Streamers Slash Prices in Black Friday Bid for Subscribers

Major streaming services are rolling out deep Black Friday discounts to attract new customers, with Disney+ and HBO Max leading the charge with offers of 70% off or more. The price war highlights the intense competition for subscribers in a crowded market.

• A bundle of joy: Disney's main offer bundles the ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu for $4.99 a month for one year, a discount that totals nearly $100 over the year. But if you’re already a subscriber to any of Disney's services, you're not eligible.

• The fine print: Warner Bros. Discovery is making its own bold play, looking to build on the 2.3 million streaming subscribers it added last quarter. The company has slashed the price of its Basic with Ads plan to just $2.99 per month for one year. The one catch? The ad-supported plan doesn't include offline downloads, so you won't be watching anything on a plane.

• Everyone's in on it: Other streaming players are getting in on the action as well, with Peacock offering its Premium annual subscription for $19.99. Similarly, Paramount+ is cutting its annual plan by 50%, and both services are tapping into retail ecosystems with offers available through a Walmart+ subscription.

These aggressive, limited-time deals show that in the current streaming wars, acquiring subscribers—even at a steep discount—is the top priority heading into the new year. The price cuts extend beyond on-demand content, with live TV services like YouTube TV also offering promotions for cord-cutters. Meanwhile, streamers are looking for other ways to stand out, with HBO Max heavily promoting its push into live sports. Even newer players like Fox One are getting in on the Black Friday action to grab a piece of the market.