ESPN has revealed upcoming price hikes for its streaming tiers and related bundled services. Starting September 17, both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited will cost more per month and per year. At the same time, bundles combining ESPN with Disney+ and Hulu are also being repriced—though Unlimited-bundle customers will be spared.
What’s Getting More Expensive?
For ESPN Select, the monthly rate will bump up from $13 to $14, while its yearly plan will increase from $130 to $140. ESPN Unlimited, meanwhile, will rise from $30/month to $32/month, and from $300/year to $320/year. These changes mark the first adjustment since ESPN overhauled its streaming offerings last year.
Bundle Changes with Disney+ and Hulu
Customers who subscribe via bundles should expect higher costs too. A combo of Disney+ (with ads), Hulu (with ads), and ESPN Select will go from $20/month to $22/month. Choosing the ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu along with Select will cost $33/month instead of the previous $30. Another legacy bundle—namely, Disney+, Hulu (no ads), and ESPN Select, which isn’t available to new sign-ups—will increase from $25 to $28/month.
Notably, ESPN Unlimited bundles are not part of these price adjustments, so their cost remains unchanged under the upcoming changes.
Context: Streaming Inflation Across the Board
This isn’t an isolated move. Other major streaming platforms have raised prices recently. Peacock implemented increases up to $3/month or $30/year just a week ago, while Apple bumped up rates for both its Music service and the Apple One bundle. The industry trend seems to reflect rising operational costs, content licensing, and competition.
Going forward, existing subscribers should review their plans before September 17—to decide whether to lock in existing rates, switch tiers, or drop certain services.
Analytically speaking, these changes underscore a broader truth: streaming services are continuously recalibrating prices not just for single platforms, but for complex bundles that offer tiered access and varying ad loads. What to keep an eye on next is how consumer backlash—or churn—reacts to incremental price increases, especially in a climate where everyone feels the bite of inflation. Content quality and exclusivity will matter more than ever, as providers lean into bundling to retain value while managing costs.
