As of 2026, Disney Plus has implemented several price increases driven by a shift in corporate strategy from "subscriber growth" to "profitability." For the past few years, Disney has been heavily investing in high-budget original content from franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, and the rising costs of production and licensing are being passed on to the consumer. Additionally, in early 2026, Disney completed the full integration of Hulu into a single-app experience. This "unified app" provides a much larger library of general entertainment and adult-oriented content, which Disney uses to justify a higher premium. Furthermore, like many of its competitors, Disney is pushing users toward its "Ad-Supported" tiers; by raising the price of the "Premium" (Ad-Free) version, they make the cheaper, ad-filled option more attractive, which actually generates more consistent revenue for the company through long-term advertising contracts.