Despite having launched more than a decade ago, ITV Hub has never really been regarded as one of the strongest streaming services. The app is difficult to use at the best of times and its quality falls behind that offered by rivalling streaming apps, which is why we were excited to hear that ITV had a replacement in the works. However, will ITVX be enough of an upgrade to get drama-lovers and binge-watchers on board? We’ve put together this guide to break down all the key similarities and differences between ITV Hub and ITVX, so you can make that decision for yourself.
Pricing and availability
ITV Hub first arrived on the streaming scene back in 2008 as “ITV Player”. It was given its current “ITV Hub” name in 2015 when the streaming service was combined with ITV.com. ITV Hub itself was free, but, for £3.99/month, users were able to upgrade to ITV Hub+, gaining access to ad-free TV and downloads on top of the usual free content. ITVX is the latest evolution of ITV’s streaming service, replacing ITV Hub on December 8 2022. The service is already live in web browsers, meaning you can sneak a peak at the new interface on your desktop right now. Like ITV Hub, ITVX consists of a free ad-supported tier and a premium subscription service. However, ITVX Premium is a bit pricier than ITV Hub at £5.99/month. This means you’ll need to pay £2 more a month (or £24 more a year) for the revamped service for the privilege of going ad-free. However, this new price also includes access to BritBox with ITVX, meaning current ITV Hub+ and BritBox subscribers could actually stand to save with this 2-in-1 offer.
Content
With ITVX, the British broadcaster is striving to better compete with the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Sky, both in its interface and the original content that the streaming service delivers. ITV Hub offered access to live TV, news and programming across ITV’s channels, including ITV1, ITV2, ITVBe, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV. ITVX, meanwhile, consists of more original content, including a number of dramas launching from day one and more arriving over the weeks that follow. Unlike ITV’s typical programming, ITVX originals will land as full series, allowing users to binge-watch or stream at their own pace. Select titles available at launch include cold war drama A Spy Among Friends, teen drama Tell Me Everything, period drama The Confessions of Frannie Langton and the feature-length Plebs finale Plebs: Soldiers of Rome. Another new addition is Free-Ad-Supported TV (FAST), channels curated for specific content, allowing you to watch back-to-back episodes of The Chase or Hell’s Kitchen US, and there’s a news section that ITV updates with new videos throughout the day. Along with these new features, ITVX will also include a variety of existing shows and movies, including more than 200 US and UK dramas, comedies and reality shows and more than 1000 films, with a quarter of those movies arriving on day one, including the Back to the Future trilogy, the Despicable Me trilogy and Wonder Woman. On top of that, ITVX Premium subscribers will gain access to all of the ITV, BBC and Channel 4 content and originals currently available through BritBox.
Supported devices
ITV Hub was available on a variety of devices, including desktop web browsers, iOS and Android devices, Xbox consoles and the following TV platforms: ITVX is designed to replace ITV Hub meaning you can expect it to replace the existing service as an update across most of the supported devices listed above. The biggest exceptions here are older TVs and Freeview recorders that don’t mesh well with ITV’s new content protection technology.
Early verdict
ITVX is replacing ITV Hub meaning you don’t really have a say in the matter when it comes to making the switch. However, if ITV delivers on its promises, ITVX should bring all the benefits of ITV Hub, along with some exciting original content, a sleek new interface and access to BritBox in the case of Premium subscribers – albeit at a slightly higher cost if you do decide to go ad-free.
