Disney to hike streaming prices again next month by up to $7

[Daniel Sims]

Facepalm: The PR surrounding Disney probably could not get much worse. Days after a potential boycott prompted the company to reverse its decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a price increase for multiple streaming tiers could intensify matters. Sources informed The Handbasket that the two factors are related.

Starting October 23, Disney+ will increase its subscription prices yet again. The decision, likely scheduled far in advance, now seems ill-timed following accusations that the company bowed to government censorship.

Tier	Ads	Old Price	New Price	Change
Disney+	Yes	$10	$12	$2
Disney+ Premium	No	$16	$19	$3
Disney+ Hulu Bundle	Yes	$11	$13	$2
Disney+ Hulu Premium Bundle	No	$20	$20	$0
Hulu Premium	No	$19	$19	$0
Hulu + Live TV	Yes	$83	$90	$7

Disney+ previously saw hikes in December 2022, October 2023, and last October. Following the upcoming increase, the basic ad-supported tier will cost nearly double the service's original $7 subscription.

Before Vulture broke the news, sources informed The Handbasket that the then-imminent announcement pushed Disney to resume hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the outrage over the show's indefinite suspension.

Disney pulled the program after Kimmel's on-air criticism of the political response to Charlie Kirk's shooting. Soon afterward, an online petition demanding the comedian's reinstatement reached 90,000 signatures, and around 400 celebrities signed an open letter supporting Kimmel.

Kimmel: "Disney has asked me to read the following statement and I agreed to do it. 'To reactivate your Disney+ and Hulu account ... '" pic.twitter.com/sr2ATVSpIR

– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 24, 2025

The service reportedly lost over a million subscribers. Despite the late-night talk show's resumption, the price hike will likely vindicate many boycotters. Coincidentally, Disney also recently released the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, a feature-length follow-up to the hit Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, which completed its third and final season in 2023.

In recent years, most major streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max, have raised prices, introduced ads, and restricted password sharing to increase profitability. Nielsen data in July showed that Netflix, the service that popularized streaming, still easily leads the pack, hosting approximately half of the most-watched programs. This represents a sharp decline from 2021, when the service hosted 80 percent of them, indicating that the competition is gaining ground.

HBO Max and Netflix tied for the most awards at the 2025 Emmys, with 30 each. HBO's top winners were The Penguin and The Pitt, while Netflix stormed the awards ceremony with Adolescence and Arcane. Disney+ ranked fifth following wins by Andor and two music documentaries about John Williams and the Beatles.

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Disney to hike streaming prices again next month by up to $7

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I'm shocked, bamboozled, stunned!

Ah well, they've got plenty of Disney adults who will pay it. Someone's gotta fund Kimmel's retirement, because we all know his comedy aint gonna cut it.

 

[WhiteLeaff]

Does anyone care? There's nothing good about their streaming service.

I stick with Prime because it offers many advantages for the price.

 

[mgwerner]

Does anyone care? There's nothing good about their streaming service.

I stick with Prime because it offers many advantages for the price.

There's nothing good about any streaming service.

FIFY

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Disney has nothing I want, feel free to jack up the prices for a service that is worthless.

 

[amstech]

Kimmel is just another whimpering liberal baby. He'll probably have Tyler Robinson on as a guest soon.

 

[dangh]

Long time ago we bought own disks or rented from stores. We could share, watch again, in any place and with whoever we wanted.

Then digital revolution come and pirating was more user friendly, so we started to use internet to get content instead of hours in traffic and a rain. We could share, watch again with whoever we wanted

Next, streaming appeared, offering easy of use, huge library, for good price, easy to share accounts, convenient and simple. Great stuff, I lost some ownership but I am 'a good guy' so that's fine.

Shortly after, a competition appeared, fragmenting the market. Series were removed in middle of season, prices risen across the board, but now I have to have an approved cpu/os to get a 'right' quality. Where is my linux 4k netflix?

Advertisement appeared, I can't share anymore my sub with family, I have no ownership whatsoever, and to watch what I want (and I don't watch too much) I need 4 or 5 subs. Series which I like have 2 seasons available in EU but 5 in US.

I cancelled most of the services.

I started to buy again ultra BD with movies so I own them. Same with music (bandcamp works well). Self hosting to share with family.

Next step - where is my arrrr hat.....

 

[Morphine Child]

Like most streaming services Disney+ is only good if you get few months for free as a promo with some other purchase. Did have it for a few months when it was new, saw what I wanted and the rest is rubbish anyway.
And new stuff they put out these days isn't even worth pirating, let alone paying for.

 

[James321]

These streaming services are pricing themselves out of the market. Keep it up!

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Long time ago we bought own disks or rented from stores. We could share, watch again, in any place and with whoever we wanted.

Then digital revolution come and pirating was more user friendly, so we started to use internet to get content instead of hours in traffic and a rain. We could share, watch again with whoever we wanted

Next, streaming appeared, offering easy of use, huge library, for good price, easy to share accounts, convenient and simple. Great stuff, I lost some ownership but I am 'a good guy' so that's fine.

Shortly after, a competition appeared, fragmenting the market. Series were removed in middle of season, prices risen across the board, but now I have to have an approved cpu/os to get a 'right' quality. Where is my linux 4k netflix?

Advertisement appeared, I can't share anymore my sub with family, I have no ownership whatsoever, and to watch what I want (and I don't watch too much) I need 4 or 5 subs. Series which I like have 2 seasons available in EU but 5 in US.

I cancelled most of the services.

I started to buy again ultra BD with movies so I own them. Same with music (bandcamp works well). Self hosting to share with family.

Next step - where is my arrrr hat.....

I keep buying movies on DVD/Blu-ray to add to my growing collection. I recently picked up:

1. 4 movie pack of Steven Segal (Fire Down Below, Above the Law, The Glimmer Man & Under Siege)
2. Fools Rush In
3. Pixels
4. Starship Troopers
5. Hook
6. Speed
7. The Man From UNCLE
8. Grease (1978)
9. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
10. Independence Day
11. A Time to Kill
12. Falling Down
13. Ransom

All those movies were picked up for $3-5 a piece. I've got 1100 movies and 50 complete TV series on my server. Along with another dozen incomplete TV series, such as The Simpsons; just seasons 1 thru 12, back when the show was good.

A lot of new movies that release in theater, some don't make it to disc and a lot of movies/shows that release on streaming services don't get brought to physical media because these companies want you tied to their teat so you can keep sucking on them. No thank you. I want my discs so I can do what I want with them, when I want and not be tied to a shitty subscription where content can change or simply vanish just because the company decides they can do it, the company goes out of business or contracts aren't renewed to distribute IP.

 

[axiomatic13]

Kimmel is just another whimpering liberal baby. He'll probably have Tyler Robinson on as a guest soon.

What? Liberals aren't the ones that can't handle the comedy? That weakness is squarely on Trump's shoulders. You know? The guy who tried to get Kimmel fired and failed?

 

[amstech]

What? Liberals aren't the ones that can't handle the comedy?

All they do is cry cry cry! Ahhhh poor little babies

 

[JMGuy]

Kimmel is just another whimpering liberal baby. He'll probably have Tyler Robinson on as a guest soon.

What? Liberals aren't the ones that can't handle the comedy? That weakness is squarely on Trump's shoulders. You know? The guy who tried to get Kimmel fired and failed?

Sycophantic toddlers on both sides that lack any cognitive sophistication, basic maturity, or any understanding of simple civics. It’s just tiresome. Posting this crap isn’t smart, witty, or adding anything of value and you’re certainly not changing minds. Just a bunch of adult babies with zero value-add. Pathetic. I don’t read tech forums for this stupidity and it’s completely irrelevant to anything. Ignoring you now. Have fun feeling righteous while providing nothing of worth.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Despite the late-night talk show's resumption, the price hike will likely vindicate many boycotters.

Vindicate doesn't mean what you think it means. @Daniel Sims

 

[Rumiku]

What? Liberals aren't the ones that can't handle the comedy? That weakness is squarely on Trump's shoulders. You know? The guy who tried to get Kimmel fired and failed?

Interesting take. Would you also be willing to hold accountable Biden regime's 4 years of successfully shutting down Conservative viewpoints across every medium for their opinions and factual statements? As it stands now, this is about Jimmy lying blatantly to the public, with an already tense stance by the public not tolerating vile vitriol of Charlie Kirk. Jimmy "step into it" with the lie.

I'm personally saddened this "comedian" is (sort of) back on air, but in the spirt of "Free Speech", it should be allowed. But so should the peoples's and corporations rightful reaction to those spewing that vile anti-human stance.

 

[amstech]

I'm personally saddened this "comedian" is (sort of) back on air, but in the spirt of "Free Speech", it should be allowed.

Most companies have policies that limit what you can say if your an employee. This is not new.
Outside of work say whatever you want as long as its no threat.
Also, 99% of cancel culture has been done by the left in the past several years because speaking inconveinent truth pretty much decimates 90% of the radical left wing idealogies.

 

[opckieran]

Pfft. Paying for streaming service.

Most companies have policies that limit what you can say if your an employee. This is not new.
Outside of work say whatever you want as long as its no threat.
Also, 99% of cancel culture has been done by the left in the past several years because speaking inconveinent truth pretty much decimates 90% of the radical left wing idealogies.

I think you mean 100%, not 90…

 

[amstech]

Pfft. Paying for streaming service.




I think you mean 100%, not 90…

Trying to be nice. Most of these folks are just victims of extreme and constant left wing propoganda, and don't have the IQ, discipline or maturity to break from it.

 

[SRB]

What? Liberals aren't the ones that can't handle the comedy? That weakness is squarely on Trump's shoulders. You know? The guy who tried to get Kimmel fired and failed?

There was a time when comics either avoided taking a side or roasted both sides equally. But the biggest issue going on with late night is that for some reason most of these people are incapable of making fun of themselves. What Kimmel said was not only wrong, but in extremely bad taste, but if it weren't for the press, I'd have never known it happened. These people were just un-funny scolds ever since covid and just don't appeal to most people anymore. Don't take my word for it...look at the ratings.

 

[lufkin]

And they wonder why pirating is coming back thick and fast

 

[p51d007]

Remember when streaming started, and everyone cried CUT THE CORD!
Every streaming service is jacking up the price, still showing ads etc.
Maybe it's time everyone should cry CUT THE STREAM!

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Interesting take. Would you also be willing to hold accountable Biden regime's 4 years of successfully shutting down Conservative viewpoints across every medium for their opinions and factual statements? As it stands now, this is about Jimmy lying blatantly to the public, with an already tense stance by the public not tolerating vile vitriol of Charlie Kirk. Jimmy "step into it" with the lie.

I'm personally saddened this "comedian" is (sort of) back on air, but in the spirt of "Free Speech", it should be allowed. But so should the peoples's and corporations rightful reaction to those spewing that vile anti-human stance.

Nothing wrong with him speaking his mind. He is free to do so, but consequences can come from doing such a thing. If an employer doesn't agree with the kind of face their employee puts out there that represents their company, they can do whatever they want to the employee; reprimand, suspend, terminate or demote them. What you say can have consequences with it, such in Kimmel's case; he was suspended.

His rights to freedom of speech was never taken away. His platform on to which he talks was taken away (albeit only briefly). If Kimmel wants to do his own podcast and say whatever he wants to say without having an employer so he doesn't get suspended or perhaps even terminated, he most certainly can do so, no one is stopping him.

Ignorant people seem to think that his freedom of speech was being impeded by the republicans, but they're too blind to actually understand that wasn't the case. Republicans had nothing to do with it, ABC/Disney did. After a break, they felt that it was okay to not fire him and let him keep his job. Maybe one day he'll say something that will get him fired or as ratings show how awful the show has been doing they may just not renew him after his contract is up in 2026.

 

[Kitsone]

Nothing wrong with him speaking his mind. He is free to do so, but consequences can come from doing such a thing. If an employer doesn't agree with the kind of face their employee puts out there that represents their company, they can do whatever they want to the employee; reprimand, suspend, terminate or demote them. What you say can have consequences with it, such in Kimmel's case; he was suspended.

His rights to freedom of speech was never taken away. His platform on to which he talks was taken away (albeit only briefly). If Kimmel wants to do his own podcast and say whatever he wants to say without having an employer so he doesn't get suspended or perhaps even terminated, he most certainly can do so, no one is stopping him.

Ignorant people seem to think that his freedom of speech was being impeded by the republicans, but they're too blind to actually understand that wasn't the case. Republicans had nothing to do with it, ABC/Disney did. After a break, they felt that it was okay to not fire him and let him keep his job. Maybe one day he'll say something that will get him fired or as ratings show how awful the show has been doing they may just not renew him after his contract is up in 2026.

You're clearly ignoring or ignorant of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's part and influence in this entire topic. Directly violating the First Amendment.

 

[Kitsone]

Fellow Techspot readers. Please fact check your news sources with minimally bias sources and not blatantly disregard something you don't agree with. Thank you

 

[Neatfeatguy]

You're clearly ignoring or ignorant of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's part and influence in this entire topic. Directly violating the First Amendment.

Yep, I guess I am. I mean if I walked up to my supervisor and called them a worthless cu_t, sorry sack of ****....well, I guess if I get suspended or fired I can sue them for taking away my freedom of speech. Words do have consequences. I'm free to say these things, but the outcome may not be to my liking.

You want to be on TV and say things that are lies and expect to not get some kind of reprimand for it, well, it certainly is plausible you won't, but it certainly can happen. Kimmel can still say whatever he wants, no one took that away from him, the only thing that happened was his platform to use, that wasn't his, was taken away.