Bill CleanupPersonal finance admin

ESPN Unlimited's Sept. 17 Price Jump: What Changes

ESPN's own support page confirms ESPN Unlimited rises from $29.99 to $31.99 a month ($299.99 to $319.99 a year) and ESPN Select rises from $12.99 to $13.99 a month ($129.99 to $139.99 a year), effective September 17, 2026. Anyone who subscribed before August 20, 2026 keeps the old price until their first billing date after September 17. The Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited bundle price is not affected. Check your own next billing date, not the announcement date, to know when your bill actually changes.

Bill CleanupReviewed September 16, 20266 min read

ESPN's own support page confirms a price increase on two direct-to-consumer plans, effective September 17, 2026: ESPN Unlimited moves from $29.99 to $31.99 a month, and its annual plan moves from $299.99 to $319.99 a year; ESPN Select moves from $12.99 to $13.99 a month, and its annual plan moves from $129.99 to $139.99 a year. Anyone who subscribed before August 20, 2026 keeps their current price until their first billing date after September 17, 2026 — so the date your bill actually changes depends on your own billing cycle, not the announcement date. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle stays at $35.99 a month and is not affected by this increase.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for an existing ESPN Unlimited or ESPN Select subscriber trying to figure out exactly what is changing, by how much, and on what date their own bill will reflect it. It is a billing-mechanism explainer, not a cancellation guide — it does not walk through cancelling ESPN, and it does not speculate about future price changes beyond what ESPN's own page states.

What changes on each ESPN plan?

ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select go up by $1–$2 a month (or $10–$20 a year) on September 17, 2026; the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited bundle does not change.

Plan Old price New price Effective date
ESPN Unlimited (monthly) $29.99/month $31.99/month September 17, 2026
ESPN Unlimited (annual) $299.99/year $319.99/year September 17, 2026
ESPN Select (monthly) $12.99/month $13.99/month September 17, 2026
ESPN Select (annual) $129.99/year $139.99/year September 17, 2026
Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited bundle $35.99/month $35.99/month (unchanged) Not affected

Who keeps the old price, and until when?

ESPN's support page states that anyone who subscribed prior to August 20, 2026 keeps their existing price until their first billing date after September 17, 2026. That means two subscribers reading the same announcement can see the new price hit their account on two different dates, depending on where each one's monthly or annual billing cycle falls relative to September 17. A subscriber billed on the 5th of the month, for example, would see their existing price hold through their September billing date and the new price apply starting their October billing date; a subscriber billed on the 25th would see the new price apply at their next charge after the 17th, which could be the very next cycle.

When will your own bill change? (checklist)

If you subscribed before August 20, 2026, your price changes at your first billing date after September 17, 2026.

  • Confirm your subscription start date — was it before or after August 20, 2026?
  • Find your current monthly or annual billing date, from your receipt history or account page.
  • Compare that billing date to September 17, 2026: is your next scheduled charge before or after that date?
  • If your next billing date is before September 17, expect one more charge at the old price, then the new price on the following cycle.
  • If your next billing date is on or after September 17, expect the new price at that next charge.
  • Confirm whether you are on the standalone ESPN Unlimited/Select plan or the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited bundle — the bundle price is not part of this increase.

Why does your billing date matter?

A price increase announcement gives you the new number and the policy date, but it does not tell you which specific charge on your own statement will reflect it — that depends entirely on your individual billing cycle relative to the cutoff. If a charge on your card or bank statement looks higher than expected around this time, decode the statement line first to confirm it is actually the ESPN charge and not an unrelated line, then compare the amount to the table above before assuming anything went wrong.

What mistakes should you avoid?

  • Assuming the new price applies to your very next charge, regardless of when your billing date falls relative to September 17, 2026.
  • Confusing the bundle price with the standalone plan prices. The Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited bundle is unaffected.
  • Missing the August 20, 2026 grandfather cutoff, which determines whether you get one more billing cycle at the old price.
  • Treating this as a "notice" problem. ESPN published the change on its own support page ahead of the effective date; this guide does not evaluate whether that notice met any specific state's legal requirements.
  • Assuming every ESPN-branded product is affected. This increase applies specifically to the ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select direct-to-consumer plans described above.

What should you do next?

Find your own billing date and compare it to September 17, 2026, using the checklist above, before assuming the new price already applies to your account. If the change prompts you to reconsider the subscription, the exit-door directory covers cancellation paths for major subscription platforms.

FAQ

How much is ESPN Unlimited going up?

From $29.99 to $31.99 a month, and from $299.99 to $319.99 a year, effective September 17, 2026, per ESPN's own support page.

Does the price increase apply to my next bill?

It depends on your billing date. If you subscribed before August 20, 2026, you keep your current price until your first billing date after September 17, 2026 — which may be your very next charge or the one after, depending on your cycle.

Is the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN Unlimited bundle affected?

No. ESPN's support page states the bundle price stays at $35.99 a month.

Where can I verify these numbers myself?

ESPN's own Fan Support page, "ESPN Select or Unlimited Plans and Prices," lists the current and new prices and the effective date directly.

Claim ledger

Claim Source Checked Confidence
ESPN Unlimited rises from $29.99 to $31.99/month ($299.99 to $319.99/year) and ESPN Select rises from $12.99 to $13.99/month ($129.99 to $139.99/year), effective September 17, 2026. https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/40375475974036-ESPN-Select-or-Unlimited-Plans-and-Prices 2026-09-16 High
Subscribers who signed up before August 20, 2026 keep their existing price until their first billing date after September 17, 2026. https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/40375475974036-ESPN-Select-or-Unlimited-Plans-and-Prices 2026-09-16 High
The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle remains at $35.99/month and is not part of this increase. https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/40375475974036-ESPN-Select-or-Unlimited-Plans-and-Prices 2026-09-16 High

Sources

Sources

  1. https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/40375475974036-ESPN-Select-or-Unlimited-Plans-and-Prices

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Scope: Personal finance admin. We update this guide as the underlying search behaviour changes.

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