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Disney+ ad-free subscription cost to increase 38% in December

The anticipated ad-supported subscription plan will cost $7.99, the streaming company announced Wednesday.
Credit: AP
FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, file photo, a Disney logo forms part of a menu for the Disney Plus movie and entertainment streaming service on a computer screen in Walpole, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

WASHINGTON — Disney+ is expanding its subscription plans and bundles to include cheaper ad-supported memberships and raising its current prices, the media giant announced Wednesday. 

The cheapest plan for the streaming service comes to $7.99 a month and includes ads. The regular ad-free plan is $10.99 a month or $109.99 annually, an increase from the current $7.99 per month. Disney+ also announced an array of bundles that mix and match memberships for Hulu and ESPN+. 

Consumers will have the option to bundle all three services for $12.99 a month with ads included. 

“With our new ad-supported Disney+ offering and an expanded lineup of plans across our entire streaming portfolio, we will be providing greater consumer choice at a variety of price points to cater to the diverse needs of our viewers and appeal to an even broader audience,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution in the press release. 

Disney+ announced plans for an ad-supported membership in March as part of a push to build an audience of 230-260 million subscribers by 2024. 

Hulu, which Disney owns, already features ad-supported plans. Other platforms, such as Netflix, have announced a shift towards an ad-supported model. 

Last month, Netflix paired up with Microsoft for its global ad sales and expected its ad-tier to launch in early 2023. Netflix shed almost 1 million subscribers during the spring amid tougher competition and soaring inflation that’s squeezing household budgets, heightening the urgency behind the video streaming service’s effort to launch a cheaper option with commercial interruptions.

HBO Max announced plans to merge its HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming services early this month, with a U.S. rollout anticipated for next year.

Subscription Plans for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+:

  • Disney+Basic (With Ads) --$7.99 a month
  • Disney+Premium (No Ads) --$10.99 a month or $109.99 annual
  • HuluBasic (With Ads) -- $7.99 a month or $79.99 annual
  • HuluPremium (No Ads) -- $14.99 a month
  • ESPN+With Ads -- $9.99 a month or $99.99 annual
  • ESPN+UFC PPV -- $74.99 (Per Event)
  • ESPN+UFC PPV -- $124.98 annual

Disney Bundle Plans:

  • Basic -- (With Ads) Disney+, Hulu -- $9.99
  • Basic -- (With Ads) Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ -- $12.99
  • Legacy -- Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (With Ads), ESPN+ (With Ads) -- $14.99
  • Premium -- Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (No Ads), ESPN+ (With Ads) --$19.99 

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