Subscriptions to video-on-demand services allow you to watch the content you cannot find anywhere else for one monthly price. Sometimes that price is reasonable, and sometimes it seems like these companies are breaking your bank.
One of the newest streaming services, Hayu, launched in 2016, and even though it is one of the newer servers, it is the perfect destination for those who love reality TV. Based in the UK, two years later the service came out in Canada in 2018. So, if you live in Canada, you can still enjoy endless reality TV entertainment.
But at what cost? Luckily, weโve put together a guide explaining how much Hayu costs in Canada, what comes with the plan, how to use the server, and details about the subscription video service. So, keep reading if you think Hayu might be the service for you!
How Much Does Hayu Cost in Canada?
The video subscription service, Hayu, totals $5.99 a month for those who live in Canada. Hayu asks users to make 12 monthly payments which total $71.88 for a full year of service.
The best part of this plan is it comes with a one-week or seven-day free trial. So, if you find that Hayu is not the right program for you or you do not like reality TV as much as you thought you did, you can cancel it at no additional cost.
You do have to input your credit card information to get the free trial, but you wonโt be charged until the trial ends. Unfortunately, Hayu downgraded its free trial from one month to one week in 2021 when it saw a growing number of people were using the free trial and not purchasing a subscription plan.
Although this was not the best news, you can still enjoy a one-week free trial before they abolish that just like HBO MAX. Usually, when servers get rid of their free trials completely, theyโll move toward various deals, such as offering 30% off the first three months of service. But, Hayu is not quite there yet, so you can keep enjoying the one-week free trial.
What Does a Hayu Subscription Consist Of?
Hayu specializes solely in reality TV, so while you will not find horror shows or comedy movies on this server, you can experience most reality TV shows that have already aired. It is one of the servers that specialize in a certain category, so if you only watch reality TV shows, you do not have to waste your time by signing up with some other service that only provides half of what Hayu has to offer. Nope. You can put all your eggs in one basket with Hayu.
Hayu has episodes of Jerry Springer from the 90s all the way through episodes of Below Deck that aired a few months ago. In fact, when shows get released in the US, Hayu receives access to them for the same-day screening. That is one great aspect of Hayu.
Since the service does not have any original content, you do not have to wait around until some recent comes out. You get it the same day, so you can speak about the drama with your friends who watch the same programs on cable.
Hayu Categories
Just like other services, Hayu shelves its content into various categories. Letโs take a look at the different categories the server offers.
New Additions
This is the section to toggle to if you prefer to watch television that is recent, still on TV, or was just added to Hayu. Sometimes Hayu will acquire the rights to different programs a bit later than the show comes on, so just keep an eye out to see when they have new content.
The Real Housewives
Everyoneโs favorite dramatic show about glamorous rich women navigating gossip, relationships, and their daily lives. Hayu hosts 38 series centered around the real housewives. Out of these 38 series, you can find original Housewife content such as Real Housewives of Miami and spin-off content such as The Big Shot with Bethenny.
Whether you prefer the original drama or newer content focused on one family or one character from an original series, this is your category.
True Crime
Say youโre enamored with true crime stories surrounding grisly tales, murderous rampages, or deep dives into the darkest human psyches. Hayu has a true crime section that boasts 76 different series, so you will never have trouble finding your next true crime binge with this category.
Choose to indulge in 22 seasons of the fascinating Snapped, the show documenting deadly women, or those accused of committing gratuitous acts of violence, or choose to bask in the soapier show, Kim Kardashian-West: The Justice Project, and watch as Kim shares her thoughts and duty to change the criminal justice system.
Get your Florida Man fix with Florida Man Murders. You know all those weird and bizarre stories you hear about Florida, i.e., Florida Man kills alligator in the backyard with a lawnmower? This show highlights all the strange and cantankerous happenings that could only occur in the lovely state of Florida.
Kardashian Content
Touching on Kardashian content, Hayu has a whole section dedicated to Americaโs favorite guilty-pleasure family. The Kardashian section on Hayu has 12 different shows dedicated to the rich, glamorous, and outlandish family.
Pick between 20 seasons of the original fan-favorite Keeping Up With the Kardashians, or choose any of the spin-offs with fewer seasons, such as I Am Cait or Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian.
Body Modification
Perhaps youโre into more physical-related reality TV. Hayu has just the category for you. The body modification category focuses on everything from plastic surgery to tattoo art shows. Learn how Katie Boyd teaches you to get in stellar shape with Wicked Fit or see how plastic surgeons can undo poorly done plastic surgery with Botched.
If you want to see what working in a tattoo shop is really like, tune in to Tattoos After Dark for some drama, gossip, and amazing body art.
Other Categories
If you don’t like any of the categories, Hayu offers on the top of the website. You can scroll down to find additional content broken into categories.
Scorching Hot Drama
This section focuses on the harshest drama Hayu has to offer. If you like your shows smothered in romance, fighting, and gossip, this is your section. Find shows like Below Deck, Bad Girls Club, and Made in Chelsea in this section.
Who Run the World? Girls!
If you need a boost of feminine energy in your reality TV, you will be delighted to know Hayu selected all the shows with the best female cast and organized them into one category. This section has shows such as Life of Kylie, Paris in Love, and Mariahโs World. Get your reality fixings with these powerhouse women.
Watch in a Weekend
Short on time but want to watch your favorite genre of television? Donโt worry! Hayu has your back! The server compiled all the best short series for you to watch in one sitting or over the weekend when the only thing you have to worry about is who is going to get in a fight on What Happens at the Abbey and who is going to fall in love on The Platinum Life.
Every program listed under this category either has one or two seasons.
What Else Does a Hayu Subscription Entail?
Besides accessing over 6,000 titles of reality TV content, letโs see what else Hayu has to offer its users.
- HD viewing quality
- One stream at a time
- Compatible with most devices
- Easy to use
- Can download content
Letโs break down these bullet points a bit further.
HD Viewing Quality
Some services dictate what kind of quality you can watch content based on your plan. Crave, for example, only lets mobile users watch in SD quality (lower than HD) because the plan is designed for one user to primarily watch on a handheld mobile device.
Crave customers with the Total subscription can watch content in HD resolution or 1080P resolution, meaning they will only have access to the highest quality definition while they watch content.
Hayu is different than Crave in that it adjusts to the screen you use. What this means is that if you use a cell phone to watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians, it will measure all extraneous data, such as the bandwidth the streaming uses and how much Wifi your phone can use comfortably, and it selects the best choice for your device.
So, you might find that you watch Hayu on your phone in SD quality and Hayu on your TV in HD quality.
One of the benefits of Hayu doing this is that you get to maximize your viewing pleasure while the server minimizes its ability to lag or buffer.
Hayu measures all of the extraneous material to make sure you stay subscribed to the service and recommend it to friends and family. If your service constantly lags or buffers, you will not want to stay subscribed, and you will discontinue your service.
One Stream at a Time
Some servers allow users to watch content on up to five devices at once. Usually, the more screens you can watch on at the same time, the more money you pay monthly for a service. Hayu only allows users to watch on one screen at a time, but since they only offer one price plan, it makes sense that users can only use one screen at a time.
However, as the site grows daily, they might introduce a new plan that allows users to upgrade to watch on more screens at a time.
Although you can only watch Hayu on one screen at a time, you can watch the service at different times on different screens. Just make sure to close the app before opening it on a different screen.
Compatible with Most Devices
When signing up for a service, it is important to know what you can watch content on. If you subscribe to a server and you can only watch on your phone, you might not want to use that server as much as services where you can watch from your phone and laptop. Hayu is compatible with most devices, including:
- Samsung TVs
- Rokus
- Kindle Fires
- XBOX
- Chromecast
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Apple Phones
- Apple Laptops and Computers
- Android TVs
- Android Phones
- Bell TV
The more devices the service works with, the more likely customers are to subscribe. Hayu is definitely winning with its compatibility list.
Easy To Use
Netflix has the best user interface out of any streaming service today, but Hayuโs also demonstrates a user-friendly system. All you have to do to use Hayu is navigate to the website or the app, sign in, select a section, or type in the content you wish to watch.
Hayu breaks all of its content down into categories that are easy to find and easy to understand. Plus, if you click on one item, the interface automatically generates content similar to what you clicked on. This way it guarantees you never lose interest and always have something to watch that suits your preferences.
Can Download Content
One of the best aspects of a Hayu subscription is that it lets you download content to watch at a later time or when you do not have internet access. Download desired content on the Hayu app, and when you want to watch your downloaded content, scroll to the โMy Showsโ button and select the show you wish to watch.
Wrapping Up
Hayu is a UK-based subscription service hosting all kinds of reality TV shows for reality TV show lovers. Hayu does not have any original content at this time, but for $5.99 a month, you can watch reality TV programs from 1991 to shows airing today. The server is complete with downloads, HD streaming, device compatibility, and an easy user interface. Will you sign up for Hayu?