- Subscription prices for Disney+, Hulu and Disney bundle plans are set to rise
- The price hike will come into effect on October 21
- Reports suggest that the rise in prices might not be restricted to the US
Another Disney+ price hike is coming in October that will see the cost of Disney’s flagship streaming service, plus Hulu and the various bundles it offers, jump by as much as $3 in the US.
The changes will take effect on October 21, following which the price of an ad-supported plan to Disney+ will rise by $2 (from $9.99 to $11.99) per month, while the ad-free tier is set to jump $2 (from $15.99 to $18.99) a month and $30 (from $159.99 to $189.99) annually.
Hulu is also going to see costs rise by as much as $3 (from $9.99 to $11.99) per month. However, this will be restricted to the ad-supported plan, leaving the more premium (without ads) plan’s price unchanged.
Similar increases are set to hit various Disney bundle packages that include Disney+ and Hulu, too. The Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundle, which is one of the most popular packages, will see costs rise by $2 (from $10.99 to $12.99) per month.
Meanwhile, both the ad-supported and ad-free plans of the Disney+ and Hulu with Live TV and ESPN Select bundle will rise by as much as $3. The Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle will jump up by $3, and the Hulu with Live TV, Disney+ and ESPN Select bundle will see an increase as high as $7.
|
Plan |
Old monthly price |
New monthly price |
|---|---|---|
|
Disney+ (with ads) |
$9.99 |
$11.99 |
|
Disney+ (without ads) |
$15.99 |
$18.99 |
|
Hulu (with ads) |
$9.99 |
$11.99 |
|
Disney+ and Hulu bundle (with ads) |
$10.99 |
$12.99 |
|
Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Select bundle (without ads) |
$16.99 |
$19.99 |
|
Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Select bundle (without ads on Disney+ or Hulu and with ads on ESPN Select) |
$26.99 |
$29.99 |
|
Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle (with Ads) |
$16.99 |
$19.99 |
|
Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle (without ads) |
$29.99 |
$32.99 |
|
Hulu with Live TV (with ads), Disney+ and ESPN Select bundle |
$82.99 |
$89.99 |
|
Hulu with Live TV (without ads), Disney+ and ESPN Select bundle |
$95.99 |
$99.99 |
The news comes amid calls to boycott Disney’s streaming services following the recent Jimmy Kimmel cancellation saga and looks to be bringing a fresh round of cancellations, judging by frustrated users online, with multiple Redditors saying they have already cancelled their account.
Considering that just earlier this year Disney announced its first subscriber loss ever, these latest reports do not bode well for the media juggernaut’s streaming services. Indeed, following the announcement of last year’s price hike, it reportedly lost 700,000 subscribers during the first quarter of its fiscal year 2025.
It’s worth noting that most closed accounts from this period looked to be from international users, but this might increase yet if reports of the price hike hitting shores outside of the US are true.
According to Cord Busters, the Disney+ (with ads) annual plan in the UK will rise by £10 (from £89.90 to £99.90) on September 30, and while no other price increase has been confirmed for its other monthly plans or ad-free plans, this could be a sign that more increases are on the way.
How to avoid the Disney+ price hike
With (potentially multiple) price hike deadlines looming, there’s no better time to look for ways to save cash on a Disney+ subscription. One of the best ways to pay less for a subscription is to look at whether there are any offers that allow you to get a Disney+ free trial. Disney no longer offers this introductory deal, but you can still find it as part of a perk to a mobile, broadband or retail membership.
There’s also the option to sign up to one of the annual plans, which works out cheaper than paying monthly, before the price hike comes into effect. While not strictly a deal, I often consider this tactic as one of the best streaming deals because of the savings.
Of course, if you’re not too bothered about missing out on some content, there’s always the option to hold out for Black Friday streaming deals to start turning up in November, as there’s a high chance that Disney will bring back its record-low bundle deal for Disney+ and Hulu. This was not a one-off saving, either, as the bundle discount returned in March, so I think it’s likely we might see it again.
After all, Disney will likely want to win back subscribers after this round of price increases hits, and Black Friday would be the perfect timing for anyone looking to pick up a subscription for the family for Christmas.
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amelia.schwanke@futurenet.com (Amelia Schwanke)
