One Year After Launch, Disney+ Has 73.7 Million Subscribers

It's been exactly one year since the Disney+ streaming service first launched, and over the course of the last 12 months, Disney+ has gained 73.7 million subscribers, surpassing expectations.

disney ios
Disney announced the impressive subscriber numbers during its fourth quarter earnings results, which went out this afternoon.

"Even with the disruption caused by COVID-19, we've been able to effectively manage our businesses while also taking bold, deliberate steps to position our company for greater long-term growth," said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. "The real bright spot has been our direct-to-consumer business, which is key to the future of our company, and on this anniversary of the launch of Disney+ we're pleased to report that, as of the end of the fourth quarter, the service had more than 73 million paid subscribers - far surpassing our expectations in just its first year."

Disney+ last reported subscriber numbers in August, when the streaming service had 57.5 million subscribers. Based on those numbers, Disney+ has gained 16 million subscribers in the last three months alone.

At launch, Disney's goal was to hit 60 to 90 million subscribers by 2024, a target that the company has already met. Disney+ seems to have been more successful than Apple TV+, which launched right around the same time. Apple does not provide subscriber numbers for ‌Apple TV+‌ so there's no direct comparison to make, but if Apple's numbers were that high, it's likely company executives would have mentioned it.

When ‌Apple TV+‌ launched, Apple offered all customers who purchased a new device a free year of service, which is a deal that's still available now. Customers who took advantage of this promotion were originally meant to start paying in November, but Apple extended the free trial until the end of January.

‌Apple TV+‌ has not been able to compete with Disney+ because Disney has an established catalog of content along with popular Star Wars and Marvel content. Apple, meanwhile, has been working to build up new original TV shows and movies, but it still trails behind Disney.

Top Rated Comments

triangletechie Avatar
31 months ago

I still have zero interest other than for the mandalorian which I can get elsewhere
Thanks for sharing, and stealing.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
31 months ago
Disney hasn’t raised their annual price for Disney+ either!

I got an email saying that December 2 it’s going to re-bill at $69.99 which is the same price I paid last year
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
compwiz1202 Avatar
31 months ago

You can technically get anything “elsewhere” so why subscribe to anything?
Correct. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
31 months ago
No surprise given that just about every parent that can afford it is very likely to be "forced" to have it by their children.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DoctorApple Avatar
31 months ago
RIP Quibi.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jim Lahey Avatar
31 months ago
Didn’t think I was going to enjoy this but it’s amazing. Endless content. Great quality. Great value.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

Monday March 27, 2023 10:00 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3. The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update....
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
Apple Music Classical

Apple Explains Why It Launched an iPhone App Dedicated to Classical Music

Monday March 27, 2023 8:54 pm PDT by
Apple today published a support document explaining why it decided to release a standalone Apple Music Classical app for classical music. In short, Apple says the app was designed to support classical music's complex metadata:Classical music is different. It has longer and more detailed titles, multiple artists for each work, and hundreds of recordings of well-known pieces. The Apple Music...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...