Disney’s popular streaming service is set to receive another price hike, marking the streaming service’s fourth since it launched in 2019. The modern ad-free tier of Disney+ will soon cost $16 per month. It comes as Disney and others continue to try to squeeze more profit out of expensive-to-maintain streaming services and ahead of recent hits, as From inside to outside 2, arrive home this fall.
Launched in 2019, Disney+ was the company’s answer to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The service launched with all The Simpsons, Star Warsand most of the Marvel movies, as well as a vast collection of classic Disney movies, shows, and animated shorts. In the five years since it launched, Disney+ has grown steadily as Disney has added Hulu shows, more original content, Fox-owned products, and licensed programming like Doctor Who to the service.
But all that content doesn’t come low-cost, and for the past few years, the price of Disney+ has gone up almost every year. And that’s no different this fall.
How much will Disney+ and Hulu cost in October?
We start on October 17th, Disney has confirmed that most of its streaming plans including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will cost about $1 to $2 more per month. Hulu’s most high-priced plan, which includes live TV, will cost $6 more per month.
Meanwhile, Disney+ Basic (which has ads) and Disney+ Premium (which is ad-free) are jumping to $10 and $16, respectively. That means a Disney+ ad-free subscription will cost twice as much as it did at launch in 2019, when Disney offered just one ad-free plan for $7 per month.
Hulu with ads will boost to $10 per month, and without ads to $19. Finally, ESPN+ will cost $12 per month starting in October. Disney is also adding “Playlists,” which will be enduring channels in the app that stream content like news, senior movies, and TV shows. It will work very similarly to Pluto TV and other FAST (free ad-supported TV services) work.
Yes, Disney and other streaming services are essentially reinventing channel surfing and cable TV, but they’re locking it down with a bunch of prices, plans, and services. Yes, the future sucks.
The timing of the price boost does not seem to be coincidental either, as with Disney’s recent box office victories-as From inside to outside 2 AND Deadpool and Wolverine—are likely to arrive on the service in the next few months, and the House of Mouse likely wants to make sure it can capitalize on these recent successes by squeezing a few extra dollars out of people so they can re-watch popular videos.
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