Disney+ has officially joined the growing list of streaming platforms cracking down on password sharing, announcing a new paid sharing option for users who share their accounts outside their households. Starting this week, Disney+ subscribers will need to pay an additional fee to allow members outside their immediate household to access their account, following a similar approach successfully implemented by Netflix last year.
According to the company’s announcement, Disney+ users can add one “Extra Member” outside their home for $6.99 per month on the Basic plan, which includes ads, or $9.99 per month for the Premium ad-free option. Only one additional member per account will be permitted under the new rules. Disney+ is also offering a feature that allows users who have been sharing accounts to transfer their member profile to a new, independent account. This option allows subscribers to retain their watch history, settings, and personalized recommendations as they transition to their own account.
A Growing Trend in Streaming Services
Disney+ is the latest major streaming service to clamp down on password sharing, a practice that has become widespread and costly for streaming platforms as they seek to maximize revenue and control access to their content. Netflix implemented similar measures last year, requiring users to pay for shared access outside the household. Despite initial concerns that the move might lead to a significant number of account cancellations, Netflix reported minimal customer loss and positive financial results following the crackdown.
The paid sharing model aims to strike a balance between discouraging unauthorized account sharing and providing an affordable alternative for users who want to share their subscriptions with family members or friends who live elsewhere. By charging a small additional fee, Disney+ hopes to recoup some of the lost revenue from users who would otherwise share their login credentials with others at no extra cost.
Disney+’s decision to follow in Netflix’s footsteps reflects a broader industry shift toward stricter control of subscription services, especially as competition among streaming platforms intensifies and companies look for ways to boost profitability.
How the Paid Sharing Program Works
Disney+ subscribers will receive notifications about the new paid sharing policy and options available to them. For those who wish to add an Extra Member to their account, the feature is simple to activate: an additional fee will be charged each month, allowing a single user outside the primary household to access the account.
Subscribers who no longer wish to share their account with others have the option of encouraging additional users to create their own separate Disney+ accounts. Disney+ is making this transition easier by allowing individuals to transfer their user profiles, ensuring that personalized settings, watchlists, and viewing history remain intact.
Industry Impact and Future Outlook
With Disney+’s crackdown on password sharing now in place, other streaming services are likely to follow suit as they monitor the success of similar policies implemented by competitors. In an increasingly crowded streaming market, platforms are finding that reducing account sharing may help stabilize subscriber growth and increase revenue per user.
The move comes at a time when Disney is focused on maintaining profitability for its streaming division, which has seen a surge in subscribers over the last few years. As streaming services grapple with production costs and new content investments, paid sharing models may become a more common strategy for maintaining sustainable growth.
For subscribers, this change represents an adjustment, especially for families or friend groups who have become accustomed to sharing a single Disney+ account across multiple households. However, with flexible options for adding members or transferring accounts, Disney+ is aiming to make the shift as seamless as possible.
