Disney+ Bundle With Hulu And ESPN Will Cost Less Than Netflix
During its earnings call today, Disney revealed a planned upcoming bundle that will give cord-cutters access to a huge amount of streaming content for less than $15 per month. The upcoming bundle will center around the Disney+ streaming service scheduled to launch on November 12, and it'll include the ad-supported version of Hulu and the ESPN+ streaming services.READ: Disney+ streaming service detailed: Price, launch date and everything else
The Disney+ streaming service spent months as a rumor before being made official earlier this year. Disney has already revealed a number of details about the service, including many of the original shows it plans to offer on it at launch and the November 12 availability date. The company previously indicated that it would offer Disney+ as part of a streaming bundle, but additional details weren't available until now.
According to Disney CEO Bob Iger, Disney+ will cost $12.99/month for customers located in the United States. At that price, consumers will get a bundle that also includes the cheapest Hulu on-demand tier and ESPN's streaming service. Without the bundled option, customers will pay $6.99/month for Disney+ as a standalone service.
At only around $13/month, the Disney+ bundle will be an attractive option for consumers who have grown increasingly frustrated with the fragmented streaming market. Hulu and ESPN will fill the gaps that aren't covered by the Disney+ service, offering content from other companies like Viacom (Comedy Central, etc) and streaming sports. For many consumers, the bundle may cover the vast majority of their entertainment needs.
This is bad news for Netflix and Amazon, however, neither of which can compete with the vast catalog that'll be covered by the Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN trifecta. In addition to offering the existing Disney content library, Disney+ will be the exclusive destination for original shows based on hot properties, including Star Wars, as well as future movies and TV shows.
Putting this into perspective, Netflix's most basic plan costs $8.99/month and doesn't include high-definition video; customers who want 4K content will need to pay $15.99/month (Disney+ will include 4K HDR). Amazon Prime Video as a standalone service is priced at $8.99/month.