why is hulu raising prices again

Hulu is raising its prices again as part of a planned increase starting October 17, 2024. The price hikes affect nearly all subscription tiers, including both ad-supported and ad-free plans, as well as bundle options with Disney+ and ESPN+. The increase is attributed to Disney's ongoing strategy to boost streaming revenue amid rising costs and competitive pressures in the streaming market. For example, Hulu's ad-supported plan will rise from $7.99 to $9.99 per month (a 25% increase), and the ad-free plan will go from $17.99 to $18.99 per month. Bundled packages with Disney+ and ESPN+ also see increases of around 6-8%. The student plan, however, remains unchanged at $1.99 per month. This price increase trend is part of a broader pattern affecting multiple streaming services as they adjust to higher content costs and shift from subscriber growth to profitability.