Disney+ may soon be getting a new free tier, according to new reports.
Disney’s chief product and technology officer Adam Smith allegedly discussed the possibility of enabling free-tier content during an internal company town hall earlier this week.
However, according to a source who spoke to Business Insider, the executive didn’t share a timeline for when the plans could be implemented. They also didn’t touch on what this free tier could ultimately look like or what content users will get.
Adding a fully-fledged free tier would make Disney+ fairly unique among the paid streaming giants. Though Apple TV+ and Paramount+ do offer some free sample episodes, services like Netflix and Prime Video offer no free content whatsoever at the time of writing.
Smith didn’t give a great deal of detail about why Disney is waiting until now to add free content, but we’re seeing more and more consumers shift to free streaming services, amid recent price hikes from streaming giants.
Data from Nielsen found that free streaming services like YouTube and Tubi represented 18.7% of US television watch time in April 2026, up roughly 11% year-over-year, from 16.8% in April 2025. Free streaming represented just 12.7% of watch time in April 2024.
Recommended by Our Editors
Disney has not officially commented on the reports. The streaming giant has been exploring new formats as of late. Disney+ rolled out a vertical short-form video feature, dubbed Verts, for the first time back in March. Disney said the feature’s personalized suggestions could help users discover more of its 100-year catalog of content.
In December 2022, Disney+ joined services like Netflix and Hulu in introducing a discount ad-supported tier, though a free tier is still unknown territory for the company.
About Our Expert
Experience
I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.
I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.
Leave a Reply