The Walt Disney Company is moving forward with its planned sunset of the standalone Hulu app in 2026.
The decision, first announced in August, is intended to streamline its over-the-top services, with Disney Plus playing a larger role in the company’s direct-to-consumer business.
The precise date of the shutdown has not been revealed, but Disney will continue to support separate Disney Plus and Hulu subscriptions for the foreseeable future. Those with a standalone Hulu subscription will eventually have to watch shows and movies from that service within the Disney Plus app, which is widely available on phones, tablets and smart TVs.
The move is expected to bolster the value proposition of Disney’s bundled streaming plans. The flagship Disney Trio bundle includes Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited, starting at $36 per month for the ad-supported tier and going up to $45 per month for commercial-free access to non-live content.
Disney also sells a streaming bundle that pairs Disney Plus with Hulu for $13 per month with ads or $20 per month without commercials, and another bundle that includes access to HBO Max for $20 per month with ads.
Some cable TV and wireless customers receive access to Disney Plus and Hulu for free as part of their services. Subscribers of Charter’s Spectrum TV receive the ad-supported tiers of Disney Plus and Hulu with their entertainment packages, and customers of Verizon have the option to add Disney’s bundles at discounted rates. Those who pay for DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment bundle have Disney Plus and Hulu included at no extra cost, while those who subscribe to MySports have ESPN Unlimited included with their plan.
Hulu offers next-day access to shows from a number of television networks, including Fox and Disney’s own ABC, as well as cable networks like Freeform, FX and National Geographic. Licensed films from 21st Century, Lionsgate, Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) are also included.
