Disney+ Surpasses 100 Million Global Paid Subscribers In 16 Months

(RTTNews) - Walt Disney Co.'s streaming service Disney+ now has surpassed 100 million paid subscribers globally, with the company achieving the milestone within sixteen months of its U.S. launch. This was revealed by Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek during the company's virtual Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

The landmark could be reached as millions of people, who are stuck at home around the world due to lockdowns related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, are spending more time online.

The company had in 2019 expected that Disney+ would have 60 million to 90 million subscribers around the world by the end of fiscal 2024. However, the 100 million mark has been breached at least nineteen months ahead of that.

Disney+ recorded 28.6 million paid subscribers globally in less than three months of its launch in the U.S. and 50 million global paid subscribers in just five months of its launch.

Disney+ was launched in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands on November 12, 2019. The service was also launched in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and Latin America as well as eight Western European counties including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland.

Disney+ provides high quality content from brands such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Star and National Geographic. Disney+ is currently available in 59 countries across North America, Europe, Asia/Pacific, and Latin America.

In the U.S., Disney+ costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, while Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app for $4.99 per month. In comparison, the monthly charge for Netflix and Amazon Prime is around $8.99.

Apple Inc. launched its original video subscription service Apple TV+ in November 2019, adding to the competition. The service is available in more than 100 countries and regions.

Last month, Disney+ added more content with the addition of the Star brand, which launched on the platform across Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe. Disney+ with Star will continue its global rollout in new markets later this year with Latin America, Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.