ESPN Raises Streaming Prices and Increases Disney Plus Bundles

ESPN will increase the price of its streaming plans and several bundles linked to Disney Plus starting September 17. The Unlimited plan will reach USD $31.99 per month, while Select and its annual versions will also see a price hike.

• ESPN Select with ads will rise from USD $12.99 to USD $13.99 per month, and Unlimited will increase to USD $31.99.
• The bundles of Disney Plus and Hulu with ESPN Select will also have monthly increases of between USD $2 and USD $3.
• The bundles that include ESPN Unlimited will not change in price, according to information published by ESPN.

ESPN will raise the price of its streaming subscriptions starting September 17, a decision that will also increase several combined packages with Disney Plus. The ESPN Select plan with ads will cost USD $13.99 per month, up from the current USD $12.99, while ESPN Unlimited will rise from USD $29.99 to USD $31.99 per month. This move comes a year after the launch of ESPN's standalone subscription and amid a wave of increases within the digital entertainment market.

The information appeared on an ESPN support page detected by Sports Media Watch, as reported by The Verge. In addition to monthly plans, the company will modify annual rates: ESPN Select will cost USD $139.99, up from USD $129.99, and ESPN Unlimited will reach USD $319.99, compared to the previous USD $299.99. These changes make the annual option an even more expensive alternative, although it maintains the upfront payment structure for those who prefer to avoid monthly charges.

The New ESPN Prices

ESPN Select will remain the lowest-priced option within the standalone offering, but it will include ads and have a USD $1 increase per month. The company did not provide a detailed explanation regarding the reasons for the adjustment, so the change should be understood as a rate modification announced for all subscribers affected by those plans. ESPN Unlimited, aimed at a broader offering of sports content, will see a monthly increase of USD $2.

In annual payments, the increase will be USD $10 for Select and USD $20 for Unlimited. The difference maintains the relationship between both categories, although it raises the total outlay for those wishing to subscribe for a full year. For consumers, the comparison between paying month-to-month or committing to an annual subscription will now depend on their consumption habits and how much value they place on continuous access to sports content.

The adjustment also confirms that ESPN has begun to transfer the cost pressures already observed in other entertainment services to its own plans. Disney had raised the price of its bundles over the previous year, but this is the first increase applied directly to ESPN's streaming subscription since its launch last August. The company, for now, keeps the rates of the bundles that include ESPN Unlimited unchanged.

The difference between Select and Unlimited will be relevant for users who evaluate price as the main decision criterion. Select offers a cheaper entry point, albeit with ads, while Unlimited will have a higher monthly cost and will not see changes in the rates of its combined packages. With no new conditions announced, the immediate impact focuses on prices and not on an informed modification of the overall functioning of the subscriptions.

The Impact on Disney Plus Bundles

Disney Plus and Hulu packages that include ESPN Select will also see a price increase starting September 17. The combination of Disney Plus with ads, Hulu with ads, and ESPN Select will cost USD $21.99 per month, up from USD $19.99, representing a USD $2 increase. This alternative bundles three services into a single bill but will pass the increased cost of the sports component onto the customer.

The package with Disney Plus without ads, Hulu without ads, and ESPN Select will rise from USD $29.99 to USD $32.99 per month. In this case, the increase will be USD $3, a difference that raises the cost of the ad-free option and may weigh more heavily on households that already maintain multiple streaming platforms. The final price will still depend on the configuration chosen for Disney Plus and Hulu, in addition to the inclusion of ESPN Select.

The package identified as Legacy Disney Plus, which includes Disney Plus without ads, Hulu without ads, and ESPN Select, will see its monthly fee increase from USD $24.99 to USD $27.99, also with a USD $3 difference. According to available information, ESPN will not modify the Disney Plus packages that incorporate ESPN Unlimited, so the increase does not affect all combinations within the Disney ecosystem.

The pricing structure shows that the company will apply the adjustment selectively, impacting ESPN Select and the packages that include it, but not the bundles with ESPN Unlimited. This distinction may lead to different decisions among subscribers: some may choose to maintain their current package despite the increase, while others may reconsider whether the combination of services is still convenient compared to subscribing to platforms separately. The news does not report changes in the specific content of each package.

A Broader Streaming Strategy

The increase comes after ESPN transformed its digital offering to compete with other streaming services and provide a closer experience to video platforms. As part of the launch of its standalone subscription, the company updated its mobile app with a vertical scrolling video feed inspired by TikTok and a personalized version of SportsCenter. These features aim to ensure that users do not rely solely on live sports broadcasts to open the app.

ESPN also incorporated a multi-view feature in its app for major smart TV platforms. This tool allows multiple contents to be displayed simultaneously on one screen, a particularly relevant feature for viewers following simultaneous events. However, the product improvements and the new price belong to different dimensions: the former aim to enhance the service's appeal, while the latter modifies the cost that subscribers must bear.

The company launched its standalone streaming subscription last August, so the increase comes relatively soon after its market entry. The Verge noted that this is ESPN's first price increase, unlike Disney, which had already made changes to its package rates in the previous year. The sequence suggests a gradual expansion of adjustments within an offering that combines sports services and general entertainment.

The context also includes a significant concentration of users in bundled packages. Axios reported the previous week that approximately 80% of ESPN Unlimited subscribers registered through the package that combines Disney Plus and Hulu. This proportion helps explain why the evolution of bundles is relevant to the customer base, even though the packages with Unlimited are not included in the announced increase.

What It Means for Subscribers

Customers of ESPN Select should check the charge that will appear after September 17, whether they subscribed to the plan independently or received it as part of a package with Disney Plus and Hulu. The monthly increase may seem limited on each bill, but it accumulates over the year and is higher in the combined ad-free options. Those who pay annually will also face a higher outlay upon renewal.

For an ESPN Select subscriber, the annual difference will be USD $10, while the annual user of Unlimited will pay an additional USD $20. In the packages, the variation will be USD $24 per year for a rate that increases by USD $2 monthly, or USD $36 if the monthly increase reaches USD $3. These equivalences allow for a better understanding of the change without assuming that all customers will maintain the service for twelve months.

The fact that ESPN Unlimited keeps its combined packages unchanged introduces a contrasting element in the purchasing decision. A customer already using Disney Plus and Hulu could compare the stability of the bundle with Unlimited against the increase of alternatives that include Select, although both options do not necessarily offer the same experience or conditions. The source does not detail additional content differences beyond the mentioned levels and prices.

The new scheme reinforces a visible trend in streaming: companies adjust rates while trying to differentiate their products through advertising, ad-free access, sports content, and app features. For consumers, the consequence is greater complexity when comparing plans that mix services, levels, and payment cycles. In the case of ESPN, the next key date will be September 17, when the announced prices come into effect.