Disney+ has announced plans to launch a new, cheaper streaming option with adverts in the UK as profits continue to fall at the company.
The new plan, which is already available in the US, will also be introduced to Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Italy and other parts of Europe on November 1.
Subscribers of the advert-supported service will be charged £4.99 per month in the UK, while the most common form of subscription will increase from £7.99 to £10.99.
There is currently only one price tier for Disney+ in the UK, which costs £7.99 per month. However, come November there will be three new tiers available. You can find the new tiers below.
- Standard with ads: £4.99 per month, offering 1080p video and the ability for two people to watch on different devices
- Standard: £7.99 per month, offering the same features above, but without ads and with the ability to download videos to watch offline
- Premium: £10.99 per month, offering 4K video, downloads, and the ability to watch on four different devices at once
This premium tear was previously the standard form of subscription in the UK, so those currently paying £7.99 for the service will now face the £3 fee increase.
The new plan comes on the back of the company’s attempts to increase revenue, having seen a number of their recent films underwhelm at the box office.
Disney‘s CEO Bob Iger also said that the company will begin to crack down on password sharing, following the successful efforts of Netflix.
“We’re actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family,” Iger said (via The Hollywood Reporter), adding that “we will roll out tactics to drive monetisation sometime in 2024.”
“The strong momentum of our ad-supported plans in the US demonstrates the importance of providing consumers with choice, flexibility and value,” said Joe Earley, president of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment.
“We are excited to expand that offering in more markets across the globe, including in Europe and Canada, and to launch a new premium duo bundle of ad-free Disney+ and Hulu this Fall, as we take steps toward making extensive Hulu content available via Disney+ later this year for Bundle subscribers.”
In July, Disney announced that it will be “pulling back” on creating new Star Wars and Marvel content in an attempt to cut company costs.
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