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While Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ all have price hikes on the horizon, WSJ reports Netflix plans to raise its prices after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is planning to raise the price of its ad-free tier a few months after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends. The company will become the latest streaming giant to increase its costs, following upcoming price hikes from Apple, Disney, ESPN, Hulu, and more.
Netflix is considering raising prices in several markets, most likely beginning with the US and Canada, according to those close to the situation. WSJ says it has yet to learn how much the company will increase its prices or when new pricing would take effect; Netflix has declined to comment.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday (October 3) that the monthly price of the ad-free version of Discovery+ would increase by two dollars, from $6.99 to 8.99. Its ad-supported tier will remain unchanged at $4.99 a month. The company also plans to add live sports to its Max streaming service (formerly HBO Max) for an opt-in tier that will cost $9.99 a month. The base Max offering is $15.99 a month.
Similarly, Disney is looking to launch a new live-sports tier of Disney+ in markets outside the US. The ad-free monthly prices of Disney+ and Hulu will increase beginning on October 12; Disney+ will cost $13.99 while Hulu’s ad-free tier will be $17.99. For now, the ad-sponsored tiers of both services will remain $7.99 a month.
As more services bundle sports into their streaming offerings, Apple launches Major League Soccer’s MLS Season Pass for $12.99 a month to subscribers of its $6.99 per month Apple TV+ service. Those who don’t subscribe to Apple TV+ will have to pay $14.99. Other streaming services to up their prices include Paramount+ and Peacock.
Ad-free streaming services have become about 25% more expensive in the past year and a half, making their ad-supported plans look more appealing to price-wary consumers. Ultimately, entertainment companies benefit from encouraging customers to switch to their cheaper — but more lucrative — ad-based tiers.
