The bundle essentially absorbs what they were already spending elsewhere
As streaming matures from novelty into utility, the price of watching television continues its quiet ascent. Hulu with Live TV, a Disney-owned service, will raise its monthly cost to $70 for ad-supported viewing beginning December 21st, surpassing its nearest rivals and bundling Disney Plus and ESPN Plus into the package whether subscribers want them or not. The move reflects a broader industry logic: consolidation dressed as generosity, where the definition of value is written by the seller.
- Hulu with Live TV is now the most expensive live TV streaming option on the market, edging past YouTube TV and Fubo TV, which both hold at $65 a month.
- The price hike hits everyone — new and existing subscribers alike — with no opt-out and no grace period beyond the December 21st deadline.
- Disney is bundling its own properties — Disney Plus and ESPN Plus — into the package, blurring the line between added value and forced adoption of services many subscribers never asked for.
- For multi-service households already paying for Disney Plus and ESPN Plus separately, the math may actually favor the new price; for live-TV-only subscribers, it is an unambiguous loss.
- The increase follows a separate price hike on Hulu's base streaming tier just weeks prior, signaling that Disney is systematically repricing its entire streaming portfolio upward.
Beginning December 21st, Hulu with Live TV will cost $70 a month for the ad-supported tier — a $5 increase — and $76 for those who prefer an ad-free experience. The change applies to all subscribers, existing and new alike.
The company is softening the announcement by folding Disney Plus and ESPN Plus into both tiers at no additional charge. Since those services normally cost $8 and $7 per month respectively, subscribers who were already paying for them alongside Hulu's live TV will find the new pricing easier to absorb. The bundle effectively consolidates what they were already spending.
For subscribers who only wanted live television and have no use for Disney's entertainment library or sports coverage, however, the calculus is simpler: it is a price increase, and the extras are beside the point. Hulu also raised prices on its base streaming service just last month, suggesting a deliberate and systematic repricing across Disney's streaming portfolio.
The move places Hulu above its two main competitors — YouTube TV and Fubo TV — both of which sit at roughly $65 a month. More than a pricing decision, the bundling strategy reveals Disney's broader ambition: to draw subscribers deeper into its ecosystem by making its services inseparable, and to let the price reflect that consolidation. Whether that feels like value depends entirely on what a subscriber wanted in the first place.
Starting in late December, Hulu with Live TV will cost $70 a month for viewers willing to watch ads, up from $65. Those who want to skip commercials will pay $76 instead of $71. The increase takes effect on December 21st and applies to everyone—new sign-ups and people already subscribed.
What softens the blow, at least for some, is that both tiers now come bundled with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus included in the price. Disney Plus normally runs $8 monthly on its own. ESPN Plus costs $7. For anyone already paying for one or both of those services alongside Hulu with Live TV, the math suddenly looks different. The bundle essentially absorbs what they were already spending elsewhere.
But for the person who only wants Hulu's live TV offering and has no interest in Disney's entertainment catalog or sports coverage, this is simply a price increase with nothing to show for it. The company raised prices on its base streaming service just last month too—the ad-supported version now costs $7 monthly, while the ad-free option is $13.
This marks the second time in roughly a year that Hulu with Live TV has gone up in price. The service is now the most expensive option in its category. YouTube TV and Fubo TV, its main competitors, both start at around $65 a month. Hulu has moved past them.
The bundling strategy reflects how Disney is consolidating its streaming properties under one roof. Rather than letting customers pick and choose, the company is folding its sports and entertainment services into the live TV package and raising the price to match. For Disney, it's a way to drive adoption of services that might not have strong standalone appeal. For subscribers, it depends entirely on whether they wanted those services in the first place.
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why bundle these three services together if people might only want one?
Disney owns all three now. Bundling increases the perceived value and makes it harder for someone to leave—even if they only care about live TV, they're now getting ESPN Plus and Disney Plus whether they use them or not.
So this is really about lock-in.
Partly. But it's also about math. If you were already paying for ESPN Plus separately, this price increase doesn't feel as bad. Disney gets to raise prices while claiming they're adding value.
What about people who don't want Disney Plus or ESPN Plus?
They're absorbing a price increase for services they don't use. That's the trade-off. Hulu becomes more expensive, but only the bundle is available now.
Is this sustainable? At $70, they're pricier than YouTube TV.
That's the risk. If enough people leave for cheaper competitors, Disney might have to adjust. But they're betting the bundle is sticky enough that people stay.