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You Now Can’t Subscribe to Disney+ or Hulu via Apple Devices

You Now Can’t Subscribe to Disney+ or Hulu via Apple Devices

Apple takes a hefty commission off subscriptions sold through its devices, and Disney doesn’t want to pay any longer.

Disney is looking to cut out the middleman when it comes to its streaming services… or at least one especially greedy middleman. The company is no longer allowing new and returning customers to sign up for Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+ through Apple, which will save the House of Mouse from paying a commission on each subscription. Of course, customers can still sign up directly through Disney and stream the services on their Apple TV streaming players or other iOS devices, but they just won’t be able to pay and manage their subscription through Apple.

Key Details:

  • Apple takes large commissions from apps that sell subscriptions on its devices.
  • Other streamers like Netflix have also pulled the ability for customers to subscribe through Apple.
  • Viewers can still watch Disney streaming services on Apple TV and other devices as normal.

According to the updated rules on paying for Disney streaming services posted to the respective streamers’ help pages, customers who originally signed up for Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+ through an Apple device will still be billed via Apple, but new subscribers will have to sign up directly or seek alternative subscription methods.

Why is Disney cutting off the ability for customers to subscribe to its streaming services through Apple? There was no public confirmation, but the answer almost certainly lies in Apple’s commissioning practices. YouTube TV decided to sell NFL Sunday Ticket through the Apple TV digital store earlier this year, but had to add a full 30% to the price to offset the commission it had to pay, raising the cost of a Sunday Ticket subscription to almost $750 for the season.

Other streaming services have also opted out of allowing Apple to sell subscriptions on their behalf. Netflix has been unavailable to subscribe to via Apple since 2022, and earlier this year even existing customers lost the ability to pay for their Netflix via Apple.

It’s possible that Disney will eventually cut off support for existing customers to pay for their accounts through Apple in the future, as well. It clearly wants the money it’s paying Apple in commissions in its own pocket, and that could lead to future changes in its arrangement with the tech company.

Customers who watch Disney streaming services primarily on Apple devices will not see any major changes in the way they watch. They’ll still be able to sign in and use the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ apps as normal, but new customers who are subscribing to these services won’t be able to do so through an Apple device.

  • Disney+

    Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”

    Disney+ has several plans with or without ads. Disney+ Basic with Ads costs $9.99 / month. If you don’t want ads, you can choose Disney+ Premium with No Ads which costs $15.99 / month.

    The Premium plan also offers an annual option for $159.99 / year ($13.33/mo.).

    If you’d like to add Hulu, choose Duo Basic (with ads) for $10.99 / month. Duo Premium offers Hulu and Disney+ ad-free for $19.99 / month.

    If you want all three Disney streaming services, you can choose Trio Basic (ad-supported) or Trio Premium (ad-free). The Trio plans offer Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (with Ads) for $9.99 / month. The Disney Bundle Premium (without Ads) for $26.99 / month.

    The app supports unlimited downloads (on their Premium Plans), four simultaneous streamers, up to 7 profiles, 4K streaming, and includes hundreds of avatars.

    The service includes 25+ original series, 10+ original movies, 7,500 past episodes, 100 recent movies, and 400 library titles including the entire Disney Vault.

    You can see the full list of available Disney, Disney Channel, Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, Nat Geo shows and movies, or all available Disney+ content by checking out our Disney+ Streaming Movie List.

    Sign Up

    Get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for just $16.99 a month ($14 savings).

  • Hulu

    Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid's Tale.”

    It offers a good selection of current TV shows and its ad-supported tier is cheaper than both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. You will be able to watch most shows from networks like ABC and Fox, and cable channels like FXX, FXM, HGTV, and more.

    The service has a Limited Commercials plan for $9.99 a month, or you can upgrade to their No Ads plan for $18.99 a month. For $82.99 a month, you can get Hulu Live TV from major cable channels, live locals and regional sports networks.

  • ESPN+

    ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events including NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more. Users can see sports documentaries and select archived events. Subscribers can access exclusive articles from top ESPN insiders.

    Read our in-depth review of ESPN+ ►


David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

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