Disney Plus Password-Sharing Crackdown: Here’s What Sharing Will Cost You

Disney Plus subscribers in the US will pay a little extra to share their streaming accounts. The Walt Disney Company plans to enforce its new account-sharing policies by implementing a $7 monthly fee for customers on the Disney Plus basic, ad-supported plan and a $10-a-month charge for those with premium subscriptions. The company shared the announcement on its website Wednesday.

Beginning this week, the service will charge an additional fee each month for subscribers in the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe and in the Asia-Pacific area who want to share their account with anyone outside of their household. The Extra Member fee is optional, and Disney says only one additional user can be added per account. Paid sharing is not available for customers with a Disney Bundle or for subscribers who are billed through a third party.

If you’ve been sharing your account but choose not to pay the extra fee, people outside your household can sign up for their own account and transfer their profile, if it’s eligible. Profile transfers for account-holders, kids or the Junior Mode version are not eligible. If you’re worried about being kicked off Disney Plus while traveling, you’ll receive a message prompt allowing you to mark yourself as away from home.

CEO Bob Iger initially discussed a summer rollout during the company’s second-quarter earnings call this year. The news came after the media giant updated its subscriber agreements for Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu in January. The paid sharing launch also comes weeks before Disney implements price hikes for its streaming services on Oct. 17. It’s part of a password-sharing crackdown that was first announced in summer 2023, with plans to roll it out fully between June and September this year.

Taking a page out of Netflix’s playbook, Disney may block access to its streaming platform if it finds you’re sharing your account with people who don’t live at your primary residence. You’ll be prompted on what steps to take next, which includes paying the fee for an extra user or opening a separate account.

During the company’s first-quarter earnings call in February, CFO Hugh Johnston explained how the crackdown would work. “Disney Plus accounts suspected of improper sharing will be presented with new capabilities to allow their borrowers to start their own subscriptions,” he said. “Later this calendar year, account holders who want to allow access to individuals from outside their household will be able to add them to their accounts for an additional fee.”

In August 2023, Iger said that account-sharing policies would be a priority for 2024 as part of Disney’s monetization strategy. The entertainment titan owns three streaming platforms, but Disney Plus saw a loss of 1.3 million subscribers in its last quarter following a price hike in the fall.