After Netflix now Disney+ starts its password sharing crackdown

In a move similar to Netflix’s approach, Disney+ is now restricting its users from sharing passwords outside their household. In its latest note to users, Disney+ informed its customers that it will now restrict users from sharing passwords outside the household. Users who have been sharing their Disney+ accounts with friends and family will now have to pay extra to continue doing so. This password crackdown is part of a broader strategy aimed at converting users benefiting from shared accounts into paying customers and increasing revenue.
Disney+ began informing its global subscribers this week about its new paid-sharing program. Currently, the paid-sharing program is available in the United States, Canada, Europe, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Asia-Pacific region. However, it is expected to roll out to a broader audience in the coming weeks. Notably, Disney+’s password-sharing restrictions were first introduced earlier this year in select regions but have now been expanded more widely.
According to Disney+, the new paid service is designed for use within a single household, which they define as the collection of devices associated with one primary personal residence. Meanwhile, for users who want to continue sharing their Disney+ subscription with other users outside their household, Disney+ is offering an “Extra Member” add-on. This add-on comes with an additional monthly cost depending on the type of subscription the account holder has. “But what about people outside your household? They will need to sign up and pay for their own subscription or be added as an Extra Member to your account for an additional monthly fee to continue enjoying Disney+,” wrote Disney+ in the official note.
Notably, in the U.S., adding an Extra Member will cost $6.99 per month for Disney+ Basic (ad-supported) plans and $9.99 for Disney+ Premium (ad-free) plans.
Disney+ is limiting users to sharing their subscriptions with only one Extra Member per account. The Extra Member will have their own profile but can only stream content on one device at a time. Additionally, the Extra Member add-on is not available for users subscribed to the Disney+ Bundle, which includes services like Hulu and ESPN+, or for subscribers billed through third-party partners.
Meanwhile, Disney+ is also offering users who are currently using shared accounts the option of transferring an existing profile to a new subscription or Extra Member account. Disney ensures that this process will preserve users’ watch history, recommendations, and personalised settings. However, primary profiles, minors’ profiles, or profiles in Junior Mode are ineligible for transfer.
What about users travelling? For users who travel frequently, Disney+ is offering the option to access content by either marking themselves as “I’m Away From Home” or updating their household location. This option requires a one-time passcode sent to the account holder’s email.
Disney+ is not the only service from the company seeing these changes. Disney is also planning to implement similar password-sharing restrictions for Hulu and ESPN+. The company outlined the same in updates to their respective subscriber agreements earlier this year. The updated terms explicitly prohibit sharing login details with individuals outside the household, similar to Netflix’s approach.
Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing last year was a significant success, leading to a notable rise in paid subscribers as users who had previously been borrowing accounts opted to sign up for their own. Disney appears to be following in Netflix’s footsteps, with plans to raise prices on all its streaming services next month.