Disney+ Attracts 74 Million Subscribers in First 11 Months

Disney+ has attracted 73.7 million subscribers in its first 11 months, far exceeding the company’s expectations.

Disney had previously forecast that the family-friendly streaming service would reach between 60 million and 90 million subscribers by 2024, explains a report from The Streamable. It hit the lower end of that threshold after just nine months.

“It has quickly exceeded our highest expectations,” said Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

The service, which at $8.99 CAD per month is on the lower end of the pricing spectrum for standalone streamers, has amassed its subscribers on the strength of its content library, which includes access to animated classics, Marvel blockbusters, the Star Wars franchise and more.

Still, Disney+ has a ways to go to catch up to Netflix’s 195 million global subscribers. It’s hard to compare its performance to other newly launched services. Apple has never disclosed how many subscribers Apple TV+ has attracted. NBCUniversal, meanwhile, has disclosed only that streamer Peacock, which offers both a free, ad-supported offering and a subscription tier, has 22 million users. And WarnerMedia has said 8.6 million people have activated HBO Max since May, but that HBO and HBO Max have a combined 38 million subscribers.

The company’s other streaming services also saw gains during its fiscal fourth quarter. Hulu grew its base by 28 percent to 36.6 million subscribers, including 4.1 million members to its live TV product. ESPN+ grew more than 100 percent to 10.3 million subscribers. The company says it now has more than 120 million paid subscribers worldwide for its bundled streaming package, which includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.

Disney will provide an update on global subscriber numbers at its annual investment conference on December 10.

Click here to sign up for Disney+ in Canada at $8.99 per month or $89.99 CAD per year.

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