Disney Raises Streaming Prices Starting Oct. 21

Disney said it will raise U.S. prices for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ effective Oct. 21, with the ad-supported Disney+ plan moving from $9.99 to $11.99 and the ad-free Disney+ premium tier rising to $18.99. Most multi-service bundles will increase by about $2–$3 per month, and Hulu + Live TV will jump by roughly $7 to about $90 per month; a few premium plans will remain unchanged. The hikes — the fourth in as many years — also include smaller increases to ESPN Select and some other packages. The announcement arrived amid the high-profile Jimmy Kimmel suspension-and-reinstatement controversy, which has spurred protests, artists’ pullouts and a surge in “cancel” searches, but Disney has not attributed the price changes to that dispute and framed them as part of broader industry moves to bolster streaming profitability after recent subscriber and earnings updates. Observers warn the timing could deepen short-term churn even as Disney expects longer-term revenue benefits from higher prices.