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Streaming Shakeup: Disney+ and Hulu Churn Rates Double Amid Subscriber Revolt
20 Oct
Summary
- Disney+ and Hulu churn rates doubled in September
- Consumers threatened to boycott over Jimmy Kimmel suspension
- Disney to raise prices on streaming plans starting in October
According to data from Antenna, Disney+ and Hulu experienced a significant surge in their monthly churn rates in September 2025. Disney+'s churn rate jumped from 4% in August to 8% in September, while Hulu's increased from 5% to 10% during the same period.
The spike in cancellations appears to be linked to the temporary suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" over comments the late-night host made about Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin. Consumers threatened to boycott the Disney-owned streaming services in response to the suspension, leading to an estimated 3 million cancellations for Disney+ and 4.1 million for Hulu.
In addition to the Kimmel controversy, Disney also revealed last month that it will raise prices on several of its streaming plans starting in October 2025. This move is likely to further impact subscriber retention for the company's streaming platforms.
Despite the surge in churn, Disney+ still managed to sign up around 2.18 million new subscribers in September, while Hulu added just over 2.1 million. However, the significant increase in cancellations has raised concerns about the long-term viability of the company's streaming strategy.
