Disney raising prices of Disney+, Hulu ad-free plans for 2nd time in a year
Disney last announced price hikes a year ago today
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For the second time in a year, Disney is raising the prices of its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu streaming service plans.
The company announced this week that the ad-free version of Disney+ will increase to $13.99 a month starting Oct. 12, up from the current $10.99 a month price. For Hulu, the ad-free version will rise to $17.99 a month, up from its ongoing $14.99 offering.
Disney also is launching a new "Duo Premium" plan that bundles both ad-free versions of the streaming services for a $19.99 monthly cost. The company had last announced price hikes for the ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu one year ago today.
"The new Disney+ and Hulu Bundle ad-free plan launching on September 6 adds another option to an already comprehensive slate of subscription plans that are among the best values in streaming today," Disney said in a statement.
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The Disney+ streaming log-in screen is displayed on a television. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa / AP Newsroom)
Prices for both streaming services with ads remain unchanged at $7.99 a month.
"Subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu give viewers instant access to the best of streaming television and film — including award-winning Original content, movies and series from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more and one of the largest on-demand streaming libraries of current and past seasons of hit shows and movies," Disney said.
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The Walt Disney Co. also announced Wednesday that it may start restricting account sharing for its streaming services, in a move mimicking Netflix.
"We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family," CEO Bob Iger said during the company's third-quarter earnings call.
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Hulu's ad-free version is getting a price hike as well, starting in October. (Chesnot/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Disney will start updating its subscriber agreements to include "additional terms" on sharing later in the year, he said. That, according to Iger, would be followed in 2024 by implementation of "tactics to drive monetization."
"What we don’t know, of course, is as we get to work on this, how much of the password sharing as we basically eliminate it will convert to growth and subs," he told analysts and investors. "Obviously, we believe there will be some, but we’re not speculating."
Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted Wednesday that The Walt Disney Co. may restrict account sharing for its streaming services in a move mimicking Netflix. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Streaming competitor Netflix in May started subjecting users in the U.S. and many other countries to its new policy that an account "is meant to be shared by people living together in one household."
FOX Business’ Aislinn Murphy contributed to this report.