Disney Plus is raising prices yet again. The ad-free premium plan will reportedly increase to $21.49 per month. That is a $2.50 jump on the previous rate of $18.99.
Bloomberg reports that Disney is upping the costs of Disney+ and Hulu. The move comes as part of a coordinated pricing adjustment across both services.
What the Premium Plan Includes
The current Disney+ Premium plan includes no ads (though there is a caveat), high-quality sound, enhanced video quality, streaming on multiple devices at the same time, and downloads on up to 10 devices. Those benefits will now cost an additional $2.50 each month.
The caveat worth noting is that the ad-free label is not absolute. For most users, the distinction holds: the main feed stays commercial-free, and that remains the core value of the upgrade.
The plan also supports simultaneous streams across several devices, which matters for households sharing accounts. Downloads on up to 10 devices let viewers save titles for offline viewing, a feature many subscribers rely on heavily.
Hulu’s Share of the Raise
Hulu Premium will also increase to $21.49 per month. The Disney+ and Hulu bundle will rise to $21.99. Both moves land at roughly the same time, which suggests a coordinated pricing strategy rather than separate decisions.
The bundle increase is worth noting. Subscribers who hold both services through the combined package will pay $21.99 per month. The individual Hulu price matches the Disney+ premium rate exactly, putting both services at the same dollar figure.
| Service | Current Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| Disney+ Premium (ad-free) | $18.99 | $21.49 |
| Hulu Premium | N/A | $21.49 |
| Disney+ and Hulu bundle | N/A | $21.99 |
The Raise in Context
The source does not describe a history of price increases across Disney’s streaming portfolio. This report covers a single adjustment to the Disney+ and Hulu plans.
The ad-free tier previously cost $18.99 per month. Now it costs $21.49, a difference of $2.50. The hike brings the plan closer to $20 per month.
What Subscribers Get for the Money
The value proposition has shifted over time. When the ad-free tier launched, it offered a clean slate of content without interruptions. That remains the core draw, even as the price climbs.
Streaming on multiple devices and downloads across ten devices are secondary benefits. They are useful, but they are not the reason most subscribers choose the premium plan over the standard tier.
The download feature alone is worth considering. Ten device slots mean families can load movies and shows onto phones, tablets, and laptops without needing a separate subscription for each screen. For households with children, the ability to watch saved content offline is a practical advantage.
The Ad-Free Exception
One detail stands out in the announcement: the ad-free label comes with a caveat.
That means the ad-free promise is not absolute. For most users, the main feed stays commercial-free, and that remains the core value of the upgrade. The caveat is a reminder that the premium tier is not a guarantee of uninterrupted content.
Who Pays More
The bundle subscriber is the one who feels the squeeze most directly. The $21.99 combined rate puts the two services together at a slightly higher price than they were before. Individual Hulu subscribers also face the increase, though the jump is smaller since the service was already priced below the new threshold.
The math is simple for a household holding both:
- Previous combined rate: unknown
- New combined rate: $21.99
- Difference: a step up for the bundle
For a single Hulu subscriber, the change is smaller. The individual Hulu price rises to $21.49, which is a modest increase from its prior rate. The Disney+ premium plan already sat at $18.99, so the gap between the two services narrows.
The Bottom Line
Disney has raised its subscription fees, and this latest bump pushes the ad-free Disney Plus plan from $18.99 to $21.49 per month. The move follows a familiar shape: a small but noticeable increase that pushes the monthly total closer to $20.
Whether the raise sticks will depend on what subscribers actually get for their money. The core value of the ad-free tier — a clean slate of content — remains intact, even as the price climbs.
The download feature and multi-device streaming are secondary benefits that add convenience without driving the decision. The caveat about ads is worth noting, but it does not change the fundamental trade-off: pay more for a cleaner stream, or accept the occasional interruption.
The question now is whether subscribers will accept the new rate. The company has raised fees before, and the market has mostly absorbed the changes. Whether this round holds will depend on how much value subscribers see in the content they are paying for.
For now, the numbers are set. The ad-free tier costs $21.49 per month, Hulu Premium costs $21.49, and the bundle costs $21.99. Subscribers who renew after the change takes effect will see those figures on their bills.
See the video the story is built around at The A.V. Club.
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