Disney Plus is reportedly considering a free, ad-supported streaming tier to compete with YouTube and other services, as revealed by a source during a company town hall.
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Disney Plus is considering making some of its content free to watch, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-discusses-free-tier-viewers-youtube-2026-7">a report from <em>Business Insider</em></a>. A source tells the outlet that Adam Smith, Disney's chief product and technology officer, mentioned a free streaming tier during the company's town hall on Thursday.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It's not clear which shows or movies the purported free streaming tier involves, or when Disney would consider rolling it out, but <em>Business Insider</em> reports that it's "part of an ongoing discussion about concepts to better serve fans." Disney didn't immediately respond to <em>The Verge</em>'s request for comment.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With YouTube taking <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/tv/tv-viewership-streaming-broadcast-cable-nielsen-the-gauge-april-2026/">up a large portion of viewers' time</a> in fro …</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/streaming/964056/disney-plus-free-tier-report">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
# Disney Plus is reportedly looking into a free streaming tier
Source: [https://www.theverge.com/streaming/964056/disney-plus-free-tier-report](https://www.theverge.com/streaming/964056/disney-plus-free-tier-report)
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A free streaming push could help Disney compete with YouTube\.
A free streaming push could help Disney compete with YouTube\.
by
Jul 10, 2026, 3:33 PM UTC
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
[](https://www.theverge.com/authors/emma-roth)
Emma Roth
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more\. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO\.
Disney Plus is considering making some of its content free to watch, according to[a report from*Business Insider*](https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-discusses-free-tier-viewers-youtube-2026-7)\. A source tells the outlet that Adam Smith, Disney’s chief product and technology officer, mentioned a free streaming tier during the company’s town hall on Thursday\.
It’s not clear which shows or movies the purported free streaming tier involves, or when Disney would consider rolling it out, but*Business Insider*reports that it’s “part of an ongoing discussion about concepts to better serve fans\.” Disney didn’t immediately respond to*The Verge*’s request for comment\.
With YouTube taking[up a large portion of viewers’ time](https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/tv/tv-viewership-streaming-broadcast-cable-nielsen-the-gauge-april-2026/)in front of the TV, Disney Plus, Netflix, HBO Max, and other streamers are looking for other ways to capture their attention\. Disney Plus has already[launched vertical video feeds](https://www.theverge.com/tech/858277/disney-plus-vertical-video), along with[always\-on channels](https://deadline.com/2024/09/disney-plus-adds-fast-channels-live-streaming-1236103732/), something Netflix is also[rumored to be exploring](https://www.theverge.com/streaming/963733/netflix-always-on-channels-bundles)\.
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Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed the company is exploring a free, ad-supported tier for Disney Plus to attract price-sensitive consumers and compete with free services like YouTube. No specific plans were announced.
Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro confirmed Disney is exploring a free, ad-supported streaming product to reach price-sensitive customers and boost ad revenue, while Netflix is also considering similar options amid price hikes.
The article traces the streaming industry's transition from ad-free to ad-supported models due to profitability challenges, with major services like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video now offering cheaper ad tiers while raising prices for ad-free access.
Disney has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it forced YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream to raise subscription prices through anticompetitive carriage agreements.
Disney agreed to a $50 million settlement over claims that its practices made live-TV streaming more expensive. Eligible customers who subscribed to YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or AT&T TV Now between 2019 and 2026 may receive payments.