We’ve got a love/hate relationship with Disney+. Sure, it’s got some great content floating around on the surface (Shōgun just won 18 Emmys, by the way), but in recent years, it’s been treading into Netflix territory and not in a good way. It hasn’t just announced some new Star Wars show that’ll be cancelled before the month is out (not again, anyway). No, the House of Mouse is officially hiking prices later this year.
Disney (+ a few extra bucks per month)
That’s according to a report from MyBroadband, which spoke with the House of Mouse and confirmed that a price hike was on the way. Newcomers to the service looking to join after 6 November will be forced to pay the updated fee, while current subscribers can hold onto the lower price until 6 December later this year.
“Pricing will increase in select markets globally at different times throughout the remainder of the calendar year, as per our previous earnings call,” Disney said in a statement to MyBroadband.
So, what’s the damage? As it stands, a regular subscription to Disney+ will set customers back R140/m or R1,390 if they nab a yearly subscription. Seeking out the streamer on mobile will only set you back R50/m. The mobile price will remain unchanged but a regular sub will increase to R160/m – encroaching on Netflix’s R200/m Premium tier.
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Should Disney continue to offer a discounted yearly subscription (which only includes the price of 10 consecutive months to attract more customers), the new price should reach R1,590/year. Whether Disney has cottoned on yet and decided to ditch the idea to mimic the more traditional month-to-month model, however, remains to be seen.
“The new pricing reflects the increasing scope, scale and value of our streaming services, including access to Disney’s unparalleled, award-winning content,” Disney said.
This marks the third price hike to hit the streamer since its South African launch in 2022, which saw it arrive with a monthly cost of R120/m and an equally enticing R1,190/year price tag. It was later hiked in June 2023, which saw that figure bumped up to the R140/m and R1,390/year prices currently available.