Tag: disney

Amazon Prime Video Recaps

Users of streaming services dislike ads, but subscriptions continue to grow

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When asked about their preference regarding streaming media, with or without ads, most users would like pick the latter. I would go even so far to claim that many dislike ads with a passion. However, when you add a monetary component to the question, things get interesting.

Get the cheaper, but ad-powered streaming option, or pay more, but save up on time and get rid of the ads?

It appears that the strategy of companies like Disney, Amazon, or Netflix is paying them huge dividends already. Ad-powered streaming subscriptions are pushing to new highs every financial quarter, it appears, and there does not seem to be any slowing down either.

Introduced just a few years ago, ad-supported plans make up a sizeable portion of total subscribers for major streaming platforms.

  • Netflix: last figure is 190 million users who use an ad-powered plan, but uses new metric.
  • Disney: about 164 million, does include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ however.
  • Amazon: 315 million

Netflix introduced a new metric for its ad-powered plan recently. Previously, the company counted subscriptions only, which, according to the last report for which the company used the metric, was 94 million. The new report looks at household numbers as well.

Regardless, about a third of Netflix subscriptions seem to be ad-powered. For Amazon, it is even more. The reason is simple: Amazon decided to make all Prime Video subscriptions ad-powered. If you do not want ads, you have to pay Amazon a few extra bucks to avoid them. Most users apparently don’t.

Even more interesting, Amazon boasted in its last earnings call that it managed to boost subscribers from 200 million in 2024 to the-now 315 million.

Four out of ten Netflix subscribers pick the ad-powered plan, according to Netflix. Disney is likely seeing signups in a similar range.

Why are ad-powered plans growing? The most likely, and simple, answer is: because they are cheaper. Much cheaper in fact. The Standard with Ads plan of Netflix USA costs subscribers around $8 per month. The cheapest ad-free plan costs more than double at around $18 per month. If you want 4K, it is thrice as much at around $25 per month.

While subscribers of the Premium plan get some benefits that the other two plans do not support, notably 4K, Spatial Audio and HDR support, the only differentiating factor that matters between Standard with Ads and Standard is the advertisement.

Disney pricing is very similar in this regard, albeit considerably below the twice as expensive mark. The Disney+, Hulu Bundle, both with ads, costs around $13 per month. Without ads, the price rises to around $20.

While the “with ads” plans will likely become more expensive as time passes, there does not seem to be an end to their growth yet.

Now You: Are you subscribed to an ad-powered plan? Or do you prefer plans without ads, or no plans at all? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Netflix on TV

Annual price hikes every year will end many services

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Like clockwork, many companies are increasing the price of subscriptions on a regular basis. Take Disney as an example. It launched its streaming service Disney+ back in November 2019 with an introductory price of $6.99 per month in the United States. Today, Disney+ subscribers pay $18.99 per month for the service.

Disney increased the price annually starting in 2021. Each year, customers had to pay an extra $1, $2 or $3 to keep the subscription.

The company is not alone. Its biggest competitor, Netflix, launched in 2007 with a price of $7.99 per month. Today, Netflix subscribers pay $17.99 for the cheapest ad-free plan or $22.99 if they want 4K content and some extras. Granted, it took Netflix 18 years to get there, but it is a massive increase nevertheless.

Rising costs are not just an issue for customers of streaming services. Take software subscriptions as another example. Microsoft 365 cost $6.99 in 2022. Today, customers pay $9.99 per month, and even more, if they want integration of the Copilot AI.

Companies increase the price to improve rentability, make more per subscriber. However, they do not seem to have answers for a simple question: what happens when the bulk of subscribers can’t afford the subscription anymore?

What if the price of service does not justify its cost? While you could argue that the majority does not really care and will keep their Netflix subscription no matter what, I’d argue that breaking points exist.

Paying Disney $180 per year just to watch a few shows or movies, that are not really that good, or for entertaining your kids with Disney classics, sounds like it could be too expensive for quite a few already.

With that money, you could purchase DVD or Blu-Ray, preferably on the second hand market, and keep them forever. You find plenty of classic movies on sites like eBay, and if you like thrifting, flea markets or garage sales, you know that bargains can be made there. Not always, but there is a good chance.

Many might also switch back to something that has always existed, but has lost popularity since the advent of streaming services: sailing the seven seeks, aka, piracy.

Lastly, another viable model is to switch to 1-month subscriptions only. This works well, considering that most streaming services do not put out enough content to warrant a full-year subscription. It is possible, however, that streaming services will end the option eventually, if too many subscribers start using it.

Right now, subscriber counts do not really fall, despite the price increases in the previous years. But this will change eventually. Some subscribers might switch to ad-supported plans, which are cheaper, but these come with their own disadvantages (namely ads).

Now you: are you subscribed to a streaming service?

Disney is increasing Disney+ and Hulu plans again

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Ah, the wonderful world of streaming video. Just subscribe, download an application or visit a website, and start streaming your favorite shows and movies right away. The initial idea of replacing traditional cable TV with something better is turning out into something that seems to get worse by the year.

Disney announced another round of price increases. This time, it is for subscribers in the United States who have Disney+ or Hulu plans.

The most-basic Disney+ plan, Disney+ with ads, rises by $2 per month to $11.99 starting October 21, 2025. Disney+ Premium, the ad-free version, goes up by $3 to $18.99 per month in the United States.

Similarly, Hulu’s standalone plan with ads is getting a bump by $2 to $11.99 as well. However, Hulu’s premium plan remains at the $18.99 level, according to reports.

Considering that Disney started its streaming service with a price of $6 per month for an ad-free experience just a few years ago, it is a massive increase in that time.

Subscribers pay more than three times as much for an ad-free experience than when the service started. Disney increased the price of subscription plans in the US in October 2023 and October 2024 previously.

Somehow though, subscriber counts are not going down. Disney reported 128 million subscribers by the end of June 2025, a number that has gone up by a few million subscribers in the year.

Like clockwork, streaming services increase the price of subscriptions regularly. Disney is not the only company that is squeezing money out of subscribers without really improving the service in significant ways.

The only option that subscribers have is to cancel their plans to make a statement. Less-costly options exist. From buying used DVD or Blu-Ray selectively and ensuring that you can play the media forever, to one-month per year subscriptions to watch all content that interests you in that time period, thus saving fees for the remaining eleven months.

Lastly, there is also abstinence to consider, especially with the quality of most movies and TV shows going downhill every year.

If you want to share Disney+, you need to pay for extra member slots now

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Disney announced the rollout of extra member slots option in many regions today. The company follows Netflix’s example, which cracked down on password sharing and introduced extra member slots some time ago.

Good to know: Extra member slots allow subscribers to gift a membership to a non-household viewer.

The details:

  • Subscribers may add one extra member slot to their account.
  • This costs $6.99 (Standard) or $9.99 (Premium) per month in the US.
  • Price varies from region to region.

Disney is also starting to crack down on password sharing. Like Netflix, Disney is starting to block access to its service, if it notices access from a different location.

Viewers may see “This TV doesn’t seem to be part of the Household for this account”. Subscribers do have the option to select “I’m away from home” or “Update household”.

The first option may be used while away from home for a limited period, the second if a subscriber moved permanently to a new location.

Either option requires a one-time passcode that is sent to the email address associated with the account holder.

Also of interest: How to cope with a changing streaming landscape that is pushing ads and higher prices.

It is interesting to note that an extra slot for Disney+ Premium is more expensive than an extra slot for Netflix Premium. Netflix charges $7.99 in the US for that, Disney $9.99 per month.

It is interesting to note that an extra Basic member costs $6.99 in the US, which is just $1 less than the plan itself.

The core difference between Basic and Premium is that Basic comes with ads and lack of Dolby Atmos audio support. Downloads are also not permitted.

Extra members have other limitations:

  • One stream only at a time.
  • One profile only.
  • Access to the same features and content as the account holder.

Closing Words

Sharing Disney+ passwords will come to an end largely in the coming weeks and months. Just like Netflix, Disney is pushing extra viewers off the service. Apart from stopping to watch Disney+, there are only two feasible (legal) options left:

  • Buy an extra member slot, which nearly costs as much as a regular subscription.
  • Subscribe to Disney+ directly.

It remains to be seen if Disney will see a drop and then an increase in subscribers after its password crackdown hammers down on subscribers in full force.

Are you subscribed to any streaming service? If so, to which and why? Feel free to leave a comment down below.