The cost of streaming Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ goes up this autumn.
The three streaming video services are ready to watch on Mac, iPad, iPhone or Apple TV. It’ll just cost a bit more in a few months.
Time for the annual Disney+ price hike
Disney+ is the home of Star Wars, Marvel and more, but it’s not as big a success as some might think. It captures just 11% of the U.S. streaming market, according to analysts. That puts it just a bit ahead of rival Apple TV+, which garners 9% of the market. Hulu has 10% of the market, so it’s in the same neighborhood.
Still, Disney made a profit off these two streaming services in the second quarter of this year, and says it expects them “to be a meaningful future growth driver for the company, with further improvements in profitability in fiscal 2025.”
Part of the reason they’ll be profitable is an upcoming increase in subscription fees. The cost of Disney+ without ads will go up to $15.99 a month (previously $13.99). An annual no-ads subscription will run $159.99 per year (previously $139.99).
With ads, Disney+ will cost $9.99 per month, up from $7.99. There’s no annual subscription option for the ad-supported tier.
For comparison, Disney+ debuted in 2019 at $6.99 per month with no commercial interruptions. That later went up to $7.99 per month, then $10.99 per month, then $13.99 per month. The cost jumps almost every year, but the streaming service was not at all profitable in its early days.
Disney+ sister service Hulu without ads will soon cost $18.99 per month. With ads, the cost is $9.99 per month or $99.99 a year.
Bundles that pair Disney+ and Hulu drop the monthly price substantially ($10.99 with ads, $19.99 without ads).
After the latest price increase, Disney’s sports streaming service ESPN+ will cost $11.99 per month or $119.99 a year. This includes commercials, and there’s no option to avoid the ads.
Chart: The Walt Disney Company
The price changes are set to take effect October 17, 2024. If you’re considering an annual subscription to any of these three, you should lock in the current lower price soon.
There are apps to watch Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV+. The streaming services can be watched in a browser on Mac.