Business

Your ESPN and Disney Bundle Bill Is Going Up September 17

By Mike Harper · August 25, 2026

It’s been exactly one year since ESPN relaunched its streaming service. The first price hike just landed.

ESPN announced this week that both of its streaming tiers — ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select — will increase in price starting September 17, with increases also hitting several Disney+ and Hulu bundle packages that include ESPN content. It’s the first rate adjustment since the service launched last August.

Here’s what changes.

ESPN Unlimited rises from $29.99 to $31.99 per month — a $2 monthly increase, or $24 more per year for monthly subscribers. The annual plan jumps from $299.99 to $319.99. Unlimited is ESPN’s full streaming package, providing access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, and more than 47,000 live events per year.

ESPN Select — the lower-tier plan formerly called ESPN+ — rises from $12.99 to $13.99 per month. The annual Select plan goes from $129.99 to $139.99.

The increases don’t stop at standalone plans. Three Disney-branded bundles built around ESPN Select are also going up. The ad-supported Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundle rises from $19.99 to $21.99 per month. The ad-free version climbs from $29.99 to $32.99 — a $3 increase and the largest jump in the group. The legacy ad-free bundle, which is no longer available to new subscribers, goes from $24.99 to $27.99.

There’s one exception: subscribers who get ESPN Unlimited through a Disney+ and Hulu bundle that already includes Unlimited are not affected by this round. But that’s a narrow group — most ESPN streaming subscribers are on standalone plans or Select-based bundles.

The timing is deliberate. September 17 falls weeks before the NFL season hits full stride, college football is in conference play, and the NBA and NHL preseasons begin. For sports fans who cut the cord specifically to save money, the math is getting tighter. ESPN Unlimited at $31.99 per month is $384 per year — approaching what a basic cable sports package cost before streaming was supposed to make it cheaper.

This is part of an industry-wide pattern. Since October 2025 alone, Disney has raised prices on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select, with the ad-supported Disney+ plan climbing from $7.99 in 2022 to $11.99 today. Each increase is small enough to feel manageable in isolation. Collectively, a household subscribing to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN is now paying $50 to $80 more per year than it was two years ago.

Existing subscribers don’t need to do anything — the new rates will apply automatically on the next billing cycle after September 17. Anyone considering whether the subscription is still worth it has three weeks to decide before the higher rate kicks in.