Disney+ is increasing its subscription prices for the fourth time since it launched five years ago. Here are the key points:
New pricing:
The ad-free version of Disney+ will now cost $15.99 per month.
This is more than double its original 2019 price of $6.99.
Changes to other Disney-owned services:
Hulu’s ad-free tier will increase from $17.99 to $18.99 per month.
ESPN+ will go up from $10.99 to $11.99 per month.
Ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu will both increase by $2 to $9.99 per month.
Possible strategy:
Disney may be encouraging customers to choose their bundle options:
Ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu for $10.99 per month.
Ad-supported Disney+, Hulu, and Max for $16.99 per month.
Ad-free version of the above bundle for $29.99 per month.
Timing:
These price increases will start on October 17, 2024.
The announcement comes just before Disney’s quarterly earnings call.
Industry trend:
Other streaming services like Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount have also raised their prices in 2024. Companies are trying to offset the costs of running streaming services by charging customers more.
