HBO Max Bundle Price Is Going up Again, and Subscribers Are Already Getting Emails
Streaming fans have grown used to autumn bringing bad news for their wallets, and the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max bundle is the latest casualty. This time last year, Warner Bros. Discovery raised HBO Max prices across its plans effective October 21, pushing Basic With Ads to $10.99 a month and Standard to $18.49. That hike arrived just 1 year after the previous round of increases.
Now Disney is taking its turn. On September 23, the company rolled out higher prices across most Disney+ and Hulu plans, marking the fourth price increase in as many years, according to Variety. The Hollywood Reporter noted that streaming inflation has risen about 3 times faster than the broader inflation rate since 2022.
The change is already landing in inboxes. A subscriber on Reddit’s r/HBOMAX shared an email from HBO Max titled “Your subscription price is changing,” confirming an upcoming increase for the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (No Ads) monthly plan.
According to the email, the ad-free bundle is rising from $32.99 to $34.99 per month, a $2 bump. The user noted that the new price kicks in starting October 21, which lines up with Disney’s official guidance that existing subscribers will see new pricing in their billing cycle on or after that date.
Hulu’s own bundle page now lists the no-ads package at $34.99 a month, which it says saves $26.48 compared with buying all 3 services separately. The version with ads is listed at $21.99 a month.
The bundle change is part of a wider shake-up. Disney+ Premium and Hulu Premium, the ad-free plans, are both increasing from $18.99 to $21.49 per month, a 13% jump. The ad-supported standalone versions of Disney+ and Hulu are rising from $11.99 to $12.49.
MacRumors reported that bundles including ESPN or HBO Max are going up between $2 and $3. The new rates took effect immediately for new subscribers on September 23.
Not everything is getting more expensive. The Disney+ and Hulu bundle with ads is holding steady at $12.99 a month, while the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle with ads stays at $35.99 and the ad-free Premium Unlimited bundle remains $44.99. Disney also recently raised ESPN Unlimited from $29.99 to $31.99 per month, effective September 17.
Industry observers see a clear strategy behind the numbers. Variety noted that the Disney+/Hulu Premium bundle, now $21.99 after a $2 increase, costs nearly half as much as buying both ad-free plans separately. MacRumors added that Disney has been merging Hulu content into the Disney+ app to create an all-in-one experience, making bundles the natural option.
Deadline pointed out that bundling helps reduce churn, the rate at which subscribers sign up and then cancel. That explains why cross-company packages, like the one combining Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max, have become such a big part of the streaming landscape.
The increases highlight just how far streaming prices have climbed. When Disney+ launched in November 2019, it cost $6.99 per month with no ads, and its first ad-supported plan arrived in 2022. MacRumors calculated that pricing for the no-ad option has now risen more than 200% in nearly 7 years.
Disney isn’t alone either. Apple TV and Peacock both announced price hikes in August, while Netflix’s premium plan remains the most expensive individual subscription at $26.99 a month.
Not every viewer is willing to keep paying. Some commenters on Deadline’s coverage said the latest round of increases was the final straw, pointing to the rising cost of ad-free plans as their reason for canceling.
Will the latest Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle price increase change your subscription?
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