Disney and Hulu October 2025 price hike: how new costs and bundles hit subscribers amid Jimmy Kimmel controversy

Disney is increasing subscription costs across its streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select, effective October 21, 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive year of Disney+ price hikes since its launch in 2019 at $6.99/month. Despite becoming profitable last year, Disney is pushing prices higher to strengthen its streaming revenue.

The timing is contentious. The increase comes soon after public backlash over the temporary removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live! from ABC, which sparked calls for boycotts of Disney services.

This marks the fourth consecutive year Disney has raised subscription prices, signaling a sustained trend toward premium pricing. While the rises are moderate dollar-wise, they represent a steady climb that will modestly stretch household entertainment budgets.


For consumers already spending on multiple platforms—Disney’s being among the most popular—the incremental cost demands reassessment of streaming priorities or bundle strategies.

The cost hike affects Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select, impacting millions of subscribers. Starting with the most popular entry-level plans, Disney+ with ads will jump from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, marking a 20% increase.

Disney+ standalone plans are increasing, with the ad-supported plan going from $9.99 to $11.99 and the ad-free premium plan rising to $18.99 per month. Bundles including ESPN Select are also affected by these increases.

The Hulu standalone plan with ads is also going up from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, while the Hulu premium version without ads remains at $18.99 per month. The Hulu + Live TV plan will increase to $99.99 per month.

Additionally, Disney+ and Hulu bundle plans will also see price increases, with the Disney+, Hulu (with ads) bundle rising to $12.99 and premium bundles increasing more significantly.

Bundle pricing revises upward as well. The Disney+ and Hulu with ads bundle jumps from $10.99 to $12.99 monthly. More comprehensive packages that include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select increase by $3, reaching $19.99 for the ad-supported tier and $29.99 for the premium ad-free bundle.

These adjustments come amid a fiercely competitive streaming landscape where companies continuously invest in original and exclusive content but simultaneously face subscriber pushback due to rising costs.

Though price increases are typical in this industry, the rollout comes amid a public relations challenge for Disney. Subscriber outrage mounted recently after Disney temporarily removed “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from ABC following the host’s controversial remarks about a political activist’s alleged assailant.

The suspension ignited backlash and even subscription cancellations, highlighting the delicate balance media companies must maintain between content decisions and customer sentiment. Disney reversed course quickly, reinstating the program, yet backlash remains vocal across certain media circles and among a portion of subscribers.

The clash between Disney’s content management and its pricing strategy underscores the complexity streaming platforms face in an overcrowded market where price sensitivity is high.

Nearly half of Americans continue to prefer streaming to traditional cable, but cost increases risk triggering a churn of subscribers who juggle multiple paid services.

Disney+ new pricing plans

Disney+ is raising costs across both ad-supported and ad-free tiers:

• Ad-supported plan: $9.99 → $11.99/month
  
  
• Ad-free premium plan: $15.99 → $18.99/month
  
  
• Annual premium plan: $159.99 → $189.99/year
  
  

These changes reflect Disney’s ongoing strategy to monetize its streaming content more aggressively while covering rising production and operational costs.

Hulu price adjustments

Hulu subscribers will also see increases, particularly in ad-supported and live TV packages:

• Ad-supported plan: $9.99 → $11.99/month
  
  
• Ad-free premium plan: $18.99/month (unchanged)
  
  
• Hulu + Live TV:
  
  
  • With ads: $82.99 → $89.99/month
    
    
  • Premium (no ads): $99.99/month
    
    

The adjustment for Live TV reflects higher content and licensing costs in a competitive streaming market.

Bundles and combined packages

Disney is also raising prices for bundled offerings, which include Hulu, Disney+, ESPN Select, and HBO Max:

• Disney+ & Hulu (with ads): $10.99 → $12.99/month
  
  
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select (with ads): $16.99 → $19.99/month
  
  
• Premium bundle (no ads): $26.99 → $29.99/month
  
  
• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max (with ads): $16.99 → $19.99/month
  
  
• Premium bundle (no ads): $29.99 → $32.99/month
  
  

Bundled subscriptions remain popular, but these increases signal Disney’s effort to maximize revenue across multiple platforms simultaneously.

Disney’s ongoing investment in original programming and live sports offerings, such as the recent launch of an expanded ESPN direct-to-consumer service, drives much of these price moves. Market experts anticipate similar steps from competitors who are also refining monetization models to offset content creation costs and evolving viewer habits.

Subscribers should carefully review plan options and bundles to maximize value or consider ad-supported tiers that offer lower entry points despite limited disruptions.

Disney plans to integrate Hulu into a unified Disney+ app in 2026, which could affect future pricing and international availability. U.S. subscribers will feel the immediate impact, while global audiences may see broader changes when the unified platform launches.