Amid Kimmel Boycott, Disney+ Decides to Raise Prices

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Today in questionable timing, Disney+ announced that it's raising prices once again, giving subscribers another reason to cancel amid protests over the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Effective Oct. 21, a monthly subscription will be $11.99, up from $9.99.

A Disney spokesperson tells PCMag that the company will send notifications about the price increase to subscribers starting today.

A company support page catalogs each price change, which applies to nine different plans, including the various bundles with ESPN and HBO Max. Expect to pay about $2 to $3 more per month. Here’s a breakdown:

Disney+ (with ads): New Price $11.99 | Current Price: $9.99
Disney+ Premium (no ads): New Price $18.99 | Current Price: $15.99
Disney+ Premium (annual ad-free plan): New Price $189.99 | Current Price: $159.99
Disney+, Hulu Bundle (with ads): New Price $12.99 | Current Price: $10.99
Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads): New Price $19.99 | Current Price: $16.99
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle (with ads): New Price $19.99 | Current Price: $16.99
Disney+ Premium, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Legacy: New Price $24.99 | Current Price: $21.99
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium: New Price $29.99 | Current Price: $26.99
Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (No Ads): New Price $32.99 | Current Price: $29.99

The change is significant considering Disney+ originally launched in 2019 at $6.99 per month for ad-free viewing. The good news is that pricing for a few other bundles will remain the same, like the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium without ads at $19.99 per month.

The company didn’t explain why the prices are increasing. But it coincides with streaming service rate hikes across the board, from Peacock to Apple TV+.

Still, the news threatens to further alienate consumers, some of whom have been canceling their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions to protest parent company Disney's decision to halt Jimmy Kimmel's show, seemingly at the behest of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

Although Kimmel's show returns tonight, that's not enough for some people. In the meantime, consumers can still tap some free streaming services.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
Xbox 360 FTW
The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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