This week, Disney+ is bringing ads into the mix, the UK is loving subscriptions, Walmart and Spotify join forces, and more.

Cheaper, ad-supported option coming to Disney+ in late 2022

While the cost hasn’t been revealed yet, the current plan is $7.99 monthly or $79.99 annually. This option will be available first to U.S. audiences before going international. Are ads worth the lower price point? Regardless of your stance, this more affordable option will help Disney+ expand its subscriber base. Learn more on TechCrunch.

82% of households in the UK receive subscription boxes

According to Whistl, subscription boxes are making their way to 82% of households in the UK–that’s up from 65% the previous year. As a result, 67% of UK retailers plan to hop on board the subscription train. Some key takeaways: 

  • Average monthly spend on subscriptions per household is £52.

  • Average lifetime with a subscription service is 9 months, compared to 5.6 months in 2018.

  • UK residents love subscribing to food, shaving products, clothing, perfume and cosmetics, and pets.

  • Consumers are motivated by exclusive content, time savings, good value, convenience, and tailored products.

Walmart+ now comes with six months of free Spotify

Lovers of music and entertainment, Walmart+ members can now enjoy six months of free Spotify Premium, which costs $9.99 monthly on its own, with their accounts. Even Walmart employees benefit from this Spotify partnership. The $12.95 monthly ($98 annually) membership offers free shipping on e-commerce items plus a slew of other perks. Read more on Retail Dive.

Salesforce & AWS introduce a streaming solution for content distributors

With scalability top of mind, Salesforce and AWS have built a solution that allows studios, streamers, publications, and other content distributors to create and scale personalized experiences for their subscribers. Learn more on TVTech.

Verizon’s new plan helps you manage subscriptions more easily

Plus Play, a new platform in partnership with Netflix, Peloton, Disney+, and more, is a centralized hub to help customers “discover, purchase and manage some of their favorite subscriptions.” It will be free to Verizon customers. Read more on The Verge.

Top 100 subscription app purchases hit $18.3 billion in 2021

According to a report by SensorTower, the top 100 subscription apps globally topped $18.3 billion in revenue last year. That’s up a whopping 41% from 2020. Learn more on SensorTower.

Top Subscription Apps for 2021 list

Source: SensorTower.com