When you’re a parent trying to keep your kids safe online, not all streaming services make it easy. You might think all platforms offer the same tools to block mature content, but that’s not true. Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu handle family safety in completely different ways-and the differences could mean the difference between your 8-year-old watching a PG-13 movie or staying safely in kid-friendly territory.
Disney+: The Most Restrictive, But Also the Most Simple
Disney+ was built with families in mind. If you’ve ever used a kids’ app that locks you out of adult content with a PIN, you’ll feel right at home. Disney+ lets you create up to seven profiles, and each one can be labeled as either kid or adult. Once you set a profile as a kid profile, it automatically blocks everything rated above TV-Y7, PG, or PG-13, depending on your age setting.
You can set a four-digit PIN that locks the entire profile. No one can switch to another profile or watch anything outside the set age range without entering it. Even if someone tries to search for a movie like Deadpool or The Lion King (2019 version), the system won’t show it. It’s not just filtering-it’s blocking. Disney+ also doesn’t let you watch any content from Hulu or Star (its adult content hub) unless you’re on an adult profile.
There’s no way to customize the age limits beyond the preset options: 7, 13, and 18. That’s a strength for younger kids. If your child is 5, you don’t need to worry about them accidentally stumbling into something too intense. But if you have a 16-year-old who’s ready for more, you can’t fine-tune it. You’re stuck with the 18+ limit, which might be too loose.
Netflix: Flexible Profiles, But You Have to Do the Work
Netflix gives you more control-but more responsibility. You can create up to five profiles, and each one can be named anything. You can call one “Mom,” one “Dad,” one “Emma (8),” and one “Liam (13).” The system lets you assign maturity levels to each profile: Little Kids, Older Kids, Teens, or Adults. But here’s the catch: Netflix doesn’t lock profiles. If your 10-year-old forgets their PIN or your 13-year-old sneaks into Mom’s profile, they’ll see everything.
Netflix lets you set maturity levels per profile, but it doesn’t prevent switching between them. So if your kid figures out how to log out and log back in as “Dad,” they’ll have access to everything on that profile. There’s no way to lock the entire account with a single PIN like Disney+ does. You can enable a Require PIN to change profiles setting, but that only stops profile switching, not content access.
Netflix also lets you create Restricted Profiles, which only show content matching the set maturity level. But even then, the system still lets users search for titles. A 12-year-old could type in “Stranger Things” and still find it, even if it’s not shown in the main feed. The filtering is smart, but not foolproof. Parents who want true safety need to combine this with device-level controls like Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link.
Hulu: The Wild Card with No Real Kid Mode
Hulu is the odd one out. It doesn’t have a dedicated kid profile system at all. There’s no way to lock content by age, no PIN system, and no automatic filtering based on profile type. Instead, Hulu relies on a single setting: Hide Mature Content. You can turn this on in your account settings, and it will hide shows and movies rated TV-14, TV-MA, R, or NC-17 from the main feed. But here’s the problem: it doesn’t block access.
If your 9-year-old knows the name of a show like The Handmaid’s Tale or Shameless, they can just type it into the search bar. The content will still appear. Hulu doesn’t prevent them from watching it. There’s no PIN, no profile lock, no age verification. The only thing stopping them is whether they know the show’s name.
Hulu does let you create up to six profiles, but they’re all treated the same. You can’t mark one as “kid” and have it auto-filter. You can’t even set a maturity level per profile. It’s all one-size-fits-all. If you turn on Hide Mature Content, it applies to everyone on the account. That means if your 17-year-old wants to watch a movie rated R, they can’t even find it unless you turn the setting off.
For families with teens or older kids, Hulu’s system might seem fine. But if you have younger children, it’s a gamble. You’re relying on your kids not knowing what to search for-and that’s not a reliable safety net.
What Works Best for Different Ages
- For kids under 8: Disney+ is the clear winner. Its locked profiles and strict age filters mean you can hand them a tablet without worrying.
- For ages 9-12: Netflix gives you more flexibility, but you need to be vigilant. Use device-level controls alongside it. Disney+ still wins if you want true peace of mind.
- For teens 13+: Netflix lets them have more freedom while still keeping adult content hidden by default. Hulu is risky unless you’re okay with them finding mature content through search.
Many parents don’t realize that even if a service says it has “parental controls,” it doesn’t mean it’s safe. Disney+ has the most secure system because it assumes kids will make mistakes-and builds walls around them. Netflix tries to be smart, but it trusts the user too much. Hulu doesn’t even try.
Device-Level Controls Still Matter
No streaming service is perfect. Even Disney+ can be bypassed if someone uses a different device or logs in from a friend’s tablet. That’s why the best approach combines service-level controls with device-level ones.
On an iPad, use Screen Time to limit which apps can be used and when. On an Android tablet, use Google Family Link to block apps, set time limits, and approve downloads. On a smart TV, use the built-in parental controls (like on Roku or Fire TV) to restrict apps and content ratings.
Some parents think turning on a PIN on Disney+ is enough. But if your child has access to your phone and can log into your Netflix account on their own tablet, you’ve created a loophole. The real safety comes from layering controls: one on the streaming service, one on the device, and one in your house rules.
Final Verdict: Who Wins?
If your goal is to keep your younger kids safe without constant supervision, Disney+ is the only service that truly delivers. It’s built like a locked toy box-everything inside is safe, and nothing else can get in.
Netflix is better for families with older kids who need more freedom, but it requires more effort from you. You’ll need to monitor what they’re watching, teach them boundaries, and use device controls to back it up.
Hulu? It’s not designed for families with young kids. If you’re using Hulu for its live TV or original dramas, and you have kids, you’re better off using a different streaming service for their viewing-or accepting that you’ll need to watch with them.
There’s no magic button that makes streaming safe. But if you want the most reliable system out there, Disney+ has the most robust, least hackable, and most child-friendly setup. The others? They’re better at entertainment than they are at protection.
Can I set different age limits for each profile on Netflix?
Yes, Netflix lets you assign a maturity level to each profile-Little Kids, Older Kids, Teens, or Adults. But unlike Disney+, you can’t lock the profile with a PIN to prevent switching. So if your child logs into an adult profile, they’ll see everything.
Does Hulu have a kid profile like Disney+?
No, Hulu doesn’t have kid profiles or age-based filtering per user. It only has a single setting called "Hide Mature Content," which hides adult-rated shows from the main feed but doesn’t block search or access. Any user can still find and watch mature content if they know the title.
Is Disney+ really safer than Netflix for young kids?
Yes. Disney+ locks kid profiles with a PIN and blocks all content above the set age rating. You can’t search for or access adult titles from a kid profile. Netflix allows searches and doesn’t prevent profile switching, making it easier for kids to bypass filters.
Can I use Disney+ and Netflix on the same account?
No. Each streaming service requires its own account. You can have both subscriptions on the same device or TV, but you’ll need separate logins and profiles for each. You can’t mix Disney+ and Netflix profiles on one account.
What’s the best way to block streaming content on a smart TV?
Use the TV’s built-in parental controls (like on Roku, Fire TV, or Samsung Smart TV) to restrict apps and content ratings. Combine this with PIN locks on streaming apps and device-level controls like Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link for full coverage.