If you are reading this article, it means that you are one of those unfortunate users who have a subscription to Hulu and still can’t figure out why does my Hulu have ads?
Well, we get it, and we all hate ads. To help you get to the bottom of this mystery, here are the five most common reasons why your Hulu has ads.
Why Does My Hulu Have Ads?
1. Some Shows Are Excluded
Even if you have the no-ads plan, a few shows will still have ads. Shows produced by Hulu, like The Handmaid’s Tale, will always have commercials.
But these are less like commercials and more like short clips that promote other Hulu Originals.
Moreover, these clips last only a few seconds in most cases. Your show will resume like normal after the clip ends.
If this is a big deal to you, consider contacting Hulu customer service and request that they remove these clips. If enough customers complain, Hulu may eventually make a change.
2. Wrong Subscription
This is simple — if you’re on the basic Hulu plan, you will see ads. If you want to watch without commercials, you’ll need to upgrade to the Hulu plan without commercials.
A standard ad-supported account costs $6.99/month, while the no-ads plan is $12.99/month. So for $6, you can enjoy Hulu without interruptions.
Given the cost-effective price point of the no-ads subscription, it may be worth upgrading if you find yourself annoyed by the ads.
You can always downgrade your subscription later if you decide you don’t want to continue paying the higher price. All it takes is a couple of clicks on your user account page.
3. DVR Recordings
One of the best features of Hulu is its cloud DVR, and you can watch your favorite shows anytime you want with no limits.
Moreover, you can even set it to skip commercials. But if you don’t put the DVR to do this, you will see commercials just as if you were watching TV live.
So even if you have a No-Ad Hulu subscription, your DVR recordings may still play back commercials. Fortunately, it’s easy to get around this with the correct settings.
Then, you won’t have to worry about seeing any more commercials in your programming.
4. Live TV
With Hulu, you can watch your favorite shows anytime and anywhere that you have an internet connection. Hulu programs get updated with the latest episodes, so you are always up-to-date with what’s happening in the television world.
You can even record your favorite programs for future viewing for free on your DVR. But because it’s like TV, you will also see the ads that play with the various programs.
If you’re watching a show produced by a network that airs commercials, your Hulu will have ads, too. Why is this the case?
This is because when networks sell the rights to their shows to Hulu, they also sell the rights to the commercials. So even though you’re watching the show on Hulu, you’re still seeing the same commercials that you would see if you were watching it on TV.
5. Premium Add-Ons
You can order premium add-ons to make your Hulu session more robust. These add-ons give you access to some awesome shows and movies.
However, they also play promotional content prior to the start of some programs. This could be the reason you see ads on your Hulu.
To stop them, switch back to your primary Hulu account and watch programs there.
Remember that many more add-ons, such as HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime, come with a commercial-free option. If you have one of these add-ons, your Hulu account will be free of commercials while watching shows from that network.
But if you don’t choose the ad-free option, you’ll still see commercials in your premium add-ons. What can you do if you don’t like this?
Thankfully, you don’t have to keep watching the premium channels you don’t want. You can always cancel them and save yourself some money.
Hulu’s ad-free subscription is relatively affordable compared to other streaming services. For $6 more per month, you can get rid of ads altogether.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why Netflix removes shows, why YouTube premium is so expensive, and why audiobooks are so expensive.
Conclusion
If you have ads on your Hulu subscription, be sure to check what plan you are on. You may need to upgrade to a No-Ad account.
Conversely, it could be that you are watching a premium add-on or live TV. Whatever the case, there’s likely an easy explanation for the ads.