Disney+Hotstar to Offer Entire Content Library to all Paid Users

In a good news to Disney+Hotstar users, the streaming service announced that it will revoke the differential pricing strategy it has in place. In place of that, it will bring three new subscription plans, giving users access to everything on the platform starting September 1.

Disney+Hotstar Reforms Pricing Strategy

Right now, the streaming service offers two annual plans - Disney+Hotstar VIP at ₹399, and Premium at ₹1,499. However, VIP users had no access to international content; only premium users had access to international shows and movies.

After the rejig, the new plans will be based on screen-access. However, these plans come at a much cheaper price than Netflix. The new annual plans are:

• Mobile: For ₹499 per year, a user can access everything on the platform on a single device.
• Super: This plan will allow access on two devices, in HD, at ₹899
• Premium: This plan will allow users to access the streaming service on 4 devices. This plan will also offer 4K UHD content, and will cost ₹1,499.

Sunil Rayan, President and Head, Disney+ Hotstar, said, "now, we have rejigged our subscription tiers, allowing access of all content to every subscriber. This is part of the learning… We have realised that people want access to English content."

Rayan added that the OTT service will continue to have the advertising-led freemium service, where users can access catch up TV and first episodes of India originals.

"There are 550 million smartphone devices and we would love to get to every single person as much as possible and across free and paid, I think we can get there," Rayan said. "We feel very confident with the user trends shaping up so far. More users are spending more time watching content on our service and we hope that continues to grow."

By contrast, Netflix has the following monthly plans in India:

• Mobile: At ₹199 per month, Netflix allows access to content on only one mobile phone, and in SD.
• Basic: This plan provides access on one device, in SD, and sets users back ₹499 per month.
• Standard: Costing ₹649 per month, this plan gives HD content access on two devices simultaneously.
• Premium: For ₹799 per months, 4 devices can have Netflix in 4K UHD.

Disney+Hotstar has taken a great leap forward in competing with Netflix in India. If not on the content front, it has made itself lucrative in terms of value.