Disney+ and Hulu’s Black Friday bundle is $4.99

For the most part, this service has free rein over where and how it wants to make a Black Friday impression, so one of its biggest plugs of the season just dropped: The ad-supported Disney+ bundled with Hulu is up for grabs at $4.99 per month for 12 months, limited to new and eligible returning subscribers.

It’s a deep discount from the current $12.99 monthly list price for that same bundle, offering cheapskates one year of two major services for less than they’d typically pay for just one.

What the $4.99 Disney+ and Hulu bundle entails

The deal combines Disney+ and Hulu in their ad-supported tiers for one year at a discounted price. You can cancel anytime, but if you don’t, billing returns to the standard monthly list price after the 12-month promotional period is over. It’s meant to be for viewers who want a breadth of offerings — Disney+ has Marvel, “Star Wars,” Pixar and National Geographic; Hulu has next-day network TV, FX originals, buzzy comedies and dramas, and an extensive film library.

Disney has been gradually integrating the two experiences through its “Hulu on Disney+” offer, which brings Hulu programming into the Disney+ app for eligible subscribers. This promo is a continuation of that strategy, one which lowers the barrier to entry and funnels more homes into the combined ecosystem.

How the Disney+ and Hulu bundle savings compare

Priced at $4.99 a month, the bundle saves around $8 a month off the current list price of $12.99, or about $96 over a year. That’s basically a 62 percent discount over 12 months — or the equivalent of paying for one ad-supported service and getting two.

Although it didn’t match the bottom-of-the-barrel doorbuster we saw last year, there was evidence of most major platforms now pricing above this year’s level. In that context, locking in a sub-$5 monthly rate for both Disney+ and Hulu is still an outstanding deal — especially if you have multiple people in your home looking to streamline their spending without giving up variety.

Why this Disney+ and Hulu deal is available now

That’s because big-name streamers are doubling down on ad-supported plans: They allow the services to offer a lower upfront price while making more money per user through advertising. Ad tiers now represent more than 50% of new U.S. sign-ups across high-end SVODs, according to research firm Antenna — a tectonic shift from the dawn of the streaming era. And the math works for platforms: less churn, more reach, greater ad revenue.

Viewership trends support the move. Nielsen’s The Gauge continues to show streaming capturing about 40% of TV viewing time among U.S. audiences, with ad-supported video-on-demand growing rapidly as viewers swap some commercial breaks for a lower monthly bill. For Disney, an ultra-competitive Black Friday price can help nudge price-sensitive subscribers into the ad tier while broadening the audience that advertisers can zero in on across both Disney+ and Hulu.

Eligibility and fine print for the $4.99 streaming bundle

The promotion focuses on new and “eligible returning” customers — basically those who haven’t subscribed to an active Disney+ or Hulu plan in a while. It’s for the ad-supported bundle alone, and premium add-ons or live TV aren’t included in that price. After one year, the plan auto-renews at the normal monthly price unless you cancel before then.

Pro tip: Plan ahead and set a reminder, say two weeks before your promo year is up. At that time, you can either keep the bundle, change tiers or pause service. Managing your calendar smartly is the simplest way to never be surprised by a bill.

What to watch right away on Disney+ and Hulu

Disney+ has the franchise end of the market covered — think Star Wars’ Andor, The Mandalorian; Marvel’s Loki, WandaVision; Pixar hits; and nature and science storytelling from National Geographic. It’s also home to a growing roster of concert films, documentaries and family-friendly exclusives.

Hulu currently rocks breadth and timeliness: next-day episodes from major networks, FX originals like The Bear and Fargo, true-crime and docuseries, as well as comedies including Only Murders in the Building. It continues to be an indispensable workhorse for cord cutters looking for fresh network TV alongside prestige series and a strong movie rotation.

Who benefits most from the $4.99 Disney+ and Hulu bundle

Households with multiple subscriptions, families with mixed tastes and anyone who doesn’t mind ads would stand to benefit the most. U.S. households have been adding a patchwork of streaming services as they shop for the best deals on how to stream their favored shows and sports events, according to Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends research. At $4.99, a discounted year evens out the monthly bill while giving you access to lots and lots of viewing opportunities from across the spectrum.

Bottom line on whether this streaming bundle is worth it

If you have been on the fence and considering recommitting to Disney+ or piling back into Hulu, this Black Friday bundle is basically impossible to resist as a low-friction entry point. The math is hard to ignore, the catalogs are vast and ad-supported increasingly seems like an industry standard. Snatch it while you can, and set a reminder before renewal — so the yearlong savings don’t become an unexpectedly full-priced bill.