Hulu’s Subscriber Count Nearly Doubled in 2018

Hulu saw some big gains in 2018, nearly doubling its subscriber count according to the service. Hulu announced on Tuesday morning that it had surpassed 25 million subscribers, a 48% increase in customers from 2017.

“In 2018, Hulu led the industry in attracting and engaging subscribers, building a powerful technology stack and cultivating a brand that both consumers and advertisers love,” Hulu CEO Randy Freer said in a statement. “Looking ahead, Hulu is in the best position to be the #1 choice for TV – live and on-demand, with and without commercials, both in and out of the home.”

The jump comes as Hulu has heavily invested in original content over the past few years. Shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Castle Rock, The Mindy Project and Marvel’s The Runaways have brought serious eyes to the service as somewhere to do more than just watch network television the day after. Hulu has also added several exclusive catalog entries such as ER, Seinfeld, Lost, King of the Hill and more than have raised its profile.

The service is still well behind Netflix, to be fair. Netflix had 137 million subscribers as of the end of the year, and Amazon Prime had 95 million But as more streaming services launch including DC Universe, Shudder, VRV, Crunchyroll and more, with more on the way (hello, Disney+), it puts Hulu in a leader position in one of the biggest growth markets in entertainment.