Disney+ has announced a price increase in South Africa starting on 6 November 2024 for new customers, while existing subscribers will see the higher rates applied from 6 December.
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The subscription fee will rise from R139 per month to R169 per month, marking a 14.39% increase. “Pricing will increase in select markets globally at different times throughout the remainder of the calendar year, as per our previous earnings call,” Disney said in a statement. The company added that the new pricing will take effect for new customers on 6 November, and for existing customers, depending on their platform, from 6 December. Notifications about the price hike will be sent to existing customers starting in early November.
Assuming the annual subscription price follows the current formula, those opting for yearly payments will now pay R1,590 per year after the increase. Disney explained the rationale behind the hike, stating, “The new pricing reflects the increasing scope, scale, and value of our streaming services, including access to Disney’s unparalleled, award-winning content.”
Disney+ is currently offering a promotion where new subscribers can sign up for R49 per month for the first three months before the new prices take effect. This deal runs from 12 to 27 September 2024. The company also noted that “existing mobile subscribers will be able to upgrade to Disney+ Premium with this promo.”
This marks the second price increase since Disney+ launched in South Africa in May 2022. At the time, the monthly subscription was priced at R119, and annual subscribers paid R1,190, which included two months free. Disney implemented its first price hike in June 2023, with the changes taking effect from 19 July. That increase raised the monthly subscription by R20, from R119 to R139 per month, a 16.8% jump. Annual subscribers have since been paying R1,390 per year.
With this upcoming increase, both monthly and annual Disney+ subscriptions are set to be significantly more expensive compared to launch prices, reflecting the company’s expanding content library and service value.
