Some of your favorite streaming services just got more expensive, and it's prompting customers to rethink which services stay and which get cut.
Hulu, Disney Plus, and HBO Max all raised prices this week, adding to a growing list of subscription services that have increased costs throughout the year. We broke down the changes you can expect to see.
Hulu
Most ad-supported plans and bundles increased by $2-$3 per month. The largest jump affects live TV subscribers, whose plan increased by $7 per month.
Here's what plans cost now:
- Hulu with ads increased to $11.99
- Hulu without ads stayed the same at $18.99
- Disney+ and Hulu bundle with ads increased to $12.99
- Disney+ Premium and Hulu bundle without ads stayed the same at $19.99
- Disney+ Premium, Hulu and ESPN Select bundle without ads increased to $25
- Hulu and Live TV plan increased to $89.99
HBO Max
HBO Max rolled out price increases across all subscription tiers for new subscribers, effective immediately. Current monthly subscribers will see increases starting Nov. 20.
Here's what plans cost now:
- Basic plan with ads increased to $10.99 per month and $109.99 per year
- Standard ad-free plan increased to $18.49 per month and $184.99 per year
- Premium plan increased to $22.99 per month and $229.99 per year
Hear more about the price changes and how subscribers feel in the video below:
Why are prices going up?
Dashia Milden with CNET said Americans spend an average of $90 a month on subscriptions.
"People are spending money on subscriptions that they're also not using," Milden said.
Experts say the higher prices are due to rising content production costs. Competitors like Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV Plus have all increased their prices this year as well.
How to manage your subscription costs
The best way to manage your subscription costs is to audit your spending. Check your bank account to see what you're spending on, and ask yourself which services you really need. You can also rotate services by picking one or two platforms for the month and then cancel and switch to different services next month.
Paying by the year can also save you money in some cases. For Hulu and Disney+, paying annually instead of monthly can save you 15% to 20%.
This article was written by Taylor Nimmo for the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
