Disney+ and Hulu raise prices for fourth time in four years

In what is quickly becoming an annual tradition, Disney is raising the prices of its streaming services.

This year, the company’s premium offerings are being increased by $2.50 per month, while its various bundles and ad-supported tiers are also seeing price increases.

The headline price change is that of Disney+ Premium, the ad-free version of Disney+. That service will increase from $18.99 per month to $21.49 per month effective September 23. The same exact increase was given to Hulu Premium, the ad-free tier of Hulu. Bundles together, those two services will now cost customers $21.99 per month, which is just a $0.50 increase from its previous price.

Customers that also bundle ESPN Select (formerly ESPN+) into the equation are also getting hit with a price hike. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select bundle — which gives users access to the ad-supported tier of all three services — will now run $21.99 per month, a $2 increase over the previous price. Customers that want the ad-free version of that same bundle will now pay $32.99 per month, a $3 increase over the prior price point.

Users that bundle Disney+ and Hulu with ESPN Unlimited, the full direct-to-consumer offering that includes all of ESPN’s linear channels, will not see additional price increases. The ad-supported version will run $35.99 per month and include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited. The ad-free version will run $44.99 per month.

Those prices have remained unchanged despite the standalone ESPN Unlimited offering getting a price increase of $2 per month beginning September 17.

Given the price points of the standalone services, it is clear that Disney is steering consumers aggressively towards its bundle options.

In addition to raising the prices on its streaming services, Disney is instituting price hikes on its live television alternatives as well. Hulu + Live TV, which gives users a full suite of live television channels along with Hulu, is getting a $10 monthly increase to $99.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV Premium, which gives users the ad-free version of Hulu, will also raise $10 to $109.99 per month.

Disney is far from the only company raising prices on its streaming services. Just recently, Peacock also raised its prices for the fourth time in four years. Other streamers have also regularly hiked rates, causing consumers to make tough decisions about which services are worth keeping, and which they can let go of.