There are hundreds of thousands of apps out there that promise to give you access to the latest and greatest TV shows and movies. Two of the most popular apps in that category are undoubtedly Hulu Plus and Netflix.

Both apps are similar; they charge users a small monthly fee ($7.99) to access swaths of content new and old. However, that's all about the change. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has publicly announced that subscription prices for new customers will rise, CNN reports.

Netflix has the leg up on Hulu in terms of binge watching. Since the service has no commercials or pauses whatsoever you can watch endless amounts of media with no interruption.

Hulu on the other hand counters with a key feature of its own: next day access to TV shows, clips and newscasts from major broadcasters and TV stations. The commercial breaks you have to endure while watching a Hulu hosted program aren't that bad either. You can also tailor your ad preferences to only see certain commercials. Watching the same ads over and over can get tedious, though.

Another differentiator: Netflix has two media viewing options for its subscribers: Instant, unadulterated streaming or physical media playback. If a TV show or movie isn't available online, Netflix may have it on DVD or Blu-ray. Of course, shipping the disc or discs takes time, but you simply can't beat the audio and picture quality that physical media provides.

If you already use Netflix Instant you'll be right at home navigating through the physical media section of the sight. You can add discs to your queue and prioritize which content you want to have sent to you first. Best of all, you can keep the discs as long as you like, as long as you pay the monthly fee, of course. You also don't need to be a streaming customer at all as separate and joint plans are available.

Both apps have user interfaces that are optimized for a wide range of devices including tablets and smartphones. The Netflix app was just redesigned for TVs and video game consoles and is easy to navigate with a controller. The Hulu app utilizes a tile-based interface similar to that of Netflix, but it adopts a lighter color scheme that appears more upbeat and jovial.

Independent and foreign film fans will probably prefer Hulu. After all, the site has access to more than 800 Criterion Collection films and documentaries. Frederico Fellini's "8 1/2" and Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" are among the entries. Restored to their former glory, these films shine. And some of the movies are even available to stream in 720p HD!

Unfortunately, Internet streaming has its limitations. Hulu Plus doesn't stream anything in Full HD 1080p. Non-Hulu Plus members get access to free 480p content though they cannot use the Hulu app. Netflix has just begun streaming some of its content in 4K (like "House of Cards"), though you'll need a 4K TV and a strong Internet signal to take advantage of that. With sets currently priced in the thousands of dollars, 4K is impractical for all but the wealthiest of consumers.

Download Hulu Plus for Android and iOS here.

And download Netflix for Android and iOS here.

Let us know which streaming media app do you prefer and why in the comments section below.