Why You Can No Longer Subscribe to Disney+ and Hulu Through Apple
If you’re an Apple user who prefers to sign up and pay for services through the App Store, you’ll have to cross Hulu and Disney+ off your list: Disney is no longer allowing new and returning subscribers to its streaming platforms to sign up through its iOS apps.
According to the Disney+ and Hulu customer support pages, payment through the App Store is no longer available for users who don’t already have an active subscription paid for by Apple. Instead, new subscribers and those restarting their accounts will have to sign up for DisneyPlus.com and Hulu.com . You will be redirected to each relevant website from the iOS apps.
This change does not currently affect existing Apple billing subscribers, who can still manage their accounts through Apple’s subscription settings, although this may happen in the future as other companies have followed a similar path. Netflix stopped new subscriptions through iOS in 2018 and disabled Apple billing for many existing users , including in the US and Canada, earlier this year. Spotify and Amazon have also limited payments on the App Store.
Why Disney is ending in-app subscriptions
Disney’s decision to end Apple-paid subscriptions is likely the same as Netflix and Spotify’s, as it involves waiving the up to 30% commission Apple charges on in-app purchases. Apple has been the target of numerous legal challenges related to its App Store policies, including an antitrust complaint by Spotify in 2019 and a class-action lawsuit by US customers who made in-app purchases accusing the company of price gouging . The first resulted in a nearly $2 billion fine from European Union regulators and a change in the App Store’s fee structure for EU developers; the latter is due to stand trial in February 2026. The US Department of Justice also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple this year.
If you’re not sure whether you’re billed through Apple for your Disney+ or Hulu subscription, check your billing party and billing information in your account settings.
Note that Disney also recently raised subscription prices for its streaming services—an increase that went into effect earlier this month.