The Disney Plus password-sharing crackdown is in full swing. The new account rules that mean you can no longer share your password with people outside of your household started to came into effect on June 1, 2024, for some jurisdictions.
Disney Plus first announced that it would be following in the footsteps of Netflix and limiting password sharing on user accounts (alongside Hulu in the US, which is also owned by Disney) in Canada, the US and UK in late 2023.
It began emailing US subscribers in February 2024 to give them advance notice of the changes and has since launched a new 'Extra Member' fee in some countries, including the US where it launched the new paid sharing feature in September 2024.
That means that if you share your Disney Plus account with people who don't live under the same roof, you will no longer be able to unless you purchase an 'Extra Member' to be able to.
What are the Disney Plus password sharing rules?
Here's what the Disney Plus user agreement now says after its early 2024 update:
"Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household. 'Household' means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein. Additional Usage rules may apple for certain Service Tiers."
In July 2024, the steamer updated its UK Subscriber Agreement terms to include various mentions of a new 'Extra Member' feature, which was our first indication at the time that it was coming. The new password sharing restrictions were also updated in the T&Cs of US subscribers in March 2024 and later Australia.
A 'Household' in Disney Plus terms means a "collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside there". The service will automatically detect and establish your Household based on your subscription activity.
Where are the Disney Plus password sharing rules being enforced?
- Asia-Pacific (including Australia)
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Guatemala
- Europe
- The United States
- The United Kingdom
Disney Plus brought in the new rules for new customers in Canada in late 2023 and has since extended the restrictions to customers in the US, UK and Australia as well as more too.
But actual enforcement of the password sharing rules partially began in some regions in June 2024. The date was confirmed by Disney CEO Bob Iger during a CNBC interview in April, which helped clear up earlier confusion around the rules coming into force in "early 2024".
During the same interview, Iger also clarified that the password sharing crackdown would see a gradual rollout in select regions, which we've since seen expand to the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region in September 2024.
Indeed, Iger later confirmed during the Disney's Q3 earnings call on August 7 that the Disney Plus password crackdown is definitely coming in September, saying "we started our password-sharing initiative in June... That kicks in, in earnest, in September".
How will Disney Plus stop password sharing?
The service uses location information, device identification and other data, such as IP address ranges, to identify when someone is using your account from a different location. If the system decides that you're sharing someone else's account, you'll be invited to sign up for your own subscription.
If you don't sign up and Disney Plus reckons you're sharing something you shouldn't, it says it may "limit or terminate access to the service and/or take any other steps as permitted by this agreement" for the account's users and owner. That could mean legal action, although we can't imagine Disney Plus is going to chase ordinary people through the courts. Account restrictions or closure are much more likely.
How much is Disney Plus charging for password sharing?
Adding an 'Extra Member' to your Disney Plus varies in cost depending on which country you're in.
In the US, an Extra Member profile is $6.99 per month for a Disney Plus with ads account and $9.99 per month for a Disney Plus Premium account. That's more expensive than the $7.99 that Netflix charges for its Standard and Premium plans (you can't add an extra member to Netflix's ad-supported plan).
Be aware though, you can not add an extra member to your Disney Plus account if you're signed up to a Disney bundle. Also, unlike Netflix, that let's you add two Extra Members to its Premium plan, you only add up to one Extra Member per Disney Plus account.
In the UK, Disney Plus is charging an extra £3.99 a month for its with ads tier and £4.99 a month for its no ads tier, which is less than the £4.99 Netflix is asking for. Those in Australia, meanwhile, have a flat fee of AU$7.99 a month to add a new profile to their account.
Now that Disney Plus has finally added a similar extra member option to its service like Netflix has, it means your subscription is no longer limited to the people you share a roof with and can be extended to include anybody else.
What if I subscribed through a bundle from another company?
The new rules apply to all existing subscribers irrespective of whether they signed up directly or via a third party. However, be aware that you can't add an Extra Member if you're signed up to a bundle.
What if I want to use my Disney Plus account on holiday, or if I'm travelling for work?
Like Netflix, which doesn't want to stop you streaming when you're away for your holidays and will enable you to ask for a seven-day access code that'll enable you to tune in when you're away from home, Disney Plus also lets you continue streaming while abroad.
It's available in various countries across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe, and can be accessed in 23 different languages, including English, Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, Korean and more.
According to the Disney Plus help centre for the US and in other parts of the world too (the same language is also in the UK version), a household "means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the people who live there". So there's definitely room there for letting you use your "collection of devices" elsewhere.
Will Disney Plus let me use a VPN?
Probably not: using a Virtual Private Network is against the Disney Plus terms of service, and the service does block known IP addresses associated with some VPN networks. If you're considering trying one of the best VPNs be aware that it's a potentially risky move, and what works today may well be blocked tomorrow.
If you're planning to leave Disney Plus when the password sharing restrictions are brought in, then here's our guide for how to cancel your Disney Plus subscription. Be sure to check out all the best Disney Plus movies and new Disney Plus movies before you unsubscribe though.
