Disney+ Adds Almost 8M Subscribers

Disney added around 8 million new subscribers to its streaming unit, Disney+. It recorded 137.7 million subscribers worldwide at the end of the quarter on April 2, up from 129.8 million in the previous quarter. That number has increased by almost 20 million from six months ago, up 33% from 103.6 million in the same period last year.

Hulu has reached 45.6 million subscribers, which includes 3.8 million live TV packages, up just 10% year-over-year. Benefiting from the influx of live sports and well-known docuseries, ESPN+ also surged 62% year-on-year to reach 22.3 million subscribers.

The average revenue per user of Disney+ (ARPU) increased 9% to $4.35. It is lower than many other major streaming platforms as it is a low-cost add-on through Hotstar in India and other South Asian territories.

While the company began focusing on its direct-to-consumer streaming strategy a few years ago, its stellar brand collection and marketing expertise have given Disney+ a head start. It started to falter a bit after being on the market for two years and finding offerings beyond the core of Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar core.