Hulu app to shut down in 2026 as Disney fully merges platform into Disney+

Hulu will be phased out as a stand-alone app in 2026, with Disney confirming it is “fully integrating” the service — now wholly owned by the company — into its flagship Disney+ platform.

Starting in autumn 2025, Hulu will replace the Star brand on Disney+ internationally.

Hulu to merge into Disney+

A “unified” Disney+ and Hulu streaming app will launch in 2026, the company announced. A Disney representative said customers will still be able to purchase a stand-alone Hulu subscription, as well as a stand-alone Disney+ plan.

“Today we are announcing a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+,” CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston said in prepared commentary on the media giant’s quarterly earnings.

“This will create an impressive package of entertainment, pairing the highest-caliber brands and franchises, great general entertainment, family programming, news and industry-leading live sports content in a single app,” they added.

Iger told investors the single Disney+ app with Hulu will deliver an “improved consumer experience,” which will lower churn. Both services will be “on one tech platform,” which he said would result in cost synergies. Disney — which already sells ads for Disney+ and Hulu together — also sees “new opportunities for bundling ad sales by fully combining them.”

When will the integration take place?

Hulu’s live TV business will be merged with Fubo under a proposed joint venture majority-owned by Disney. While Hulu + Live TV and Fubo will remain separately marketed for now, a Disney representative confirmed Hulu + Live TV will be integrated into Disney+ in 2026.

The integration has been underway for some time. In spring 2024, the Disney+ app launched “full” integration of Hulu content, aimed at converting stand-alone Disney+ subscribers into bundled Disney+/Hulu customers.

At what price will users get to purchase Hulu subscription?

Also on Wednesday, Disney announced it will stop reporting streaming subscriber numbers for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, following the lead of Netflix and others. The company also set August 21 as the launch date for its ESPN stand-alone streaming product, priced at $29.99 per month.