Hulu is not shutting down as a service, but the standalone Hulu app is being phased out during 2026 as Disney folds everything into a single Disney+ app.
Your Hulu subscription continues, the full Hulu catalogue already lives inside Disney+, and the change is mostly about which app you open rather than losing access to anything. Disney has said there are no plans to end the Hulu subscription in the United States.
The headlines about Hulu “shutting down” are half right and half misleading, so here is exactly what is changing, when, and what you need to do.
Is Hulu Shutting Down?
Not as a streaming service. What is going away is the separate Hulu app, not Hulu itself. Disney announced on an August 2025 earnings call that it would merge Hulu and Disney+ into one unified application, and by October 2025 the entire Hulu catalogue was already available inside Disney+. The Hulu brand and subscription tier continue to exist, but the long-term plan is for subscribers to watch Hulu content through Disney+ rather than a standalone app.
So if you have seen the question framed as a shutdown, the accurate version is this: the Hulu app is being retired, the content is moving into Disney+, and your account and library come with it.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | Disney announces a unified Disney+ and Hulu app |
| October 2025 | Hulu’s full catalogue becomes available inside Disney+ |
| February 2026 | Hulu app support starts ending on some devices, beginning with Nintendo Switch |
| Later in 2026 | The standalone Hulu app is phased out; the unified Disney+ app launches |
| Ongoing | The Hulu subscription remains available; you watch Hulu content through Disney+ |
When Is the Hulu App Shutting Down?
There is no single shutdown date yet. Disney has been retiring the Hulu app device by device rather than flipping one switch. Support on the Nintendo Switch ended in early February 2026, and the company has signaled the standalone app will become unavailable at some point during 2026, with the exact date still unannounced. The unified Disney+ app that combines both libraries is set to debut later in the year.
In practice, you can keep using the Hulu app until your device loses support, and when that happens, the same login works in Disney+. Nothing in your watchlist or subscription disappears in the transition.
What Changes for Hulu Subscribers
Less than the word “shutdown” suggests. Your subscription, your profiles, and your viewing history move into the Disney+ experience, and the Hulu content sits inside Disney+ as a dedicated section. If you subscribe to the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, the unified app is built exactly for that combination. For most people, the practical change is opening Disney+ instead of the Hulu app.
The one separate piece is Hulu + Live TV, the cable-replacement service, which is now part of a combined company with Fubo after Disney merged the two in late 2025. That live-TV product runs on its own track and is not part of the on-demand app consolidation. If you are weighing live-TV options during all this change, our guide to watching live TV without cable breaks down where Hulu + Live TV now fits.
Will Your Hulu Price Change?
Not because of the app consolidation itself. Moving Hulu into Disney+ does not automatically change your subscription price, and Disney has framed the unified app as a convenience rather than a repricing. That said, Disney adjusts streaming prices periodically like every other service, so a future increase would be a separate decision, not a consequence of the merger. Watch your billing emails for any standard annual price notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hulu shutting down?
The Hulu service is not shutting down, but the standalone Hulu app is being retired during 2026. Hulu content has moved into Disney+, and your subscription continues. Disney has said it has no plans to end the Hulu subscription in the United States.
When is the Hulu app shutting down?
There is no single date. Disney is retiring the app device by device, starting with Nintendo Switch in February 2026, and the standalone app is expected to become unavailable at some point in 2026. The unified Disney+ app launches later in the year.
Will I lose my Hulu subscription?
No. Your subscription, profiles, and watch history carry over into Disney+. You will watch the same Hulu content through the Disney+ app rather than a separate Hulu app, with no loss of access to your library.
Do I need Disney+ to watch Hulu now?
Increasingly, yes. Hulu’s full catalogue is available inside Disney+, and as the standalone app is phased out, Disney+ becomes the place to watch Hulu content. The Disney+ and Hulu bundle is designed for exactly this combined experience.
What happens to Hulu + Live TV?
Hulu + Live TV is separate from the app consolidation. Disney merged it with Fubo in late 2025 to form a combined live-TV company, and it continues to operate as its own service with its own plans rather than folding into the Disney+ app.
Is Hulu content on Disney+?
Yes. As of October 2025, Hulu’s entire catalogue is available within Disney+, sitting as a dedicated section of the app. That integration is the foundation of the unified app Disney is rolling out through 2026.
Will my Hulu price change?
The app consolidation by itself does not change your price. Disney adjusts streaming prices periodically, so a future increase would be a separate decision rather than a result of moving Hulu into Disney+. Check your billing notices for any standard price update.
Last updated: May 2026. We update this guide as Disney finalizes the Hulu and Disney+ transition.