Last year, Disney+ bundle subscribers in the US had the Hulu library integrated into the Disney+ app. Soon, the UK and Europe will follow suit… sort of.
Series and films such as The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Poor Things were already housed on Disney+ UK under the Star label. Essentially, this will be rebranded to Hulu, unifying the app across the pond.
If you’re in America, things work a little differently. Hulu is still on the Disney+ website and app, but the content isn’t bundled into a full subscription like it is in the UK.
If you want to know what this means for you and your subscription, then keep on reading. You can also check out our chart of the best TV streaming services.
I’m a Disney+ UK subscriber – will I have to pay more for Hulu?
There’s no need to worry about prices, as Disney has not confirmed any imminent hikes yet. The last time Disney+ raised prices in the UK was October 2024.
The key difference is that the Star tile will be rebranded as Hulu. Content from this label is already available to stream, and that’s not changing. This news was confirmed during Disney’s quarterly earnings call by CEO, Bob Iger.
The change is anticipated to start rolling out to global markets this Autumn, but we’ll update this article when we know more. For reference, here is what the Star label currently looks like:
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Is the Hulu app being shut down in the US?
For American subscribers, one key change happening is that Disney+ and Hulu will be completely merged into one unified app by 2026. This news was confirmed on the same call as the news above.
According to Variety, the move will deliver an “improved consumer experience”. While this doesn’t exactly come as a surprise, you may be a little confused if you only subscribe to just Disney+ or Hulu.
I’m a Disney+ Hulu standalone subscriber – will I have to pay more?
If you’re only subscribed to Disney+ or Hulu, then there’s no need to panic. You won’t be forced to pay more to be on a bundle. The same article above confirms that subscribers will still be able to buy Disney+ and Hulu as standalone memberships.
Of course, you can also access Hulu content by using a VPN (such as NordVPN) to watch an international version of Disney+, which includes the Star (later to be Hulu) library – we have a guide if you want to learn more.
Here are the standalone costs for Disney+ and Hulu in the US as things stand:
- Disney+ Basic: $7.99 per month (ad-supported)
- Disney+ Premium: $13.99 per month/$139.99 per year (ad-free)
- Hulu: $9.99 per month (ad-supported)
- Hulu (ad-free): $18.99 per month
- Hulu with Live TV: $82.99 per month
- Hulu with Live TV (ad-free): $95.99 per month
Meanwhile, the bundles of the two services together cost the following:
- Disney Bundle Duo Basic: $10.99 per month (ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu)
- Disney Bundle Duo Premium: $19.99 per month (ad-free Disney+ and Hulu)
- Disney Bundle Trio Basic: $16.99 per month (ad-supported Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+)
- Disney Bundle Trio Premium: $26.99 per month (ad-free Disney+ and Hulu, with ad-supported ESPN+)
- Legacy Disney Bundle: $21.99 per month (ad-free Disney+ and Hulu, with ad-supported ESPN+)
There are other bundles with Warner’s HBO Max.
There is a lot of time between now and 2026, so these prices could change between now and then. We’ll update this article as soon as we know more.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Is ESPN+ content also integrated on the Disney+ app?
If you’re subscribed to the Disney Bundle Trio Basic or Premium, then yes you can access some sports programming directly through the Disney+ app. But you also have the option of using the ESPN+ app, just as it with Hulu (for now).
That said, a standalone ESPN streaming membership will launch on 21 August for $29.99 per month.
Why is Disney+ integrating Hulu into its library?
According to Variety, one motivation for this move is to increase the number of hours customers spend watching content by putting everything in one place, and perhaps suggesting new things that viewers may not have considered.
The other is to drive more people to the bundles, thereby bringing in more dosh for The House of Mouse. Disney+ saw subscription losses in 2023, so it’s no surprise to see it working on other methods to be more profitable.