Hulu Customers Threaten to Cancel Subscriptions Amid Price Increase
The streaming service Hulu is raising its prices, and customers aren’t happy about it. They are threatening to cancel their subscriptions.
Nov. 4 2022, Updated 3:09 p.m. ET
The streaming service Hulu is raising its prices, and subscribers aren’t happy about it. The company has been facing backlash since the price increase was announced.
Disney, which owns Hulu, announced in August that it was raising prices for Hulu as well as its Disney+ and ESPN+ streaming services. On Oct. 10, Hulu subscriptions went from $6.99 to $7.99 for ad-supported subscriptions and from $12.99 to $14.99 for ad-free subscriptions.
The cost of a Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ ad-free bundled subscription is still $19.99, but the company has plans for other price hikes this year. Subscribers to Hulu Live TV will see their costs increase on Dec. 8.
Hulu's price increase has received backlash from subscribers on social media.
The price increases have led to backlash from Hulu subscribers threatening to cancel their service. Some even say they are considering going back to cable.
“Time to cancel @hulu… another price increase. Ridiculous! After we just got one recently!” tweeted @segagenesisx3.
“I’m about to cancel my Hulu live subscription. Like clockwork @hulu has announced yet another price increase. At this point I might as well just get cable,” tweeted @JDRhoaddog.
“Yet another price increase from @hulu we got rid of cable to have a cheaper alternative but now Hulu live has turned into, take a guess….overpriced cable,” tweeted @Abu_Montana.
According to Statista, Disney reported 46.2 million Hulu subscribers for the third quarter of 2022. That figure is up from 42.8 million a year ago.
How much is the price increase for Hulu Live?
The cost of Hulu Live subscriptions will increase on Dec. 8. Hulu Live is the streaming service’s alternative to cable TV and satellite TV, which enables subscribers to stream live TV and on-demand content such as movies, television series, and sports.
Currently, there are two Hulu Live TV subscription plans, which include Disney+ and ESPN+. The Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads) plan costs $69.99 per month and will increase to $74.99 per month on Dec. 8 for existing subscribers. The company will no longer offer this plan to new subscribers after Dec. 8.
The Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads) plan, which now costs $75.99 per month, will increase to $82.99 per month on Dec. 8.
The company is adding a new lower-end option, priced at $69.99 per month, but you’ll have to put up with advertisements on all three streaming platforms with this option.
Hulu Live may cost more than cable.
With the increase in prices, Hulu Live TV could, in some cases, cost more than cable TV and satellite TV. According to Move.org, cable TV costs about $25 to $125 per month, while satellite TV costs between $40 and $135 per month.