As ESPN+ Raises Its Price, Now’s the Time to Opt for the Disney Bundle
In a move sure to upset sports fans, on Aug. 23, ESPN+ is getting a 43% price increase from $6.99 to $9.99 per month. While this makes a standalone subscription quite unattractive, it alternately makes the $13.99 monthly rate for the full Disney Bundle look that much more appealing.
The price tag for the Disney Bundle, which includes subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu and the aforementioned live sports network ESPN+, has remained static for some time even as its individual parts have seen steady increases over the past few years. ESPN+ alone has seen its prices go up a dollar each year since 2020.
Currently, subscribing to each individual streamer costs $7.99 for Disney+, $6.99 for Basic Hulu, and now $9.99 for ESPN+, totaling almost $25 each month for all three services. However, the discounted bundle knocks nearly $11 off that total, making the choice to take on all three Disney streamers obvious.
These are a number of different ways to save through a Disney subscription bundle, including:
1. The Disney “Best Value” Bundle: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu (with Ads)
Price: $13.99 (discounted from $24.97)
The OG of Disney discounts, this bundle gives you all three streamers at a decent price. Hulu, the premiere ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service, gives its subscribers lower costs with some commercials included in their viewing experience. Disney+ currently does not include ads on this tier, as Disney’s flagship streamer will not introduce ads to the platform until December.
This bundle gives subscribers access to the complete Disney+ library of original streaming movies and shows as well as Disney films and continuous Disney Channel content. Hulu offers great originals such as the recently released Predator film “Prey” as well as a host of original and broadcast TV content. Sports lovers will get to watch hours of live TV as they prepare for the upcoming NFL and college football seasons.
2. The Disney Bundle: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu (No Ads)
Price: $19.99 (discounted from $30.97)
Getting rid of ads entirely is going to cost a bit more since the Hulu subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service without commercials balloons to $12.99 each month. As an extra bonus, this tier allows subscribers to download and watch select media without an internet connection, something barred from the AVOD option.
As of yet, there is no news on how the Disney+ AVOD launch on Dec. 18 will affect these bundling prices. Presumably, the AVOD option that currently includes ads on Hulu will also bring commercials to the Disney+ platform at the same $13.99 price point.
With the Disney+ new ad-free option rising to $10.99, an SVOD subscription bundle may end up in the $19.99 to $22.99 range to make up for those extra fees.
So, as prices continue to shift, the best way to enjoy Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu content is through the present-day bundling plans, which for the time being offers a lot of value at a price that has remained static for several years, and hopefully will to do so as the market continues to change.
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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.”
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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.”
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ESPN+
ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events, original shows like Peyton’s Place, the entire library of 30 for 30, E:60, The Last Dance, as well exclusive written analysis from top ESPN insiders. Sports available on ESPN+ include NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more.
