difficulties consumers may have, such as, “Netflix isn’t working” or, “Can’t sign into Netflix.” The Help Tab is very easy to navigate, use, as well as organized (Netflix para 1-6). Overall the user friendliness of Netflix would be a  ten out of 10 as all the important tabs listed in the criteria were located easily and quickly. Continuing with Hulu and their user friendliness, how easy is it to find the tabs? Like Netflix the shows and movies tabs are at the very top of the home page including, “MY STUFF,” and, “HUBS.”(Netflix para 1). Genres are similar as well as they are found after clicking the shows or movies tab. However, Netflix listed the genres as tabs in word form while Hulu lists them in the same format as the watching options. Personally the format of the genres does not affect me any and makes no difference. Hulu included a My Stuff tab which is very similar to the Watch Again tab on Netflix where shows and movies the user has already seen or was or in the middle of are located. Furthermore, unlike Netflix, Hulu includes a “HUBS,” (Hulu para 1). Tab that holds all the Hulu originals. From the looks of it all of the tabs and accessibility are extremely similar. Not to be forgotten, the Help tab. Located under the profile tab, A.K.A the circle with the first initial of your first name, is where the Help tab can be found in this case it is named, “Help Center,” just like Netflix  (Hulu para 1). The tab includes a search bar, suggested links, and other options for extended help (Hulu para 1-7). After comparing the two I have found that both are very similar with minimal differences. User Friendliness will go to both Netflix and Hulu because they are both so similar. 

Finally, the last critique subscription cost monthly, the price set to use the app and the advantages that come with them. According to Netflix they offer three monthly payment plans, “Basic, Standard, and Premium” the more expensive the plan the more that is offered such as, number of screens can be used at the same time, number of phones can be on the plan, HD availability, and ultra HD availability. The prices include $8.99, Basic; Standard, $13.99; and Premium, 17.99 (Netflix para 1). Hulu has four different payment plans: Hulu, $6.99; Hulu (no ads), $12.99; Hulu Live TV, $64.99;  and Hulu Live TV (no ads), $70.99. The Hulu plan and Hulu (no ads are similar, but one is without ads. Hulu Live TV includes an additional 75+ channel options.  Hulu Live TV (no ads) is the same, but with no ads (Wareroba para 7-10). Hulu has more watching plans; however, they seem to be excessive in my opinion. There are four in total with two that are the exact same with the exclusion of ads. In my opinion it is unnecessary. Netflix on the other hand only has three with many differences such as the number of screens that can be played at the same time, and that if you have the Basic plan one screen while if the user has a premium they can have four screens. Same with the number of devices that can be downloaded. Additionally, the Standard has an HD available and the Premium has an Ultra HD (Netflix para 3-9). Unlike Hulu, Netflix has lower prices as Netflix's most expensive plan was $17.99 and Hulu’s most expensive plan was $70.99 which I think is unreasonable because it is 53 more dollars to get access to a couple more options which ends up still being less than what Netflix already offers at a lower price. 

Finally, I believe that the option with the most shows and movies, most user friendliness, and the lowest and most reasonable subscription prices. Netflix has 1,250+ more shows and movies than Hulu. User friendliness was determined to be a tie as both apps offer the same options and are extremely similar. Monthly subscription cost, Hulu has very high prices that are exactly $53 more than the Netflix subscription. After critiquing, I have determined that Netflix is the better choice as they have lower, more reasonable prices, and have more shows and movies. 

Works Cited

Diffren Staff. “Hulu vs Netflix Comparison - 6 Differences.” Diffen, www.diffen.com/difference/Hulu_vs_Netflix. 

Hulu. “Browse.” Hulu, www.hulu.com/hub/home. 

JustWatch. “Find out What's on Netflix - List of All Movies and TV Shows.” JustWatch, www.justwatch.com/us/provider/netflix. 

Netflix. “Browse.” Netflix, www.netflix.com/browse. 

Netflix. “Help Center.” Netflix Help Center, help.netflix.com/en/.    

Netflix. “Plans and Pricing.” Help Center, help.netflix.com/en/node/24926 .  

Watroba, Nicolas. “Hulu Help.” Hulu Help, help.hulu.com/s/.