Strap in, because these new rules are complicated
Bad news Disney+ fans – sharing passwords with people outside your household is over… in the US, at least.
From now on, those in America wishing to use the service must purchase their own Disney+ subscription or join as an additional user to a friend’s or family’s account via the Extra Member feature.
The first rumours around password sharing restrictions on Disney+ appeared as early as August 2023. In January 2024, CNN reported that Hulu emailed subscribers to inform them that the limitations would arrive on 14 March 2024. Currently, Hulu prevents people who don’t live in the same household from sharing accounts.
Disney+ follows a similar path but leaves a gateway for users who don’t want to pay for their own subscriptions. Here are the rules and costs associated with using the Extra Member option.
If you want to see the rules for using Netflix, take a look at our piece on Netflix’s password sharing crackdown.
We have a similar article on password-sharing restrictions on Max.
What does a ‘household’ mean as defined by Disney+?
Currently, one Disney+ account can be used only by members of the same household – those living at the same address.
If someone outside the household (meaning, anyone who lives at a different address) tries to use Disney+, the service will display the message ‘This TV doesn’t seem to be part of the Household for this account’.
It can also happen if you want to use Disney+ on vacation or after a move. In the former case, click ‘I’M AWAY FROM HOME’, and in the latter, select ‘UPDATE HOUSEHOLD’. A one-time access code will then be sent to the email address assigned to your account, which you must enter when logging in.
When did Disney+ introduce the Extra Member feature in the US?
Adding an extra user to your Disney+ account is now available in the United States.
As announced a few months ago by Disney CEO Bob Iger, the company’s new policy was fully launched in late September 2024.
This new option is also available in Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
How much does the Extra Member option cost in the US?
If you have an ad-supported Disney+ Basic plan, adding an extra member will cost $6.99 monthly.
However, if you subscribe to ad-free Disney+ Premium, the fee for an additional user goes up to $9.99 per month.
For reference, a full account for Disney+ Basic costs $9.99 per month, while a Premium subscription is $15.99 per month. Therefore, the Extra Member feature will save users $3 and $5 per month respectively in comparison (though obviously, not as much as when it was free).
What are the rules for the Extra Member option on Disney+?
Using a Disney+ subscription as an Extra Member comes with several restrictions.
First, to add an Extra Member, you must have a standalone Disney+ subscription – the additional user option isn’t available for Disney+ bundled with Hulu and ESPN+. You can’t also use the new feature when you subscribe to the service through third-party partners.
Moreover, the Extra Member can’t have an active Hulu subscription or an active or cancelled Disney+ or ESPN+ subscription.
The account holder can only share the subscription with one person. The Extra Member will receive their login and profile but can use only the same content and features as the account holder. Streaming content will only be possible on one device.
The Extra Member can cancel their account at any time, and main account holders can also cut off access.
When will Disney+ introduce password-sharing rules for the UK?
Towards the end of July, Disney+ updated its subscriber agreement in the UK to include details of ‘Extra Members’ – this was first spotted by Cordbusters.
The terms and conditions state the following:
Because the Extra Member feature is an add-on to the Subscriber’s Service Plan, the Extra Member feature cannot exist independently… The Extra Member will receive a subset of functionality/features available to the Subscriber under their Service Plan.
This means that main account holders will have the right to terminate Extra Members on their accounts. It may also suggest that additional subscriptions could come with more limited features than a normal subscriber, though we don’t exactly know the details yet.
The other key things Disney hasn’t stated is how much these new Extra Members will cost, and what date they’ll come into effect.
However, it does say that it will contact users with a new subscriber agreement and that they will have 30 days from then before the changes happen. Considering the agreement is already up on Disney’s website, and that the new policy is available in the US, we assume that comms should be sent out soon.
Why is Disney+ introducing the paid Extra Member option?
It all started with Netflix. The service’s decision to limit subscription sharing marked a significant change in the world of streaming. It seems that the company set a precedent, as Disney has made it clear for a while now that password sharing will eventually be a thing of the past on its streaming platforms – that’s Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
The new restrictions are, of course, intended to help Disney make more money following a drop in paying members – the streamer lost 300,000 subscribers in the US and Canada during the most recent financial quarter.
CEO Bob Iger hopes the new regulations will increase subscribers, as that’s what happened in Netflix’s case (via The Wrap).
