Fans of classic cartoons, Marvel blockbusters and Star Wars spinoffs are about to see their streaming bills rise again.

One of America’s largest entertainment companies is implementing another set of price increases—marking the third time in merely two years—as Hollywood depends on streaming services to boost profitability.

Effective October 21, the price of a Disney+ plan without ads will increase by $3 to $19 a month, while the ad-supported version will go up by $2 to $12 a month.

Numerous customers are annoyed. “I can’t believe Disney is raising prices again—it feels like every few months there’s an increase,” commented one longtime subscriber.

Disney has raised prices in October for the past years too, by 25 percent in 2024 and 27 per cent in 2023. 

The hikes come as Hollywood’s biggest entertainment companies lean on streaming to drive profits after years of heavy investment and subscriber giveaways. 

The news also lands as Disney continues to reel from the fallout involving late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The longtime ABC star has faced mounting controversy over politically charged remarks that led to bosses pulling his late night show from the air. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is due to return tonight.

Disney is targeting $1.3 billion in operating income from its streaming operations this fiscal year, up from a previous forecast of $1 billion.

Disney+ added 1.8 million subscribers in the past three months, bringing its global total to 128 million. But growth has slowed, and the company has been merging Disney+ and Hulu into a single app, with more content including ABC News programming.

Starting October 21, the ad-free plan on Disney+ will climb by $3 to $19 a month. The new of the price rise comes as one of its biggest hits, Only Murders in the Building, begins its fifth season. 

The Bear is another huge hit on Disney+, which is raising prices by $3 for its main service. The hikes come as Walt Disney is under pressure to boost streaming income after years of heavy investment and subscriber giveaways

Selena Gomez, star of Only Murders in the Building, attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, California

Disney is also pushing deeper into sports. The company recently launched a new ESPN streaming service priced at $30 a month, and it continues to offer discounted bundles that mix Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. 

Prices for some of those packages are also going up.

The Burbank-based entertainment giant last raised prices in fall 2024, with some Disney+ tiers climbing as much as 25 percent. There was another rise of as much as 27 in October the year before. 

The increase comes amid wider industry price hikes, highlighting a trend as streaming platforms chase profitability after years of investing in premium content. 

After an increase that began in August, Peacock subscribers now pay $10.99 a month for the ad-supported plan, up nearly 40 percent from $7.99.  The Premium Plus plan costs $16.99 a month, up $2 a month. 

The company, which has 41 million subscribers, is also piloting a ‘Select’ tier that keeps the entry level price at $7.99 but limits access to next-day NBC and Bravo shows like Housewives and SNL. 

Also in August, Apple TV increased prices by 33 percent, raising its monthly subscription from $9.99 to $12.99.

Over the past 18 months, nearly all major streamers have raised prices. 

Sydney Sweeney has become a regular presence on Saturday Night Live — one of the top shows on Peacock, which raised prices in August. Peacock’s ad-supported plan now costs $10.99 a month, up nearly 40 percent from $7.99.

In January, Netflix raised prices for its ad tier subscription to $7.99. Paramount Plus did the same last June. Meanwhile, Prime Video costs $8.99 a month. 

Apple TV — which doesn’t have an ad-based streaming option — is now the highest entry-level streaming price in the US.  

‘I signed up for Apple TV when it was $4.99,’ Alex Palmer, 33, from Los Angeles, told the Daily Mail. ‘I wasn’t happy after it drifted up to $9.99. This is a step too far. I am cancelling.’

The price hikes reflect the rising costs of producing blockbuster shows. House of the Dragon reportedly costs $20 million per episode, while The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power topped $50 million per episode.