Disney completed full ownership of Hulu in June 2025 by acquiring Comcast’s remaining one-third stake [1]. Despite the full acquisition, Disney has no plans to shut down Hulu as a standalone service or app. A Disney spokesperson said "there are no current plans to sunset the Hulu app" [1]. An Engadget post noted that "all Hulu subscribers will also continue to have access to the standalone app to stream their favorite Hulu content" [2].
Hulu subscriptions will continue to be sold independently in the US market, maintaining a distinct offering from Disney+ [1, 2]. Since March 2024, Hulu content has been available through a dedicated Hulu tile on the Disney+ app, allowing users to access Hulu shows without leaving Disney+ [1].
Disney is working to integrate Hulu and Disney+ on the same backend technology infrastructure, involving the movement of more than 100,000 individual assets to unify systems [1]. This effort includes unifying login systems, advertising platforms, metadata, and personalization algorithms. The company also plans to re-encode Hulu's video library as part of the integration [1].
A rolling feature in 2026 will allow bundle subscribers to link profiles between Hulu and Disney+ apps, enabling them to search for Hulu content and view watch history and recommendations directly in the Disney+ app [2]. Notably, Disney+ users do not need a Disney+ subscription to access Hulu content within the Disney+ app—only an active Hulu subscription and MyDisney login are required [1, 2].
Currently, Hulu+ Live TV and channel add-ons remain exclusive to the Hulu app, though Disney plans to add TV channel features to Disney+ at a later date [1]. The company may also test Hulu features such as a live guide within the Disney+ app but will continue supporting the standalone Hulu app for the foreseeable future [2].
The next key step in this integration will come in 2026 when profile linking rolls out to bundle subscribers, allowing a more seamless cross-service experience [2].
