November 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m. |
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Disney+ launched in Germany in March 2020 and has only offered a single subscription model since then. But now the streaming provider has made a major adjustment. Customers can now choose between three subscriptions. There is also an option with advertising.
Netflix had already introduced access with advertising in November 2022. As of today, competitor Disney+ is also following suit and offering a cheaper, but ad-financed subscription. At the same time, there are two ad-free options, the standard and premium subscriptions, which differ slightly in terms of content. TECHBOOK was able to speak to Disney+ and reveals how the streaming provider is positioning itself in the future.
Disney+ starts subscription with advertising
A lot has happened on the streaming market in Germany in the past year. The struggle for subscribers and to operate as cost-effectively as possible resulted in some adjustments in the subscription models and in the handling of account sharing. Many providers have also discovered advertising as a source of income. They market this type of subscription as a cost-effective introduction to their offering.
Netflix users have been able to book the ad-financed subscription for a year now. Such access is now also available to Disney+ customers, but the provider does one crucial point differently. Because unlike Netflix, Disney+ does not limit the advertising subscription offering. Customers have full access to the entire catalog of films, series and documentaries, but also pay one euro more per month compared to Netflix.
Disney+ therefore also calls the new access a standard subscription with advertising to make it clear that it is close to the regular standard subscription. The offer costs 5.99 euros and can be canceled monthly. Customers who book the new subscription can continue to create up to seven individual accounts on a maximum of 10 devices. The provider allows up to two parallel streams in full HD quality and stereo 5.1.
However, subscribers have to forego the download function. For example, if you want to download films and series for your vacation, you have the option of switching to one of the two ad-free offers at short notice for this month, Disney+ told TECHBOOK.
Also read: The new series and films on Disney+
How much advertising does Disney+ show?
In order to better decide which subscription is the best choice, users need to know how much advertising Disney+ actually shows. In a conversation with TECHBOOK it became clear that the provider positions itself very similarly to Netflix, but also does one thing better here.
At the start of the ad-financed subscription, the streaming provider only shows commercials within series and before the start of series and films. This means that users can watch films without commercial interruptions for the time being. However, Disney+ reserves the right to adjust this at a later date. In the initial phase of the advertising-financed subscription, however, they want to limit themselves to advertising before the start of streams and within series.
A regular commercial can be between 10 and 30 seconds long. Disney+ also offers longer spots of 60 seconds for selected partners, although these should be the exception. Partners include BMW, L’Oréal, Pandora and Lego. Advertisers can determine the content of the spots themselves, provided they adhere to Disney+ guidelines. For example, these do not allow advertising for alcohol or content with naked people.
A maximum of two commercials in a row are broadcast with the advertising subscription, so that an advertising break is usually no longer than 60 seconds. According to the provider, the interruptions within series are set at so-called ad breaks, which are determined in studios during production. You want to avoid a commercial break starting awkwardly in a scene or even in the middle of a sentence. There are also displays before the start of a film or series. According to Disney+, users see a maximum of four minutes of advertising per hour.
By the way, no advertising is displayed in the so-called junior mode. This mode is aimed specifically at young children and allows access to selected, age-appropriate titles. There are also guidelines for the type of advertising for other age groups. For FSK 12 accounts, for example, advertising that is aimed at an adult audience is excluded.
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Standard and premium subscriptions without ads
Both Standard and Premium subscriptions from Disney+ are completely ad-free. The standard subscription is very similar to the one with advertising, but offers a download function. Here, too, users can stream on up to two devices in parallel and see content in maximum full HD and with stereo 5.1 audio quality.
Disney+ offers the standard subscription for 8.99 euros per month. Alternatively, users can also book annual access, which costs 89.90 euros.
Subscribers can only get the quality previously offered with 4K and Dolby Atmos with a premium subscription. This costs 11.99 euros per month or 119.90 euros per year. This offer allows up to four parallel streams and also includes the download function. Disney+ promotes this offer primarily for cinephiles.
The new subscription models and prices now apply to all new customers or customers returning to Disney+. Existing customers will automatically be transferred to the premium subscription, but will continue to pay the previous price of 8.99 euros per month. So nothing changes for them with the change.
The new Disney+ subscriptions in comparison
TECHBOOK means
“It was foreseeable that Disney+ would do the same as the other providers and also launch a subscription with advertising. After all, this is an additional source of income for the streaming services. Compared to Netflix, Disney+ does it better in some respects – users not only have the entire catalog of titles available, films are even exempt from commercial breaks. For some, the standard subscription with advertising may well be an alternative to the more expensive ad-free offers.
I think it’s good that nothing changes for existing customers. Because they are automatically transferred to the premium account and continue to see content in 4K for the usual price of 8.99 euros. New customers, on the other hand, will have to pay more in the future if they have high-resolution video quality and also want to play four parallel streams.” – Rita Deutschbein, editorial director