Summary
- Disney+ and Hulu prices jump across the board – ad tiers + $2, ad-free + $3 starting Oct. 21.
- Bundles and ESPN combo rise too – base duo $13, premium bundle near $30; standalone Hulu $12.
- Price hikes join industry trend; small increases add up across multiple subscriptions. It’s frustrating.
Streaming services increasing their prices is nothing new. It’s quite common, actually. Now, all Disney-owned streaming services are seeing a price hike, and it’s awful.
Disney has announced across-the-board price increases for both Disney+ and Hulu. Starting on October 21st, the ad-supported version of Disney+ will rise by $2, from $9.99 to $11.99 per month. For those who would rather have an ad-free experience, the ad-free plan will see a more substantial $3 jump, increasing from $15.99 to $18.99 monthly. The best way to stay ahead of the rising costs, for now, is to get a yearly subscription while you still can.
The popular bundled plans, which combine Disney’s various streaming assets, are also affected. The duo bundle of Disney+ and Hulu with advertisements will now cost $13, an increase of $2. The premium ad-free version of this bundle will be priced at $20. For sports fans, the comprehensive package including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select with ads will increase by $3, from $17 to $20 per month. The ad-free version of this top-tier bundle will now approach the $30 mark, rising from $27 to $30. It’s not entirely straightforward to get a standalone Hulu subscription these days, but if you do happen to have one, that’s also increasing from $10 to $12 for the ad-supported tier.
According to its August earnings statement, Disney+ added 1.8 million new subscribers in the third quarter, bringing its total global subscriber count to 128 million. So Disney might think its userbase is solid enough to absorb the cost of these hikes. Or, like pretty much every major player in the industry, it could just think it’s not making enough money, even though it’s making a lot of money. Apple TV+, Netflix, and Comcast’s Peacock have all increased their prices recently. This, together with measures such as tracking who’s freeloading on their friends’ logins, is part of a wider penny-pinching effort by these companies. I can’t say I agree—as I always say, even these tiny $2 increases can add up when you take into account you’re paying for a lot of different subscription services at once.
Source: Disney (1, 2)
