The Disney+, Hulu, and Max Bundle Has Arrived
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Earlier this year, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced they were officially joining forces to offer a revolutionary new bundle combining their three popular streaming services into a single package.
While our initial reaction was that this idea hearkens back to the days of cable channel bundling, it’s not entirely a bad idea as long as no one is being forced into it — and it promised to offer some substantial savings for folks who subscribe to both.
In other words, while Disney fans are still more than welcome to subscribe to Disney+ on its own (or with ESPN+ and Hulu in any of the House of Mouse’s own bundles), those who are also interested in the service formerly known as HBO Max can add it to the mix for less. The reverse is also true for Max fans who are considering — or are already paying for — Disney+.
The only thing missing from the May announcement by the streaming giants was an actual price tag. Executives called it a “first of its kind” offering and hinted that the deal would be compelling.
Now, the bundle has arrived in the US, and there are enough savings here that even Disney folks who were on the fence about Max may be tempted to jump in since you’re effectively getting three services for the price of two — although that arguably depends on which two you pick.
Billing it as “The ultimate bundle for an unbeatable price,” the new package, dubbed simply the “Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle,” starts at $16.99 for the ad-supported versions of all three services — a savings of just under $9 per month compared to signing up for them separately, which works out to $25.97 — if anyone actually did that.
You see, there’s a small catch here that Disney and Warner Bros. aren’t talking about. While Disney+ and Hulu each cost $7.99 per month on their own ($15.98 monthly), it’s hard to imagine anybody who watches both is paying for them separately since Disney already offers a Duo Basic plan that bundles them for $9.99 per month. With ad-supported Max going for $9.99 monthly on its own, the real-world cost of having all three services is $19.98 per month, so, technically, you’re only saving around $3. Still, three bucks is three bucks.
The deal is only slightly better if you want to opt for an ad-free experience across the board. The new bundle is $29.99 per month, which sounds like a great deal compared to the $48.97 you’d theoretically pay for all three services on their own, but again, Disney’s Duo Premium already puts the $13.99 Disney+ and $17.99 Hulu plans together for only $19.99. Stack the $16.99 ad-free Max on top of that, and the fair price comparison is $29.99 versus $36.98 for a savings of $7 rather than $19.
There are also a few details that Disney isn’t sharing that may give you pause until they’re sorted out. When The Verge asked Disney for additional information, “such as the streaming quality and number of simultaneous viewers that are supported for each tier,” the company refused to answer on the record.
It’s a safe bet that you’ll get the features specific to the tier included in the bundle, which for Max means the standard ad-free plan rather than the “Ultimate Ad-Free.” In other words, expect 1080p streaming on two devices simultaneously, as opposed to 4K UHD on up to four screens. However, the situation with Disney+ is a bit murkier; since the Basic and Premium plans offered in the US both provide 4K UHD streaming, we’re hoping the bundled version will be the same. Disney also offers a “Standard” plan in Canada, the UK, and Europe that’s limited to 1080p, but it’s not available in the US.
