Price Hikes Coming for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Bundle
Lucasfilm
Disney announced on Wednesday that it will increase subscription prices for the ad-free versions of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ and will launch a version of Disney+ with ads.
The conglomerate said in an earnings call that as of Dec. 8, a new version of Disney+ with ads will cost $7.99 per month, which is what the streaming service currently costs without any additional advertisements. When this change takes effect, the ad-free version of Disney+ — which the company now refers to as a "premium" plan — will increase to $10.99 per month, or $109.99 each year, Disney announced.
Hulu, which Disney acquired a majority stake in during 2019, will also have its subscription prices increase starting Oct. 10. The streaming service's ad-supported subscription will increase from $6.99 per month to $7.99 each month, while its more expensive ad-free service will increase from its current $12.99 monthly price to $14.99 a month. Hulu will also no longer offer a yearly "premium" subscription, though its "basic (with ads)" version will cost $79.99 annually.
In addition, Disney previously announced that the ESPN+ streaming service will increase its prices from $6.99 each month and $69.99 annually to $9.99 each month and $99.99 annually. These changes take effect on Aug. 23, according to Disney.
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Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu
Disney's streaming bundles — which include options for customers to subscribe to the Disney-owned services for one price — are also changing prices. A plan including just Disney+ and Hulu with ads will soon cost $9.99 each month, while all three services will be available with advertisements for $12.99 each month, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Users who already subscribe to a bundle that includes Disney+ without ads, Hulu with ads and ESPN+, will notice the price of that service increase from $13.99 each month to $14.99, according to THR. A "premium" bundle option that offers all three services, but includes advertisements on ESPN+ will cost $19.99 each month, according to THR.
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New bundles that include Hulu's Live TV option and Disney+ with ads will start at $69.99 per month, which is what Disney currently charges through Hulu for a bundle that includes all of these services without advertisements.
It does not appear that ESPN+ will be available without advertisements in any of the forthcoming plans.
"With our new ad-supported Disney+ offering and an expanded lineup of plans across our entire streaming portfolio, we will be providing greater consumer choice at a variety of price points to cater to the diverse needs of our viewers and appeal to an even broader audience," Kareem Daniel, the chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement Wednesday.
Melissa Rawlins / ESPN Images
On Wednesday, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek said in a statement obtained by Business Wire that Disney+ gained 14.4 million subscribers in the fiscal year's third quarter and that the company now has 221 million total subscribers across all of its streaming services.
"We continue to transform entertainment as we near our second century, with compelling new storytelling across our many platforms and unique immersive physical experiences that exceed guest expectations, all of which are reflected in our strong operating results this quarter," Chapek, 61, said in the statement.
