The Price of Disney Plus is About to Go Up

The next phase of Disney’s plan to make its streaming services profitable is another round of price hikes, served up with more news and new playlist features. Disney is rolling out a new wave of price hikes that its subscribers will probably be none too pleased to be hit with. Beginning October 17th, individual monthly and annual plans for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN are all going up.

Price Hikes Across the Board

Monthly subscriptions to Disney Plus with ads will jump from ₹656 to ₹820 a month. The monthly Disney Plus ad-free tier will increase from ₹1,148 to ₹1,311, and annual ad-free plans will rise from their previous ₹11,480 price point to ₹13,120. Hulu’s ad-supported tier will rise from ₹656/month and ₹6,560/year to ₹820/month and ₹8,200/year, and monthly ad-free plans will jump from ₹1,476 to ₹1,558. ESPN Plus’ ₹902/month and ₹9,020/year plans will now cost ₹984/month and ₹9,840/year, respectively. Additionally, people subscribed to Disney’s basic and premium streaming bundles will also see their bills getting a bit more expensive this fall.

New Features and Playlists

Along with the new prices, Disney Plus is also giving subscribers access to ABC News Live and a series of curated playlists serving up content from across the company’s portfolio beginning September 4th. The first playlist to hit the service will be focused on things for preschool-aged audiences, and Disney plans on launching four additional categories in the near future:

• Seasonal: Festive content for various times of the year.

• Epic Stories: Marvel and Star Wars fare.

• Throwbacks: Older shows and films.

• Real Life: Documentaries.

The playlist news tracks with past reports of Disney wanting to get into the FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channel game to offer subscribers a low-effort way of finding things to watch. And while the price hikes similarly gel with Disney’s continued push for streaming profitability, the move isn’t likely to be a welcome change for viewers when it rolls out.

Conclusion

The price increases are part of Disney's strategy to make its streaming services profitable, but they might not sit well with many subscribers. The addition of new features and curated playlists could soften the blow, offering subscribers a richer and more diverse content experience. However, the significant hikes in subscription costs will undoubtedly prompt viewers to reconsider their streaming budgets.

Stay tuned to Kushal Bharat Tech News for the latest updates on streaming services and other tech innovations.