Rising Subscription Fees: Disney+, ESPN+, & Hulu Announce Price Hike

Disney+ and Hulu went from a massive loss to a small but notable profit in just twelve months, marking the first time the former turned a profit since its inception in November 2019. To keep the momentum going, Disney is once again raising prices across Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.

The ad-supported Disney+ Basic option, available since December 2022, was already disappointingly expensive at $8/month but will now jump to $10. Meanwhile, the ad-free Disney+ Premium will increase from $14/month to $16. Not good. The monthly subscription price of Disney Plus with ads will jump from $8 to $10, while the ad-free tier will increase from $14/month to $16. On a yearly basis, it means coughing up an extra $20 because the annual Disney+ Premium subscription will jump from $140 to $160. To make up for the price increase, the company will throw ABC News Live and thematic playlists comprising content from across its vast properties beginning September 4. The playlists will cover such categories as Preschool, Seasonal, Epic Stories, Throwbacks, and Real Life.

Next up is Hulu. The price of the ad-supported plan will jump from $8/month to $10 and from $80/year to $100/year. Are you nervous already? The privilege of streaming Hulu without advertisements will cost you $19/month instead of $18. Finally, ESPN+ will increase to $12/month and $120/year instead of 11/month and $110/year. Those who subscribe to Disney’s basic and premium streaming bundles will soon be paying more, too.

In July, Disney and Warner Bros. created a mega-streaming bundle with Disney+, Hulu, and Max all included and available with or without ads. On top of that, the company’s leadership has two more streaming services in the works. One will bring you live content from major sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL, PGA Tour, Grand Slam Tennis, US Soccer, college football, and NASCAR, thanks to a joint venture between ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The other is ESPN, which will get its own streaming service in Fall 2025.

Streaming services have been jacking up prices since the pandemic, to the point where streaming is the new cable in terms of cost. More than anything, these price increases have underscored the importance of keeping streaming subscription spending under control .

Source: The Verge

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