The price increase will apply to ad-free and ad-supported subscriptions.
Another streaming service is instituting a price hike. Hulu has given notice to subscribers that it will be raising subscription prices by $1 beginning on October 8. The streaming service is jointly owned by Comcast and the Walt Disney Company and runs both original and syndicated programming along with live streams of select NBC Universal networks.
Hulu with ads will go from $5.99 to $6.99 per month; the ad-free version goes from $11.99 to $12.99 per month; and the annual subscription will increase by $10 to $69.99 a year. Prices for Hulu live are staying the same at $64.99 with ads and $70.99 for ad-free. Hulu Live has been a popular option for cable cord-cutters that want to watch live content from traditional cable channels.
Hulu is home to several popular original series, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, and Only Murders In The Building. It also features a rotating library of TV series and movies, plus the ability to add on premium services like Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax.
Streaming services have struggled to keep subscribers under a system that allows users to go month-to-month rather than extended contracts. Disney has created a more affordable bundle of Disney-owned services that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for only $13.99 per month.
Disney and Comcast are currently in a dispute over the sale of Comcast’s share of Hulu. Comcast has argued that Disney’s decision not to launch Hulu in international markets has reduced the market value and reduces the profit Comcast expects to receive in the sale.
Last month, Disney CEO Bob Chapek made comments in an earnings call that suggested the company may merge Hulu with Disney+ to create one platform. That merger could create more value and boost subscriber rates across the board.