Nearly a year after putting users on notice that a password crackdown was coming, Disney+ is officially launching an alternative option for sharing accounts. Like Netflix, Disney+ is allowing you to add a member outside your household.
Disney outlines the options in a blog post announcing the change. The “Extra Member” add-on will cost $6.99 per month for basic subscriptions and $9.99 a month for premium subscribers. Only one extra member slot is available per account. That’s a modest savings compared to the normal price of $9.99 a month for a basic plan or $13.99 a month for the premium plan.
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Extra Member is not available for Disney bundle subscribers or anyone not billed directly through Disney. If you’re currently sharing Disney+, the company explains, you can create your own account and transfer your profile so you’ll keep your settings and watch history.
In a help post, Disney explains how it plans to track down password sharers. “Disney+ will automatically detect and establish your Household based on your subscription activity, linked devices, and internet connection, among other factors,” the company writes. If it sees you logged in on a device that’s not part of your household (like if you’re traveling), a message will be displayed, and the app will send a one-time passcode to confirm. Logging in with that code will give you the option to update your household to your current location permanently or let the app know you’re traveling.
If Disney catches you continuing to share your password, you’re at risk of having your account terminated.
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This announcement comes just as Disney+ is increasing prices for all its plans on Oct. 17. When Netflix instituted a similar policy last year, the move paid off big time, and the service saw a rush of new signups. Hulu saw a similar spike after its crackdown. Discover Max (formerly HBO Max) has announced similar plans.
