ESPN Raises Streaming Prices From 17th September
- ESPN is raising its monthly Unlimited streaming plan from $29.99 to $31.99 and its Select plan from $12.99 to $13.99, effective 17th September.
- Three Disney Plus and Hulu bundle tiers that include ESPN Select will also increase in price, by up to $3 per month.
- Disney Plus bundles paired with ESPN Unlimited are unaffected; around 80 per cent of Unlimited subscribers reportedly joined via those bundles.
ESPN is set to raise the price of its streaming subscriptions from 17th September, affecting both its standalone plans and several of its bundles with Disney Plus and Hulu — marking the first price increase since the service launched its standalone offering last August.
What is changing and by how much
The ad-supported Select membership will increase from $12.99 to $13.99 per month, while the Unlimited plan will rise more steeply, from $29.99 to $31.99 per month. Annual subscribers face similar rises: the Select yearly plan moves from $129.99 to $139.99, and the Unlimited annual tier climbs from $299.99 to $319.99.
A number of Disney Plus bundle packages that include ESPN Select will also cost more. The full picture of affected bundles is set out below.
| Bundle | Old price (monthly) | New price (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Disney Plus (with ads), Hulu (with ads), ESPN Select | $19.99 | $21.99 |
| Disney Plus (ad-free), Hulu (ad-free), ESPN Select | $29.99 | $32.99 |
| Legacy Disney Plus (ad-free), Hulu (ad-free), ESPN Select | $24.99 | $27.99 |
Unlimited bundles spared; most subscribers use them
Disney Plus bundles that include ESPN Unlimited are not affected by the changes. That detail carries some weight given that approximately 80 per cent of Unlimited subscribers are reported to have signed up through the bundle with Disney Plus and Hulu, according to a report by Axios published last week.
Context: a service still finding its footing
ESPN only launched its standalone streaming subscription last August. At the time, it also revamped its mobile app with a short-form video feed reminiscent of TikTok, a personalised version of its SportsCenter programme, and multiview functionality on major smart TV platforms. Disney had already raised prices across its broader bundle lineup the previous year, but this represents the first adjustment specific to ESPN's standalone tier. As broadcasters and streamers alike recalibrate their pricing strategies — a trend tracked with growing interest by audience measurement firms such as those exploring new ways to measure streaming viewership — ESPN's increase underscores the ongoing pressure on subscribers across the sector. For those weighing up whether competing services represent better value, a closer look at rival platforms' pricing structures may be instructive.
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