The price of an ad-free family movie night just climbed again for Disney+ and Hulu subscribers.
“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 TechRadar.
Disney+ Premium and Hulu Premium, the standalone plans without ads, rose from $18.99 to $21.49 per month on Sept. 23. Variety reported that new subscribers pay the higher rate immediately, while existing customers will see it on their next monthly bill.
That $2.50 monthly increase adds $30 over a full year for either standalone premium service. The new annual total is $257.88 before taxes, enough of a change that families may want to check whether they still use the service they are paying to keep.
The ad-supported standalone plans received a smaller bump, rising from $11.99 to $12.49 per month. That works out to $6 more over 12 months for Disney+ with ads or Hulu with ads.
The bundles tell the real story. The Disney+/Hulu Premium bundle without ads increased from $19.99 to $21.99 per month, while the bundle with ads stays at $12.99.
Related: Are Streamers Backing Away from Price Hikes?
At the new rates, either two-service bundle costs only 50 cents more than buying one of its services alone. CNN noted that the arrangement makes bundling the obvious bargain for households already committed to Disney or Hulu, but it also nudges subscribers toward paying for a larger package.
Families considering the premium options face the sharpest contrast. Buying Disney+ Premium and Hulu Premium separately would cost $515.76 per year, while the combined ad-free bundle costs $263.88, a difference of $251.88.
Other packages changed too. The Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Select bundle with ads now costs $21.99, while its Premium counterpart rose to $32.99; Disney’s ESPN Unlimited bundles stayed at $35.99 with ads and $44.99 for the premium configuration, according to the company’s pricing confirmation.
The increase arrived the same day TOY STORY 5 debuted on Disney+, and it marks the fourth US price hike for Disney’s streaming services in four years. The Los Angeles Times described the new structure as a clear push toward bundles rather than standalone subscriptions.
That does not mean the cheapest package is automatically the wisest choice. Ads change the viewing experience, bundles can hide subscriptions a household barely uses, and a low monthly difference can still keep an unnecessary charge alive for years.
Parents who retain Disney+ should also revisit its safety settings as the service folds more Hulu and sports content into the same experience. Disney’s parental-control guide explains how to set profile content ratings, use Junior Mode, add a profile PIN, restrict new profile creation and disable access to unrated live programming.
A five-minute subscription audit can answer three practical questions: which shows does the family actually watch, which tier matches that use and whether another service should be paused before this one stays. Streaming may be convenient, but stewardship still starts by noticing what leaves the account each month.
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