Disney Plus and Hulu Prices Go Up, With Ad-Free Plans Hit the Hardest

Mickey Mouse is taking a bigger bite out of your wallet. Disney Plus and Hulu subscription prices are going up by about $2 per month, with the biggest increases on premium ad-free plans.

As detailed on this help page, the Disney Plus-Hulu Premium bundle will cost $22 per month (up from $20), Hulu Premium will cost $21.49 (up from $19), and Disney Plus Premium will cost $21.49, too (also up from $19). The price hike takes effect on Wednesday for new subscribers, and current subscribers will see the increase on their next bill.

The most expensive plan — Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — remains at $45 per month.

Nonpremium subscriptions went up less than a dollar, with Disney Plus and Hulu each costing $12.49. Those plans cost $12 previously.

The price hikes come exactly one year after Disney’s last price increases. This is the fourth time in four years that subscription prices have gone up for both Disney Plus and Hulu.

Streaming channels will continue to raise prices while trying to lure subscribers with lower-cost plans that include ads, but Disney “needs to tread carefully,” says tech analyst Paolo Pescatore.

“Like Netflix, Disney has some leeway to raise prices given the breadth of its offering and the strength of its brands,” Pescatore told CNET. “But consumers are becoming more selective, further increasing risk and encouraging more people to dip in and out rather than remain permanently subscribed.”

Disney plans to launch a single app combining both services by the end of the year, outgoing CEO Bob Iger said at the company’s Q1 earnings call in February. Currently, Disney Plus and Hulu each have their own apps, but Hulu subscribers can watch most of their content in the Disney Plus app by linking to their account.

Disney Plus ranks third among the top streaming channels in the US, behind Netflix and Amazon Prime. Combined with Hulu, which is sixth, they make up nearly one-quarter of all streams among subscription services.