Disney Plus, Hulu to merge into one app

The content of streaming giants Disney Plus and Hulu will combine into one app, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced on Wednesday, May 10.

The ‘one-app experience’ will roll out in the US by the end of 2023, and will be available to users subscribed to both platforms. Disney Plus will also increase its subscription price from the current $10.99 ad-free plan.

“The pricing changes we’ve already implemented are proven successful, and we plan to set a higher price for our ad-free tier later this year to better reflect the value of our content offerings,” Iger said on the Disney earnings call.

The CEO also added that the standalone options for the Hulu, ESPN, and Disney Plus bundles will remain on the flagship streaming service. 

A Hulu and Disney Plus bundle is already available on the latter’s platform for $9.99 monthly, along with a Disney Plus + ESPN + Hulu bundle with ads for $12.99 a month. However, the bundle plans require users to access each platform’s content on three separate apps. 

“This is a logical progression of our DTC [direct-to-consumer] offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience,” he shared.

Currently, Disney owns 66% of Hulu and plans to purchase its remaining shares by 2024.

The announcement from Disney also mirrors HBO Max’s recent rebrand as Max, a merge between the content of HBO Max and Discovery Plus that will launch on May 23.