Disney Plus: From Budget-Friendly to Premium Streaming Service

Ever feel like prices just sneak up on you when you’re not looking? Well, that’s exactly what happened with Disney+. It went from being one of the cheapest streaming services to one of the most expensive. Back in 2019, when Disney launched its streaming platform, you could get Disney+ for just $6.99 a month. But now, starting in October, it’s going to be a whopping 172% more expensive than it was six years ago.

To put things into perspective, in 2019, Netflix was charging $8.99 per month for its basic service, and HBO Now was going for $14.99. Apple TV+ cost $4.99 but had a pretty limited content library with only about eight original shows. Hulu, which is owned by Disney, had also adjusted its prices. The ad-supported tier dropped to $5.99 per month, while the ad-free tier was $11.99.

Over the years, streaming services have raised their prices, and ad-supported tiers have become the norm. With Disney’s latest price hike, its fourth in four years, both Disney+ and Hulu are now some of the priciest streaming options out there.

But Disney isn’t stopping there. They recently announced plans to merge Disney+ and Hulu into a single platform next year. CEO Bob Iger mentioned that this could lead to more price changes in the future, but it’s all in the name of providing a better consumer experience. By combining the program assets of both apps, Disney hopes to improve user satisfaction and reduce churn.

So, while the prices may be climbing, it looks like Disney has big plans in store for its streaming services. And who knows, maybe those changes will bring even more value to subscribers in the long run.