It’s finally happening: Hulu is being retired—or at least, its days as a standalone service are coming to an end. The platform will be fully integrated into Disney+ by 2026, and the dedicated Hulu app will disappear.
This move has been hinted at for years, ever since Disney acquired a majority stake in Hulu after buying 20th Century Fox in 2019.
Hulu originally launched in 2007 as a joint venture between multiple studios, long before streaming became the juggernaut it is today. YouTube had shown the potential of online video, and everyone wanted a piece of the action. Back then, Netflix was still focused on licensed content, Crackle (RIP) was experimenting with shows like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and Hulu carved out its niche as the place for next-day TV.
At its start, Hulu was a partnership between FOX and NBCUniversal. Fans could catch NBC shows like The Office or FOX hits like Family Guy without renting or buying episodes. Hulu even launched as a free, ad-supported service. Eventually, it added a paid, ad-free option, and studios like Disney joined the mix.
By 2019, Disney had acquired FOX, gaining control of 75% of Hulu. NBCUniversal was left as the lone holdout, but ultimately there was no way to compete with Disney’s media powerhouse. They struck a deal, and in 2023 Disney bought out NBCUniversal’s share for roughly $9 billion.
Now, less than two years later, Disney is folding Hulu into Disney+. There will be a dedicated section for Hulu content, but how long that will last—and how much it will matter—remains uncertain.
One major challenge has been integrating adult-oriented content into Disney+, long known for family-friendly programming. Over the past year, Disney has started weaving Hulu and other mature titles into its app, signaling a comfort with broadening its content mix.
This consolidation is a cost-saving measure, too. Maintaining two separate streaming services with overlapping functions is expensive—Hulu alone reportedly costs $7 billion annually in programming and operating expenses, a figure likely to grow.
Subscribers stand to benefit as well, no longer needing multiple subscriptions. Disney+ remains one of the more affordable streaming options, with plans starting at $9.99 per month with ads or $15.99 without. Bundles that include Hulu currently run $10.99 (with ads) and $19.99 (without). The future Disney+ pricing will likely fall somewhere in between, but if Disney continues producing Hulu-level content within Disney+, it could actually be a better value for viewers.
