Disney+ price hike continues despite boycott scrutiny

Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday that it will raise prices for its Disney+ streaming service in the United States, with changes taking effect Oct. 21. The ad-supported plan will increase by $2 to $11.99 per month, while the ad-free premium tier will rise $3 to $18.99 a month. Annual Premium subscriptions will jump $30 to $189.99. Bundled packages combining Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ will also see price hikes, the company said. The moves come as Disney continues to push profitability across its digital platforms and seeks to balance subscriber growth with a higher-margin offerings strategy.

The price increase arrives as Disney faces heightened public scrutiny after the temporary removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live! from ABC, which sparked calls to boycott the company’s services. The controversy has put a spotlight on how the company handles programming and access across its portfolio of networks and streaming products, even as it presses ahead with price adjustments intended to support content investment and platform development.

Disney+ launched in November 2019 at $6.99 per month and has gradually raised its prices as part of a broader strategy to stem losses and turn streaming into a growth engine. The service achieved profitability last year, according to company disclosures, even as its parent company continued to invest in original programming, international expansion, and technology to improve streaming delivery and experience. The new round of increases underscores Disney’s ongoing effort to monetize its vast content library and cross-promote its bundled offerings to maximize revenue from subscribers across multiple platforms.

This year’s changes mark the fourth consecutive year of Disney+ price hikes. A 38% price increase was implemented in December 2022, followed by further increases in October 2023 and October 2024. The latest adjustments apply to the standard ad-supported tier, the higher-priced ad-free tier, and the annual subscription option, as well as bundled configurations that combine Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+. The company has argued that price adjustments are necessary to sustain investments in new content and technology while maintaining a path toward profitability for its streaming business.

Analysts have noted that Disney continues to rely on a mix of price discipline and content investment to position Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ as value propositions in a competitive streaming market. The company has emphasized the importance of a robust library of original series and films, as well as sports and family programming, in driving continued subscriber momentum. In a market where price sensitivity remains high for many households, Disney’s pricing strategy will be watched closely by investors and industry observers alike as the company balances growth ambitions with revenue discipline across its direct-to-consumer brands.

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