Oct 4, 2026 · 8:05
Why Did Streaming Get So Expensive?
Remember when streaming felt cheap? In the U.S., Disney+ launched in 2019 at $6.99 a month without ads – in 2026, its ad-free price for new subscribers reached $21.49. So what happened? We follow the money: cheap prices to grow, expensive content, more and more services, the return of ads, bundles – and why streaming is starting to look a bit like cable again.
0:52In under a minute
Why Is Streaming So Expensive Now?
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The Disney+ prices are a U.S. example (ad-free plan; $21.49 applies to new subscribers from September 2026). Other services and countries had different price changes. All other prices in this video ($7, $12, $15, $22, $18 …) are illustrative examples, not the prices of real services.
Sources & further reading (2)
- Engadget – Disney+ will cost $6.99 per month, launches November 12th (2019)
https://www.engadget.com/2019-04-11-disney-plus-price.html - CNN – Disney+ and Hulu now cost more than $20 a month without ads (September 2026)
https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/23/media/disney-plus-hulu-price-increase-streaming