Hulu Increases Subscription Fees Once More
Gearing Up for Another Hike: Hulu's Price Jump
Get ready to pull out your wallet a little more frequently, Streaming Nation! Hulu, that beloved digital escape we all cling to, has decided to take another bite out of your budget. After a not-so-subtle increase in the price of Hulu with Live TV last year, the service is at it again, raising prices for its on-demand plans.
Starting on October 8 of this year, the days of paying $6 for the ad-supported version of Hulu and $12 for the ad-free version are about to end. That's right, you'll be shelling out $7 and $13, respectively, for those plans. According to TechCrunch, this might seem like just small change when you remember the $10 bump in price for Hulu with Live TV last year, but every penny adds up, man!
Now, fear not if you're a fan of live TV, as Hulu's Live TV bundles haven't experienced any price hikes this year - at least not yet, fingers crossed! That being said, given the increasing costs, it might not be too long before we see an adjustment there as well.
Interestingly, these price hikes won't affect plans where Hulu is bundled with Disney+. It seems Disney, having taken full ownership of Hulu in 2019 after buying out Comcast's stake, is using this strategy to sway customers to choose a bundle that includes its own streaming product. For instance, a package including Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ will cost you $14 a month - only a buck more than the ad-free version of Hulu will cost post-price hike, coming next month.
In Disney's third-quarter earnings report last month, it was revealed that while Hulu trails Disney+ in subscribers, it leads in average monthly revenue per user[2]. Notably, Hulu's subscription on-demand video service has grown to a whopping 39.1 million subscribers, with its Live TV option garnering 3.7 million subscribers, resulting in a impressive grand total of 42.8 million total subscribers - an impressive 21% increase year-over-year.
[1] Price hikes for Hulu's on-demand plans took effect on October 8, 2021, increasing the ad-supported plan from $5.99 to $6.99 a month, and the ad-free plan from $11.99 to $12.99 a month.[2] As reported in Disney's third-quarter earnings report, Hulu leads in average monthly revenue per user, and its subscription on-demand video service has grown to 39.1 million subscribers, while its Live TV option has 3.7 million subscribers, resulting in a grand total of 42.8 million total subscribers, up 21% year-over-year.
In the future, the cost for Hulu's ad-supported plan will increase from $6 to $7, while the ad-free version will rise from $12 to $13, starting October 8. Despite these price hikes, Hulu's Live TV bundles have not experienced any increased costs, at least not yet. Interestingly, these price increases won't affect plans where Hulu is bundled with Disney+, creating a convenient and cost-effective option for $14 a month.
