A new combined Disney Plus and Hulu app will get a test launch in December

One app to rule them all?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

ConsideringDisney invested in Hulu all the way back in 2019, before outright buying the streaming service at the start of November, it seems a little overdue. However, a combined Disney Plus and Hulu app is finally happening – and a beta test is being held for it very, very soon.

The revelation comes straight from the mouth of Disney CEO Bob Iger, who confirmed the news duringDisney’s Q4 2023 earnings call(as reported byIGN). During its Q3 2023 earnings call three months ago, Iger confirmedDisney Plus and Hulu were joining forced to take on Netflix, with the app merger set to occur by the end of the year.

Now, we know the new app will enter beta testing in December, with an official launch in the first few months of 2024 – so that schedule is still in place.

One barrier to the combined app was removed last week, whenDisney moved to buy out the 33% stake that Comcast still had in Hulu. Now that Disney has full control, it can get on with the business of offering one single supercharged streaming app, as well as continuing to offerDisney PlusandHuluas single entities.

“We remain on track to roll out a more unified one-app experience domestically, making extensive general entertainment content available to bundle subscribers via Disney Plus,” Iger said. At the same time,Disney’s Q4 2023 earnings reportalso confirmed that Disney Plus has surpassed 150 million users for the first time. For comparison,Netflix is estimated to have around 250 million.

What it means for streamers

There are some caveats here. Firstly, as we mentioned, Disney Plus and Hulu (and the Disney-owned ESPN) will continue to be available separately, if you prefer. The unified Disney Plus and Hulu app will only be available toDisney Plus bundlesubscribers, a deal which currently costs $9.99 a month with ads and $19.99 without.

Secondly, the new 2-in-1 app is only going to be available in the US – that’s perhaps not surprising, considering Hulu is a US-only service. There has been speculation that Disney might eventually launch Hulu outside of the US, which would mean any unified app could be available internationally, but at the moment it seems unlikely.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

Right now, users outside of the US can get some Hulu content – includingMurders in the BuildingandThe Bear– viaDisney Plus Star, another of the ‘brands’ inside Disney Plus (likeStar WarsandMarvel). It doesn’t cost anything extra, and doesn’t need a separate app, so in some respects the Disney Plus and Hulu merger has already happened outside the US.

When the new Disney Plus-Hulu mega-app is fully operational next year, it’ll certainly be one of the biggest shake ups the streaming landscape has seen so far. If you’re wondering how all these platforms currently compare, check out ourbest streaming serviceguide.

You might also like

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Red One isn’t perfect but it proves we need more action-packed Christmas movies

Scotland vs South Africa live stream: how to watch 2024 rugby union Autumn International online from anywhere

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: A powerful and truly portable projector