Disney announces new Disney+ and Hulu price hikes but they won't affect everyone yet
Date:
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:30:00 +0000
Description:
Disney+ and Hulu prices are rising for the sixth year in a row but not everyone will be affected yet.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Disney has confirmed new price hikes for Disney+ and Hulu in the US However, the cost of three bundles has been frozen Fans in the UK, Europe, and Australia won't be affected for the time being Disney has confirmed price hikes for all but three of its standalone Disney+ and Hulu plans, and bundles including both platforms, in the US but there's no word on when other nations might be hit by similar rises.
Yesterday (September 23), Bloomberg reported that the entertainment giant was about to increase the cost of signing up for a subscription for the sixth
time in as many years.
Per Bloomberg's sources, the biggest markup would see the Hulu-Disney+
Premium (ad-free) bundle go up by 13% to $21.49 per month. That means new and current users would have to pay an additional $2.50 every 30 days. Meanwhile, the cost of numerous other standalone tiers and bundles would go up by as little as $0.50 or as much as $3.00. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: The latest price hikes come as Marvel fans prepare for Avengers: Doomsday's arrival with another MCU movie marathon (Image credit: Marvel Studios) Approached by TechRadar for comment, Disney acknowledged that Bloomberg's report was factual. However, a studio rep was keen to stress that three of its bundles, including its cheapest offering the Hulu-Disney+
bundle (with ads) experience would not be subject to price increases. You
may like Disney+ price: how much does it cost, are there any deals, is it cheaper than Netflix, and more Disney responds to ads on Disney+ ad-free
tiers rumor amid growing fan fury Disney+ is reportedly thinking about a
fully free tier supported by ads
"While competitors have raised prices by an average of 13% this year, we are keeping the price of our most popular bundle unchanged and have increased our standalone ad-supported offerings by just 4%," a Disney spokesperson told me.
"We continue to significantly invest in enhancements to Disney+ new technology, features, and personalization. These improvements continue to strengthen the value we deliver to subscribers and will culminate in the one app experience later this year." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
For reference, here's a full breakdown of every price rise or freeze across Disney's myriad streaming service offerings in the US: Disney+, Hulu Bundle (with ads) staying flat at $12.99 Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium (ad free) increasing +$2 to $21.99 Disney+ and Hulu standalone plans (with ads) increasing +$0.50 to $12.49 Disney+ and Hulu Premium standalone plans (ad free) increasing +$2.50 to $21.49 Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle (with ads) increasing +$2 to $21.99 Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium(ad free) increasing +$3 to $32.99 Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle (with ads) staying flat at $35.99 Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium (ad free) staying flat at $44.99 Why the UK, Europe, and Australia is immune to the Disney+ price hike for now Disney+ users outside of the US should steel themselves for further price rises, too (Image credit: Ivan
Marc/Shutterstock) Crucially, UK and European subscribers appear to be temporarily immune to these price increases.
Responding to a separate request for comment from TechRadar, a Disney+ UK spokesperson told me: "We don't have anything to share on UK or European pricing at this time." What to read next Disney+ free trial: is there one I can use in 2026, how to try before you buy, and more explained Disney+ loses 4K and all HDR support in parts of Europe this is why physical media is on the rise HBO Max price: how much does it cost per month, is it cheaper than Netflix and Disney+, and more explained
However, in previous years, UK and European fans have seen the cost of
Disney+ climb just weeks after their US counterparts were slapped with the now-annual price hike. I wouldn't be stunned, then, if account holders in these regions are forced to pay more for two of the world's best streaming services in the weeks ahead.
Australian Disney+ users were hit by a price hike in April , so it's
unlikely but not completely out of the question that they'll experience another one in due course.
Regardless of whether you've been hit by this latest price hike, it's been a rough few days for Disney+ users all around.
The week began with Disney having to placate furious fans over inaccurate reports that its ad-free Disney+ tiers would start showing ads . The dust hadn't settled on that story before fans learned that Marvel TV show Daredevil: Born Again would end after its forthcoming third season on Disney+ , too.
I'm not superstitious but, as the saying goes, bad news comes in threes.
Let's hope that this is the third and final piece of unwelcome news that Disney fans have to deal for a while, then. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/streaming/disney-plus/the-cost-of-disney-and-hulu-is -going-up-again-but-disney-argues-we-are-preserving-a-high-value-option-for-su bscribers-as-it-freezes-the-price-on-three-of-its-streaming-bundles
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