Discovery Plus raises monthly subscription prices across both plans
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Discovery Plus is raising the monthly price of both its plans, with the changes taking effect immediately for new subscribers. The increase comes a week after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, adding uncertainty about Discovery Plus’s future as a standalone service.
The ad-supported plan rises from $5.99 to $6.99, while the ad-free plan increases from $9.99 to $11.99. Existing subscribers will see the new prices on a billing statement dated 12 November or later; the service last raised prices in January 2025. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to combine Paramount Plus and HBO Max over time, but have not said whether Discovery Plus will remain separate.
- Discovery Plus is increasing prices on both plans.
- The ad-free tier rises by $2 a month.
- The service’s future as a standalone streamer is unclear.
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Discovery Plus is a video streaming service providing films and television programmes to subscribers. It has been owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, one of the world's largest entertainment companies.
Paramount, another major entertainment conglomerate, recently completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. This means Paramount now controls not only Discovery Plus but also Paramount Plus and HBO Max, giving it significant influence over the streaming market.
The acquisition has created uncertainty about how these streaming services will be organised going forward. Paramount has publicly stated plans to combine some of its streaming platforms over time, which provides important context for understanding business decisions affecting Discovery Plus and related services.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Streaming services have established a pattern of regular price increases that steadily erode the value proposition drawing consumers to the platform. Combined with the broader trend of media consolidation and uncertainty about Discovery Plus's future as an independent service, these increases feel particularly tone-deaf and represent another incremental assault on consumer choice and affordability in an already fragmented and costly streaming landscape.
The case against
These are modest, inflation-appropriate increases that maintain the ad-supported tier at genuine affordability compared to competing services. Companies must sustain profitability to fund the content consumers demand, and consolidation within the sector can generate operational efficiencies and improved service integration rather than harm consumers if executed thoughtfully.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Discovery Plus is getting more expensive”.