Hulu Now Offering Commercial-Free Subscription Plan

Back in July, we learned that streaming service Hulu was exploring the possibility of offering a commercial-free subscription plan to users sometime this fall. Well, now that the season of changing leaves is upon us, Hulu has officially made the change too.

Today, Hulu made a commercial-free subscription available in an effort to compete with the already ad-free likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Now. So how much will this Hulu commercial-free option cost you?

This new subscription that gets rid of all ads in the middle of your programming on Hulu will cost $11.99 per month, which is $4 more than the limited commercials subscription at $7.99 per month. Ever since Hulu introduced their limited commercial subscription called Hulu Plus (after offering streaming for free initially), users have still clamored to wipe ads completely from their entertainment time, so this is long overdue.

In a press release, here's what Hulu said about their new subscription plan:

"Many of our customers have asked us for a commercial free option, and so today we are excited to introduce just that. Providing more choice for consumers is fundamental to the Hulu experience, in addition to an array of choices in content and devices, our customers can now choose to watch with or without commercials."

At $11.99, this subscription isn't the most expensive streaming service plan (that's HBO Now at $15 a month), but it's certainly a little saltier than Netflix's $8 a month or Amazon Prime's $8.25 a month (after dividing the $100 Amazon Prime subscription across 12 months).

Still, since Hulu has a decent amount of exclusive content, including Criterion Collection titles and a new deal with Epix they just swiped from Netflix, it's still a pretty solid investment for your entertainment needs. And let's not forget that they have plenty of forthcoming original programming, such as the adaptation of Stephen King's 11/22/63 from Bad Robot, a new series starring Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul, and also the return of The Mindy Project after Fox gave it the axe.

If you need anymore information, here's the full press release:

Today Hulu is offering a commercial-free option to subscribers. Viewers now have the choice to watch Hulu commercial free for $11.99 per month or with limited commercials for $7.99 per month. Current Hulu subscribers will maintain their existing subscription, but will have the choice to switch to the commercial-free option at any time for an additional $4 per month. For viewers who choose to watch content with limited commercials, Hulu will continue to show fewer commercials than scheduled television.  

"At Hulu, we pride ourselves on listening to our customers and giving them the best possible experience," said Mike Hopkins, CEO, Hulu. "Many of our customers have asked us for a commercial free option, and so today we are excited to introduce just that. Providing more choice for consumers is fundamental to the Hulu experience, in addition to an array of choices in content and devices, our customers can now choose to watch with or without commercials."Over the last year Hulu has aggressively expanded its content lineup. Most recently, Hulu announced a landmark, multi-year agreement with EPIX that will bring premium and hit films from Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount to Hulu for the first time. Hulu also signed groundbreaking licensing deals with networks including AMC, FX and Turner, and acquired the exclusive subscription streaming rights to full libraries of hit broadcast and cable shows including Seinfeld, Empire, Fargo, South Park, CSI, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Nashville, Deadliest Catch, The Last Ship and more. Earlier this year, Hulu also became the only subscription video on-demand service to offer the SHOWTIME® premium service as an add-on directly to subscribers for an additional $8.99 per month.In addition, Hulu has made a strong investment in its original programming and has greenlit an exciting slate of originals, including the event series 11/22/63 from Stephen King and J.J. Abrams starring James Franco; comedy series Difficult People produced by Amy Poehler with stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner; Casual, a comedy series from Oscar®-nominated Director Jason Reitman; The Way (wt), a drama series starring Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan from Jason Katims; the first long-form project from Freddie Wong and the RocketJump team; and season four of the critically-acclaimed comedy The Mindy Project, starring Mindy Kaling.For viewers who choose the limited commercials viewing option, Hulu remains dedicated to providing a seamless and relevant ad experience by connecting viewers with the right advertisers. Most recently, Hulu announced strong investment in advertising technology with its programmatic offering to deliver the right ad to the right user at the right time.Since its launch in 2008, Hulu has been at the forefront of entertainment and technology.  In 2015, the company announced it had grown to nearly 9 million US subscribers, an overall 50% growth year over year.