Television watching has changed so much over the last decade or so. There are so many different streaming services out there now that can really add up in price if you sign up for all of them. So…why not get Hulu for free?
Hulu is one of the best ways to watch TV without cable. This service currently has three different plans available, ranging in price from $6.99/month to $64.99/month.
These plans include streaming access to lots of current and former television shows and movies, plus Hulu Originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, Nine Perfect Strangers, and more.
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Ways to Get Hulu for Free
Yes, it’s possible to get Hulu for free! Some of them require a little bit of finagling, but you should be able to use one of these methods to get a free subscription to Hulu.
1. Sign Up for a Free Trial
The easiest and most obvious way to get Hulu for free is to sign up for a free trial. This is available to both new and eligible returning subscribers and is a great way to see if Hulu is right for you.
You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of their basic plan, but I recommend signing up for a free 30-day trial of their no-ads plan to really get the most bang for your buck.
The difference – besides the ads, of course – is that the basic plan will renew for $6.99/month if you don’t cancel, and the no-ads plan will renew for $12.99/month.
It is super easy to cancel anytime online before your trial ends without your card being charged.
Having been a Hulu subscriber for years now, I cannot speak highly enough of the no-ads plan. It saves me and my husband so much time as we’re bingeing shows at night. That extra $6/month is worth it for us!
Pros
- 100% free
- A good way to try out the service
- Multiple options to consider
Cons
- Only lasts for 30 days
- Need to wait until eligible if a returning subscriber
RELATED: 18 Free TV Apps – Movies, TV, Sports, and More!
People have mixed opinions about whether it’s OK to share logins to streaming services, but Hulu does allow for multiple accounts on each plan.
You can create up to six profiles (all with the same login) and stream on up to two devices at the same time. (Note that Hulu Live TV plans can only be used on one device at a time.)
This can be a little tricky to navigate, especially if multiple people want to watch at the same time. Additional screens beyond the first two streaming will get a “too many screens” error.
But the distinct profiles allow you to save your own favorite shows and viewing history without messing up other people’s information.
There is an option with Hulu Live TV to pay extra ($9.99/month) to get unlimited streams, but that plan is already expensive…so it might be difficult to find a generous friend or family member that pays that much.
Pros
- Free (or you could offer to split the tab)
- Lasts as long as you keep paying
- Can create your own profile under an existing account
Cons
- Limited screens can stream at the same time
- Might create some tension with the person you’re mooching from
3. Spotify Premium Student
If you have a Spotify Premium Student account, you’ll have access to both Spotify and ad-supported Hulu (a $6.99/month value).
Spotify Premium Student is available to students at supported colleges and universities that can verify their status through SheerID.
Students who qualify get a 50% discount on an individual Spotify Premium subscription, which means students currently pay just $4.99/month. You’ll get a 50% discount for up to 4 years and will need to renew your status every 12 months.
Another perk of this special offer is that it includes access to SHOWTIME Streaming Service which is normally $10.99/month. (Wow!) SHOWTIME includes shows like Billions, Shameless, and Homeland as well as movies.
$4.99/month is already less than the normal price for ad-supported Hulu. Plus, you’ll be getting on-demand playback of ad-free music that you can play anywhere – even offline.
Pros
- The value of Hulu is more than paid for by the Spotify Premium price
- Get unlimited music streaming and SHOWTIME
- Works for existing Hulu subscribers
Cons
- Works for the ad-supported plan only
- Only available to students for 4 years total
RELATED: Prime Student: FREE 6-Month Amazon Prime Membership for College Students
4. Verizon Unlimited
If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer, check your plan. Customers who have an eligible Verizon Unlimited plan get The Disney Bundle included for free!
The Disney Bundle is a $13.99/month value that includes Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+.
Log in to your Verizon account and go to your Add-ons to sign up for your free bundle.
Please note that the qualifying Verizon Unlimited plans are more expensive. The Get More Unlimited plan is currently $80/month, and the Play More Unlimited plan is currently $70/month.
If you’re not already enrolled in one of these plans, it’s probably not worth upgrading just to get the $13.99/month savings on The Disney Bundle. But if you are already signed up, this is a nice perk you might not have known about.
This is a limited-time offer that is available until midnight on 11/30/22. You have until then to add or change to a qualifying Unlimited plan and enroll in The Disney Bundle.
Pros
- Included as benefits in your cell phone plan
- Access to Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as free Hulu
- Works for existing subscribers
Cons
- Need to subscribe to a more expensive cell phone plan
- Only works for ad-supported Hulu
5. Sprint Unlimited
Sprint may have merged with T-Mobile, but Sprint Unlimited customers can still get Hulu for free as part of their plan.
This is the ad-supported plan so is a $6.99/month value.
To get started, click Activate Now and sign in to your Sprint account. Choose the phone you want to enjoy Hulu on (one per account), click Change service add-ons, then choose Hulu. Follow the link on your phone and complete the setup.
Pros
- Included as benefits in your cell phone plan
- Works for existing subscribers
Cons
- Ad-supported Hulu only
Earn Free Hulu Gift Cards
You can also get Hulu for free by earning free Hulu gift cards. Yes, it’s possible to get free gift cards without having to beg for them for Christmas or your birthday!
Use your free Hulu gift card to pay for a Hulu subscription for as long as you can. (Quick tip: Browse the Hulu subscription discount offers we’ve listed near the bottom of this post to maximize your gift card’s value!)
6. Microsoft Rewards
If you’re a PC user, you can sign up for Microsoft Rewards to earn points for completing simple tasks on your computer.
Answer the daily set of short quizzes and trivia, watch videos, rent movies, or search via Bing to earn points.
Once you’ve earned enough points, you can cash them out for free gift cards to Hulu and other retailers. A $25 Hulu e-gift card is currently worth 28,000 points.
Pros
- No payment or other subscription required
- Use your gift card to pay for the Hulu level you want
Cons
- Can take a long time to earn enough points
- You may need to switch to the Edge browser to earn points more quickly
7. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is another way to earn free Hulu gift cards to help pay for your subscription, and it’s super easy to use. It also doesn’t take nearly as long to rack up points in your account.
The quickest and most no-brainer way to earn Swagbucks is by shopping through Swagbucks. To do that, you’ll need to start your online shopping from the Swagbucks homepage.
You can also download the SwagButton browser extension and activate the cashback offers at various retailers.
When you shop through Swagbucks, you’ll earn Swagbucks for each dollar spent, depending on the retailer. Some retailers have special offers that give you increased Swagbucks for a short time.
You can also earn Swagbucks by signing up for special offers, watching videos, answering survey questions, playing games, and more. I even use Swagbucks as my default search engine!
If you’re wondering about point redemption, a $25 Hulu gift card is currently worth 2,200 SB and a $50 Hulu gift card is worth 4,600 SB.
Right now, you can get a 500 SB bonus ($5 value) when you sign up for Swagbucks!
Pros
- Completely free
- Lots of different ways to earn
- Signup bonus for new accounts
Cons
- It may take a while to earn enough SB for a free gift card
- Search engine results aren’t always the best
RELATED: 24 Ways to Get Free Stuff Online
8. Fetch Rewards
Another cashback app that gives free Hulu gift cards as a reward is Fetch Rewards. This app rewards you for scanning your grocery receipt – weird, but true!
You’ll earn points for every receipt you scan and upload, as well as extra points for buying products from 250+ partner brands.
My favorite way to earn is with eReceipts – no scanning and submitting required! Fetch Rewards scans my online shopping from my email and Amazon account and rewards me that way.
A $25 Hulu Plus gift card is currently worth 25,000 points on Fetch Rewards, and a $50 gift card is currently worth 50,000 points.
Pros
- 100% free
- Gives you rewards for doing something you already need to do – shop for groceries and household goods!
- Easy to earn with eReceipts
Cons
- Limited time in which receipts are eligible for scanning
- Can take a while to earn enough points
RELATED: Fetch Rewards Review
Summary
I’ve used Hulu for years as a way to keep up on my favorite shows as well as watch exclusive originals and movies. For me, the monthly subscription cost is worth it.
But why not get it for free, if you can? We hope that at least one of these ways to get a free or discounted Hulu subscription works for you. Happy streaming!
