Sat Oct 04 06:40:00 UTC 2025: **Disney to Absorb Hulu into Disney+ by 2026, Prices to Increase**

**[CITY, STATE] -** After years of speculation, Disney has officially announced that Hulu will be fully integrated into Disney+ by 2026, effectively ending Hulu’s run as a standalone streaming platform. The transition will begin as early as October.

The integration will occur in stages, starting on October 8th when Hulu will replace the Star brand internationally, becoming the home for adult-oriented content on Disney+ in overseas markets. U.S. subscribers will see increased Hulu content integration within the Disney+ app via upcoming product updates, with the ultimate goal of a unified streaming experience.

While the Hulu app will be phased out, Disney plans to leverage the Hulu brand recognition internationally, marketing the combined service as “Hulu on Disney+.”

This significant shift in Disney’s streaming strategy coincides with a price hike across its streaming services, set to take effect on October 21st:

* **Disney+ with ads:** $11.99/month (from $9.99)
* **Disney+ Premium (no ads):** $19/month (from $16)
* **Hulu with ads:** $11.99/month (from $7.99)
* **Hulu + Live TV with ads:** $90/month (from $82.99)
* **ESPN Select (formerly ESPN+):** $12.99/month (from $11.99)

Disney attributes the price increases to the expanded content library resulting from the Hulu integration and ongoing investments in original programming.

Subscribers can still subscribe to Hulu and Disney+ as separate services for now. However, by 2026, Hulu content will exclusively reside within Disney+, marking the end of the independent streaming platform. Disney hopes this consolidation will streamline the user experience and bolster its competitive position in the increasingly crowded streaming landscape.

Read More