In an attempt to avoid paying Apple’s App Store fees, Disney has removed the ability for users to pay for Disney+ or Hulu through the App Store.
By instructing their users to visit a website rather than pay via the App Store, Disney is able to save money and avoid paying Apple a fee. For in-app purchases such as subscriptions, Apple typically charges companies a fee for every transaction made within the app, which can be up to 30% of the payment.
The subscription-related change can be found on the official Disney and Hulu websites. New and returning subscribers cannot pay for their subscriptions through Apple, nor can they sign up for either of the services. Existing Apple-billed subscribers will remain unaffected, however, according to the Disney+ and Hulu websites.
As noted by MacRumors, users will still be able to enjoy their Disney+ and Hulu content on iOS but will need to sign in via the respective apps. For payments, however, users will need to turn to the Disney+ and Hulu websites. From there, it’s possible to view all available subscription plans and sign up for a subscription directly.
In-app purchases and their associated App Store fees have often caused much controversy in the past, with companies such as Epic Games going so far as suing Apple. In February of 2024, streaming service Netflix also ended support for in-app payments.
