Disney+ has confirmed that its subscription prices will be rising. The new ad-supported tier will be the cheapest option, costing the same as the ad-free plan did before the hikes.
From 8 December 2022 onwards subscribers in the US will face these new prices:
- Disney+ ad-free monthly subscription: Increasing from $7.99 per month to $10.99 per month
- Disney+ ad-free annual subscription: Increasing from $79.99 per year to $109.99 per year
- Disney+ ad-supported monthly subscription: $7.99 per month
You’ll note there’s no annual payment option for the ad-supported tier, which means an end to the $6.66 monthly price that annual subscribers previously enjoyed – without ads. The new tier will launch in the UK and other international markets in 2023.
Disney didn’t say anything about what UK pricing will be when the increases roll out beyond the US. However, with current subscription prices basically the same as in the US, it isn’t much of a stretch to say that we expect the ad-free tier to cost £10.99 per month or £109.99 per year, and the ad-supported tier to be £7.99 per month (the current cost of the ad-free tier in the UK).
In addition, Disney+’s sister service Hulu has also confirmed a price hike will arrive a little earlier on 10 October 2022. Here’s how Hulu prices are changing:
- Hulu ad-free monthly subscription: Increasing from $12.99 per month to $14.99 per month
- Hulu ad-supported monthly subscription: Increasing from $6.99 per month to $7.99 per month
- Hulu ad-supported annual subscription: Increasing from $69.99 per year to $79.99 per year.
Consequently, the cost of the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle will also be changing. For current subscribers (Disney+ with no ads, and Hulu and ESPN+ with ads), the cost will be going up by $1 to $14.99 per month.
Alternatively, customers can sign up to a bundle all with ads for a cheaper price of $12.99 per month. Disney is also introducing a bundle with just Disney+ and Hulu (ad-supported versions), which will cost $9.99 per month.
ESPN+ has already confirmed that prices will be increasing from $6.99 a month ($69.99 per year) to $9.99 a month and $99.99 per year from 23 August 2022.
The changes follow price rises from streaming rivals Netflix and Amazon Prime – and will be unwelcome news for subscribers, who may well decide to cancel.
You may also be able to avoid the price hike for longer if you sign up for an annual subscription before the price increase in December.
Author: Hannah Cowton, Senior Staff Writer
Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She's also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.