Disney+ Hotstar contributes to 40% of global paid subscribers of Disney+

The average monthly revenue per paid subscriber for Disney+ decreased from $4.62 to $4.16 due to a higher mix of Disney+ Hotstar subscribers in the current quarter compared to the prior-year quarter, partially offset by a lower mix of wholesale subscribers and increases in retail pricing. Launched on April 3, 2020 in India, the average monthly revenue per paid subscriber of Disney+ Hotstar is significantly lower than the average monthly revenue per paid subscriber for Disney+ in other markets.

Christine McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Disney, stated during an earnings call that Disney+ Hotstar constituted around 40% of the total subscriber base of Disney+ as of the end of the third quarter, and accounted for the majority of the net subscriber additions on Disney+ between Q2 and Q3. She informed that globally Disney+ had garnered 116 million paid subscribers at the end of Q3, as compared to 104 million net subscribers in Q2.

The streaming of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Disney+ Hotstar has been adding to its ad revenues as well as subscriber base. McCarthy acknowledged this by stating that IPL was a very important component of the OTT platform’s offerings. At the same time, she stressed that IPL was only one component of the very broad portfolio of content, which also included Originals, general entertainment, and sports other than cricket. She informed that Disney+ has been adding over 18,000 of Original local programming every year.