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Is Disney Plus worth it? Pricing, content, availability, and more

We answer all your questions and many more in our extensive guide.
By
February 27, 2024
Disney Plus main screen 1
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

A few years ago, Disney announced its plans to launch a streaming service that would compete directly with services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and many others. Disney Plus formally launched in November 2019 and quickly became one of the most popular streaming services in existence, with new streaming shows and movies nearly every week.

So what is Disney Plus, what does it offer, and what else should you know about the service? This master guide serves as the place to find answers to all your Disney Plus questions. Don’t you already have Disney Plus? Get it via the button below as part of a bundle including Hulu and ESPN Plus.

Disney Plus comedy movies section stock photo
Disney Plus bundle

How much is Disney Plus, and what’s included?

Best drama movies on Disney Plus

Disney Plus offers a variety of pricing options to suit different preferences. Whether you opt for monthly payments, commit to an annual subscription, or even bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus, there’s a plan for everyone.

Here are the Disney Plus price options:

 

PlanPrice
Disney Plus with ads (monthly)$8/month
Disney Plus ad-free (monthly)$14/month
Disney Plus ad-free (annual)$140/year
Disney Plus (ads) and Hulu (ads)$10/month
Disney Plus (ads), Hulu (ads), and ESPN Plus$15/month
Disney Plus (ad-free) and Hulu (ad-free)$20/month
Disney Plus (ad-free), Hulu (ad-free), and ESPN Plus$25/month

The features of Disney Plus differ slightly based on whether you choose the Basic plan with ads or the Premium plan without ads. However, both tiers grant access to the same extensive library of shows and movies.

The Disney Plus Basic plan with ads includes:

  • Ad-supported streaming for thousands of Disney movies and TV shows
  • Up to 4K playback with HDR and Dolby Vision support on select titles
  • Ability to stream on four devices simultaneously
  • Ability to add up to seven profiles

The Disney Plus Premium plan without ads also offers these additional features:

  • Ad-free streaming
  • Unlimited downloads
  • Dolby Atmos immersive sound on select titles

Can I get Disney Plus for free?

fire tv disney plus
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Disney Plus originally offered a seven-day free trial. Sadly, you can’t test-drive the service anymore. You’re either in or out and have to pay from day one.

You can theoretically piggyback on someone else’s account. A Disney membership is, strictly speaking, supposed to be used only within one household, but the company hasn’t yet made moves to stop account sharing. That’s not really free, though. Even if you don’t pay, someone must have a paid account.

However, one way to get Disney Plus for free is through third parties.

Have Verizon or thinking about switching to Big Red? You can get Disney Plus at a discounted price!

Verizon launched their Unltimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans for new users. You can get Disney Plus Premium (No Ads) with Hulu and ESPN Plus (With Ads) as an add-on for $10. Normally, this would cost you around $25.

How do I sign up for Disney Plus?

Before signing up for Disney Plus, check the list above and ensure it has launched in your region. If it has, signing up is really easy. The easiest way is to head over to Disney Plus’ website and sign up there.

The Disney Plus logo.
Disney Plus
Disney Plus offers thousands of TV episodes and movies from across the Disney library, including its Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel shows and films, along with exclusive TV series and movies.

What platforms and devices support Disney Plus?

Xbox One X

Disney Plus is available on a wide variety of platforms and devices.

  • iOS, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices
  • Apple TV set-top boxes, including integration with the new Apple TV app. It will allow customers to sign up for the service inside the app.
  • Android, including Android-based phones and tablets (specific OS version not yet revealed)
  • Android TV-based devices, including the NVIDIA Shield.
  • Google Chromecast and devices that have Chromecast built-in
  • Microsoft Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S game consoles
  • Sony Playstation 4 and 5 game consoles
  • Roku, including all Roku sticks, set-top boxes, and TVs that have the Roku OS installed
  • Amazon Fire TV-based sticks, set-top boxes, and TVs
  • PC desktop web browsers
  • Samsung smart TVs from 2016 to the current models.
  • LG smart TV models.
  • Vizio SmartCast TVs from 2016 to the current models.
  • Comcast Xfinity set-top boxes for Comcast X1 and Flex customers

One thing to note: while the device you use to watch Disney Plus will offer the same content across the board, only Android and iOS devices will allow you to download your shows for offline viewing.

Does Disney Plus support 4K? And if so, what devices do you need?

Yes, Disney Plus supports 4K on a variety of devices! Devices include:

  • Roku devices and TVs that support 4K
  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Sony PlayStation 4
  • Apple TV
  • 4K-capable Android TV-based devices
  • Chromecast Ultra and 4K devices with Chromecast functionality baked in
  • LG Smart TVs

That’s not necessarily a complete list, but it’s close. As for what you can watch in 4K, quite a few Disney Plus movies and TV shows support 4K streaming. That includes all of the classic and prequel Star Wars films, which are being presented in 4K for the first time on the service. The Force Awakens and Rogue One also support 4K.

All of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies on Disney Plus support 4K streaming, as do all of the Pixar CGI feature films. A selection of films from Disney’s cel and CGI animated movies can be streamed in 4K, including classics like Frozen, the original Lion King, and more. A selection of live-action Disney Plus movies also supports 4K resolution, like Pirates of the Caribbean, The Princess Diaries, and The Santa Clause.

Many of the original TV shows and movies on the service support 4K streaming, including The Mandalorian, High School Musical: The Musical—The Series, Noelle, and Lady and the Tramp. You can tap or click on the “Details” section of the Disney Plus TV show or movie you want to watch to find out if it supports 4K streaming.

In November 2021, some MCU films on the service added IMAX-enhanced versions alongside the regular versions of those movies. Those editions switch the aspect ratio to IMAX’s 1.90:1 aspect ratio for any scenes in those movies that were shot in the format.

What’s on Disney Plus? A look at all the shows and movies

Disney Plus homepage 1

Disney Plus includes access to hundreds of movies and thousands of TV shows from its 90 years of content. This includes all those great animated films and live-action movies from the Disney brand, including the Disney Vault, which is full of classics such as Snow White, Cinderella, The Lion King, and many others. Disney also features all of the Pixar movies you know and love and tons of Star Wars shows and films. Marvel fans will find most of their favorite movies, and there are even tons of TV shows from the National Geographic Channel.

Classic content from the Disney Channel is also available on the service. That includes shows like Duck Tales and Hannah Montana, with thousands of episodes and over 100 movies.

It also has several family-themed TV shows and movies from its recent Fox purchase. That includes The Simpsons, with all 30 seasons available from day one on the service.

Of course, not everything Disney has ever made will be available on the service yet. Because of a current contract with Netflix and others like HBO, some shows and movies won’t make their way to the service until a bit later. Disney plans to transition all its content away from the competition over the next few years.

As we mentioned earlier in this guide, Disney Plus has plenty of exclusive content too! Here are just some of the exclusive shows and movies on the service right now:

  • Nai Nai & Wài Pó – It is a short documentary film directed by first-generation Taiwanese American Sean Wang and focuses on his grandmothers, who are also inseparable best friends and roommates in their 80s and 90s. The film showcases their daily lives filled with humor and unexpected moments as they engage in activities like dancing, stretching, and humorously dealing with their sorrows.
  • Marvel Studios’ Assembled – A comprehensive documentary series streaming on Disney Plus that offers behind-the-scenes insights into making Marvel Studios’ films and television series, showcasing the creative process, production challenges, and exclusive interviews with the cast and crew.
  • Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures – An animated series on Disney Plus set during the High Republic era, focusing on Jedi younglings as they learn the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, and help those in need, all while developing the skills necessary to become Jedi Knights.
  • Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold – Features Alex Honnold (“Free Solo”) on an epic adventure to climb uncharted walls in one of Greenland’s most secluded areas, highlighting the region’s front-line position in the climate crisis alongside climbers Hazel Findlay and Mikey Schaefer.
  • Genius: MLK/X – A drama that explores the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies, and key personal relationships of two iconic figures: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
  • SparkShorts – A series of independent animated short films produced by Pixar Animation Studios, available on Disney+, showcasing the creativity and innovation of various Pixar employees.
  • Choir – A 6-part documentary series that follows the Detroit Youth Choir as they prepare for the performance of a lifetime, showcasing their journey and the challenges of growing up in Detroit while pursuing their dreams. ​
  • A Real Bug’s Life – An adventure into a world beyond your imagination where life is on a completely different scale and little creatures rely on amazing powers to make it through the day. ​
  • Echo – A Marvel series spotlighting Maya Lopez as she confronts her own family and legacy while being pursued by Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire.
  • What If…? Season 2 – Continues the journey through the vast multiverse, with The Watcher guiding viewers to explore new and familiar faces across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, questioning and revisiting pivotal moments.

Is everything on Disney Plus family-friendly?

The Defenders shows like Titans
Netflix

Disney Plus first launched as an exclusively family-friendly streamer, with all of its content fitting between TV-Y and TV-14 ratings.

That’s changing with Disney regaining control of some of its Marvel Netflix co-productions.

The Defenders series, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and the Punisher, are all rated TV-MA. Now that they’re moving from Netflix to Disney Plus, they mark a shift in the types of content that can appear on the Disney streamer.

There have been other more mature Disney-owned Marvel shows like M.O.D.O.K. and Hit-Monkey since the launch of Disney Plus, but they’ve been on Disney’s other major streamer, Hulu, so far.

We don’t know yet if Disney plans to move all Marvel content under one roof at some point.

Star brand added to Disney Plus internationally

disney plus star
Disney

On February 23, 2021, Disney Plus added the Star brand to its various content categories in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. This changed Disney by replacing previously created or owned content with more mature content. This includes TV shows and movies from the 20th Century Fox library, including Family Guy, Aliens, Die Hard, Predator, and much more. It’s also where most Hulu content premieres outside the US.

The Star brand will not be added to the US version of the service. That kind of content will still be available on Disney’s Hulu service. Star will also be the home for original content from the US-based Hulu and will add more original local content in the future.

What about all of that Fox content and Hulu?

Hulu movies for kids stock photo 1

As mentioned, Disney has now acquired much of the content of 21st Century Fox. That means Disney will have the movie and TV rights to franchises like Aliens, Predator, Planet of the Apes, and the X-Men-Deadpool Marvel Comics characters. However, this service is mostly meant for a family audience, which means that many of Fox’s franchises, which are made for an older audience, won’t show up on the Disney streaming service in the US.

However, former Disney chairman Bob Iger has stated that a number of former Fox franchises will be rebooted in some way for Disney Plus. That has since happened, with new movies in the Home Alone and Diary of a Wimpy Kid films now added to the service, with more on the way.

The good news for Disney is that it now effectively controls all of Hulu. It originally owned 30 percent, then bought the 30 percent share once owned by Fox. It has since made a deal with Comcast to buy its remaining interest in Hulu over the next few years, but Comcast also agreed to give operational control of the service to Disney. Hulu currently has about 33 million subscribers. Disney has indicated that it will offer content from the properties it bought in the Fox deal on Hulu rather than Disney Plus.

Some shows that were originally slated for Disney Plus were moved to Hulu. That includes the TV adaptation of High Fidelity and the Simon spin-off show Love, Victor.

Interface and other features

Disney Plus

The app and UI include special sections for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic brands. There will also be sections in the interface so users can see all of the service’s movies, TV shows, and original content. It recently added a “Continue Watching” section so users can see which movies and shows they stopped watching in the middle so they can quickly resume them.

Users will be able to create up to seven custom individual profiles. Kids can see the shows and movies they are interested in, while their older parents can see their preferred content.

The service also has a Kids Mode. It includes parental controls so moms and dads can keep their sons and daughters from seeing content outside their age group. Disney Plus recently added a GroupWatch feature, which allows up to seven people to watch shows and movies from the service together via remote viewing.

disney plus share button
Disney

Recently, the service added a “share” button for its mobile apps. Subscribers can go to a Disney Plus movie or TV show and tap the “share” icon. Those users can then send a link to that content to their family or friends via messaging apps or social media accounts. The recipients must have a paid Disney Plus subscription to access the account.

Disney Plus vs the competition

Netflix Originals next to popcorn stock photo 2
NetflixDisney PlusHuluMaxAmazon Prime Video
Pricing
Netflix
Basic with ads: $6.99/month
Standard: $15.49/month
Premium: $22.99/month
Disney Plus
Basic with ads: $7.99/month
Premium: $13.99/month
Premium: $139.99/year
Hulu
Hulu (with ads): $7.99/month or $79.99/year
Hulu (no ads): $17.99/month
Other add-ons available
Max
With ads: $9.99/month
Without ads: $15.99/month
Amazon Prime Video
Standalone: $8.99/month
With Prime: $14.99/month or $139.99/year
Other add-ons available
Streaming quality
Netflix
Basic with ads: SD
Basic: SD
Standard: HD
Premium: UHD (4K)
Disney Plus
Up to 4K
Hulu
Up to 4K
Max
With ads: HD
Without ads: Up to 4K
Amazon Prime Video
Up to 4K
Concurrent streams
Netflix
Basic with ads: 1
Basic: 1
Standard: 2
Premium: 4
Disney Plus
4
Hulu
Standard: 2
With $9.99 add-on: Unlimited
Max
3
Amazon Prime Video
3
Original programming
Netflix
Yes
Disney Plus
Yes
Hulu
Yes
Max
Yes
Amazon Prime Video
Yes
Offline viewing
Netflix
Yes
Disney Plus
Yes
Hulu
Yes (only on ad-free plans)
Max
Yes (only on ad-free plan)
Amazon Prime Video
Yes
Live TV
Netflix
No
Disney Plus
No
Hulu
Yes (only on Live TV plans)
Max
No
Amazon Prime Video
No
Other features
Netflix
Includes small mobile game catalog
Disney PlusHulu
Hulu (with ads) included in Disney Plus-Hulu-ESPN bundle.
Max
Ad-free plan includes day-and-date access to some Warner Bros. films.
Amazon Prime Video
Included in Amazon Prime
Free trial?
Netflix
No
Disney Plus
No
Hulu
Yes, up to 30 days
Max
No
Amazon Prime Video
Yes, 30 days

NetflixDisney PlusHuluMaxAmazon Prime Video

The service has much content, but it’s still pretty light on the exclusives, even if Disney is working hard to change this. Disney also tends to focus on family-friendly content, so more mature-themed shows are basically nonexistent for the US audience. If you’re looking for family-friendly viewing and love what Disney produces, it’s an absolute no-brainer. This is further helped by its relatively low price tag, at least compared to many competitors.

Prefer programming that’s a bit more on the adult side? Netflix might be a better choice for many.

The Simpsons on Disney Plus app 2

Is Disney Plus worth it?

Is Disney Plus worth it? Absolutely! This streaming represents enormous value for consumers, especially families. Instead of paying individually for all your favorite Disney movies or shows, Disney Plus gives you access to its entire library for a monthly fee. Disney Plus is also very aggressive in adding highly anticipated new Disney movies to its library relatively soon after they leave theaters. In 2021, it even added a few movies to the service while they were released to theaters, including Cruella, Black Widow, and Jungle Cruise.

Of course, if you don’t have kids and aren’t a Disney fan, you won’t find that much here worth getting. Most of the content is family-friendly, though there’s a fair amount of grown-up fare, too.

Other frequently asked questions

Disney Plus serves as a comprehensive hub for beloved Disney content, featuring offerings from Pixar, Marvel Studios, National Geographic, and the Star Wars universe. It also incorporates content from the Disney-owned Fox network, such as most The Simpsons episodes. The platform primarily showcases Disney’s extensive library of existing shows and movies, including classics from the Disney Vault and newer releases. Additionally, original content, like the acclaimed Star Wars series The Mandalorian and Marvel Cinematic Universe shows such as WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, enriches the platform’s diverse array of entertainment options.

The answer to that varies. We’ve seen Onward and Frozen 2 come to the service quickly due to the pandemic. Some movies, like Mulan and Rya and the Last Dragon, have dropped on the same day as their theatrical release for an extra fee. But typically, you’re in for a wait of 5-8 months after the theatrical release. You can read our dedicated post here to see how long movies from theaters take to reach Disney Plus.

You can have seven profiles per account. Each profile can pick a different avatar, with more than 200 available from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and the Star Wars universe.

Yep, it sure does! You can lock out profiles made for children with a PIN number and limit their access to certain content by setting up rating barriers. Unfortunately, there are no options for time limits or anything like that, at least for now.

Four devices can stream simultaneously.

Yes, Disney recognizes that some will share, and while it encourages users to get their own accounts, they are allowing it for now. That said, they claim to have backend technology that helps them identify who is sharing accounts and could crack down if it hinders the service’s growth. So far, though, Disney Plus doesn’t seem to have a growth issue!

No, the service is ad-free. That said, some users will see a Starz ad one time when finishing the sign-up process as part of a deal with Starz to get more content on Disney Plus sooner, but this is seemingly happening at random and won’t affect most users (and even if it does, it’s a one-time ad!).

Disney stated in October 2022 that the service has around 118 million subscribers. It continues to add more markets, and the coronavirus pandemic has likely led to even more sign-ups from bored folks stuck at home.

While it’s easy to overlook, turning on or off subtitles isn’t hard at all. For most devices, tap on the screen to reveal control buttons and select subtitles from the top right corner. You’ll now be given the option to select on or off. For Roku users, just hit the asterisk symbol on your remote. For Apple TV users? Swipe down from the top of Apple TV’s remote touchpad. Swipe over to subtitles and select off.

For more information, see our guide on turning Disney Plus subtitles on or off on any device.

While a lot of streaming services have extended trials to 30 days, Disney Plus isn’t one of them. It used to have a seven-day free trial for new subscribers, but that has since been discontinued.

Yes, you can gift Disney Plus to others, easily! You can buy a one-year gift subscription for US residents for $79.99.

Disney plus is available in a large number of countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and others. For a full list of supported regions, click here.

No. The new Star brand means that the service will have a lot more mature content for subscribers internationally. Subscribers in the US will have access to just family-friendly content for the most part.

Cancelling is easy. Check out this guide for the exact steps you need to take.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for the service now.

Disney Plus comedy movies section stock photo
Disney Plus bundle

Help other readers out

Have you used the service yet, or are you a current subscriber? If so, make your voice heard in our polls below, and then post your mini-review in the comments!

Would you recommend Disney Plus to a friend?

107 votes

Is the pricing for Disney Plus fair for what's provided?

99 votes

What device/platform do you use Disney Plus on primarily?

199 votes

Any streaming services you'd recommend over Disney Plus?

128 votes