After a 2024 filled with price hikes across Australia’s best streaming services, I was hoping for a more stable 2025. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, with several Disney Plus subscribers already being emailed about an upcoming price bump.
From March 28, 2025, premium Disney Plus monthly subscriptions will increase by AU$2 each month, while the annual subscription plan will see a AU$30 rise. Currently available for AU$18.99p/m and AU$179.99 annually, the new Disney Plus premium plan will set subscribers back AU$20.99p/m and AU$209.99, respectively. There is no word yet on whether the standard tier will also see the same treatment, but we’ll update this article as soon as we get a confirmation.
Disney Plus is home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and a heap of popular shows like New Girl, The Kardashians, The Simpsons and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, making it easy to see the value in a subscription. And, coming soon to the platform, is ESPN too.
Whether the addition of a sports channel calls for the price hike, just one year after Disney Plus set up the premium tier is a whole other can of worms, but with streaming prices continuing to get out of hand, customers need to be considerate of which services they subscribe to, and whether they’re worth it for them.
Dine and dash
With the death of cable television – which ironically began with cheap, high-value streaming services – expensive, lesser-value streamers have us wrapped around their little finger.
Prime Video, Netflix, Binge and Stan have all raised their prices in (nearly) the last 12 months. And why wouldn’t they? The few subscribers that unsubscribe due to price hikes are just a drop in the bucket – and many more are likely to opt for a lower subscription tier rather than go without their favourite content.
So, not only do services get paid in full by higher-tier subscribers, but they double-dip on lower-tier subscriptions with both subscribers and advertisers. Disney Plus doesn’t have ads in Australia yet, but given it offers it in both the UK and US, its introduction may not be far away – especially if this price hike is received poorly.
So, how do you manage your finances without sacrificing your entertainment? Other than cancelling all your subscriptions and never watching anything new, there is one streaming tactic that we have begun implementing – and we think you should too.
It’s called Subscription Hopping: jumping from one streaming service to the next, depending on what most interests you. And, for many people, Disney Plus is the perfect example of a secondary service that you may not need to pay for year-round.
For example, when Daredevil: Born Again releases in March, Disney Plus might be the number one service to have for Marvel fans – but once that show is over, you can always cancel and jump over to Binge to watch The Penguin if you missed it at the end of 2024. And, once you binge that, maybe enjoy a month or two of Apple TV Plus so you can catch up on Severance, Shrinking and Slow Horses.
We think that, at any one time, two streaming services are all you’ll need to pay for as you likely won’t have time to watch much more. This would include your main service, be it Netflix, Paramount Plus or Disney Plus, and a second one that you might be watching one specific show on. Subscription hopping won’t save you hundreds at once, but over the long term, being conscious of your subscriptions can save hundreds.
Save in the face of higher prices
It’s likely that for many subscribers, Disney Plus might not hold enough quality content to keep you entertained over the long term compared to the best streaming services in Australia. However, that will come down to personal preference and what you’ve already watched, and it’s not hard to see why Disney Plus could be enough for some users. It’s strengthening its library with ESPN and, for parents, its children’s content is a practically a must-have, especially with the upcoming Pixar series Win Or Lose releasing on February 19.
If Disney Plus is a must-have for you, a AU$2 price increase isn’t going to see you dump it completely. However, if you’re only there for a specific show, now might be a good time to rethink your subscription.
It’s too easy to ignore the relatively small amount of money taken out of your account at the end of the month, but that amount adds up incredibly quickly – especially when you’re subscribed to multiple services.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to analyse each service every month to see which one is worth subscribing to. We do it for you – so check out our guide to the best streaming services in Australia, and use it to watch the content that matters most to you, all while saving money.
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