Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle launches

Disney+, Hulu and Max are now available in a combined bundle that launched July 25, 2024.

Subscribers will be able to get all three streamers for $16.99 a month with advertising or $29.99 a month without any ads.

That represents a 38% savings over buying each service separately.

All three services began offering users the option to sign up for the bundled offering July 25. The bundle is available to new and existing subscribers, though some consumers may need to cancel billing on individual streamers separately.

The streamers are also mounting a promotional campaign to get the word out about the new offering.

Disney+ and Hulu are both owned by Disney and have previously been bundled together along with sister streamer ESPN+. Disney offers a “duo” plan that offers Disney+ and Hulu and a “trio” option that adds ESPN+ to the mix.

Max, on the other hand, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (it started as HBO Max), so the new bundle represents a partnership between the two separate media giants.

It appears to be the first bundling deal forged directly between two major streamers that are owned by different companies and not brokered through a third party. 

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Disney and WBD did not indicate how revenue will be split between the two companies. 

Disney, which owns 80% of ESPN, and WBD are also part of a joint venture between the two companies and Fox Corp. called Venu Sports, which will bundle the linear feeds of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, SECN, ACCN, ABC, Fox, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS and truTV into a single streamer. Venu launches later in 2024.

Netflix is bundled with Max through Verizon’s myHome and myPlan feature that lets users add streaming and other subscription services to their broadband or mobile plan for a discounted monthly rate. Verizon’s offering requires users to get both Netflix and Max and is not a direct partnership between the streamers. Instead, Verizon is acting a bit like a wholesaler of the two services and opting to sell them together for a single price. 

Another Verizon offering gives users a free year of Netflix with a Peacock subscription. A separate add-on includes Apple TV+ through an Apple One membership, while Paramount+ is available via a Walmart+ plan.

Amazon Prime Video allows users to subscribe to additional streamers through its “channels” offering. Comcast bundles Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV+ for eligible Xfinity subscribers. 

The new Disney-WBD bundle brings the three popular streaming services together all through a single monthly subscription while providing a wide selection of content from the biggest and most beloved portfolio of brands in entertainment including ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, Star Wars, Warner Bros. and many more.

Consumers favor simplified streaming bundles, Hub survey finds

Bundling has become a popular offering among streamers and other subscription-based services as a way to both boost revenue and increase customer retention as many consumers are becoming weary of having to commit to paying for multiple monthly recurring charges.

There are also a handful of other offerings that could be considered bundles as well as bundle-like options that have been discontinued.

• Discovery+ content is included with Max, but WBD still sells Discovery+ subscriptions separately as of this writing.
• AMC Networks sells a service called AMC+ that includes access to AMC-branded content as well as content from its BBC America, IFC, Sundance Now and Shudder brands. AMC does not market the offering as a bundle, even though it has many of the characteristics of one.
• Showtime content is now available within Paramount+ and separate Showtime streaming bundles are no longer sold.