Disney Launches $13-a-Month Streaming Bundle
Walt Disney Co. is pricing a new bundle of streaming services at a surprisingly low $12.99 a month, challenging Netflix with a package that includes family programming, live sports and television shows.
The combined pricing for Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu will debut as part of the November launch of the Disney+ service and represents a near 30% discount to their individual prices.
Disney is matching Netflix’s standard plan and marketing the service $3 below its rival’s premium version, which lets subscribers and their family members watch on as many as four devices at once. But two of the Disney services, ESPN+ and Hulu, carry advertising, while Netflix is commercial-free.
Disney’s trove of films and TV shows from its Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars brands could make it a formidable competitor fro Netflix.
The aggressive pricing could also create headaches for HBO Max, a streaming service from AT&T Inc. that’s scheduled to launch next spring. That package also will offer family programming and original shows.
Apple and Comcast's NBCUniversal are also planning to roll out new services.